IP Advocate Unveils First Interactive Resource for Protecting Rights of Faculty Inventors; New Online Community Launches Today

Organization Calls on Researchers, Universities to Join Movement Toward
Transparency in Technology Transfer and IP Policies; Website Offers Resources,
Case Studies and Interactive Community
ATLANTA--(Business Wire)--
With the nation relying as never before on innovation to help boost the
struggling economy, a new online resource launches today to help faculty
inventors protect their stake in their life`s work. IP Advocate has unveiled a
new online community for academic researchers, www.IPAdvocate.org.

IPAdvocate.org is dedicated to helping academic researchers preserve their
rights in their work and to cultivating a community that focuses on safeguarding
the interests of faculty inventors.

"The process of commercializing an invention is complex, and often subjects the
researcher to adversarial business interests," said Dr. Renee Kaswan, founder of
IP Advocate, a former research professor at the University of Georgia and
inventor of the billion-dollar drug Restasis®. "Most academic researchers don`t
know what they don`t know about their legal rights as owners of their inventions
until it`s too late. As potential profits rise, academic inventors are too often
plagued by litigation and threatened litigation. Ultimately, the noble purpose
of achieving real benefits to society gets shortchanged.

"We`ve built a robust online community where faculty and student researchers can
learn about the technology transfer process, interact with other inventors and
learn from their experiences and resources," said Dr. Kaswan. "Without academic
researchers there would be no technology to transfer. We want this to become a
comprehensive resource to help researchers navigate the difficult process of
getting their innovations to the public while preserving their rightful personal
and professional interests along the way."

Since the organization`s launch in October 2008, IP Advocate has accumulated
numerous and varied resources to equip and inform university researchers and
other stakeholders regarding university technology transfer and intellectual
property policies, processes and procedures.

IPAdvocate.org provides a storehouse of authoritative information on laws,
litigation and other current events related to intellectual property issues, a
glossary ranging from basic intellectual property terminology to more complex
contractual terminology and case studies from universities nationwide.

Already one of the most comprehensive IP resources available, IPAdvocate.org
will continue to grow via the social web, as interested parties tell their own
stories and share valuable resources. An interactive forum encourages and
enables open discussion and active participation within the online community,
where researchers and others can discuss laws and litigation, ethics, best
practices, public policy on academic technology transfer and more.

IP Advocate is striving for the adoption of best practice guidelines nationwide
and has accumulated a catalog of best practice resources from top research
universities. The online community features a selection of case studies that
represent cautionary tales in technology transfer, alongside positive stories
that demonstrate what can be accomplished when universities adhere to ethical
best practices throughout the process of invention commercialization.

"Scientific and technological advancements born out of academic research are
progressing at a staggering rate," said Dr. Kaswan. "Faculty need technology
transfer best practices to ensure these innovations reach their intended
audience without harmful litigation. From conception to fruition, the life of a
patented invention is often 20-30 years. The equity relationship formed by these
policies will be subject to numerous challenges and changes during this time
period. IP Advocate is calling for transparent operations, open communication
and policies that advance cooperation and mutual benefit between the university,
its technology transfer office and its researchers. Universities that truly
value and support their researchers will emerge as forerunners in the future of
innovation and academic leadership."

About IP Advocate

IP Advocate (www.IPAdvocate.org) is a non-profit organization that educates and
empowers faculty researchers on patent rights and the process of
commercialization - helping inventors protect their rights during the complex
process of getting their invention from the lab to the people who need it. IP
Advocate is a rich resource of information and best practices related to the
commercialization of intellectual property. The organization was founded by Dr.
Renee Kaswan, inventor of the billion-dollar drug Restasis and a former research
professor at the University of Georgia; and is led by executive director Rhaz
Zeisler, a recognized international interactive media strategist, producer and
former IBM executive. IP Advocate is a 501(c)(3) organization, based in Atlanta.

Edge Communications, Inc.
Ken Greenberg, 818/990-5001
ken@edgecommunicationsinc.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009