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MSU scientists, Mark Young and Trevor Douglas sign licensing agreement with SpeciGen of Corvallis, MT for process that transforms harmful viruses into benign "cages"

May 5, 2006 /

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Montana State University has signed a licensing agreement for commercial development of two researchers’ work with a virus that could eventually be used to diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.

MSU this week signed the agreement with SpeciGen http://specigen.com/ , a biotechnology startup company with offices in Corvallis and California.

The process developed by chemistry professor Mark Young and microbiology professor Trevor Douglas transforms harmful viruses into empty “protein cages” that could be used to transport medicine or material to be used in MRIs to specific parts of the body.

“This didn’t happen overnight,” Young said of the nine years he and Douglas spent working on the technology.

SpeciGen plans to build a Bozeman facility to manufacture the empty viruses, CEO Lonnie Bookbinder said. It would employ up to three people, said SpeciGen vice president Brian Campion.

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2006/05/06/montana/a05050606_02.txt