Ohio's Third Frontier Supporting Tech Groups To Solve Drug Crisis

AKRON, OH -- Every day more stories are published about the increasing number of people dying as a result of the opioid crisis. For instance, in a CNN article published Dec. 7, 2017, titled, "Ohio City's Morgues Are Full, Thanks To The Opioid Crisis," by Zach Wasser, a source referred to the drug epidemic as "chemical warfare on our children."

The same Wasser article also referred to an earlier Federal interim Opioid Commission report that was sent to President Trump, urging him to declare a national state of emergency. According to the Federal report, "The opioid epidemic we are facing is unparalleled. The average American would likely be shocked to know that drug overdoses now kill more people than gun homicides and car crashes combined. In fact, between 1999 and 2015, more than 560,000 people in this country died due to drug overdoses -- this is a death toll larger than the entire population of Atlanta."

It's not surprising, then, given the escalating, harrowing nature of the situation, that Ohio Governor John R. Kasich asked the state's Ohio Third Frontier to work quickly to combat the opioid epidemic. Third Frontier's strategy works by providing resources to bio-tech organizations that are developing products to battle drug abuse and addiction. Consequently, last week, the Ohio Third Frontier announced that it made available up to $20 million to advance new technology in the battle against drug abuse and addiction.

“We’re utilizing innovative solutions and new technology to help combat the opioid problem,” said David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency and chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. “This is an opportunity to save lives.”

As part of its approach to accomplish this goal, Third Frontier's commission approved $10 million to advance technologies ranging from pain management alternatives to new apps that improve diagnosis and treatment. Ohio counties with companies that received some of these funds include: Summit, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton and Athens. The University of Akron was among the recipients.

Ohio Opioid Abuse, Prevention and Treatment Technology Initiative Recipients Located in Ohio:

• Cordata Healthcare Innovations, located in Cincinnati, Ohio (Hamilton County), was awarded $1,500,000 to use data and predictive analytics to improve the ability to anticipate high-risk locations, and improve the quality of intervention in cases of abuse and overdose.
• Innovative Medical Equipment, located in Lyndhurst, Ohio (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $177,000 to validate the use of a thermoelectric device to deliver targeted heating and cooling therapy as a substitute for opioids in treating chronic and post-operative pain.
• Sober First LLC doing business as Ascent, located in Cleveland, Ohio (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $464,000 to bring a web-based, 24-hour hotline connecting individuals in recovery with peer coaches to support their recovery and connect them to resources.
• Sollis Therapeutics, located in Columbus, Ohio (Franklin County), was awarded $2,000,000 to commercialize an implantable non-opioid, non-steroid drug-device combination for treatment of sciatic nerve pain as an alternative to opioids.
• The University of Akron located in Akron, Ohio (Summit County), was awarded $2,000,000 to commercialize a degradable mesh for surgical use that releases a local anesthetic in place of oral opioids for managing post-operative pain.

Two non-Ohio companies received monies as well: DeUmbra, Inc. (Texas) and Elysium Therapeutics, Inc. (California.)

Technology Validation and Start-Up Awards
The following Ohio-based institutions received funds from the Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF,) which provides grants to Ohio institutions of higher education and other nonprofit research institutions to see whether technologies developed by such institutions are commercially viable through activities such as testing and prototyping. The goal is to license the technologies to companies.

Case Western Reserve University, located in Cleveland, Ohio (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $500,000 for the Case Western Reserve University Technology Validation and Start-up Fund.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, located in Cleveland, Ohio (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $500,000 for the Cleveland Clinic’s Technology Validation and Start-up Fund.

The Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio (Franklin County), was awarded $500,000 for the “Accelerator Awards.”

Ohio University, located in Athens, Ohio (Athens County), was awarded $200,000 to create the Ohio University Technology Validation and Start-up Fund.