Title of talk: Incubating drug discovery technologies and startups: Insights from Emory University’s non-profit DRIVE model

Speaker: David Perryman, J.D., Chief Operating Officer and Chief Intellectual Property Officer, DRIVE, LLC

Date: 03 March 2022 | Time: 7:00 pm IST | 8:30 am EST

Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/3march-talk
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Abstract: DRIVE, founded in 2012, is wholly owned by Emory and effectively operates like a not-for-profit early-stage biotechnology company focusing on the discovery and development of antiviral drugs for emerging infections, pandemic threats and biodefense, including globally challenging infections and diseases such as COVID-19, Dengue, Chikungunya, Ebola, enterovirus, influenza, Rift Valley fever, respiratory syncytial virus, and equine encephalitis.

David Perryman is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Intellectual Property Officer of DRIVE where he has played a key role in DRIVE’s strategy, business development, licenses, corporate partnerships, collaborations, Intellectual Property and synergy.

In this talk, he will share insights on the following:

• Introduction to DRIVE and its operation within the innovative environment of Emory University.
• DRIVE’s model of identifying promising discoveries and advancing their development.
• DRIVE’s role in formulating and managing for-profit spin outs, accommodating private investments and handling licensing of key technologies.
• Examples of DRIVE’s success, including the discovery and initial development of molnupiravir – an oral pill licensed to Ridgeback/Merck and authorized internationally for the treatment of COVID-19 with projected sales of $5 Billion in 2022.

About the speaker**:

David G Perryman, JD and BS, Genetics- Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Intellectual Property Officer of Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory University (DRIVE) and COO of the Emory Institute of Drug Development (EIDD). At DRIVE, he works closely with George Painter, CEO, on DRIVE’s strategy. David also manages the Intellectual Property (IP) that arises from EIDD/DRIVE, leads DRIVE’s licensing team, and is DRIVE’s liaison to collaborations, compliance and synergy with its licensees and other research at Emory University. David was instrumental in DRIVE’s licenses and corporate partnerships that lead to the largest upfront payment in Emory’s history, a venture backed company launched with $25M in a series A financing, and the license of the leading oral antiviral drug molnupiravir for COVID-19 and other emerging infections, with projected sales of $5 Billion U.S. in 2022. Collectively, during David’s time there, DRIVE and EIDD have generated over $50M in commercial and government licenses and contracts.

David has played many different roles in his 35 years in the biotechnology industry. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Moterum Technoloies, a privately held neural health company, and is a and board member of Cell Machines, a privately held biotechnology company. David was formerly President, CEO and a founder of Zirus Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the host genetics of infectious disease. In addition to Zirus, David has founded two other success biotechnology companies: one was acquired and the second became a publicly traded company. He was a shareholder and head of the Biotechnology Patent Practice group at Needle & Rosenberg, an IP boutique law firm. He practiced biotechnology patent law for 20 years delivering patent business strategy to biotech companies, venture capital funds, the CDC, NIH, FDA and numerous universities. He also served as a founder and special advisor to Georgia Venture Partners, a state associated biotech venture capital fund. David served as a panelist at the Institute of Medicine’s Countermesure/Bioterrorism policy meeting as well as a featured presenter in Developments in Biodefense and Technology Platforms at the 8th Annual BioDefense Summit. He received the 2014 Industry Growth Award from GaBio, considered the top award in Georgia for contribution to the state’s biotechnology industry.