MRC Technology to manage Diabetes UK’s IP

London, UK, 7 January 2015: MRC Technology has signed an agreement with Diabetes UK to manage its intellectual property (IP). The partnership will enable Diabetes UK to benefit from MRC Technology’s expertise in IP management, translation and drug discovery, allowing the charity to maximise benefits to patients and return on investment from its research portfolio.

Under the agreement, MRC Technology will review and monitor the overall research portfolio of Diabetes UK, advising on strategies that best realise the commercial potential of research projects. MRC Technology will negotiate on behalf of Diabetes UK with grant holders and Technology Transfer Officers, and will assist in the protection, management and exploitation of associated IP. It will also negotiate robust revenue share agreements to ensure the value of research funding provided by Diabetes UK is fully reflected.

Mike Johnson, Director of Corporate Partnerships at MRC Technology said: “Being a charity ourselves, we strive to improve human health through life science innovations and are therefore ideally placed to support Diabetes UK in improving care and treatments for diabetes patients. MRC Technology has worked with eight of the UK’s leading charities to maximise benefits to patients and return on research investment. Our growing relationship with charities means we are increasingly offering consortia opportunities and research strategy development.”

Alasdair Rankin, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes UK funds research to make life better for people with all forms of diabetes. We work to improve care for people living with diabetes, to prevent diabetes in people who don’t yet have it and ultimately to cure the condition in those who have it today or will develop it in the future. Diabetes UK research has led to vital developments including modern insulin pen devices, blood glucose testing and the UK retinal screening programme. Our agreement with MRC Technology will help us ensure we have the expertise to bring the benefits of today’s research to people with diabetes as fast as possible.”