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SCIENTIFIC SYNERGY OKLAHOMA HOME TO IMPACTFUL BIOSCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES ENHANCED BY PARTNERSHIPS
TARGETED DELIVERY
FROM VIRUSES TO CANCER, AND LARGE MOLECULES TO NANOPARTICLES, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY HAS THE EXPERTS
EUREKA! MOMENTS
THE NEWEST FINDINGS FROM THE OKLAHOMA MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION
LEAN OPERATION ASCEND BIOVENTURES HAS A UNIQUE SPIN ON THE CONCEPT OF PHARMACEUTICAL ACCELERATORS
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innovators & Entrepreneurs is produced by i2E, Inc., manager of the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center. For more information on any content contained herein, please contact i2E at 405.235.2305 Š Copyright 2019 i2E, Inc. All rights reserved.
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OKBio SPONSORS
Sustaining Sponsors Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Oklahoma Business Roundtable Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Oklahoma State University Presbyterian Health Foundation University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Supporting Sponsors Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Cytovance Biologics Dean McGee Eye Institute Emergent Technologies Insurica Norman Economic Development Coalition Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology Oklahoma Innovation District OneNet Corporate Sponsors Agric Bioformatics ARL BioPharma, Inc. Charlesson COARE Biotechnology Crystal Laboratory DNA Solutions Dunlap Codding Environmental Services Company, Inc. EyeCRO Immuno-Mycologics, Inc. Nature Technology Corporation OKC Allergy Supply OMED Tech LLC PolySkope Labs Progentec Pure MHC Purmabiologics Sensulin Tetherex Tulsa Regional Chamber Ultra Botanica ViewSolid Biotech
i2E TEAM The i2E management and staff is composed of professionals with extensive experience in technology commercialization, business development, venture investing, and finance.
Scott Meacham President & CEO Rex Smitherman Senior Vice President, Operations Sarah Seagraves Senior Vice President, Marketing Mark Lauinger Senior Vice President, Client Services Ryan Cargill Vice President of Business Development Tom Francis Director of Funds Administration Judy Beech Director of Finance Carol Curtis Venture Advisor & Director of Academic Research Assessment
Richard Rainey Venture Advisor & Director, SBRA Program Stacey Brandhorst Venture Advisor & Director of Venture Outreach Malachi Blankenship Venture Advisor & Business Development Manager Darcy Wilborn Client Engagement Director Melissa Kempkes Investment Portfolio Manager Cindy Henson Underwriting Coordinator & Investment Compliance Officer Katelynn Henderson Events Specialist Shaun O'Fair Underwriting Specialist Jennifer Buettner Executive Assistant
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Stephen Prescott Chairman OMRF
Mark Poole Vice Chair First National Bank of Broken Arrow Michael LaBrie Secretary McAfee & Taft
Hershel Lamirand III Capital Development Strategies Merl Lindstrom Fred Morgan The State Chamber Mark Nance American Fidelity Corporation David Pitts Simmons Bank Ryan Posey HSI Sensing Meg Salyer Accel Financial Staffing Claudia San Pedro Sonic Corporation Darryl Schmidt BancFirst Craig Shimasaki Moleculera Labs Brien Thorstenberg Tulsa Regional Chamber Rose Washington Tulsa Economic Development Corporation Roy Williams Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Richard Williamson T.D. Williamson
Duane Wilson Leslie Batchelor LDW Services, LLC Center for Economic Development Law Howard G. Barnett, Jr. OSU-Tulsa, OSU-CHS
PARTNERS
Jay Calhoun The Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Apis Holdings Cherokee Nation Michael Carolina Chickasaw Nation OCAST Choctaw Nation Teresa Rose Crook Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Communities Foundation Love’s Travel Stops of Oklahoma Muscogee(Creek) Nation Steve Cropper Oklahoma Business Roundtable Carl Edwards Oklahoma Center for the Advancement Price Edwards Company of Science and Technology (OCAST) Tom Evans Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance Encompass Financial Services, Inc. Presbyterian Health Foundation Philip Eller U.S. Economic Development Administration Eller Detrich, P.C. Joseph J. Ferretti University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Chris Fleming RECHO, LLC Cheryl Hill Hill Manufacturing/Hill Equipment Danny Hilliard Chickasaw Nation Ronnie Irani RKI Energy Resources Brad Krieger Arvest Bank Philip Kurtz CareATC
www.i2E.org • facebook.com/i2E facebook.com/lovescup • twitter.com/i2E_Inc
ABOUT i2E WE INVEST IN ENTREPRENEURS TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL HIGH GROWTH OKLAHOMA COMPANIES Over our 20-year history, i2E’s nationally recognized services have provided business expertise and funding to more than 700 of Oklahoma’s emerging small businesses. With more than $63 million of investment capital under management, we are focused on serving companies in all phases of the business life cycle, from startups looking for their first round of capital to established businesses seeking funding to expand their markets or products. We also help lead new business developments into the marketplace more efficiently and more quickly while providing guidance to bring more funding to Oklahoma’s researchers and entrepreneurs. Through our proven business and venture development process, we turn ideas into successful enterprises ... i2E.
W H AT W E D O • Evaluate the market potential of new concepts • Assist with evaluation of business plans, marketing plans and raising capital • Provide guidance in building a management team, business structure and financial forecasting • Assist with developing an effective investor presentation • Assist in obtaining funding through federal grant programs • Work with research universities to encourage commercialization of research technologies • Provide equity investment
Welcome from Scott Meacham Welcome to the annual BIO edition of i&E magazine, which highlights the latest life sciences discoveries emerging in Oklahoma. If you have picked up a copy of this magazine at the annual BIO International show in Philadelphia, I encourage you to spend some time browsing through these pages and discovering just how vibrant the life sciences industry is in our state. Over the past few years, Oklahoma scientists have developed therapeutics and diagnostics for a wide range of diseases, from lupus to sickle cell disease to antibiotic resistant bacteria to puzzling neuropsychiatric conditions in children. You will learn about all of those efforts, as well as ongoing research leading to potential new treatments for devastating brain cancers, Crohn’s disease and ways to deliver drugs that target areas of the body for which they are intended. Oklahoma has built the infrastructure and developed synergies on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campus that is leading to scientific breakthroughs and commercial successes spun out of our laboratories over the past two decades. Read about it beginning on page 12. The University of Oklahoma is the epicenter of the scientific R&D ongoing on the OUHSC campus, and you can gain some perspective on the massive scope of its research, beginning on page 13. At Oklahoma State University, research is leading scientists to novel ways to deliver drugs that treat diabetic eye diseases, as well as new drug delivery methods that target lung tumors. Read about it on page 10. In laboratories at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, scientists are exploring multiple areas of research, including a potential therapeutic for treating brain tumors, detecting potentially lethal polyps in the colon and ways to fight off new infections of influenza, among others. You can read about OMRF’s many research initiatives beginning on page 8. Within these pages, you will also learn about the Oklahoma Innovation Model and how it supports R&D across the state through the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) and its partners in i2E, Inc., the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and the New Product Development Center, beginning on page 18. Elsewhere in this magazine, there are articles on a new business accelerator and its novel approach to advancing technologies to commercialization, the most recent investments by i2E, and a look at how OneNet, the state’s telecommunications agency, supports researchers across Oklahoma. Life science research is thriving across Oklahoma, and I am confident this magazine offers a glimpse of how our scientific community is working to make a difference in the lives of millions worldwide. Enjoy.
– Scott Meacham President & CEO
COLLABORATIVE SUCCESS STORIES
Impactful bioscience technologies enhanced by partnerships among organizations located on the Oklahoma Health Center campus
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cientific discoveries in Oklahoma are leading to groundbreaking therapeutics for devastating brain cancers, sickle cell disease, lupus, sudden onset of psychiatric disorders in children and much more. They all share a common bond. All these scientific discoveries were made on the 325-acre Oklahoma Health Center campus in the heart of Oklahoma City, where different organizations play complementary roles in each other’s success. The Health Center campus is home to the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and its three teaching hospitals, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Stephenson Cancer Center, Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, Dean McGee Eye Institute, Stanton L. Young Biomedical Research Center, Oklahoma Blood Institute, University Research Park and a host of organizations that support scientific research or are turning the discoveries into commercial enterprises.
Call it a scientific synergy, if you will. For example, OMRF scientists Rheal Towner, Ph.D., and Robert Floyd, Ph.D., developed a compound called OKN-007 that showed promise in halting an aggressive, deadly brain cancer known as glioblastoma. OMRF is a world-renowned medical research institute that employs more than 450 scientists and administrative staff, has more than $30 million in research grants and has spun out 12 commercial ventures from its research. Oklahoma partners enthusiastically supported the effort to advance the OKN-007 technology. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), a state agency that supports scientific research across Oklahoma, provided early grant funding that allowed OMRF scientists to accumulate data that attracted larger rounds of federal grant money. i2E, Inc., a private partner of OCAST, invested capital into the project, as well. When testing in animal models showed such promise that OKN-007 was deemed ready for initial clinical trial, OMRF partnered with OU’s nearby Stephenson Cancer Center. Dr. James Battiste, a neuro-oncologist, directed the trial. Results of the initial trial were so successful that in late 2018 a deal was struck with Oblato Inc., the American subsidiary of a South Korean biopharma R&D company known as GtreeBNT, to initiate clinical trials across the United States.
“There is great research that is happening in the state of Oklahoma,” said Manu Nair, OMRF’s vice president for Technology Ventures. “OMRF has been doing fabulous work as far as advancing research to benefit patients. And it’s really fabulous that the state is seeing a value in investing in these opportunities with the intent of diversifying the economy.” Similar synergies are helping advance other Oklahoma discoveries. The most spectacular success is that of a company called Selexys Pharmaceuticals and a drug it developed to treat pain crisis in Sickle Cell patients. The therapeutic, known as SelG, was discovered in the OU laboratory of Rodger McEver, M.D., who is now OMRF’s vice president for Research. McEver co-founded Selexys in the early 2000s to commercialize the technology, locating the company in the nearby University Research Park. In 2008, Oklahoma native Scott Rollins, Ph.D., was recruited to return to Oklahoma City from Connecticut as Selexys CEO. Rollins had co-founded a billion-dollar company known as Alexion Pharmaceuticals, which was also based on an OMRF technology. Rollins directed development of SelG1 as it underwent successful Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials before the company was sold for $665 million to industry giant Novartis Pharmaceuticals. i2E had invested a $100,000 Technology Business Finance Program (TBFP) award in Selexys in 2006, and followed that in 2009 with more than $481,000 invested through the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund. OCAST had supported development of the SelG1s therapeutic with Oklahoma Applied Research Support (OARS) funding.
Rollins is currently leading Tetherex Pharmaceuticals, a spinout from Selexys that is advancing Dr. McEver’s technology as a therapeutic for Crohn’s disease. Oklahoma’s Innovation Model, which includes both OCAST and i2E, also has been key in providing support and investment for another company based on an OMRF technology. OMRF researchers Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., and Melissa Munroe, M.D., Ph.D., developed an innovative diagnostics test that predicts painful and damaging lupus flares in patients who suffer from the chronic condition. An Oklahoma City company, Progentec Diagnostics, currently is commercializing the lupus diagnostic test with investment support from i2E. OCAST also supported development of the diagnostic with grant funding for the pioneering work of James and Munroe. A similar Oklahoma partnership also has supported development of a diagnostic test for sudden onset of neuropsychiatric disorders in children by University of Oklahoma researcher Madeleine Cunningham, Ph.D. Funding from both OCAST and i2E in Moleculera Labs, the company advancing Dr. Cunningham’s diagnostic, have enabled it to broaden the scope of the Cunningham Panel to include several other medical conditions.
The collaborations and partnerships among distinct Oklahoma organizations are driving the technologies and success of all these companies and many others that are emerging on the Oklahoma Health Center campus. Scientific and commercial successes on the Health Center campus have created such a boom for Oklahoma City that the entire campus and adjacent areas have been designated as OKC’s Innovation District in which new housing, retail and business inubators are envisioned. Bottom line: Oklahoma’s stature as a major contributor to advancements in life sciences technologies has been enhanced by ongoing developments in the Innovation District. And Oklahoma City leaders expect the Innovation District to spark even more bioscience technologies and commercial success as the population of professionals who live, work and play in the area blossoms. Collaborations will occur naturally because of their proximity. “We know that if we are going to be successful we have to put in place an infrastructure that creates an entrepreneurial environment in that bioscience sector,” said Roy Williams, president of the Oklahoma City Chamber. “And we’ve seen how the partnerships and collaborations have fostered commercialization in the area. The Innovation District enhances the odds for more of those successful collaborations and partnerships.”
www.okcchamber.com
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STAYING ALIVE: Can A Drug Born At OMRF Stop Mike Schuster’s Brain Cancer? There is no cure for glioblastoma, the fatal brain cancer that claimed the lives of Sen. John McCain last year and Sen. Edward Kennedy in 2009.Even with treatment, the median survival is 12 to 18 months. For most, a diagnosis is considered a death sentence. But in Oklahoma, Mike Schuster continues to live with the disease. In November, he passed the three-year anniversary of his diagnosis with the deadly cancer, meaning he’s already more than doubled the life expectancy for patients with glioblastoma. Doctors can’t say for certain why Schuster has lived where others have succumbed to the disease. His prospects looked especially grim when he had a recurrence following surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. But things changed when he began treatment with an experimental drug developed by scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Known as OKN-007, the experimental medication was discovered by OMRF scientists Drs. Rheal Towner and Robert Floyd. In pre-clinical glioblastoma experiments, the compound dramatically decreased cell proliferation (spread) and angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), and it turned on the process of removing damaged cells so they can’t become cancerous. “Those are the three major factors needed in a cancer drug,” Towner says. “This compound seemed to do all of them.” In October, Oblato, Inc., a New Jersey subsidiary of Korean biotechnology company GTreeBNT, acquired the rights to OKN007 from OMRF. It will move ahead with further trials of the drug in glioblastoma. “When we looked for a corporate partner, we needed someone with experience developing drugs for orphan indications,” says OMRF Vice President of Technology Ventures Manu Nair, who orchestrated the agreement. “GTree’s strong track record in the orphan disease space made it well positioned to help guide the drug through trials and, we hope, into hospitals and clinics, where it can reach patients who currently face a bleak treatment landscape.” Nair chooses to focus on strategy and mission when pairing OMRF technologies with industry teams. Funding is important, he says, but it’s not the alpha and omega.
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“Without full alignment with mission – both that of the institution and the candidate technology – dollars are just dollars. And money alone won’t deliver better patient outcomes.” For glioblastoma patients and the doctors who treat them, outcomes are all that matter. “If you leave even a single cancer cell in the brain, glioblastoma can regrow,” says Dr. James Battiste, the neuro-oncologist who oversees Schuster’s care at Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma. “That’s one of the many reasons we desperately need new treatments.” Schuster continues to receive weekly infusions of OKN-007. Since beginning treatment with the drug, he’s added a healthy 15 pounds to his frame. “I’ve been able to get back to the gym and am doing some yard work. I feel really good.” Best of all, he says, “My MRIs are looking good.” Of course, neither he nor his doctors can know for sure if the drug is responsible for keeping his cancer at bay. But Schuster feels fortunate that he found OKN-007. “Let’s just say I’ve been very blessed. It’s pretty cool how this stuff is working.”
www.omrf.org
EUREKA! MOMENTS
The Newest Findings from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Staying Stronger Longer A discovery by OMRF’s Drs. Holly Van Remmen and Rizwan Qaisar could open the door for the first drug to treat age-related muscle weakness and atrophy. Working with mice engineered to age at an accelerated rate, the researchers found that a compound called CND1163 slowed muscle loss and improved muscle function. They’re now studying how the compound affects muscle loss in mice that age normally.
Finding Hidden Killers Some polyps are flat or embedded in the colon, making them incredibly difficult for doctors to detect during a routine colonoscopy. OMRF’s Dr. David Jones found that these hidden polyps typically carry a mutation in a single gene. With these findings, researchers can now work to create a diagnostic test that will use fecal samples to search out the dangerous mutation.
Flu Fighter Influenza claims tens of thousands of lives each year in the U.S. alone. With a new five-year grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, OMRF’s Dr. Jose Alberola-Ila is studying a population of cells that appear to be protective against influenza. “What we are learning could be a very real way of improving vaccination strategies in the long term,” he says.
Breathe Easy OMRF’s Dr. Susan Kovats and Oklahoma State University’s Dr. Heather Fahlenkamp have developed a novel, three-dimensional model of human tissue that mimics how lungs work. The scientists are using the 3D model to study respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, the leading cause of pneumonia worldwide. Going forward, the scientists hope to use the technology to study other lung ailments like flu and allergies.
Taking on Tylenol Overdoses Too much acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, can cause severe liver toxicity and is the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S. OMRF’s Dr. Courtney Griffin and Siqi Gao published new findings pinpointing the cause of liver bleeding during acetaminophen overdose. The therapeutic impact could be lifesaving, says Griffin.
The Eyes Have It With a grant from the National Eye Institute, OMRF’s Dr. Scott Plafker is studying whether sulforaphane, a compound that’s naturally produced in broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, can protect eyes from macular degeneration as they age. “People can get it with ease,” he says, “and that’s the best kind of treatment.”
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SPECIAL DELIVERY
OSU researchers tackle challenges of targeted drug delivery From viruses to cancer, and large molecules to nanoparticles, Oklahoma State University hosts a wide range of experts in the growing field of drug delivery research. “Drug delivery research and development is a burgeoning area nationwide, and OSU researchers are playing major roles in this important aspect of medical science,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, vice president for research. Drug delivery involves getting drugs to the parts of the body needing treatment. Some studies have shown as little as 0.7 percentage of doses actually reach the tumor in some methods of treating cancer, and other therapeutics may have as little as 20 percent efficacy through current delivery models. OSU experts are focusing on the delivery of therapeutic compounds with maximum precision, effectiveness and safety. OSU faculty members in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences are focusing on the following drug delivery innovations: 10
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• To attack diabetic eye diseases, the Dual Release Drug Delivery system is being developed within a thin, nanoparticle-loaded membrane on a contact lens, allowing greater penetration into the innermost layers of the eye. • The Computational Biofluidic and Biomechanics Laboratory is developing a simulation process for pharmaceutical companies to more precisely target lung tumors. Current methods reach tumors with 20 percent accuracy and can damage healthy lung tissue. Initial studies indicate that tumors can be reached with greater than 90 percent accuracy using an OSU-developed “controlled air-drug stream.” • The Systems Biomedicine and Pharmaceutics Laboratory develops, tests and refines computer models for the biochemical reactions and transport pathways of drugs throughout the body. Models are also being developed to better track disease progression. • Technology is being developed for the delivery of large molecular drugs that can genetically modify viruses and render them harmless. This works by replacing segments of the virus’s DNA with therapeutic genes or fragments of DNA that can turn off defective genes. This lab is also investigating the delivery of proteins
that can deactivate chemical warfare agents, even after exposure. • OSU has spun out a private start-up company based on research on fluorinated compounds. Fluorine has shown unparalleled ability to move therapeutics throughout the body. However, fluorinated compounds are very difficult to produce and therefore very expensive. An OSU lab has found an inexpensive method to produce various fluorinated compounds for pharmaceutical companies to utilize, a development that should accelerate drug delivery innovation. • Gold nanorods are being engineered by OSU researchers to increase their efficacy in biomedical applications. Research shows these nanorods promise to improve cell viability and cellular uptake to increase their therapeutic benefit.
• Understanding the toxicity of certain drugs constitutes a focus of OSU research. A laboratory within the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences investigates drugs that can protect against the toxicity of organophosphorus nerve agents, as well as drugs that can elicit toxicity to determine relative safety levels. With multiple approaches to the array of diseases under study, the impact of OSU researchers in drug delivery can influence human and animal health across a wide range of diseases and toxins. “Technologies that make drug interventions more precise can increase effectiveness with fewer side effects,” Sewell said. “That translates into curing diseases and saving lives. OSU is poised to be a leader in this important field of study.”
$11.1 million for OSU pioneering respiratory disease research The *National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $11.1 million to a major biomedical research center at Oklahoma State University to continue the work of more than 60 scientists from three research institutions in the state. OSU’s Oklahoma Center for Respiratory and Infectious Diseases (OCRID) received the grant to fund a second, five-year phase of the center’s research mission begun in 2013 when it was founded. The grant funds pioneering research into a multitude of respiratory diseases that sicken millions. OCRID includes OSU, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), the University of Oklahoma (OU) and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF). It administratively reports to OSU Vice President for Research Dr. Kenneth Sewell. The center is based at the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. “OCRID has put Oklahoma on the map in this critical area of medical research,” Sewell said. “Phase 2 funding from the NIH will allow researchers at OSU, OUHSC, OU and OMRF to accelerate their collaborations over the next five years, generating breakthroughs essential to understanding the causes and potential cures for devastating infectious diseases of the respiratory system.” Dr. Lin Liu, OSU Regents Professor and Lundberg-Kienlen Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research, has directed OCRID since its founding. The continuation of funding for the next five years is a significant milestone. “I am extremely pleased that the first OSU CoBRE grant was able to transition to Phase 2 without any disruption, thanks to an incredible collaboration from scientists across the state of Oklahoma,” Liu said.
Second round of OCRID research project leaders and directors include (left to right) Dr. Veronique Lacombe, OSU associate professor in physiology; Dr. Marianna Patrauchan, OSU associate professor in microbiology and molecular genetics; Dr. Shitao Li, OSU assistant professor in virology; Dr. Jordan Metcalf, OUHSC, OCRID co-director; Dr. Lin Liu, OSU, director; and Dr. William McShan, OUHSC associate professor in pharmaceutical sciences. Not pictured is Richard Eberle, OSU, co-director.
* Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20GM103648. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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BREAKING NEW GROUND University of Oklahoma researchers develop life-changing technologies on three campus locations
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he University of Oklahoma is a dedicated contributor to the advancement of the state’s bioscience industry. With six professional colleges and the Graduate College located within the academic medical campus (OU Health Sciences Center), clinical and translational research programs, centers of excellence, and robust basic science programs, OU is proud to conduct life-changing research that economically benefits the state. A strong driving force for OU’s economic impact is the commercialization of intellectual property through licensing, partnering, and the creation of start-ups. The OU Office of Technology Development assists researchers from all OU campus locations (Norman, Oklahoma City, Tulsa) in transforming research innovation into tangible impact for the betterment of society.
Moleculera Labs originated from the research of Madeline Cunningham, PhD, OU College of Medicine. Moleculera produces clinical assays for use in diagnosis of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococci (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). Biolytx Pharmaceuticals was founded by and is based on research by Anne Pereira, PhD, OU College of Pharmacy. Biolytx is a drug development company confronting the crisis in antibiotic drug resistance through the advancement of a suite of antimicrobial peptide drug candidates.
Researchers in the OU Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, have produced several spin-out companies which have successfully partnered with the pharmaceutical industry. Three of such companies are Pure Protein, Heparinex, and Choncept, which were all funded in large part by Austin-based Emergent Technologies, Inc. William Hildebrand, PhD, is founder and chief scientist for Pure Protein and its subsidiary Pure MHC. Pure MHC partnered with AbbVie in 2017 to discover and validate peptide targets for use with T-cell receptor therapeutics in several types of cancer. Heparinex and Choncept, two companies based on research from Paul DeAngelis, PhD, have also entered into commercial deals with large pharmaceutical companies. Caisson, a subsidiary of Heparanix, subsequently partnered with Novo Nordisk and Corden Pharma to commercialize their HEPtune® platform technology.
The OU Health Sciences Center has also participated in the research and development of a novel antibody therapeutic for sickle cell disease. Selexys Pharmaceuticals, Corp developed the therapeutic through Phase 2 clinical trials and was then acquired by Novartis in 2016. Selexys spinoff, Tetherex Pharmaceuticals, continues to develop novel therapeutics targeting cell adhesion proteins in thrombotic, inflammatory, and oncologic diseases. Emerging biotech companies that continue forging the path for OU start-up companies include COARE, Moleculera Labs, and Biolytx. Courtney Houchen, MD, OU College of Medicine, is founder and Chief Medical Adviser of COARE Biotechnology. COARE is a multidisciplinary drug development company that has several novel therapeutic technologies aimed at eradicating cancer system cells and associated metastatic processes. 12 i&E
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Infectious disease expertise and commercial successes arising from the OU College of Medicine include Rodney Tweten, PhD, Jimmy Ballard, PhD, and David Dyer, PhD. Dr. Tweten has identified a mutant pneumolysin vaccine candidate that is licensed for commercial development. Also under commercial development are Dr. Ballard’s Clostridium difficile toxoid, and numerous human disease pathogens identified by Dr. Dyer.
Researchers in the OU Norman Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry generate complementary technologies of high value to the infectious disease market. Dr. Charles Rice, PhD, is devising new ways to improve antibiotics for drug resistant infections. Dr. Helen Zgurskaya, PhD, has developed a valuable research tool for the study of drug efflux transporters and thus enabling the development of drugs for treating multidrug resistant bacterial infections. Dr. Robert Cichewicz, PhD, Director of the Institute for Natural Product Applications and Research Technologies, drives discovery and optimization of numerous microbial natural products for applications in not only infectious disease, but also oncology and rare diseases.
OU’s Centers of Excellence focus their clinical and research efforts on cancer, vision, and diabetes. The Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC) is a national leader in cancer clinical research and has recently earned National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation. The SCC is currently ranked No. 1 among all cancer centers in the nation for the number of patients participating in NCI-sponsored treatment trials. The Dean McGee Eye Institute provides clinical services in addition to their specific areas of research expertise which include diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and dystrophies. The institute’s ophthalmology program was ranked in the nation’s top five for clinical care, teaching, and research in 2017 by Ophthalmology Times. Harold Hamm Diabetes Center has facilities in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, as well as affiliated sites across the state. The center is among the world’s largest and most comprehensive institutions of its kind, bringing in more than $100 million in outside grant funding over the last decade. Research programs focus on the developmental origins of diabetes and obesity examining how maternal nutrition and metabolic pathways established in the infant during the first 1000 days of life can interrupt the transmission of diabetes and obesity in the next generation. At the other end of the spectrum, research is aimed at causes and complications of diabetes to help identify better prevention and treatment strategies.
The OU Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (IBEST) combines research and academic activities in bioscience and biomedical engineering across the Norman and HSC campuses to provide interdisciplinary training to the next generation of biomedical engineers and scientists. Key in this effort is the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) in the OU College of Engineering with areas of focus in molecular/cellular/tissue engineering and nanotechnology. SBME collaborates with industry for support of their educational curriculum and guidance of their translational research. This affiliation with industry has prepared students to be leaders in the state and created technologies with real commercial value.
For additional information about research endeavors and technologies available for licensing, contact the Office of Research Administration at (405) 271-2090 (http://research.ouhsc. edu), Office of Vice President for Research at (405) 325-3806 (http://www.ou.edu/researchnorman) or the Office of Technology Development (405) 271-7725 (www.otd.ou.edu).
The OU Medical Center broke ground in November 2017 on an 8-story medical tower that will add 144 beds to the hospital on the campus of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Designed by the architectural firm of Perkins+Will, the new "glass tower" will add 450,000 square feet of space to the OU Medical Center complex, including 32 new operating rooms, an intensive care unit, a medical/surgical floor and large patient rooms for the family. Estimated completion in 2020.
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FUELING OKLAHOMA BIOTECH INNOVATION Investments led by i2E, Inc., keep groundbreaking medical technologies on track to benefit patients worldwide
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nnovative medical technologies emerging from Oklahoma laboratories will some day benefit patients around the world. Oklahoma entrepreneurs are advancing new therapeutics that treat painful conditions, such as Crohn’s Disease and Lupus flares, along with developing groundbreaking medical devices that benefit dialysis patients, ensure safer hospital stays and help physicians safely perform millions of colonoscopies every year. All of these diverse medical technologies share a common bond. i2E, Inc., led early investment rounds that provided critical funding to ensure the companies created to advance the new drugs and medical devices have the capital necessary to successfully negotiate the development and testing phase. Here are five Oklahoma-based companies that have benefited from i2E’s well vetted investment process. Many other Oklahoma technologies are in the pipeline, as well. Tetherex Pharmaceuticals was formed in 2014 as a spin-off of Selexys Pharmaceuticals to develop novel therapeutics targeting proteins that lead to inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and venous thromboembolism. The drug is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial. Selexys Pharmaceuticals developed a drug that treats painful conditions brought on by Sickle Cell disease and was acquired by Novartis Pharmaceuticals for $665 million in late 2016. Both Tetherex and Selexys have their roots in a scientific discovery by Dr. Rodger McEver in the 1980s. McEver led a team of researchers from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center that made some discoveries about a protein known as P-selectin. In 2002, McEver co-founded Selexys with Dr. Richard Cummings and Richard Alvarez based on that research. Oklahoma native Scott Rollins was hired as President and CEO of the company in 2008. An Oklahoma native and OU educated immunologist and entrepreneur, Rollins co-founded and built Alexion Pharmaceuticals from startup to a $27 billion publicly traded industry giant it is today. i2E was an early investor in Selexys through the state-appropriated Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund and has taken a similar stake in Tetherex, which is also led by Rollins. “All the Selexys employees are now Tetherex employees,” Rollins said. “We just keep reinventing ourselves.” Today, McEver is vice president for research at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and also is a member of the Tetherex Board of Directors. He sees the biotech companies that spun out of his laboratory as important components to Oklahoma’s innovation economy. “Innovation that is commercially successful creates jobs and brings revenue into the state, but has ripple effects,” Dr. McEver said. “If you
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have people in the knowledge industry who are innovating, then they become part of a community that becomes more interesting. That makes the community more attractive for other bright people, particularly young, bright people.” Progentec Diagnostics developed a suite of tools to diagnose and manage painful lupus flares. Founded in 2015, Oklahoma City-based Progentec licensed technology from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) to build its diagnostic tests. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates there are 1.5 million Americans who are afflicted with lupus, a chronic autoimmunity disease in which the patient’s immune system attacks healthy tissue in the body. The results are painful and potentially life threatening. Lupus damages skin, joints and organs, including the kidneys and the heart. OMRF scientists Judith James, Ph.D., M.D., and Melissa Munroe, Ph.D., M.D., pioneered research that identified biomarkers that could predict a future lupus flare. Progentec completed a $1.25 million financing round in 2017 that was led by i2E, Inc., OCA Ventures and Mayo Clinic Ventures. It also was awarded a grant from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) to support one of its studies. “We are working very closely with i2E to prepare us for the next round of funding", Mohan Pururshothaman, Ph.D., Progentec’s President and CEO said. “We have initiated two studies to further refine our algorithms and ready them for commercial launch.” The Progentec Diagnostics tests fill a big gap for people suffering from Lupus. Diagnosing and predicting an impending lupus flare is an inexact science, meaning that treatments often begin well after symptoms show up. “There is a big unmet need in screening the right people and managing them early,” Purushothaman said. “There currently is no good screening test to classify whether a patient has lupus or not. Most people only know they have lupus when they get a flare or when their doctor finds something indicative of lupus as part of their physical.” Linear Health Sciences was founded in 2015 by after Oklahoma physician Ryan Dennis, M.D., identified a huge need for hospitals and their patients. As a physician who worked as a “hospitalist,” Dennis discovered that about one-in-four IV catheter lines were accidently disconnected from patients. IV line disconnects can be painful, messy, time consuming to replace, and costly. “It’s costing the hospital about $30 every time one of these IVs is pulled out,” Dennis said. So, Dennis created the breakaway Orchid Safety Release Valve to prevent accidental disconnects of IV catheter tubing from patients in the hospital.
Dennis and a business partner, Daniel Clark, co-founded Linear Health Sciences to advance the disposable technology that will cost hospitals roughly $2 each time an Orchid Valve is used. The Orchid Valve is composed entirely of silicon and plastic so that it can be used even when the patient has an MRI. “We are trying to completely transform the way that patients are connected to their treatments,” Dennis said. “If we can provide a $2 solution, and patients are pulling out 25 percent of their IVs, hospitals will be making a significant dent in the problem and actually saving money, The Orchid Valve will add patient savings, satisfaction and convenience for the nurses.” i2E led a $1.25 million investment round in Linear Health Sciences that Dennis anticipates will support development of the Orchid Valve through the FDA process. In 2016, Linear Health Sciences was named one of 20 ventures chosen out of 430 candidates worldwide to become a Medtech Innovator company in Palo Alto, Calif. It also was named as a finalist in 2016 in the Journal Record newspaper’s Oklahoma Innovator of the Year program. “Oklahoma is a viable place for startups to set their roots,” he said. “We have organizations like i2E and OCAST that provide support from the bottom up. And we have the talent pool for excellence locally.” Simergent, LLC, created technology to bring what is known as peritoneal dialysis to millions of patents around the world. “There are about 2.3 million kidney patients in emerging nations who will die each year because they can’t afford dialysis or they can’t access it because there is not a dialysis center on every corner in other countries like we have here in the United States,” said Steve Lindo, co-founder and CEO of Simergent. Peritoneal dialysis is a technology for filtering toxins out of the blood of people whose kidneys have failed. It is an alternative to hemodialysis, which is the most prevalent dialysis method by far in the United States.
In hemodialysis, patients go to a dialysis clinic approximately three times a week, usually in the middle of the day, and are connected to a filtering machine through a needle in their arm. The machine pulls the blood from the patient, filters it and returns it. The solution delivered by peritoneal dialysis draws wastes, chemicals, and extra water from the tiny blood vessels in the peritoneal membrane into the dialysate solution. “Peritoneal dialysis is performed in the patient’s own home at night while they sleep,” Lindo said. “There is no blood and no needles involved. Instead, the patient has a surgically implanted port in their abdomen and a machine delivers a sugar and electrolyte solution into their abdomen.” i2E led a $1.2 million investment round in Simergent that allowed the company to expand its roster of engineers and tackle regulatory issues. Simergent was founded by Lindo and his business partner, Rick Pendergraft, Ph.D. Both are Oklahoma natives and University of Oklahoma engineering graduates. “We are really focused on building an affordable home dialysis device that is meant for emerging markets,” Lindo said. “We are targeting Mexico, India and China initially.” BPEndo, LLC, is a Norman, OK-based company developing technology that allows physicians to perform colonoscopies with fewer complications. Conceived by Robert Holbrook, M.D., the BPEndo device solves a problem that often confronts physicians during the procedure. BPEndo is creating an external buttress and balloon device that creates a seal for equipment used in a colonoscopy and ensures the colon remains inflated throughout the procedure. As a partner at the Norman Endoscopy Center, Dr. Holbrook has performed hundreds of colonoscopy procedures and is familiar with the challenges physicians face. “We’ve found there is a subset of patients, we think it is somewhere between 6 and 20 percent, that can’t hold the air when you inflate the
colon,” Dr. Holbrook said. “That becomes important to the physicians when they need to do something – they’ve identified a polyp or there is some bleeding -- and if we can’t see what we are doing that creates more problems. Visualization is the most important part of our job.” i2E led a $1.2 million Series A investment round in BPEndo that will allow it to complete the design of the patent-pending device and advance it through the FDA approval process. Dr. Holbrook’s fellow gastroenterologists have shown a lot of interest in the BPEndo technology. A dozen physicians were among the investors in the Series A round, including his two partners in the Norman Endoscopy Center. “They see this as a real problem, and this device may be a viable solution,” he said. For over 20 years, i2E has played a major role in funding Oklahoma researchers and entrepreneurs by investing more than $26 million in Oklahoma bioscience companies that are either developing new therapeutics, developing new medical devices or providing support technologies for the bioscience industry and industry research and development. Companies in the i2E portfolio are advancing a diverse mix of medical solutions for specific conditions that range from inflammatory disease to macular degeneration to antibiotics to food safety, hearing loss, toxicology and much more. Even as these new technologies edge closer to bringing their life changing outcomes to patients around the world, other promising discoveries continue to emerge from Oklahoma laboratories. Millions of dollars will be required to advance them to the market. In Oklahoma, many life science entrepreneurs will continue to turn to i2E for the critical seed funding needed to survive the initial stages of development. In the past year, i2E Inc. has invested over $2.57 million in 5 bioscience or life science companies. Below is a look at some of the bioscience companies that i2E investments have supported over the years.
BPEndo
TETHEREX
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LIVE. WORK. PLAY. These three words are paramount for
one of OKC’s newest districts, the Innovation District. The 832-acre area east of downtown Oklahoma City and south of the State Capitol currently houses internationally-acclaimed research and technology professionals, representing nearly 18,000 jobs, and continues to see expansion spanning business segments and industries from medical research to aerospace engineering. In the bioscience sector alone, the number of job opportunities has increased by 23 percent in the last 15 years with no indication of slowing down. Because of the unbridled success and worldwide acclaim in research and development, Oklahoma City was selected as one of two locations in the country for the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Initiative on Innovation and Placemaking – creating the newly-founded OKC Innovation District. Opportunities for business growth and research development are endless as the district evolves. From the 95,000-square-foot BHGE Energy Innovation Center to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, the district is seizing an opportunity to build upon the already firm foundation of the area and plans to develop it into a central hub of innovation for the city and state. Housing opportunities, cre-
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ative research collaborations, unique development events, and growing businesses are all part of the long-term goal to construct a living ecosystem that envelopes each person who visits, lives or works within the district. As it continues to expand, the Innovation District strives to become the epicenter of new technology and provide a diverse economic environment fueled by research and the leading professionals in their fields, allowing for cross-industry collaboration and unmatched intellectual stimulation in an effort to drive our world forward. The people and businesses within the district will grow and thrive alongside it as more professionals, events and visitors are captivated by the hands-on learning and development taking place there. As recently-named president and CEO of the Innovation District, Katy Boren said, “The convergence of several key industries within Oklahoma City makes the City well-positioned for innovation and economic development. The Innovation District will capitalize on that convergence and create a hub for research, collaboration and growth across industries.” Visit okcinnovation.com to learn more about the district and the opportunities ahead for biosciences in OKC.
A
National Science Foundation (NSF) grant is helping connect four new institutions into Oklahoma’s dedicated research network, powered by OneNet. Providing regional universities with connections to Oklahoma’s Friction Free Network (OFFN) will increase research opportunities for more rural students and researchers across the state. Recipients of the NSF grant are Northeastern State University (NSU), Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SE) and Rogers State University (RSU). All of these institutions serve communities in rural parts of the state with less than 20,000 residents. The Multiple Organization Regional OneOklahoma Friction Free Network (MOReOFFN) is a new extension of OFFN, a 10 Gbps network ring that leverages OneNet’s existing network to provide research institutions with dedicated internet pathways to facilitate research that requires large data transfer and speed. This network improves research in Oklahoma by bypassing Internet highways filled with traditional network traffic. The MORe-OFFN collaboration began with a desire to expand the availability of OFFN to rural, regional, non-PhD granting universities in Oklahoma. MORe-OFFN expands opportunities for researchers at regional universities by providing increased data transfer speed and streamlined connections across the state and around the nation.
From atomic gas turbulence research at RSU to molecular modeling for computational chemistry at SWOSU to computer science and mathematics at SE, professors and undergraduate students can expand their research scope to engage in ground-breaking projects previously only accessible at large research institutions. At NSU, the new connectivity will further cutting-edge research, such as biomedical science and wildlife field studies. “Oklahoma has numerous regional universities that serve a large portion of the state’s students,” said Vonley Royal, CIO for the Oklahoma state system of higher education. “Providing more researchers and students with access to advanced data transfer channels increases their educational potential and improves education as a whole throughout the state.” OneNet plays a key role in facilitating MOReOFFN by furnishing the network backbone that connects all participants across the state. In addition, OneNet provides these schools with a connection to Internet2, a nationwide internet network dedicated to education and research. As an extension of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, OneNet is the only provider in Oklahoma connected to Internet2’s robust research platform. Because of this partnership, members of MORe-OFFN now have improved data transfer options that will allow them to collaborate with researchers across the nation. Royal, who serves as Executive Director of OneNet, views reliable connectivity as critical to research in Oklahoma.
“OneNet’s role is to facilitate research and education in Oklahoma,” he said. “By expanding access to research networks like MORe-OFFN, we hope to also increase the quality of education in our state.” Dr. Richard Reif, chief information officer for NSU, sees the grant as a way to facilitate greater research collaboration across Oklahoma. “NSU is excited to work with our partners to bring our faculty researchers increased access to the world of high-performance computing,” Reif said. “We are especially grateful for the assistance given to us by OneNet and the members of the OneOklahoma Cyberinfrastructure Initiative group, an amazingly talented and collaborative team.” As these regional institutions gain access to higher quality network channels and participate in more collaborative research projects, students and professors will have more opportunities to engage in ground-breaking initiatives that will impact Oklahoma and beyond. Through this collaborative initiative, OneNet, MORe-OFFN and the participating institutions are helping change the face of rural education.
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STARTER SET
Oklahoma life science researchers supported by OCAST and its partners in the Oklahoma Innovation Model
Once a year, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) gathers scores of life science researchers from across the state together to celebrate the innovations discovered in their laboratories. OCAST is a major supporter of the life sciences and biotechnology research across Oklahoma through funding programs such as the Oklahoma Health Research program. It annually showcases their discoveries with the Health Research Conference. Oklahoma boasts a cluster of life sciences research that includes the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, OU campuses in both Norman and Tulsa, Oklahoma State University campuses in Stillwater and Tulsa, and the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore. The Oklahoma Health Research Program supports basic research projects for one to three years at a maximum level of $45,000 per year. The peer-reviewed awards enable researchers to gain the expertise and produce the data needed to obtain larger grants from federal agencies, private enterprises and non-profit funding organizations. Those small grants have helped Oklahoma scientists begin a journey of discovery that has led to much larger National Institutes of Health funding, creation of new businesses and investments
that have brought millions of dollars into the state. The lineup of Oklahoma companies with early support by OCAST includes Agric-Bioformatics; Charlesson LLC and its subsidiary, EyeCRO; ARL Bio Pharma and sister company DNA Solutions; DRIK; Otologic Pharmaceutics; IMMY; Linear Health Sciences; Martin Bionics; and a trio of related companies, Productive Technologies, Sigma Blood Systems and PERFEQTA. The list continues, but there is a common thread that ties all the life sciences companies together. OCAST supported their creation, either through early funding from its Oklahoma Health Research Program or the Oklahoma Applied Research Support (OARS) program, the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund or the innovative Oklahoma Intern Partnerships, which places promising Oklahoma college students in real world work environments in a cost-share program. OCAST is joined in its efforts to support Oklahoma life science innovators by i2E Inc., its private partner that provides business advice and funding for Oklahoma startups. i2E manages the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund as well as the OCAST Oklahoma Technology Business Finance Program (TBFP). OCAST, i2E, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and the New Product Development Center at Oklahoma State University all comprise what has become known as the Oklahoma Innova-
tion Model, a proven public-private partnership. How effective has OCAST and its Oklahoma Innovation Model been in advancing new technologies and Oklahoma startups? Since OCAST was created by the Oklahoma state legislature in the late 1980s, it has invested about $300 million of state appropriated dollars into Oklahoma research. That investment has returned to Oklahoma $6.5 billion, or $22 for every $1 dollar the state invested, leading to creation of 20,000 jobs. The most spectacular success has been that of Selexys Pharmaceuticals, which developed a therapeutic to treat painful episodes of Sickle Cell disease. After demonstrating the effectiveness of its technology in a successful Phase 2 clinical trial, Selexys was acquired in late 2016 for $665 million by industry giant Novartis Pharmaceuticals. OCAST and the Oklahoma Innovation Model supported Selexys throughout its early R&D phase with funding from both the TBFP and the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund. The same management team that developed the Selexys technology now comprises a second company called Tetherex, which is advancing another promising therapeutic through the clinical trial process to treat Crohn’s Disease. OCAST and the Oklahoma Innovation Model also are supporting Tetherex.
Get With The Programs The following OCAST program and strategic partners are available to help Oklahoma businesses and researchers prove their ideas, attract additional funding and take their products to market. For information on specific programs, contact OCAST at 405-319-8400.
> Oklahoma Applied Research Support (OARS) Cutting edge research leads to successful products, processes and services. OARS funds research in diverse fields, ranging from medicine, agriculture and energy to manufacturing, aerospace and biotechnology.
> Oklahoma Health Research Oklahomans are developing treatments and conducting research to help people live longer, healthier lives. Through this program, OCAST funds basic human health research projects to generate the preliminary information to attract the much greater R&D funding necessary to move the work forward and develop treatments to help combat society’s greatest afflictions. 18
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> Postdoctoral Fellowship (Health Fellowship) The new Post Doc initiative encourages recent doctoral degree recipients to better prepare for scientific- and technical-based careers in research institutions or high-tech companies in Oklahoma with the goal of attracting/ retaining high-quality health research scientists.
> Intern Partnerships The Intern Partnerships support projects that partner Oklahoma high tech businesses with Oklahoma’s institutions of higher education by providing funds to support student and faculty internships in these companies and non-profit organizations.
> Small Business Research Assistance (SBRA) The Oklahoma SBRA program help Oklahoma small businesses identify and successfully compete for research funding through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and other federal programs.
> Inventors Assistance Service (IAS)/New Project Development Center (NPDC) IAS helps inventors navigate the process of advancing an idea through education, information and referrals. Then the NPDC provides design, engineering analysis, market feasibility and business launch support.
> Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance The Alliance connects Oklahoma manufacturers to cost effective resources, helps develop and implement more efficient manufacturing processes and introduces technology to increase productivity and reduce costs.
> Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund Managed for OCAST by i2E Inc., the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund was created to invest in Oklahoma high growth companies that need capital to grow their business. Businesses applying for state dollars from the fund must first have matching funds committed from private sector co-investment before the state dollars may be used.
Oklahoma makes strategic investment in innovation, science and technology Funding available for:
Manufacturing Int e
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Market Assistance
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Commercialization
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Capital Investment
Post Doc
Since inception OCAST has: • Made investments of more than $294 million in research and development • Attracted $6.5 billion in private sector and federal funding For more information contact:
755 Research Parkway Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 405-319-3400 / ocast.ok.gov
Austin, TX based Emergent Technologies, Inc. is an innovation solutions and technology commercialization leader that utilizes a non-traditional, collaborative-driven model to discover, develop and deploy early stage technology platforms to meet real market needs. Emergent has refined a model of selecting differentiated, breakthrough technology and partnering with companies in need of these solutions to help protect and grow their core businesses. This model, or engine, takes novel ideas and works with industry to identify, invent, involve and introduce innovative technology for real world solutions. The Emergent infrastructure delivers: RISK MANAGEMENT Partnering provides a source for alternative funding that increases technology value while reducing its commercialization risk. CAPITAL EFFICIENCY The Emergent centralized management team drastically reduces the high overhead typically associated with technology ventures. AN UNLIMITED PIPELINE Emergent’s contact capital includes thousands of key industry leaders. These relationships and an innovative, outcome-focused engine create the conditions for endless opportunity.
EMERGENT TECHNOLOGIES PORTFOLIO COMPANY PURE MHC - A CASE STUDY Emergent Technologies company Pure MHC, LLC (puremhc.com) is a platform technology company with expertise in disease specifiic target identification and validation as well as immunotherapeutic drug development for cancer, allergy, infectious and autoimmune diseases. Pure MHC identifies and leverages the same disease targets for drug discovery that the immune system naturally uses to identify foreign or aberrant protein targets in cancerous, infected, or unhealthy cells. Building on innovation licensed from the University of Oklahoma and under the management and leadership of Emergent Technologies, Pure MHC developed technology to identify novel, tumor-associated peptides that provide a selective pathway for targeted cancer therapies. Utilizing the Emergent partnering model, the team launched an initiative to draw in companies interested in advancing their immuno-oncology programs by utilizing the Pure MHC technology platform. On January 9, 2017, Pure MHC entered a research and license agreement with biopharmaceutical company AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) to discover and validate peptide targets for use with T-cell receptor therapeutics in several types of cancers. This collaboration was formed to identify a library of peptide targets for further research across multiple tumor types and to advance AbbVie’s ongoing development of next-generation immuno-oncology therapies. This continuing partnership leverages Pure MHC’s 15+ years of peptide target discovery with AbbVie’s deep clinical expertise to utilize these targets in new and improved therapies for the treatment of cancer.
ACCESS THE EMERGENT INNOVATION ENGINE For over 25 years, Emergent has successfully executed its capital efficient, partner driven, deal focused model to build value in and fund early stage innovation. We can do the same for your technology.
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A Lean Accelerator Machine Ascend BioVentures keeps overhead at a minimum to focus on the science Ascend BioVentures puts a unique spin on the concept of pharmaceutical accelerators, says Elaine Hamm, Ph.D., the company’s founding CEO. It is a lean operation that features its own crowd-sourcing element in a diverse, 12-member advisory committee. “I think what we are doing as a model is very innovative,” Hamm said. “Our advisory committee is made up of successful pharmaceutical entrepreneurs and members of the pharma community, as well as national life science venture capitalists.” Ascend was founded in July 2018 as a subsidiary of i2E in partnership with the University of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and the Presbyterian Health Foundation. As subsidiary, Ascend leverages i2E’s infrastructure and staff. It’s a concept that frees Hamm to focus on the projects she is considering rather than day-to-day management of new ventures. “It allows me to spend more time on the actual science and evaluating the technologies and less on payroll, HR, and accounting,” she said. Hamm came to Ascend with a long track record of work as a scientist – she was educated at OU as a microbiologist – who developed patented intellectual property in her lab. She also worked in technology transfer for OU and in executive management for several life science startups (she is currently President and Chief Operating Officer of Otologic Pharmaceutics). Promising technologies are brought to Ascend from any number of sources, including its partnering organizations, through Dr. Hamm’s network, bio-related conferences, or even advisory committee members themselves. Managers of federal laboratories, such as the National Cancer Institute, have also reached out to Ascend to look at some of their technologies. Hamm takes a deep dive into the most promising discoveries and creates the scientific and business case for each technology.
For example, after reviewing 30 to 40 technologies in December, Hamm selected four to present to the advisory committee. Two were Oklahoma-based, one from Texas and the fourth was a referral from an Oklahoma entrepreneur. “With the help of the advisory committee, Ascend makes recommendations for each of those technologies,” she said. The recommendations can range from ‘form a company’ to ‘obtain additional data.’ “Not every technology needs to become a company.” Hamm will tell Ascend BioVenture’s story to the bioscience world in June when she accompanies the Oklahoma delegation to the annual BIO International Convention in Philadelphia. “I will be promoting the technologies that we have taken on and I will also be looking for the next blockbuster drug that we can commercialize in Oklahoma,” she said. “In addition, I met a lot of our advisory committee members through going to events like this, which I think is an important aspect of BIO.” For more information on Ascend and its advisory committee, visit ascendbioventures.com
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Transforming ideas to innovations that
save and enhance human life.
The Presbyterian Health Foundation is an established innovator of science research located in the heart of Oklahoma. The Presbyterian Health Foundation has awarded more than $165 million to medical research, education, and economic development in Oklahoma. Focused on stimulating biomedical breakthroughs, PHF is committed to supporting Oklahoma’s top scientists who are seeking causes and potential treatments across disease groups. PHF’s continued commitment to funding in this area reflects its belief that innovative basic medical research is crucial to advancing the health and wellbeing for all Oklahomans today.
Passionate. Innovative. Bold. www.phfokc.com
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Fertile ground for bioscience growth, talent and premier facilities 1. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has funded 2,700 projects at more than $294 million, attracting $6.5 billion in private sector and federal dollars for a return on investment of 22:1. 2. The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is dedicated to both basic and translational research, with patient-centered care and research ongoing at the Stephenson Cancer Center, the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center and the Dean McGee Eye Institute. 3. The University Research Park is part of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center campus located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The complex consists of more than 700,000 square feet of modern biomedical research lab and office space supported by state-of-the-art communications and infrastructure systems. 4. The Noble Research Institute is the largest private foundation in the country conducting plant science and agriculture research. The Noble Research Institute offers no-cost consultation and education to farmers, ranchers and land managers, and educates students of all ages about science and agriculture. 5. Oklahoma State University has leading expertise in biological and chemical processes with basic and applied researchers in areas ranging from pediatric psychology to respiratory infectious diseases. Multiple researchers across many departments and colleges are also focusing R&D efforts on developing and enhancing drug delivery methods in both humans and animals. 6. One of OKC’s newest districts, the Innovation District, houses internationally-acclaimed research and technology professionals, representing nearly 18,000 jobs in the 832-acre area east of downtown Oklahoma City and south of the State Capitol. 7. In the past year, i2E, Inc. invested over $2.57 million in 5 Oklahoma bioscience or life science companies and has invested a total of $26 million over the past 20 years.
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Bioscience in Oklahoma truly is driving innovation that is improving lives and creating jobs! Here is a look at some of our emerging bio companies: ASCEND BIOVENTURES is a pharmaceutical accelerator that guides promising drug candidates through the riskiest, early stages of development. ABV helps identify innovative and transformative therapeutics and works to efficiently launch companies focused on preclinical drug development. BIOLYTX is a pharmaceutical technology company developing a novel antibiotic peptide for potential use in wound healing and treatment of serious hospital-acquired infections, including those resistant to current antibiotics. The technology was developed in the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center laboratory of Dr. Anne Pereira and licensed from OU. CYTOVANCE BIOLOGICS, INC. is a pharmaceutical contract manufacturer producing biologics, therapeutic proteins and antibodies. The company employs more than 200, and their products are used globally for clinical trials and research. IMMUNO MYCOLOGICS is listed as one of Inc.’s fastest-growing private companies in the nation. IMMY is a diagnostic manufacturing company that has evolved from a company that filled a need in the infectious disease market to an organization with a global focus on saving lives through innovative products. LINEAR HEALTH SCIENCES is a medtech startup working on new safety release valve technology for medical tubing. Its Orchid valve will help reduce central lines, provide more efficient IV setups, and decrease risk of dislodgment — saving hospitals money and time by avoiding additional procedures. They are the first to receive a grant from the Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), a comprehensive medical device innovation center. PROGENTEC DIAGNOSTICS, INC. has developed an advanced state-of-the-art Lupus flare diagnostic, which has potential to fundamentally change the current treatment paradigm for Lupus. The company has partnered with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, a Center of Excellence for Lupus in the US and they are striving to accelerate commercialization of the patented diagnostic technology. MOLECULERA LABS is a pioneer in infection-induced autoimmune conditions that disrupt neurologic function. The company currently markets next-generation antibody tests that detect whether an autoimmune reaction is causing neurologic or psychiatric symptoms. SENSULIN is developing a true once-a-day glucose responsive insulin that may mimic a healthy human pancreas. Sensulin may eliminate the need for basal & prandial insulin, offer a substantial improvement in the standard of care, and most importantly give those with diabetes a chance at a normal life. TETHEREX PHARMACEUTICALS, a clinical-stage drug development company, was formed to develop novel first-in-class therapeutics targeting cell adhesion proteins in thrombotic, inflammatory and oncologic diseases.
OKBio Selling Points > High quality, affordable and available facilities > University of Oklahoma University Research Park > Incentives available for qualifying companies > Oklahoma’s bioscience sector: • Contributes more than $6.7 billion to economy • Supports more than 51,000 Oklahoma jobs • More than $4.1 billion in annual revenues > Significant pockets of research excellence: • Hough Ear Institute • Laureate Institute for Brain Research • Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation • Oklahoma State University • Noble Research Institute • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center • Dean McGee Eye Institute • Stephenson Cancer Center • Harold Hamm Diabetes Center • University of Tulsa > Oklahoma’s Innovative service providers: • Ascend BioVentures • Analytical Edge • ARL/DNA Solutions • Cytovance Biologics • EyeCRO • Emergent Technologies • i2E, Inc. • Lynn Health Science Institute • OKBio Association • Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology • OKC Innovation District > Oklahoma’s cutting-edge research strengths: • Agricultural productivity • Autoimmune diseases and Immunology • Biofuels • Cancer • Cardiovascular Research • Glycobiology and Carbohydrates • Infectious Disease and Microbiology • Natural Products for Health • Plant Improvement • Value-Added Food Product • Vision Research
okbio.org facebook.com/OKBio
Agric-Bioformatics is a data analytics company that provides user-interface and the intelligence to end-users to aggregate and visually analyze big data. Our first product launch, AgBoost, is designed as a data driven tool specifically to aid livestock producers to optimally manage and selectively breed genetically superior animals. We provide livestock producers an affordable, easy-to-use tool that allows for better access to, and understanding of genomic information. The technology is currently being used across the U.S. and around the world by cattle producers.
The Bioscience Roundtable (BSR) is an organization of Oklahoma City metro area bioscience employees and researchers that collaborate with OKBIO to provide networking opportunities, to serve as a sounding board to air and identify common issues and to share resources. BSR meets for lunch bi-monthly at the University of Oklahoma University Research Park. Its informal agendas generally feature a speaker on a topic timely and relevant to the group, and an opportunity for open dialogue among the attendees. On alternate months, BSR organizes informal networking opportunities at local businesses around the metro. OKBio values BSR for its role as a sounding board and a source for grassroots information regarding the needs and interests of bioscience researchers and emerging bioscience companies, and encourages formation of similar local and regional groups around the state. Meredith-wilkerson@ouhsc.edu
For more than 20 years Nature Technology Corporation (NTC) is an industry leading provider of highly-purified plasmids and processes for gene therapy and DNA vaccination vector production. NTC proprietary Nanoplasmid™ vector and HyperGRO™ manufacturing platforms offer wide applications to improve the safety and performance of plasmids and biologics. NTC also provides cost effective outsourcing of product development services including synthetic gene design, vector construction, plasmid DNA manufacturing and recombinant proteins. www.natx.com
Progentec Diagnostics, Inc. is focused on providing state of the art diagnostics for lupus patients. The company, in partnership with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), is developing innovative immune mediator-informed blood tests to identify patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). These tests are
designed to be efficient, objective, and easy to administer by clinicians to inform management of concurrent clinical disease activity and future onset of clinical signs and symptoms associated with a flare-up of clinical disease activity. Progentec has developed a strong presence in the Social Media and Patient Support areas through their Mobile App and Patient Portal: “Lupus Corner”. The LupusCorner App is positioned as a powerful digital tool to engage with patients, educate them, collect data, and bring about differences in their disease outcomes. The novel combination of our lab-based tests with the digital platforms is expected to have a major impact on the health outcomes.
COARE, Inc. is a drug development company that seeks to advance the current treatment modality of patients with aggressive cancers by coordinately targeting aspects of both the primary tumor and the biological processes that effect metastatic initiation and progression. We are currently developing several novel therapeutic technologies, including immunotherapy and nanomedicine, aimed at targeting the master regulatory processes that have been hijacked and are used to support the cancer microenvironment. Most importantly, COARE has evidence demonstrating DCLK1’s selective overexpression in target cancers, modulation of functional stemness, and extracellular expression.
Established in 1903, the Tulsa Regional Chamber is northeast Oklahoma’s principal business-driven leadership organization improving the quality of community life through the development of regional economic prosperity. The Chamber represents nearly 2,000 member organizations and approximately 176,000 area employees, utilizing nearly 4,100 volunteers to accomplish its programs and services. The American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) named the Tulsa Regional Chamber the nation’s best chamber in 2005, 2008 and 2010. In 2013, the Chamber received the Oklahoma Quality Foundation's Quality Award for Commitment, and the Quality Award for Excellence in 2015. Additionally, the Chamber holds three prestigious accreditations: five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; accredited economic development organization through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC); and accredited destination marketing organization (VisitTulsa) through Destinations International. In addition, the Chamber houses the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (Tulsa FMAC), Oklahoma’s only accredited city film commission through the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI). BIO Edition 2019 i&E
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Cytovance Biologics was founded based on client experiences. We specialize in the production of therapeutic proteins and antibodies from both mammalian cell culture and microbial-based systems. Cytovance provides cell line development, process development and cGMP biologics manufacturing. We place significant value on customer service through our culture of responsibility and reliability.
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FORTUNATE FUTURE
Tailwind, Selexys and Oseberg are just a handful of homegrown Oklahoma City startups who are making national headlines. No matter if it is tech, bioscience, aviation, energy or everything in between, the entrepreneurial climate here is breeding big success. We want to help ensure startup success for you in OKC. Whether you are trying to raise capital, are interested in potential incentive offerings or our entrepreneurship resources, let us be your gateway to OKC’s burgeoning startup scene.
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