Auckland UniServices Limited is actively involved in the formation of new businesses based on research developed at The University of Auckland. We have helped start 17 companies operating in New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom. Companies that UniServices holds shares or options to shares in based on intellectual property include:
BrainZ Instruments Limited
BrainZ was established in 2001 to further develop and commercialise brain monitoring technology developed by Associate Professor Chris Williams and his team at The University of Auckland. The company uses leading edge signal processing techniques coupled with in-depth understanding of pathophysiologic processes to develop non-invasive, point-of-care instrumentation to aid in the management of brain injuries. A production version Brain Monitor and specialised sensors are in the final stages of development.
BrainZ was acquired by Tru-Test Ltd in September 2002. Tru-Test is a private company specialising in electronic technology solutions.
www.brainzinstruments.com
Clinical Trials Research Unit
The CTRU is a research unit within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences that since its inception in 1989 has coordinated clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people in Australasia, Asia and Europe. The CTRU employs a multi-disciplinary group of more than 60 health research workers including epidemiologists, statisticians, study managers, data managers, computer programmers and administrative support staff.
Recent CTRU projects conducted through UniServices include a $30 million global trial of a new treatment for stroke with Servier; a collaborative international study of heart disease and stroke with McMaster University in Canada supported by Boehringer Ingelheim; and a world-first clinical trial of mobile phone text messaging to help young people quit smoking supported by Vodafone, Alcatel, National Heart Foundation and UniServices.
www.ctru.auckland.ac.nz
Centre for Software Innovation
The Centre for Software Innovation (CSI) was established in 2005 as a separate consulting and research organisation based at the University to help clients resolve fundamental computer science challenges.
The Centre's team is made up of internationally respected researchers in computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering; and it draws on the collective research strengths of over 100 PhD level researchers in developing innovative solutions to sometimes profound software challenges.
www.csi.ac.nz
DNA Diagnostics Limited
A joint venture between UniServices and Diagnostic Medlab, DNA Diagnostics Ltd is the first company formed by UniServices and has been operating since 1989 when it began the first New Zealand DNA-based paternity testing service.
www.dnadiagnostics.co.nz
English Language Academy
Wholly owned by The University of Auckland, the English Language Academy opened in 2000 as a separate business entity with the assistance of Auckland UniServices Limited. The ELA provides Academic English and IELTS training to hundreds of international students. Facilities include 27 purpose built classrooms, student lounges, an English Language Self Access Centre, computer facilities and a student administration centre.
www.ela.auckland.ac.nz
Freezecon Limited
Freezecon was established to develop and commercialise a process for removing water from biological fluids, particularly milk on farms, by freezing. This initiative is founded on work carried out over a number of years in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.
Institute of Earth Sciences and Engineering (IESE)
Established in 2005, the Institute of Earth Science and Engineering (IESE) is a joint venture between the University of Auckland and Auckland UniServices Ltd.
IESE acts as a single point of contact within the University of Auckland for earth science research and projects with industry, government, and other universities.
www.iese.co.nz
LactoPharma Limited
Formed in 2002, LactoPharma is a consortium between Auckland UniServices Limited and Fonterra Co-operative group business units to discover and commercialise biomedical components in milk. This research aims to identify new food ingredients, nutraceuticals and drug leads.
The consortium involves researchers at the Fonterra Research Centre (formerly New Zealand Dairy Research Institute), in Palmerston North, Auckland University's Schools of Biological Science and Medicine, and the University of Otago's Biological Investigation Group in Wellington and Department of Microbiology in Dunedin. With significant support from New Zealand's Foundation for Research Science and Technology, total funding for LactoPharma is $28 million.
www.lactopharma.com
The Light Metals Research Centre, The University of Auckland
Launched in 2002, The Light Metals Research Centre, The University of Auckland, provides a full suite of research and development capabilities for the global light metals sector and currently works with over 20 aluminium smelters, alumina producers and metal processors from South America, North America, UAE, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Norway, China and India.
www.lightmetals.co.nz
Neuren Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics in the fields of neuroprotection and metabolic disorders. It was formed in 2004 through a merger of two UniServices spin-off companies based on University research, Neuronz and Endocrinz - founded in 1995 and 2002 respectively. Neuren has licensed intellectual property arising from research in the Liggins Institute, a leading centre for research in the neurosciences and endocrinology. It also contracts the Liggins Institute through UniServices to undertake discovery and preclinical research. In February 2005 Neuren attained a fully underwritten listing on the Australian Stock Exchange.
www.neurenpharma.com
A biotechnology company focused on discovery, development and commercialisation of novel treatments for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Protemix' research laboratories are based within the University of Auckland.
Protemix has developed a strong pipeline of diabetes-related drugs, including one compound currently undergoing Phase II clinical trials and a number of promising pre-clinical drug candidates.
www.protemix.co.nz
Proacta Therapeutics Limited
Proacta's goal is to be the leading developer of cancer therapeutics that focuses on physiologically-targeted products for the treatment of solid tumours.
Proacta draws on a broad portfolio of IP across 9 chemical families. Ongoing development of the portfolio is supported by significant grant funding and led by acknowledged international experts in the field at Auckland and Stanford Universities. Proacta's strong IP and ongoing research activities in physiologically-targeted cancer therapies give it a leadership position in meeting a substantial unmet need for the large and growing oncology market.
www.proactatherapeutics.com
Telemetry
In laboratory experiments involving animals, there is a need to transmit large volumes of physiological data to a data processor. Current methods involve fixed wire leads from sensors on the animals. Associate Professor Simon Malpas and Dr David Budgett both of the Bioengineering Institute have developed ideas for implantable transmitters using "Bluetooth" technology for wireless transmission to a data acquisition system (computer).
http://www.bioeng.auckland.ac.nz/commercial/telemetry/
Human Nutrition Unit
The Human Nutrition Unit is a nutrition research facility that undertakes research to identify dietary components which promote health and prevent disease.
Trials are carried out both as academic and commercial collaborations.
http://www.humannutritionunit.auckland.ac.nz