Gov. Perry Announces Emerging Technology Fund Investments In DNATriX and Smart Imaging

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced the state will invest $500,000 and $230,000 respectively through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF) in DNATriX Inc. and Smart Imaging Technologies Co. of Houston for the commercialization of their innovative technologies.

“Texas is committed to leading the charge in finding solutions to everyday problems that will have a significant impact on millions of lives,” Gov. Perry said. “By remaining on the forefront of research and innovation, Texas can maintain a competitive position in the national and global economies.”

DNATriX has engineered a delta24-RGD adenovirus, a virus that is genetically altered to specifically target cancer cells. Initial research indicates that the adenovirus can be expected to safely and effectively attack 90-95 percent of all cancers.  Initial clinical trials will focus on high grade gliomas, an aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer. DNATriX is working with the Food and Drug Administration and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Introgen Therapeutics on the clinical trials.

Smart Imaging has developed a hardware and software system to automatically identify water borne pathogens during water analysis tests mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act.  The technology will eliminate manual analysis and significantly reduce the amount of time needed to perform critical analysis. It will also increase the number of tests that can be completed in a given day, allow testing labs to meet increasing water testing requirements by EPA, and save time and money. Smart Imaging is working with Texas A&M University’s Agricultural Experiment Station.

The TETF is a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005 at the governor’s request and was reauthorized in 2007. A 17-member advisory committee of high-tech leaders, entrepreneurs and research experts reviews potential projects and recommends funding allocations to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House. To date, the TETF has allocated $115 million in funds to Texas companies and universities.

For more information on the TETF, please visit http://www.emergingtechfund.com.