Products, Partners & Public Health: Commercializing New Products From NIH 

The focal point for U.S. government investment in innovative healthcare research and development has been the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The intramural research program itself at the NIH has led to a huge variety of novel basic and clinical research discoveries – all of which require commercial partners in order to develop them into products for hospital, physician or patient use. With over half of new NIH license agreements granted to small firms and over 1000 products (including 48 FDA-approved drugs and vaccines) launched by NIH licensees, working with the NIH cannot be overlooked as part of any long-term growth strategy for biomedical firms.

Steven M. Ferguson currently serves as Special Advisor at the NIH Office of Technology Transfer where he has worked since 1990.  This   program at NIH is one of the world’s largest with a portfolio that includes over 2,000 active licenses with aggregate licensee sales greater than $10B per year that is based upon research that has also generated 45 FDA-approved drugs & vaccines.   A former chemist at the National Cancer Institute and biotech industry  product manager, Mr. Ferguson holds Master's Degrees in Business Administration (George Washington University and Chemistry (University of Cincinnati) as well as Bachelor’s Degree in  Chemistry (Case Western Reserve University).  

A registered Patent Agent and a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP), Mr. Ferguson has served as faculty for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization “BIO Boot Camp”.  He also serves as a business reviewer or advisory board member for Maryland Industrial Partnerships, Maryland Innovation Initiative, Virginia Bio-Life Science Gap Fund, Small Business Innovative Research and the- Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.