Mayo Clinic and Gentag, Inc. have reached a joint intellectual property (IP) agreement to develop wearable biosensors designed to fight obesity and diabetes.  According to the press release, the agreement will allow certain patent rights and technologies of both Mayo Clinic and Gentag to be combined and commercialized.

The press release indicates that the two firms will also license third parties to combine Mayo Clinic’s clinical expertise with Gentag’s wearable skin patch technologies, and that more than 50 issued patents and technologies are being offered for licensing under the agreement.

The press release states that wearable patch sensors may be a “game-changer;”  the wearable patch sensors are the size of a small bandage, and include a sensor that communicates via a diabetes management system compatible with cell phones; and the system will allow researchers to monitor movement and develop treatments.

Additionally, the press release notes that Mayo’s Micro-Miniature Transceiver chip will be integrated with Gentag’s radar-responsive tag technology and integrated under the new license to develop a new type of communication chip that will combine Near Field Communication (NFC), Body Area Networks (BAN), as well as long-range wireless communication and geolocation.

The press release is available here.