July 1, 2014

The University of Michigan and Ohio State University have signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with Ohio-based Venture Therapeutics, Inc., to form a new company to develop and commercialize a pharmaceutical technology targeted for the treatment of precancerous oral lesions. These lesions are currently managed by invasive surgery and approximately a third of these lesions will reoccur after surgery.

Steven P. Schwendeman, PhD, Ara G. Paul Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, at the Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, and his former assistant research scientist, Kashappa Goud Desai, PhD, worked alongside Susan R. Mallery DDS, PhD, professor and interim chair of the division of oral pathology and radiology at the Ohio State, College of Dentistry and member of the OSUCCC – James Molecular Carcinogenesis/Chemoprevention Research Program to invent this breakthrough technology.

“Dr. Mallery and I have collaborated for years on translational research projects,” said Dr. Schwendeman.  “It is very gratifying to see our efforts progress past the preclinical state and into clinical trials where we can directly help patients.”

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