Year in Review: FY25

Despite federal changes impacting our research enterprise, Emory University stayed the course.

Finding Success in Stability

A Letter from Todd Sherer, OTT Executive Director

The past year reminded us that resilience is one of Emory’s greatest strengths. Throughout FY25, we were braced for impact, expecting that shifting guidelines and uncertainty in federal research funding would dampen the university’s life-saving research efforts.

Yet, our research enterprise and technology transfer activity remained strong. I’d like to recognize a few ways the Emory research community contributed to this accomplishment.

Number of inventions stays stable
In FY25, faculty members submitted 238 invention disclosures — a slight increase over FY24’s number (231) and consistent with the last five years. Additionally, 62 patents were issued, and five start-ups were created this year. In a year when many wondered if momentum could continue, Emory researchers stayed the course.

Licensees advance Emory technologies
Several licensees achieved major milestones in FY25:

Aligos Therapeutics entered Phase II clinical trials for ALG-000184, dosing its first patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV).
Rhapsogen signed a license with Emory University. The start-up is developing first-in-class engineered enzyme therapeutics to address unmet needs in inflammatory and autoimmune-related diseases.
Clearside Biomedical received FDA clearance to begin Phase III trials for CLS-AX, a treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

BrICS took home the top prize at the inaugural Emory Entrepreneurship Clinic.

BrICS took home the top prize at the inaugural Emory Entrepreneurship Clinic.

Start-ups find support at Emory
With more than 140 companies in our pipeline, Emory continues to support faculty entrepreneurs:

The Emory Drug Development Fund (EDDF) — fueled by licensing revenue from molnupiravir, which in turn was funded by the success of emtricitabine — continued to invest in new ventures, growing its portfolio to include four start-ups and labs.
The Emory BioFoundry Institute (EBFI) launched this year and made its first investment in TopoDx, an Emory start-up.
Emory OTT continued to facilitate the Emory Entrepreneurship Clinic, the Faculty Founders Forum, and the Widening Your Innovation Network (WIN) speaker series, helping Emory researchers connect with entrepreneurs and start and scale their own start-up companies.
We also welcomed the Medici Venture Fund to campus and attended the Southeast Venture Showcase in Nashville, engaging with the broader biotech ecosystem.

Processes get updated in pursuit of faculty satisfaction
Technology and personnel improvements helped streamline operations:

The Office of Research Administration, under which OTT operates, migrated to Insight Grants Management system, improving contract turnaround times and support.
After some turnover across the tech transfer profession, our licensing and contracts teams have found stability and strength. Our contracts team, especially, deserves recognition for their efficiency, delivering faster processing and turnaround times to expedite Emory’s research.

OTT Executive Director Todd Sherer speaks at the 2025 Technology Partnership Forum.

OTT Executive Director Todd Sherer speaks at the 2025 Technology Partnership Forum.

OTT celebrates milestones
Two major moments uplifted our office this year:

In April, Emory OTT hosted the Technology Partnership Forum, our first combined tech showcase and annual awards ceremony, which drew strong attendance and highlighted the energy of our innovation community.
The start of 2025 marked Emory OTT’s 40th anniversary. From humble beginnings, OTT has grown into a nationally recognized leader in research commercialization, helping bring over 65 products to market and generating nearly $1.4 billion in cumulative licensing revenue. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved through dedicated collaboration and teamwork.

Looking ahead, OTT remains committed to research and the people who drive discoveries in service of humanity. We’ll have all hands on deck for Phase 2 of the Insight migration, deepen faculty partnerships, find creative ways to market and promote Emory technologies, and enable research contracts and funding from all sources.

I’d like to end with much gratitude for our faculty, staff, collaborators, and partners. Even in an unpredictable environment, we proved that innovation at Emory is alive and thriving. Together, we will continue to transform today’s innovations into tomorrow’s real-world impact.

Todd Sherer
Associate VP for Research, OTT Executive Director

FY25 Highlights

$1.075 billion in sponsored research awards

For the third consecutive year, Emory secured over $1 billion in sponsored research awards, with FY25 funding totaling $1.075 billion. Sponsored research expenditures also exceeded $1 billion for the third year in a row, a major indicator of our research activity and economic footprint.

"These investments help advance Emory’s mission while contributing substantially to Georgia’s economy and workforce."
Deborah W. Bruner, RN, PhD, FAAN, Former Senior Vice President for Research

Three Emory faculty elected to National Academy of Inventors

Edmund Waller, MD, PhD, and Ravi Thadhani, MD, have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, the highest professional distinction accorded to academic inventors.

Bill Wuest, PhD, was also named a Senior Member of the Academy. This honor is given to "rising stars who foster a spirit of innovation within their communities and institutions while educating and mentoring the next generation of inventors."

Emory start-ups achieve key milestones

In FY25, OTT helped launch five start-ups. Out of our 143 portfolio companies, 107 are still active. A selection of this year's start-up successes include:

Aligos Therapeutics entered Phase II clinical trials for ALG-000184, dosing its first patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV).
Rhapsogen signed a license with Emory University.
Clearside Biomedical received FDA clearance to begin Phase III trials for CLS-AX, a treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Faculty Founders Forum helps launch and scale start-ups

Co-created by OTT and the Senior Vice President for Research, the forum provides mentorship, community and resources to help academic researchers launch or scale their start-ups. This year, seven Emory faculty innovators participated, ending the program with a final pitch presentation.

Emory transitions to Insight Grants Management System

In FY25, Emory rolled out the first phase of Insight, a fully integrated research administration software. The rollout will continue to add more capabilities in the coming months, allowing for even greater compliance, efficiency, and transparency.

OTT celebrates 40 years of excellence in technology transfer

From humble beginnings as part of the Office of Sponsored Programs to becoming a national leader in tech transfer, OTT has grown into a team of 20+ responsible for helping bring over 65 products to market and generating nearly $1.4 billion in cumulative licensing revenue. See how we marked the occasion.

Poster at an event hosted by Emory BioFoundry Institute and Invest Georgia. Photo courtesy of EBFI.

Doug Gooding, EDDF's managing director, teaches a graduate course on entrepreneurship and drug development. Photo by Avery D. Spalding, Emory Photo/Video.

Fund Features

Emory BioFoundry Institute, Emory Drug Development Fund amplify and invest in Emory research

In FY25, Emory University helped researchers move discoveries toward real-world impact through key moves in its early-stage investment programs.

In Spring 2025, the university launched the Emory BioFoundry Institute (EBFI), an initiative to empower Emory researchers and encourage investment in their medical devices and diagnostics. EBFI provides access to intellectual property and regulatory guidance, entrepreneurship support, and connections to industry partners. It made its first investment in TopoDx, an Emory-Georgia Tech startup focused on developing rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing, in Fall 2025.

And while not new to Emory, the Emory Drug Development Fund (EDDF) also made strides in strengthening the university's innovation ecosystem. With four portfolio investments, EDDF focuses on therapeutic innovations, offering funding and drug development expertise to help investigators reach milestones such as lead optimization and IND-enabling studies. In FY25, the fund made its first full-time hire with Doug Gooding as managing director after he'd worked for EDDF as a consultant.

By offering early-stage funding and expertise, these initiatives help researchers overcome the “Valley of Death,” the period between discovery and clinical validation where investor funding can be difficult to attract.

Both programs, alongside Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE), operate under Emory Innovations, Inc. (EII), forming a robust ecosystem that leverages Emory’s research strengths to attract investment and amplify impact.

The Technology Partnership Forum

Each year, OTT honors the innovative research — and the scientists behind it — at an annual awards event.

In 2025, we hosted the first Technology Partnership Forum: Technology, Partnering and Faculty Honors. In addition to an honoree ceremony, the event also introduced a Technology Showcase, providing a platform for emerging discoveries and industry collaboration. Throughout the night, we recognized outstanding innovators in pharmacology, nephrology, orthopedics, and more.

Timeline of History & Impact

For four decades, Emory’s Office of Technology Transfer has bridged academic research and industry partnerships, ensuring that innovations leave the lab and maximize public benefit. See the milestones that have defined our journey.

Take me to the timeline

FY2025 By the Numbers

In FY25, Emory earned $1.075 billion in sponsored research awards, the third year in a row we've crossed the one-billion threshold.

Emory inventors submitted 238 invention disclosures to our office this year.

OTT maintains 1,812 active technologies in our portfolio, managed by seven licensing associates.

The USPTO issued 64 U.S. patents to Emory inventors in FY25.

OTT facilitated 35 licensing agreements in FY25.

Emory distributed nearly $21 million in revenue internally in FY25. $16.9 million went to the university, departments, schools, and inventors. The rest, totaling more than $4 million, went to co-owners, labs, and legal and miscellaneous fees.

Since FY1992, Emory has earned $1.45 billion in cumulative revenue.

These numbers are a testament to the hard work of many. Congratulations to all who made it happen - and who are instrumental in bringing Emory innovations from bench to bedside.

Want more facts and figures? See how OTT's stats stack up.

Looking Ahead

OTT remains committed to research and the people who drive discoveries in service of humanity.

In the years to come, we’ll prioritize and deepen faculty and stakeholder partnerships. We’ll find creative ways to market and promote Emory technologies. And we’ll continue to invest in people so that we can continue our legacy of excellence in research translation.

Thank you for joining us in the pursuit of excellence in academic technology transfer.

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