Northeastern University

<p>Northeastern University’s Center for Research Innovation (CRI) is an impact driven initiative bridging the gap between laboratory research and need-based solutions. The CRI serves as the University-wide portal between industry and leading-edge innovations from Northeastern’s use-inspired research portfolio.</p>
<p>Over the past seven years, research activity at Northeastern has more than doubled. Northeastern’s cutting edge faculty focus their use-inspired research on solving the nation’s greatest challenges in health, security, and sustainability. The Center for Research Innovation connects private companies with the researchers and inventions that meet their business needs – now and in the rapidly evolving future. Our team of professionals all have business and entrepreneurial experience. We strive for a high level of responsiveness and service, moving with speed and flexibility.</p>
<p><strong>Industry Connections:</strong></p>
<p>The CRI is the University’s bridge to industry. We are continuously building relationships with companies to identify their key technology needs and to explore opportunities for collaboration. Our network spans across industry, from the Life Sciences to the Physical Sciences. The CRI aims not only to license individual technologies, but to form long standing partnerships with industry, leveraging the core competencies of our faculty and students.</p>
<p><strong>Collaboration Benefits:</strong></p>
<p>The CRI aims to move beyond the standard paradigm of one-off licenses, focusing instead on forming long-term relationships with industry. We look to assist companies with their ongoing technology needs, leveraging the expertise of our faculty. Collaborating partners can expect flexible terms and IP policy, “high touch” and responsive service, world leading research and development and access to Northeastern resources, including use of labs and equipment.</p>
<p><strong>Research Capabilities:</strong></p>
<p>Northeastern has cutting-edge research in areas such as the Life Sciences, Nanotechnology and Network Research. The CRI can arrange briefings from faculty whose research aligns with your key corporate priorities.</p>
<p>The CRI team is agile and responsive – focused on the translation of University innovations into tangible solutions through licenses, spinouts and collaborations. Our dedication to establishing ongoing dialogue with industry informs Northeastern’s progressive research, enabling a productive balance between exploration and implementation.</p>


<h1 id="background">Background</h1>
<p>This technology involves novel endocannabinoid compounds that have the capability to modulate cannabinoid receptors. These compounds are structurally different from the plant-derived THC, CBD, and the other naturally derived cannabinoids. These novel ligands are termed “endocannabinoid analogs” (eCB) because they possess structural similarities with endogenously produced cannabinoids.</p>
<p>These compounds have a diverse range of properties which enhance their pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic performance when compared to known cannabinoids. They have potential to be used, therefore, as more affective therapeutic compounds in the future. The synthetic precursors of these eCB analogs are unique on their own. Many are biologically active on their own and provide other potential uses for this technology in the future.</p>
<h1 id="technology-overview">Technology Overview</h1>
<p>What differentiates these novel cannabinoids from previously known compounds is the incorporation of p-electron systems that replace the double bonds within the compounds. This is the first reported successful modification of the tetra-olefinic portion of an eCB molecule. This modification increases the binding affinity of the eCB molecules to CB receptors compared to endogenous cannabinoids, enhancing the pharmacodynamic properties of the ligands. The incorporation of the p-electron systems also causes conformational restriction of the flexible lipid-like structure imposed by the presence of the flat and rigid phenyl ring which increases the drug-like profile of the molecule. The removal of the double bond structure also eliminates the risk of metabolic epoxidation of the double bond by oxidases/epoxygenases, which is a well-known liability of molecules carrying double bonds. These novel eCBs are also more polar than endogenous CB, which is a sought-after characteristic in drug discovery. </p>
<p>This technology also outlines the effective therapeutic levels of the novel eCB analogs, as well as the methods for pharmaceutical preparations for administering these compounds.</p>
<h1 id="benefits">Benefits</h1>
<ul>
<li>Increased binding affinity </li>
<li>No risk of metabolic epoxidation</li>
<li>More therapeutically effective eCB variants</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="applications">Applications</h1>
<ul>
<li>Pharmaceuticals</li>
<li>Therapeutics </li>
<li>Cannabinoid research</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="opportunity">Opportunity</h1>
<ul>
<li>Development partner</li>
<li>Commercial partner</li>
</ul>
