S P E C I A L E D I T I O N : O K L A H O M A’ S B I O S C I E N C E M A G A Z I N E • 2 0 1 7
A PAIN RELIEF DEAL Selexys Pharmaceuticals acquired by Novartis in historic transaction
OKLAHOMA’S ONENET PROVIDES DIGITAL NETWORK FOR ADVANCED GENOME SEQUENCING
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INSIDE LIVE, WORK, PLAY 6 OKC creates new opportunities in bustling Innovation District
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TARGETING LUPUS 8 OMRF research collaboration lights new path for potential treatment
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DIGITAL FAST LANE 10 OneNet’s high speed network opens way for Genome sequencing project BIO-LINKED 11 Oklahoma Blood Institute creates unique database for clinical research projects
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SEEDS OF PLENTY 12 Vibrant life-science startups nurtured on campus of OU’s Health Sciences Center JOBS CONNECTION 14 OCAST’s Intern Partnership program connects promising students, employers POWER TO THE PEOPLE 16 OG&E adds solar, wind energy to its Smart Grid
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BLOCKBUSTER 18 OKC’s Selexys Pharmaceuticals acquired in historic deal for Sickle Cell therapeutic
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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 © Copyright 2017 i2E, Inc. All rights reserved.
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i2E TEAM The i2E management and staff is composed of professionals with extensive experience in technology commercialization, business development, venture investing, and finance.
Philip Eller Eller Detrich, P.C. Cheryl Hill Hill Manufacturing/Hill Equipment Danny Hilliard Chickasaw Nation Scott Meacham Joseph J. Ferretti President & CEO University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Rex Smitherman Brad Krieger Senior Vice President, Operations Arvest Bank Sarah Seagraves Philip Kurtz Senior Vice President, Marketing CareATC Mark Lauinger Hershel Lamirand III Senior Vice President, Client Services Capital Development Strategies Tom Francis Merl Lindstrom Director of Funds Administration Phillips 66 Judy Beech Fred Morgan Director of Finance The State Chamber Carol Curtis David Pitts Venture Advisor Bank SNB Richard Rainey Ryan Posey Venture Advisor & Director, SBRA Program HSI Sensing Kevin Moore Teresa Rose Crook Venture Advisor & Director of Oklahoma City Community Foundation Angel Investments Meg Salyer Claire Robison `Accel Financial Staffing Venture Advisor Claudia San Pedro James Lovely Sonic Corporation Venture Advisor Darryl Schmidt Stacey Brandhorst BancFirst Venture Advisor & Director of Venture Assessment Craig Shimasaki Moleculera Labs Scott Thomas IT Manager Brien Thorstenberg Darcy Wilborn Tulsa Regional Chamber Client Engagement Director Roy Williams Cindy Williams Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Underwriting Coordinator & Investment Richard Williamson Compliance Officer T.D. Williamson Katelynn Henderson Duane Wilson Events Specialist LDW Services, LLC Shaun O’Fair Underwriting Specialist PA R T N E R S Jennifer Buettner The Oklahoma Experimental Program to Executive Assistant Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Kate Nelson Cherokee Nation Administrative Assistant Chickasaw Nation BOARD OF DIRECTORS Choctaw Nation Stephen Prescott, Chairman Greater Oklahoma City Chamber OMRF Love’s Travel Stops Mark Poole, Vice Chair Muscogee(Creek) Nation First National Bank of Broken Arrow Oklahoma Business Roundtable Michael LaBrie, Secretary Oklahoma Center for the Advancement McAfee & Taft of Science and Technology (OCAST) Leslie Batchelor Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance Center for Economic Development Law Presbyterian Health Foundation Howard G. Barnett, Jr., U.S. Department of Treasury OSU-Tulsa, OSU-CHS U.S. Economic Development Robert Brearton Administration American Fidelity Assurance Company State Small Business Credit Initiative Jay Calhoun Michael Carolina OCAST Steve Cropper Carl Edwards Price Edwards Company Presbyterian Health Foundation
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OKBio SPONSORS
Sustaining Sponsors Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Oklahoma Business Roundtable Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation University of Oklahoma- Office of Technology Presbyterian Health Foundation Supporting Sponsors Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Dean McGee Eye Institute Insurica Norman Economic Development Coalition OG&E Oklahoma Blood Institute Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology Oklahoma Health Center Foundation Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education OneNet University of Oklahoma Office of Public/Private Partnerships University of Central Oklahoma Corporate Sponsors Accele BioPharma Agric Bioformatics Allergy Laboratories ARL BioPharma, Inc. Arthrokinex Joint Health Blaney Tweedy and Tipton Charlesson & EyeCRO COARE Biotechnology Crystal Laboratory Cytovance DNA Solutions Dunlap Codding Emergent Technologies Environmental Services Company, Inc. Immuno-Mycologics, Inc. OMED Tech LLC PERFEQTA by Productive Technologies PolySkope Labs Ponca City Development Authority Pure MHC Sensulin Sevengenes Tetherex Tulsa Community College Ultra Botanica ViewSolid Biotech
ABOUT i2E WE INVEST IN ENTREPRENEURS TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL HIGH GROWTH OKLAHOMA COMPANIES Over our 18-year history, i2E’s nationally recognized services have provided business expertise and funding to nearly 700 of Oklahoma’s emerging small businesses. With more than $55 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 BIO edition of i&E Magazine, a publication that highlights Oklahoma’s growing community of small businesses. If you’ve picked up a copy of this magazine at the annual BIO show, I invite you to explore the articles within that provide just a sample of the flourishing life sciences industry in our state. i&E magazine is produced by i2E, Inc., which manages the Oklahoma Bioscience Association on behalf of 42 sponsors across the state. Oklahoma’s life sciences industry has become a major economic force in our state, employing 51,000 people and contributing almost $7 billion annually to the state’s economy. During the past year, Oklahoma celebrated the acquisition of Selexys Pharmaceuticals by industry giant Novartis Pharmaceuticals in a deal valued at up to $665 million. It is the largest life sciences deal in the state’s history. (Story Page 18) The legacy of Selexys is that the technology was discovered and the company built within Oklahoma by Oklahomans. The company developed a therapeutic that has been shown in Phase 2 clinical trials to relieve pain crisis for Sickle Cell Disease sufferers. We applaud the spectacular success of Selexys. Selexys is at the forefront of a wave of Oklahoma life science R&D that promises to defeat auto-immune diseases, counter hearing loss and kill antibiotic resistant bacteria. Much of our life science research is ongoing at the Oklahoma Health Center campus, located just east of downtown Oklahoma City. However, Oklahoma’s bioscience “corridor” spans a large area of the state. Life science research is ongoing from Ardmore in the south to Stillwater in the north central part of the state to Tulsa in the northeast and Ponca City near the Kansas border. As for the Oklahoma Health Center campus, this 15-block area is home to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the Oklahoma MedicalResearch Foundation, along with thousands of scientists, medical students, companies advancing new technologies and service providers. Also located within the Health Center Campus is OU University Research Park, where many of the life science startups spun out of OU and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. The $100 million park offers 700,000 square feet of both class A office and web lab space. The Health Center campus is also home to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, OU Medical Center, Children’s Hospital, the Oklahoma City Veteran’s Hospital, the Dean McGee Eye Institute, the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Oklahoma Cancer Center, the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, the Oklahoma Blood Institute and a host of educational institutions, including the OU College of Medicine. The Oklahoma Health Center campus is at the heart of an area of Oklahoma City recently designated as an Innovation District, which brings the promise of walkability, new businesses and even housing in the area. (Story Page 6)
– Scott Meacham President & CEO
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ere minutes from both the State Capitol and downtown’s thriving Central Business District, Oklahoma City’s budding innovation district is helping diversify Oklahoma City’s growing economy and bringing international acclaim to the city. In fact, Oklahoma City was selected as one of only two test cities in the country for the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Initiative on Innovation and Placemaking which aims to integrate the reinforcing benefits of vibrant public spaces, innovative urban economies, and inclusive growth. At 843 acres, less than 1 percent of the land area in Oklahoma City, the innovation district represents nearly 18,000 jobs. The majority of the jobs are in the bioscience sector and the growth has been staggering, a 23 percent increase since 2003. As this district continues to grow and prosper, it will serve as a catalyst to help create an economic environment where innovation thrives. Discoveries made by Oklahoma Citybased researchers are garnering international recognition and have helped put OKC on the map as a contender in the bioscience and technology marketplace. The expansion
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of this industry is paying big dividends, contributing more than $6.7 billion in economic activity and supporting more than 51,000 jobs throughout Oklahoma. Certainly, there’s no denying that exciting things are happening in and around this “innovation district.” And there are no signs of the progress slowing down anytime soon. The 95,000-square-foot GE Global Research Center, which opened in 2016, will further strengthen the attraction of the innovation district by adding 130 high-tech jobs. The GE site is expected to have a direct and indirect economic impact of $13 million on the state and local economies. The GE Foundation has pledged resources to help ensure that Oklahoma students are prepared for the growing demand of hightech jobs through the introduction of STEM Empowers OK – a statewide initiative to engage and inspire greater interest among high school students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This means the advances and successes will not only impact today’s employees, but the workforce for generations to come. “Oklahoma has developed into an epicenter of new technologies that enable new
resources,” said Michael Ming, general manager of the GE’s Oklahoma City Global Research, Oil & Gas Technology Center. When studying Oklahoma City’s innovation district, the Brookings Institute noted strengths including the high concentration of innovation assets, a highly educated workforce and a collaborative regional culture. The innovation district, with its clear strengths and assets, focuses on an area that has a lot of potential to bring together a community, attract new companies and employees and enhance an area. “You have energy and medical sectors that are right up next to each other in the district,” said Bruce Katz, founder of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. “Whoever figures out how to link up medical and energy is really going to benefit. You have one of the top names in the world, in energy, right in the heart of your medical district. It’s incredible.” 2016 was certainly a year for significant gains in the bioscience sector in the innovation district. One that saw multi-million dollar deals as Oklahoma City-based Selexys Pharmaceuticals was acquired by Novartis and Cytovance entered a pact with On-
coQuest to establish a reliable and stable supply of an antibody drug which is used to treat ovarian cancer patients. Oklahoma Blood Institute launched “Bio-Linked,” a groundbreaking software system developed exclusively by OBI to match donors with the nation’s most promising medical research. The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, which continues to make a profound impact on our community, celebrated its 70th anniversary. With more than 300 scientific staff members, including some of the world’s foremost immunologists and cardiovascular biologists, OMRF has become one of the nation’s leading independent medical research institutes. “Turning Oklahoma City into a pacesetting innovation hub leverages people across industries, institutions and functions to connect to generate new ideas and new enterprises and to more quickly and easily commercialize research which leads to new jobs and wealth creation.” said Scott Meacham, i2E Already a center of significance, the evolution toward commercialization began in 1998, when voters approved state questions 680 and 681 which allowed the Okla-
homa State System of Higher Education to use public property for private research and development of technology and also to own a stake in that technology. Today, dozens of biotechnology companies call this area home and areas of research span from cancer and cardiovascular to vision and infectious disease among many others. “The biomedical science environment in Oklahoma City has dramatically changed in the last 10 years,” said Dr. Dewayne Andrews, vice president of health affairs and executive dean of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC). “All the changes have been very positive.” When considering relocating to Oklahoma City, scientists first look at the research that they can do here. They want to know the answers to questions like: Will they be thriving scientifically? Is the environment intellectually stimulating? Will they have the resources and funding they need to support their research? Are there opportunities for networking within their fields? Those who work to recruit these scientists mention the quality of both the Oklahoma Health Center complex and the
revitalization of Oklahoma City as strong selling points. And the answer to many of the questions above is “yes.” “Oklahoma City is expanding, and it is essential that our dreams for this community expand as well,” said Roy H. Williams, President and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. “Luckily, Oklahoma City is also a place for doers – a community of people who see dreams as a blueprint to reality. We are a city with a proven track record of making things happen, generation after generation. We are planting the seeds for a better future, and the choices we make today could be the bragging rights of the next generation.” These seeds include an area where innovation thrives in a growing Oklahoma City. As new technologies continue to bring world-class researchers and developers to the area, it also will be where some of the nation’s best minds gather to live, work and play.
www.okcchamber.com
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New Collaboration Targets Lupus
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utoimmune diseases like lupus can often present physicians with a moving target when it comes to prescribing effective therapies for patients. But a new research collaboration between Eisai Inc. and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation aims to light new paths for potentially treating the disease. For patients affected by lupus, the immune system becomes unbalanced and attacks the body’s own tissues. The disease can result in damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, heart and lungs. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, the disease affects as many as 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people worldwide. Eisai’s research team at its Andover innovative Medicines (AiM) Institute will work with OMRF scientist Patrick Gaffney, M.D., who will examine patient samples using next generation sequencing to study the role of certain genes and how they affect the human immune response in people with lupus. Gaffney specializes in studying the genetics of autoimmune diseases. His lab at OMRF is the site of several genome-wide
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association studies that have expanded the understanding of genes associated with lupus and other autoimmune diseases. “Genetically guided clinical trials are of significant precedence now, and if we can understand the genetic molecules at work in these lupus pathways, these studies may tell us whether or not a drug will work,” says Gaffney. “This is precision medicine: tailoring potential treatments for patients and reducing the amount of trial and error in prescribing medications.” Utilizing genetic sequencing data developed in Gaffney’s lab at OMRF, Eisai scientists will examine those results to see if certain genes inhibit or suppress the molecules’ function in lupus and identify patients likely to respond to a particular course of treatment for lupus. “By using human genetics as a tool to navigate the rich lupus patient data gathered by OMRF, we hope to sharply focus the design of future Eisai clinical trials in this area,” says Janna Hutz, Ph.D., Head of Human Biology & Data Science at the Eisai AiM Institute. “Every drug has side effects, and the information that we’re seeking, along with a
patient’s genetic profile, could help physicians know when to increase or taper medications they give their patients,” says Gaffney. The collaboration’s ultimate goal is to create new ways for helping physicians deliver the most targeted treatments to individual patients. “Lupus is a complex disease, and people respond to drugs in different ways,” says OMRF Vice President of Technology Ventures Manu Nair. “By combining Dr. Gaffney’s resources and expertise with Eisai’s, we hope that we can speed the process of creating new and better treatment management tools for patients suffering from autoimmune disease.”
www.omrf.org
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“NOT ONLY DOES ONENET’S CONNECTIVITY MAKE RESEARCH USING SEQUENCE DATA MORE COMPETITIVE, IT MAKES OBTAINING EXTRAMURAL GRANTS EASIER. OUR NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT THAT WE CAN MANAGE THE DATA WE PRODUCE.” Dr. Peter Hoyt
OneNet’s Network Powers OSU Genome Sequencing Initiatives
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n a digital age, OneNet and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recognize how crucial connectivity is for Oklahoma researchers. By utilizing technology, life scientists can complete exponentially more experiments at higher levels than ever imagined. At Oklahoma State University (OSU), researchers are leveraging OneNet connectivity to maximize genome sequencing research. “The future of higher education and research depends on robust connectivity,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, “Through OneNet’s reliable internet, Oklahoma’s students and researchers are able to develop innovative solutions for our state and beyond.” In 2016, OSU was awarded a three-year, $250,000 National Science Foundation research grant to fund a genome sequencing machine for life science research. Formerly, many researchers at OSU used external sequencing services, because the in-house machine was unable to meet all needs. The new sequencing machine produces 120 billion base pairs of data overnight. This is 1,000 times more than OSU’s former machine. Its astronomical processing speeds are allowing scientists at OSU to study more complex organisms. Technology like the new genome sequencer has changed the face of biology. “With modern sequencing, you can take any sample and quantitatively identify the organisms present in that sample,” said Dr. Pe-
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ter Hoyt, graduate program director for bioinformatics research at OSU. “The difference is profound and has changed the way many life scientists approach problems in their respective disciplines.” The machine generates more than a terabyte of data every week, and researchers often collaborate with other scientists and need to transmit the data across the nation. For a standard internet connection, meeting these capacity demands would be impossible. If a researcher were to transmit a dataset, the scale of the information would clog the entire university’s bandwidth. Thankfully, as Oklahoma’s dedicated education and research network, OneNet is able to provide expansive network connectivity to Oklahoma’s research institutes at the scale required to power innovative experiments. Since 2015, OneNet has operated a 100 gigabit-per-second (Gbps) research ring across Oklahoma that connects the state’s research organizations. This dedicated network provides the speed and bandwidth necessary
for high-level experiments without draining the resources of regular university networks. This research ring is connected to a national 100Gbps network that facilitates nationwide collaboration. Hoyt said he believes the new sequencing machine, powered by OneNet’s reliable connectivity, will help set the pace for future funding and grants at OSU. “Not only does OneNet’s connectivity make research using sequence data more competitive, it makes obtaining extramural grants easier,” Hoyt said. “Our network infrastructure allows us to provide a compelling argument that we can manage the data we produce.” As a land-grant university, OSU’s mission involves educating Oklahomans so they can utilize their talents to best serve their communities. By partnering with these world-class researchers, OneNet’s network is facilitating work that changes the future of Oklahoma, our nation and our world.
Pathways to Impact The University of Oklahoma is a driving force in economic impact, providing tools and resources for commercializing innovation, and preparing the next generation of citizen leaders of our state and nation for success in a knowledge-based global society. The Office of Public/Private Partnerships, part of the division of Entrepreneurship & Economic Development in OU’s Price College of Business, serves as the liaison between the university and economic development stakeholders. Focusing on the creation of new research and private-sector relationships, in 2016 the office was host to over 150 national and international guests during the Annual Association of University Research Parks International Conference. Commercializing university research has a powerful impact. Successful start-ups add jobs, licenses create partnerships with global industry leaders, and new insights into healthcare improve and save lives. The Office of
Technology Development, another office within Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, helps innovation from the sharpest minds at OU transform into world-changing products. The Office of Technology Development supports university researchers in protecting their intellectual property, and then works with industry to find the best path to the commercial marketplace. In the last 20 years, this office has evaluated more than 1,400 pieces of innovation, filed more than 2,000 patents, licensed 160 technologies, and launched 35 companies. Recent commercial successes such as the Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corp. acquisition by Novartis and the Pure Protein research and license agreement with AbbVie have expanded opportunities for support to campus inventors, as well as enhanced opportunities for commercialization. A new initiative to spark University innovation, the Office of Technology Development’s Growth Fund strengthens the commercial potential of University research and
intellectual property by providing short-term funding for commercially-focused research and prototyping. Additionally, the office has recently launched a Venture Fellowship program for postdoctoral students that will provide handson entrepreneurial education and experience working on the advancement of early stage University assets towards commercialization.
The University of Oklahoma has also created a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, combining premier academic resources with hands-on learning opportunities to engage both students and the local community. The Innovation Hub, a 20,000-square-foot collaborative space devoted to innovation, houses a fabrication lab and data visualization center, as well as the Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth, an interdisciplinary experience for students to find solutions to real-world problems. These are just a few of the many examples of OU’s on-going effort to create pathways for impact for innovation and in the support of biosciences research commercialization. To learn more about the university’s promising biosciences innovations or Entrepreneurship & Economic Development initiatives, contact the Office of Technology Development at ou.edu/otd or (405) 271-7725.
What is BIO-LINKED? Patent Pending
Working Together, Finding Cures The biggest delay in bringing new drugs and treatments to market is not the time needed for discovery, but the time required to find willing individuals to participate in research and development.
This is why Oklahoma Blood Institute has linked a network of blood collectors across the United States to build a database of generous people willing to consider participating in research.
It is an electronic roster of people willing to help researchers find cures and treatments for diseases. Participants submit a confidential, self-managed profile of only the medical and social information they are willing to offer. This allows Bio-Linked to then anonymously search to find people who meet research needs.
bio-linked.org
Affiliated with Oklahoma Blood Institute
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Sowing the seeds of knowledge
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he University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City is a major contributor to the state’s biosciences industry. With seven colleges situated on one academic medical campus, as well as robust basic science, clinical and translational research programs, OUHSC is proud to conduct life-changing research that also benefits the state economically. In 1998, Oklahoma passed legislation that allows university research to be commercialized, and since that time, many OUHSC projects have been transformed into startup companies. Several of those companies have since attracted millions in funding, entered into significant agreements, or have been acquired by larger companies.
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William Hildebrand, Ph.D., a researcher with
the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the OU College of Medicine, is chief scientist for Pure Protein, which was launched in 1999 based on his research. A subsidiary of that company, recently entered into a research and license agreement with pharmaceutical company AbbVie to discover and validate peptide targets for use with T-cell receptor therapeutics in several types of cancer. Heparinex and Choncept, two other Oklahoma City companies based on research from Paul DeAngelis, Ph.D., and related to the novel recombinant synthesis of compounds, have also struck significant commercial deals with large pharmaceutical companies. Pure Protein, Heparanix and Choncept were all funded in large part by the private investment fund Emergent Technologies of Austin, Texas. Another successful company based on science developed at OUHSC, Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corp., was acquired by Novartis in 2016. Selexys developed a novel antibody therapeutic for sickle cell disease. Based on the results of a Phase 2 clinical trial, Novartis announced it would acquire Selexys and continue the development and commercialization of the therapeutic. Moleculara Labs is another growing company that developed from the research of Madeline Cunningham, Ph.D., at OUHSC. Moleculera produces clinical assays used in the diagnosis of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococci (PANDAS) and Pediatric AcuteOnset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). OUHSC has multiple areas of research expertise. Rodney Tweten, Ph.D., a researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the OU College of Medicine, in 2016 received the prestigious MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health. The grant, which provides 10 years of uninterrupted funding, will further Tweten’s investigations into cholesterol-dependent cytolysins, considered the most widely disseminated toxins in bacteria. In addition, Tweten’s patented discoveries in the area of Streptacoccal pnuemoniae have been optioned by a vaccine company. The future looks bright for the OU Health Sciences Center and its commitment to the biosciences industry. The Office of the Vice President for Research has launched the Soonerto-Market, a program that leverages various resources to commercialize university discoveries faster. Campus leaders also have played a key role in helping to foster the Innovation District, the thriving area around the OU Health Sciences Center that is ripe for future development. 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) or the Office of Technology Development (405) 271-7725 www.otd.ou.edu.
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THE JOBS NETWORK OCAST Intern Partnership connects students and employers – and all of Oklahoma benefits
Alayna Trujillo had it all mapped out. She would earn her associate’s degree in the biotechnology program at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), then move on to a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree before pursuing a biotech industry job. However, Alayna’s plans were disrupted in the very best of ways by the OCAST Intern Partnerships program. One of many programs designed and managed by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), the OCAST Intern Partnerships help retain Oklahoma’s best and brightest students by placing them in companies where they complete challenging, innovative projects. That’s how it happened for Alayna. She participated in the OCAST program almost four years ago as an intern at Oklahoma City’s Cytovance Biologics, a contract manufacturing firm for biotechnology industry clients nationwide. When the eight-week internship ended, Alayna never left Cytovance. The company hired her as a full-time employee. She’s still there three and a half years later. “The internship really opened my eyes as to what I wanted to do,” Alayna said. “Once I found this job and this internship and what I wanted to do, it just fell into to place that I wanted to stay here and gain experience.” Today, she has a great position as Downstream Manufacturing Associate Level 2 which means she leads projects for Cytovance and also serves as a trainer for what is called downstream manufacturing. OCAST’s Intern Partnerships provide up to $30,000 a year to participating Oklahoma businesses interested in pursuing innovative R&D projects and teaming with undergraduate students who help accomplish project goals.
Directed by Dr. Fabiola Janiak-Spens, OCCC has won numerous OCAST Intern Partnerships grants over the last decade, placing students in labs at businesses like Cytovance or in research settings at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. In the most recent two-year Intern Partnerships grant, Dr. Spens has placed students in seven internships. She has placed 33 individuals through the OCAST grants during her tenure at OCCC that dates back to 2007. Of those, 26 former students went on to receive advanced degrees and 20 are currently working in biotechnology or technician jobs in Oklahoma. The Internship Partnerships benefit the students, the college and the participating companies, Dr. Spens said. “To be honest, without the internship experience the students are getting, they would not have the employment success rate,” Dr. Spens said. “It gives them this direct contact with employers for an extended period of time.” For Alayna, it paid an immediate dividend at Cytovance. “They loved the fact that they didn’t have to walk me through step-by-step on how to actually do things,” she said. “My favorite part of the internship was actually finding out what I had a passion for. I love what I do.” The OCAST Intern Partnerships program is having a positive impact that goes beyond the lives of the students and the companies where they are placed, said Michael Carolina, OCAST executive director. “Alayna’s story is a great example of how one program helped a student discover a career, a company find a great employee – and we all benefit as Oklahomans,” Carolina said. “At OCAST, we’re committed to diversifying the state’s economy while helping to create jobs and bring greater prosperity to Oklahoma.”
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 866-265-2215. 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. Intern Partnerships: The Intern Partnerships support projects that partner Oklahoma hightech 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 costeffective 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 highgrowth 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 coinvestment before the state dollars may be used. www.ocast.ok.gov
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Innovation
30 Years of Innovation Excellence
The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology works to
The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and inception OCAST has: diversify Oklahoma’s economy throughSince strategic investment in innovation, science and Technology works to diversify Oklahoma’s economy through > funded 2,525 projects technology. The investment we make locally improves the quality of life globally, while strategic investment in innovation, science and technology. > invested more than $270 million growing Oklahoma's economy. The investment we make locally improves the quality of > attracted $5.8 billion in private sector and federal dollars life globally, while growing Oklahoma’s economy. > had a return on investment of 21:1
Since inception OCAST has: • attracted $5.8 billion in private secto • funded 2,587 projects and federal funding • made investments of more than >> $278 >> Small Business Manufacturing • had a return on investment of 22:1 million in R&D
>> Internships >> Health
Small Business >> Startup Capital >> Manufacturing >> Internships >> Health >> 866.265.2215 • ocast.ok.gov
Celebrating 30 years of growin 15 diversifying Oklahoma’s econ BIO Edition 2017 i&E
The Smarter Grid
OG&E embraces innovative technologies to power Oklahoma When the earliest attempts to bring electric power to Oklahoma City began in the 1890s, entrepreneurs were investigating an emerging technology – electrification. OG&E soon rose to the forefront of this new technology as the company that was finally successful in achieving this sought-after technology.
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Through the years, the electricity business has experienced many changes: a growth in distributed generation (small wind and solar power) and an increased use of digital technology and interfaces for communications. OG&E has taken the lead once again with recent innovative programs – wind power, Smart Grid and now solar power—our innovation approach is a balance of incorporating new technology while keeping the impact to our stakeholders in terms of affordability, reliability, safety and environmental responsibility top of mind. Already a leader in wind energy in the state of Oklahoma, with over 840 MW in its wind portfolio, the company now has incorporated solar energy into its generating portfolio with the launch of Oklahoma’s first utility-owned solar farm at the site of its Mustang Power Plant in June 2015. The farm has enough capacity to energize approximately 500 homes. The company believes solar power and other distributed generation technology can create opportunities to offer new alternatives for customers to manage their bills. OG&E also is recognized as a national leader in smart grid deployment and the use of this asset to help customers better manage
their electricity consumption. Since 2012, more than 115,000 OG&E customers have enrolled in the award-winning SmartHours® summer rate plan and have helped the company shave its demand peak, which reduces the need for new incremental fossil-fueled generation. The smart grid also creates grid intelligence which enables OG&E to restore power faster, reduce the frequency and duration of outages and improve information flow to customers. Last year, OG&E added electric vehicles, Nissan Leafs and Chevy Volts, to its fleet. These EVs are more environmentally friendly and reduce the company’s fuel and maintenance expenses. This year, the company will add more EVs and promote the use of EVs for use in business fleets. As its industry evolves, OG&E will continue to apply new technologies as it partners with customers to provide reliable service at the lowest reasonable cost.
World Class Research in a World Class City Norman is a Vibrant and Unique city with a storied past and a Bright future.
In the past three years alone, there has been over $300 million in planned quality of life enhancements including schools, parks and trails. But it is the people of Norman and the greatness of the University of Oklahoma that continue to make Oklahoma’s third largest city the location for technology businesses of all types. for more information, visit
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Since 1985, the Foundation has awarded more than $100 million to support medical research, education, and economic growth in Oklahoma. We are focused on stimulating breakthroughs in scientific research by supporting the vital work of scientists seeking causes and potential treatments across disease groups. Our commitment to funding in this area reflects our belief that innovative basic medical research is absolutely crucial to advancing the health and well-being of humankind in Oklahoma.
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Blockbuster Molecule Solid Science Behind Selexys Drug Triggered Historic Acquisition
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“The results were nothing short of spectacular, which triggered the ability of Novartis to purchase Selexys.”
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n 2012, Oklahoma City-based Selexys Pharmaceuticals signed an agreement with pharmaceutical industry giant Novartis that would trigger a historic exit for the Oklahoma company. Novartis Pharmaceuticals provided a payment to the Oklahoma company that allowed Selexys to conduct at Phase 2 clinical trial of its SelG1 drug. If the drug proved effective in relieving pain crisis in Sickle Cell disease patients, Novartis would have the opportunity to purchase Selexys for $665 million. The deal proved to be the ultimate win-win for both Selexys and Novartis. The Phase 2 trial that Novartis funded showed the SelG1 drug to be effective in relieving Sickle Cell pain crisis. “The results were nothing short of spectacular, which triggered the ability of Novartis to purchase Selexys,” said Scott Rollins, Selexys President and CEO. Novartis became the new owner of a promising therapeutic, and an Oklahoma startup enjoyed a historic exit. “It is certainly by far the largest biopharma deal ever done in the history
of Oklahoma. It also provides a significant return to those investors who entrusted their money to Selexys,” he said. The Selexys drug under development was coveted by Novartis because it relieves pain crisis for millions of people worldwide who suffer from sickle cell disease. And that’s the most important element of the deal, Rollins said. “Sickle cell disease is a very underserved population, primarily African American, and there hasn’t been a sickle cell drug approved in over 25 years,” he said. “I think it is important that we did it here in Oklahoma, with native Oklahomans in the management team.” Selexys has its roots in a scientific discovery by Dr. Rodger McEver in the 1980s. McEver led a team of researchers from the University of Oklahoma Health Science 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. The pair managed Selexys until 2008, when they recruited Oklahoma native Rollins as President and CEO.
Normal Hemoglobin
Abnormal Hemoglobin
Sickled red blood cells clump together and stick to the walls of blood vessels, blocking blood flow. This can cause severe pain and permanent damage to the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, bones, and spleen. SelG1 drug blocks clumping of blood cells and significantly reduces pain crisis associated with sickle cell disease.
“Selexys gave me the opportunity to come back home, to be nearer to my family, my parents, my brothers and sisters, and to be President and CEO of a company based here in Oklahoma,” Rollins said. A Moore native and OU educated immunologist and entrepreneur, Rollins cofounded and built Alexion Pharmaceuticals in Connecticut from startup to a $27 billion publicly traded industry giant it is today. The technology on which Alexion is based was discovered by Rollins while he was working as a graduate student in a laboratory at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Rollins was later invited to be a postdoctorate fellow at Yale University, which he eventually left to co-found Alexion and develop a therapeutic called Soliris that treats a rare blood disease. Back in Oklahoma as Selexys CEO, Rollins began working with Dr. Philip Jones to attract investors whose capital would enable the company to advance the sickle cell drug and take it into a Phase 1 clinical trial. Investment by i2E in Selexys through the Oklahoma Seed Capital Fund also played a key roll in helping Rollins pitch
the company to subsequent investors. “That was critical to the success of the company to have that kind of solid backing such that other local investors were willing to come in and put their money into Selexys,” Rollins said. “Phil and I were able to go out and raise $10 million locally from a group of high net worth angel investors.” Attracted by the solid data developed by Selexys in advancing its sickle cell drug, Novartis signed a deal with the Oklahoma company and provided a critical payment. “That non-dilutive payment allowed us to execute a Phase 2 clinical study of SelG1 in patients with sickle cell disease,” Rollins said. “The deal specified that at the end of the trial, Novartis would have the opportunity to purchase Selexys and the drug we were using in the sickle cell trial for $665 million.” The double-blind clinical trial across 200 patients nationwide yielded positive results, triggering the historic deal. i2E, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) and angel investors across Oklahoma are among those who were rewarded by the Novartis deal.
“This exit, along with the subsequent successful exit of Oklahoma City’s WeGoLook for $36.5 million, validates the Oklahoma model of helping build and support startup businesses developed by i2E as part of our partnership with OCAST,” said i2E CEO Scott Meacham. For Rollins and his team of seven at Selexys, the sale of the company to Novartis didn’t end their drug development work in Oklahoma. They are now advancing a therapeutic to treat Crohn’s Disease within a company called Tetherex, which spun out of Selexys before the Novartis deal closed. “The truth is, with Selexys, nothing is going away,” Rollins said. “All the Selexys employees are now Tetherex employees. We just keep reinventing ourselves. We are already in the midst of treating about 15 or 20 patients with Crohn’s Disease with a new drug.” Bottom line is that Selexys created a new therapeutic that promises to bring pain crisis relief to millions of sickle cell patients. It is already a phenomenal success for Oklahoma’s startup community. “That drug will be something for many, many years to come that Oklahomans can be proud of,” Rollins said.
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Ponca City, a free citywide Wi-Fi micropolitan in north Central Oklahoma, is home to Log10, a food safety and probiotic manufacturing company. Log10 specializes in food safety, consulting and manufacturing which includes probiotic protection and pathogen elimination for all types of consumables and production machinery. The company, which derives its name from a logarithm commonly used in food science, operates in a state of the art food grade laboratory and manufacturing facility in the Ponca City Airport Industrial Park. Company principles include Ph.Ds. and technicians with significant experience in their fields both in private industry and academia. The company is currently serving several national accounts by producing probiotic products and providing food safety consulting.
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. For more information on BSR, contact the current Chairman, Casey Harness at casey.harness@ocast.ok.gov.
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PolySkope was founded in 2011 by an experienced group of scientists with proven track records of developing multiplex diagnostic assays in the clinical space (Crescendo, Intergenetics). Their singular goal is translating multiplex methods into food safety. PolySkope 1.0 represents a starting point for their revolutionizing of food safety testing. AOAC PTM status and U.S. launch are expected in Q32017, with availability in Europe and Asia scheduled for Q2 2018. PolySkope Labs has applied for AOAC Performance Tested Method (PTM) status for the PolySkope 1.0 Pathogen Detection Method in a variety of matrices. PolySkope 1.0 is the first comprehensive and modular multiplex RT-PCR pathogen detection method for the most common foodborne pathogens. The Company anticipates launch of PolySkope 1.0 in Q3-2017.
Sevengenes, Inc is bio-pharma start-up incorporated on August-2015 in Oklahoma. Its mission is to develop bio-better drugs and novel therapeutics to treat deadly diseases such as cancer with minimal or no side effects. Sevengenes patent pending technology is an excipient (7GENTM) for significantly increasing solubility and bio-availability of hydrophobic drug molecules. 7GENTM is much more effective compared to existing drug delivery such as lipid and nano-material strategies. The first drug product (7GEN-TDTM) is to treat pancreatic cancer. The formulation comprises 7GENTM excipient and a well-studied (>800 publications), effective, plant derived small molecule, with demonstrated anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties whose only problem was its solubility. 7GENTM platform technology eliminates the solubility issue, giving a new life to this excellent molecule and many other marketed drugs. 7GENTDTM has shown extraordinary pre-clinical results including complete reduction of pancreatic cancer tumor in xenograft mice models. Expected timeline for 7GEN-TDTM to file IND is 14-18 months.
Agric-Bioformatics LLC is an Oklahoma City-based biotechnology company that is revolutionizing the cattle industry. Agric-Bioformatics has developed a next-generation management software for analysis, interpretation, and visualization of genetic data in order to improve production and performance of livestock. Agric-Bioformatics’ first product, AgBoostTM, integrates inventory, herd management and genomic profiling on one software platform for the cattle industry. We aim to provide cattle producers an affordable and easy-to-use tool that allows better access to, and understanding of, genomic and physical data. AgBoostTM is designed to allow producers to become more sustainable, improve animal welfare, and produce quality meat. The AgBoostTM platform is currently in closed beta testing with individual cattle producers across the U.S. and has completed a successful pilot project with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. AgricBioformatics plans to release their minimal viable product to the market in Summer 2017.
Sensulin is a biotechnology company, developing a next-generation insulin for diabetes. The company’s glucose-responsive insulin may provide a patient’s entire daily insulin need via a single dose, taken with breakfast (instead of 4-8 injections per day). Sensulin aims to make basal and mealtime insulin obsolete ($24B market in 2016, $48B in 2020), reduce the need for glucose monitoring, greatly improve the standard of care, and solve one of the largest unmet medical needs in all of healthcare. For type II patients, Sensulin may reduce the long-term complications associated with diabetes (eye & kidney disease, etc.). For both type 1 and type 2, Sensulin’s purpose is to give patients a chance at a normal life. The company’s platform technology for Stimulus-Responsive Drug Delivery (SRDD) can be used to precisely deliver virtually any drug, in a very precise way.
COARE Biotechnology, Inc. is a drug development company that seeks to advance the current treatment modality of patients with aggressive cancers by coordinating 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. • Our therapeutic strategies are focused on the doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) tumor stem cell marker.
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OKLAHOMA BIO ADVANTAGES
OKLAHOMA BIO ASSETS
> High quality, affordable and available facilities
Oklahoma is fertile ground for bioscience growth, talent and premier 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 of Brain Research • Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation • Oklahoma State University • Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation • 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: • Accele BioPharma • Analytical Edge • ARL/DNA Solutions • Cytovance Biologics • DRIK • Emergent Technologies • i2E, Inc. • Lynn Health Sciences Institute • OKBio Association • Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology > 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
1. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has funded 2,587 projects at more than $278 million, attracting $5.8 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 23-acre, $100 million University Research Park, part of the Oklahoma Health Center complex, is home to 38 science-based companies. 4. The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation is the largest private foundation in the country conducting plant science and agriculture research. 5. Oklahoma State University is a leader in agriculture and animal science research. 6. i2E, Inc. invested over $2.1 million in 10 Oklahoma bioscience companies in 2016 and $16.5 million over the past 17 years. 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: 1. Selexys Pharmaceuticals was recently acquired by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The founders of Selexys remain in Oklahoma and are working on a new company, Tetherex, which is focused on development of antibodies for the treatment of inflammatory and thrombotic diseases. 2. Moleculera Labs is a pioneer in infectioninduced autoimmune conditions that disrupt neurologic function. The company currently markets a diagnostic test, the Cunningham Panel, which predicts a patient’s likelihood having Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococci (PANDAS). 3. Cytovance Biologics, Inc. is a pharmaceutical contract manufacturer producing biologics, therapeutic proteins and antibodies. The company employs more than 170, and their products are used globally for clinical trials and research.
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4. Accele BioPharma, a bioscience business accelerator, has three bio companies under management that focus on infectious disease, drug-resistant bacterial infections and hearing loss. 5. 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. 6. 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. 7. 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 by early 2018. 8. 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.
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i2E: Investing in Oklahoma Bioscience For more than a decade, i2E has played a major role in funding Oklahoma researchers and entrepreneurs by investing more than $16.5 million in Oklahoma bioscience companies that are either developing new therapeutics, developing new medical devices or providing support technologies for 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 $2.1 million in 10 bioscience companies. The following is a look at some of the bioscience companies that i2E investments have supported over the years.
DEHA
TETHEREX
Tallgrass Therapeutics
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BIOSCIENCE IS OUR BUSINESS WHAT COULD YOU ACCOMPLISH IN OKC?
World-class research and innovation is happening in Oklahoma City and big pharma is taking notice. Recently, Oklahoma City’sown Selexys was acquired by drug-giant Novartis in a $665-milliondollar deal. What is the Oklahoma City advantage? Entrepreneurs, researchers and academics work hand-in-hand with public and private investors to create an industry that employs more than 51,000 workers and generates revenues of $6.7 billion annually. What could your research accomplish in OKC?
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www.GreaterOklahomaCity.com/biotech