NEW PRODUCTS The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent supporting a multiyear research and development collaboration between Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Minneapolis-based Humanetics Corp. to develop and commercialize a safe and effective means to prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Humanetics is the exclusive licensee for this patent. The medical school and Humanetics are working on NIC5-15 -- a compound now in a Phase IIb trial in the New York area that has been shown in preclinical studies and animal models to be effective in preventing formation of beta-amyloid plaques, which are believed to be a leading cause of Alzheimer's disease.
NEW BUSINESS ReconRobotics Inc., Edina, has been awarded a $13.9 million contract by the U.S. Army's Rapid Equipping Force for up to 1,000 miniature, throwable, mobile robots. The U.S. military is acquiring the micro-robots to provide four- and five-man fire teams with immediate tactical reconnaissance during urban warfare operations, surveillance missions and counter-IED efforts. ReconRobotics has already received and begun delivering the first order under this contract for 84 robots.
