Technology Opportunities & Ventures
While focus is on header menu items,
press the down arrow to open sub-menu.
press the down arrow to open sub-menu.
April 16, 2025 –
NYU Langone Health hosted its inaugural Innovators’ Dinner on Thursday, April 10 to recognize and encourage the commercialization of groundbreaking ideas developed through the research at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health.
The event was held at the Kimmel Center in the Rosenthal Pavilion, beginning with a cocktail hour featuring passed hors d’oeuvres and live jazz music performed by talented NYU musicians, followed by a celebratory dinner. Marc Sedam, Vice President of TOV, gave the opening remarks, followed by a brief presentation. Sedam outlined NYU Langone’s successful commercialization activity and notable achievements throughout the past fiscal year and led the ceremony honoring 2024 contributors, including first-time “disclosers” of innovations, innovators of licensed technology, inventors on issued US patents, and founders of startup companies.
Following the presentation, Dr. Alec Kimmelman—who will take the role as the next CEO and Dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine on September 1, 2025 — shared his vision for supporting innovation across the entirety of NYU Langone, including diversifying sources of research revenues and encouraging industry engagement. Dr. Kimmelman also voiced his support for an institutional goal to have industry-sponsored research be a minimum of 10% of NYU Langone’s total research portfolio within the next five years.
A highlight of the evening was the announcement and presentation of key university awards: Innovator of the Year, Deal of the Year, Startup of the Year, and Startup to Watch.
This prestigious award honors innovators whose groundbreaking work has made a lasting impact on their fields and society. Dr. Jan Vilcek was named the inaugural Innovator of the Year for his remarkable contributions to biomedical research and the commercialization of life-changing therapeutics. In addition, future awards will be presented as the Jan Vilcek Innovator of the Year in recognition of Dr. Vilcek’s lifetime of service to NYU.
A refugee from communist Czechoslovakia, Dr. Vilcek joined the NYU School of Medicine in 1965. As one of the earliest researchers of interferon, he received several patents for his work. Together with his colleague Dr. Junming Le, he developed a monoclonal antibody targeting TNF-alpha that led to the creation of Remicade®—a breakthrough biologic used to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Remicade has helped nearly 3 million people worldwide and is estimated to be the 6th most valuable therapeutic in history with over $130B in sales. Additionally, it opened the door for a new generation of therapies.
Dr. Vilcek has authored more than 350 scholarly publications, holds 46 U.S. patents, was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2013, and wrote the acclaimed memoir Love and Science. In 2005, he donated $105 M to NYU—the largest gift ever from an active faculty member. He continues to serve the university by mentoring students and advising on research strategy.
A champion for young innovators, Dr. Vilcek encourages the next generation to build industry connections and pursue bold ideas. His legacy is defined not only by scientific achievement but by lives improved through his work and a lifelong commitment to NYU.
In tribute to his extraordinary legacy and pioneering contributions, future awards will carry his name as the Jan Vilcek Innovator of the Year Award. Dr. Vilcek was not able to attend the dinner, but when he was informed of the award said he was humbled and delighted and gave us the following brief statement:
“In the 1980s, there was no mechanism for such collaboration. Translational medicine and scientific entrepreneurship did not exist, so I had to make my own contacts. I encourage younger people to be bold in establishing industry contacts and take advantage of any and all resources available. I’ve received hundreds of emails from patients who’ve benefited from Remicade®. There’s nothing more gratifying than seeing your research help alleviate suffering.”
© Olivo: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
The NYU Langone Health “Deal of the Year” was established to honor outstanding achievements in innovation, technology transfer, and the successful advancement of impactful medical technologies. The inaugural Deal of the Year award was presented to Dr. Shohei Koide, in recognition of the license of his groundbreaking work on therapeutic MuSK antibodies to the biotech company argenx. This collaboration has accelerated the development of promising new therapies for patients living with neuromuscular diseases.
In 2019, NYU Langone Health entered into a sponsored research and exclusive license agreement with argenx through its Immunology Innovation Program, licensing key intellectual property developed by Dr. Koide along with Drs. Steven Burden, Akiko Koide, Gregory Oury, and François Leloup. The partnership focuses on advancing antibodies that target MuSK—a receptor critical to neuromuscular health—with the goal of treating conditions such as ALS and congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS).
The lead compound resulting from this collaboration, ARGX-119, a humanized agonist antibody targeting the MuSK receptor. ARGX-119 is already in a Phase II study for ALS, a Phase 1b study for congenital myasthenic syndromes, and plans a proof-of-concept study for spinal muscular atrophy later this year.
This agreement stands out as one of NYU Langone Health’s most impactful licensing deals in recent years—not only delivering significant value to the institution and to argenx, but more importantly, accelerating the path to new treatments for patients in need.
© Olivo: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
The NYU Langone Health Startup of the Year Award was established to honor a startup that has successfully commercialized technology originating from the institution. This award celebrates innovation, entrepreneurship, business growth, and the powerful impact of translating academic research into real-world solutions. BeneVir Biopharm was selected as this year’s inaugural winner, and the award was presented to co-founder Dr. Ian Mohr.
BeneVir Biopharm launched in 2011 based on the pioneering research of Dr. Mohr and was founded by a former graduate student, Dr. Matt Mulvey. At the heart of BeneVir’s technology is the proprietary T-Stealth™ Oncolytic Virus Platform, designed to engineer viruses that selectively infect and destroy cancer cells while evading immune system detection. This approach holds the promise of turning the body’s own defenses into allies in the fight against cancer.
In 2018, BeneVir’s platform caught the attention of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Biotech (now J&J Innovative Medicine), which acquired the company for $140 million, with potential payments totaling $1 billion if the drug reaches the market. This transaction stands as one of the largest exit events in NYU Langone Health’s startup history and a strong validation of BeneVir’s scientific and commercial potential.
Last year Johnson & Johnson launched a Phase 1 clinical trial of BeneVir’s lead therapy in patients with advanced solid tumors—a significant milestone in the advancement of this novel cancer treatment that could offer new hope to patients who have exhausted traditional options.
© Olivo: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
The NYU Startup to Watch award was created to recognize one high-potential NYU startup launched during the past fiscal year. Remunix has been selected as the inaugural NYU Langone Health “Startup to Watch” winner and the award was presented to Remunix co-founder Dr. Jun Wang.
Remunix is developing a new class of antibody-based therapeutics to treat autoimmune diseases by attenuating the autoimmune response. The company is built on technology developed in the lab of Dr. Jun Wang and raised a $16 million financing round from leading venture firms including Curie.Bio, LAV, F-Prime, and the NYU Langone Health Venture Fund.
Dr. Wang’s journey with Remunix exemplifies the powerful impact of NYU’s innovation ecosystem. He participated in the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute’s Tech Venture Workshop and worked closely with TOV on IP protection, with the patent portfolio exclusively licensed to the company.
Remunix has the potential to provide immense societal benefits to patients suffering from autoimmune diseases and is primed to be a standout example of transformative science translated into meaningful impact on patient health.
© Olivo: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau
“The Innovators’ Dinner is a unique opportunity for NYU Langone Health to showcase and celebrate the University’s achievements while setting the stage for future goals and objectives,” says Sedam. “By honoring our innovators, we reinforce the institution’s commitment to cultivating a research ecosystem that accelerates the translation of groundbreaking discoveries into real-world solutions—advancing human health, working with industry partners to help get world-class solutions to market, enhancing quality of life, and contributing to job creation and economic development.”
NYU Langone is already planning for next year’s dinner and looks forward to celebrating the innovations and commercialization accomplishments of FY 2025.
Are you an NYU Langone innovator with a big idea? Check out TOV’s website to learn more about innovation disclosure and how TOV can help you reach your commercialization goals.
