Case History #1: University Startup Reaches $70MM Valuation
Patent firms often measure their value by the number of applications filed and patents granted. Indeed, many domestic and international pharmaceutical products are covered by patents Innovar has prosecuted. While that is a good measure of productivity, we believe a better measure of our value is the extent to which we contribute to our clients’ financial and commercial successes.
Innovar has helped university-based startup corporations, small corporations and large corporations raise capital and achieve valuations of tens to hundreds of millions of dollars before being sold or even going public. Here is a story of just one of those.
A startup company led by university scientists spun off from the technology transfer office of a midwestern university to embark upon developing and commercializing a pharmaceutical excipient. Their ultimate goal included an exit strategy: achieve high valuation and sell the corporation.
By the time they approached us, the university’s patent counsel had already helped them file a U.S. patent application covering the composition of matter. They were content with their progress but understood that more needed to be done to further protect and develop their technology so as to commercialize FDA-approved products containing their excipient. Leadership knew the science well and had a solid vision for technical developments. They just needed help with reaching their goals.
By integrating IP, corporate, R&D, and FDA strategies and by building and managing a robust large patent portfolio across all major pharmaceutical markets worldwide, the client was able to achieve a valuation of over $70MM by the time it was purchased by a larger pharmaceutical company. They achieved that phenomenal success in just under nine years. Their excipient is now found in nine FDA-approved products.
Each company’s combination of objectives and technologies is unique, and it takes a deep understanding of the underlying technology and of proven corporate, patent, business, and FDA practices and strategies to achieve success.
Contact us to take your company to the next level.