By Mike Gara, Technology Management Officer
Clemson University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus (CUBEInC) is located in Greenville SC. This 30,000 sq.ft. state of the art laboratory facility was created for the purpose of bringing together Clemson scientists and engineers with physicians and other healthcare givers to solve today’s most pressing medical problems. In addition to these important research projects, CUBEInC was also intended to serve as a launch pad for early stage life science companies that would add intellectual capital, economic growth and job creation in the Upstate.
Today there are a wide number of important, ongoing research projects ongoing in such areas as cardiovascular tissue repair, artificial joint design and failure analysis, and chemotherapeutic drug delivery, to name just a few. Some of these projects will turn into start-up companies led by faculty and/or students. One such company in the early stages of formation is NEST, a company focused on breast cancer treatments and tissue repair. However, there are many more in the works.
CUBEInC is also an attractive location for existing companies to locate. The facility and its proximity to Greenville Health System and St. Francis Hospital give companies the opportunity to work closely with their potential customers and stakeholders. Thus far, lab space has been leased to three companies that aim to generate economic growth and job creation for the Upstate region.
PinPoint Molecular’s pharmacogenetics testing allows for personalized, patient-specific prescribing through specific (DNA) Genetic testing from buccal swabs. From this DNA testing, Pinpoint can guide physicians in the choice of drug therapy that is most effective for that particular patient. Using state of the art polymerase chain reactors (PCR), Pinpoint technicians can perform these tests overnight and have the results to the physician the next day. Most prescription drugs on the market fall under the one-size-fits-all umbrella, but do not work the same way for all patients. In the past, it has been difficult for the physician to predict if a patient will respond positively, experience negative side effects such as drug-to-drug interactions, or not benefit from the treatment at all. This trial and error approach is particularly evident in the pain management and psychiatric fields. Upon locating at CUBEInC, Pinpoint immediately hired four laboratory technicians and engaged various local businesses for IT support and general business operations. Significant expansion is expected in the near future.
TAO Life Sciences TAO brings new medical device concepts to reality. Its focus on demonstrating proof-of-concept for new medical device innovations in less than a year makes it unique. Tao’s goal is to bring innovations to market by applying the collective expertise of its development partners, intellectual property collaborators and clinical network. Tao identifies life science technologies that have risk profiles that can be addressed with a modest investment of resources and capital and that can begin to generate financial returns in less than 18 months. Tao’s success depends on their relationships with numerous universities and providers, such as engineering firms and attorneys who have come to trust Tao’s process and collaborate on focused efforts. TAO has already begun to incubate an early stage company that could provide economic growth for the Upstate. Additionally, Tao is working on a product that evolved from the Clemson Bioengineering Senior Design program.
Med-Ally Med-Ally recently joined the ecosystem of start-ups at CUBEInC. The company is managed by two very experienced medical device executives who moved here for the benefit of collaboration with Clemson, its clinical partners and the Upstate’s attractive business environment. Med-Ally develops and manufactures electronic control systems for the emerging field of neurostimulation. This therapeutic modality has been compared to the pacemaker of the 1950s because it is able to modulate and ameliorate clinical symptoms in a wide variety of diseases. Med-Ally plans to establish headquarters and manufacturing in the Upstate and has already begun hiring Clemson students.
Avon Breast Cancer Business Plan Challenge In Spring 2014, a group of four Clemson graduate students, a breast cancer surgeon from Greenville Health System and the Director of Technology Management at CUBEInC entered a worldwide competition to create a business plan around Clemson technology. The technology, from Dr. Karen Burg’s lab, is a tissue-engineered construct that enables reconstruction of native tissue following lumpectomy in mastectomy surgery with the additional benefit of reducing recurrence of the cancer. The team created a complete 20-page business plan, an “elevator pitch” video and a slide deck to present to funders. The Clemson team has named the company NEST: for Novo Epi Scaffold Technology. The team was one of only twelve chosen to compete out of 200 teams for further funding from the Avon Foundation, which sponsored the competition. NEST is currently seeking start-up financing.
Clemson Bioengineering Senior Design The Senior Design program is a nationally recognized, award-winning program that teaches bioengineering students how to develop and commercialize innovative products that meet today’s clinical needs. The program is just one more example of how CUBEInC plays a role in Upstate South Carolina’s economic development. Many of the student projects will be commercialized, and some of the students will evolve into entrepreneurs with a passion and commitment to start and grow their companies right here in the Upstate. The CUBEInC facility provides meeting and laboratory space for the students to use in prototype development.
The future is bright for Clemson bioengineering in the Upstate, and CUBEInC is in a perfect position to contribute to significant economic growth for the Upstate and South Carolina.
