UM Regents OK 14 Conflict-of-Interest Items

Fourteen items disclosed under the state’s conflict-of-interest statute were authorized by the University of Michigan board of regents at its Feb.21, 2013 meeting. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students.

The items often involve technology licensing agreements or leases. This month, all items were approved unanimously and without discussion. They related to the following businesses and organizations: ResolveAble Inc. (option agreement); Optimal Process Technologies LLC (license agreement); HiperNap LLC (option agreement); H3D Inc. (license agreement); Ektapharm Inc. (option agreement); Cardiavent Inc. (amendment to option agreement); Biocrede Inc. (option agreement); Armune BioScience Inc. (research agreement); Ambiq Micro Inc. (amendment to license agreement); Ascentage Pharma Group Corporation Ltd. (amendment to license agreement); Talley Photo+graphics (establishing a contract); A2 Laboratory (purchase agreement); Avicenna Medical Systems Inc. (authorization to transact for programming services); Exo Dynamics LLC and OncoFusion Therapeutics (lease agreements for Venture Accelerator firms at the North Campus Research Complex).

As an example of these items, disclosure of the lease agreements with Exo Dynamics and OncoFusion Therapeutics were triggered because university employees have ownership stakes in those firms. [.pdf of lease agreement spreadsheet] UM’s Venture Accelerator is a business incubator that opened in January 2011 at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC), the former Pfizer site.

There was no discussion on any of these items, which were authorized with one unanimous vote.

This brief was filed from the Anderson Room at the Michigan Union, where this month’s regents meeting was held.