UIC OTM Spotlight
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Office of Technology Management (OTM) will periodically feature a department or faculty member for their advancements in science and technology commercialization.
This feature spotlight goes to the College of Medicine’s department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Xiaoping Du, MD, PhD and his company Dupage Medical Technology.
Xiaoping Du, MD, PhD and Dupage Medical Technology Heading link
Xiaoping Du, MD, PhD is a Professor of Pharmacology, Distinguished Investigator, University Scholar, and entrepreneur. Dr. Du’s research is particularly focused on the Ga13 integrin outside-in signaling pathway, which is a critical mediator of cell adhesion, migration, and signaling. Through his work, Dr. Du has led the field in understanding how integrin signaling influences the development of thrombosis and inflammation, and to identified new targets for the development of novel therapies to improve human health.
Dr. Du has more than 38 years of experience in research in the field of thrombosis, hemostasis, and vascular biology and 15 years of drug discovery and development experience. Through his research, Dr. Du has developed novel synthetic Ga13 binding ExE motiff peptides, referred to as M3mP6 and MB2mP6, and a high loading peptide nanoparticle (HLPN) technology that enhances the efficiency of peptide delivery into cells. The novel M3mP6 and MB2mP6 HLPNs have been demonstrated to have both anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties, making them keen drug candidates for addressing a litany of complex medical conditions. Not only do these new drugs have applications in myocardial infarction/reperfusion injury, but data from Dr. Du’s lab, has demonstrated that it is efficacious in treating sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), autoimmune diseases, and post-transplantation reperfusion injury. Thanks to his hard work and tenacity, Dr. Du has been awarded 9 patents for his research findings, 7 of which cover the composition and use of the ExE motif peptide HLPN’s for a wide range of different indications. Some of Dr. Du’s discoveries and novel drugs can be found in high impact journals such as Science, Nature, Science Translational Medicine and Nature Communications.
In addition to his prolific research at UIC, Dr. Du has stepped into the realm of entrepreneurship as the Founder and President of Dupage Medical Technology (DMT), a UIC faculty startup company that recently obtained an Exclusive License from the University of Illinois Chicago to commercially develop his novel drugs. DMT is focused on developing novel therapeutics and platforms for drug delivery, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes and saving lives. DMT’s mission is to translate the findings that Dr. Du has uncovered during his basic sciences research into clinical applications for the benefit of patients.
While Dr. Dr. notes that starting a company is not easy, and “an important issue for us has been in the development (of the basic science research into a company) and then translating that into learning how to do business… fundraising… understanding the drug regulatory process”, among other things, DMT is “actively learning” and continues to be driven by the potential lives that DMT can save. According to Dr. Du, “it’s more important to successfully develop the new drugs to help the patients, than for me to (reap the benefits)”.
To date, Dupage Medical Technology (DMT) has received over $6 M from the National Institute of Health (NIH), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to support their preclinical studies. The SBIR program is a competitive grant program that provides funding to small businesses engaged in scientific research and development. Thanks to this funding and the dedication of Dr. Du and his team, the company has a strong foundation to help reach their goal of bringing “new and effective treatments to patients as quickly as possible”.
Dr. Du’s expertise and passion for improving lives through the therapies being developed by Dupage Medical Technology (DMT), has garnered the attention of the local investment community. He is currently a finalist in the Science2Startup competition (presenting on May 3, 2023), which recognizes innovative research with commercial potential. Dr. Du also informed us that his company was recently selected as a finalist in the Best in the BioMidwest competition, which recognizes exceptional entrepreneurs and startups in the Midwest region. With so much recognition and new developments on the horizon, Dr. Du and DMT are seeking seed funding to complete their IND package for the FDA and venture backing to support their first-in-human studies. For more information on Dr. Du or Dupage Medical Technology, visit www.dupagemt.com or contact astojan@dupagemt.com.