Highlights: UNC Startups
QUICK JUMP: Startups | Products & Services | Pharmaceutical Pipeline | Patent Portfolio | Researchers | Statistics
Algynomics, Inc. Algynomics, Inc. was founded in 2005 by William Maixner and Luda Diatchenko in Dentistry around the use of human genomic variants (SNPs) for prevention, diagnosis, and pharmacological management of pain. “The core mission of Algynomics is to become a world-wide leader in the area of pain diagnostics, management, and prevention by use of emerging methodologies with an emphasis in the field of pain genomics.”
www.algynomics.com |
AlphaVax, Inc. AlphaVax, Inc. was established in 1997 to develop and commercialize an innovative vaccine delivery technology. Originally conceived and developed through research by Robert Johnston in Microbiology and Immunology, this technology is based on a proprietary vaccine vector system that represents a potential advance in the approach to vaccines (both human and veterinary) as well as in protein expression.
www.alphavax.comEndeavors Article, The Merits of Mutants |
AngleFix TechAngleFix Tech was formed in 2005 by Laury Dahners in Orthopaedics around a novel screw technology for orthopedic plates. |
Applied Micro Products Applied Micro Products was formed in 2005 by Fred Pfaender in Environmental Science and Engineering
Technology to develop products aimed at preservation of wood by treatment with non-toxic, biodegradable materials. Key markets for this technology include the U.S. Park Service, which currently does not preserve wood due to toxicity issues, and power companies for treatment of telephone poles. Applied Micro Products is located in Chapel Hill, NC.
www.appliedmicroproducts.com |
Asklêpios BioPharmaceutical Inc., (“AskBio”)AskBio was formed in 2003 in Chapel Hill, NC and is developing gene therapy technologies from Jude Samulski in the Gene Therapy Center at UNC-CH. AskBio is currently in Phase I clinical trials for a therapy for Duchenne’s Muscular Distrophy and is pursuing “development and delivery of novel protein and cellular based therapies through design of proprietary Biological Nano Particles (“BNP”).” www.askbio.com |
DeltaSphere, Inc. DeltaSphere, Inc. was formed around technology developed by Lars Nyland in Computer Science. The company is located in Durham, NC, and develops devices that create real-world 3D models of actual objects or scenes with laser scanning technology. www.deltasphere.comEndeavors Article: o3 True to Form |
Entegrion Entegrion (formerly Hemocellular Therapeutics, Inc.), is located in Research Triangle Park and formed to commercialize technology developed jointly by Thomas Fischer in Pathology and Lab Medicine at UNC-CH and colleagues at East Carolina University. The technology involves a lyophilized (freeze dried) blood substitute product which is far more effective than stored human platelets at stopping bleeding. Other advantages over current stored platelet therapy is safety and shelf-life – 5 years versus 5 days.
www.entegrion.comEndeavors Article: Stop the Bleeding Now |
Epizyme, Inc.Epizyme, Inc. was formed in late 2007 around epigenetic technology developed by Yi Zhang, an HHMI investigator in the department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. Epigenetics involves activating and deactivating genes in cells without changing the structure of DNA. The ability to manipulate epigenetic activity could lead to powerful new drugs for cancer and other serious diseases. The company is located in NC and MA. www.epizymebio.com |
Ercole Biotech, Inc. Ercole Biotech, Inc., located in Research Triangle Park, NC, formed around technology developed by Ryszard Kole in Pharmacology. Ercole is “developing novel oligonucleotide drugs that achieve their therapeutic effect by directing alternative splicing. Ercole’s Splice Switching Drugs (SSDs) represent a new class of drug that is rationally designed, can up-regulate or down-regulate protein activity, has predictable pharmacokinetics and toxicology, and already has been manufactured under GMP. Furthermore, SSDs have been proven to be effective at regulating gene expression in a therapeutically relevant manner in numerous models of human disease. The SSDs will address a wide range of important diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders, and inherited genetic diseases.” Ercole was acquired in 2008 by AVI Biopharma (NASDAQ: AVII).
www.ercolebiotech.com |
Exigent PharmaceuticalsExigent Pharmaceuticals is located in Durham, NC and was formed around anti-infective agents discovered by Matt Redinbo in Chemistry. The company is developing inhibitors of the bacterial enzyme Relaxase to treat hospital bacterial infections. www.exigentpharmaceuticals.com |
Global Vaccines Global Vaccines was formed in 2002 by Robert Johnston in Microbiology & Immunology to develop a vaccine delivery vector system. The company is a non-profit and has now joined an IAVI consortium to further develop the vector for delivery of an HIV vaccine and will be located in part on the UNC campus. “Global Vaccines is a not-for-profit company established to provide a new generation of vaccines for diseases prevalent among people who live in poor countries. At Global Vaccines, we are a team of dedicated individuals who specialize in vaccines and vaccine technology development. We are applying state-of-the-art science and innovative business strategies to the design and development of affordable vaccines for these poorer nations.”
www.globalvaccines.org |
HiBall Tracker, Inc.HiBall Tracker, Inc., was developed from research in the lab of Russell Taylor in Computer Science. The company offers devices that use an optical tracker to provide high accuracy and precision near-real time tracking in large 3 dimensional spaces. HiBall Tracker is located in Durham, NC. www.hiballtracker.com |
InnerOptic Technology Inc. InnerOptic Technology Inc., was founded in 2002 to commercialize the patented 3D Laparoscope technology, initially developed by Kurtis Keller in Computer Science. “InnerOptic's 3D Laparoscope systems will allow surgeons to perform minimally-invasive surgery as if they were performing open surgery, providing a view into the body with registered, real-time in vivo imagery that is both stereoscopic and head-tracked.”
www.inneroptic.com |
Inspire Inc. Inspire, Inc. was incorporated in 1993 (and went through an IPO in 2000) to commercialize discoveries made by Rick Boucher in Medicine. Specifically, the original technology was licensed from UNC-CH after discovering that UTP is capable of increasing airway surface hydration and improving mucociliary clearance. Through this and other breakthroughs, Inspire has developed drugs to treat dry eye, upper respiratory disorders, cystic fibrosis, and retinal disease.
www.inspirepharm.com |
Invitrox, Inc.Invitrox, Inc., formed in 2005 around technologies developed by Don Gabriel in Medicine and is developing specialty diagnostics for analysis of platelet function. |
LeukoMed, Inc. LeukoMed, Inc., is a drug development company based in Research Triangle Park, NC, to add value to new compounds. The company formed around new compounds developed by Khalid Ishaq in Pharmacy.
www.leukomed.com |
Liquidia Technologies Liquidia Technologies, of Morrisville, NC, formed in 2004 around technologies arising in the lab of Joseph DeSimone in Chemistry. Liquidia’s products will be solvent- and chemically-resistant microfluidics and high performance imprint lithographic materials and processes. Liquidia’s innovative FluorocurTM material platform was developed from fluoropolymers that are liquids at room temperature but cure to transparent, PTFE-like (polytetrafluoroethylene) solids when polymerized. Fluorocur material allows for the mass production of precise, uniform micro and nanoparticles. Liquidia provides a radically new method for generating custom-shaped particles ranging in size from tens of nanometers to hundreds of microns. The company's PRINTTM (Particle Replication In Non-wetting Templates) technology uses patterned Fluorocur molds to fabricate monodisperse and shape-specific isolated objects.
www.liquidia.com |
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MiCell, Inc. MiCell, Inc., a start-up company based on inventions by Joe DeSimone in Chemistry, utilizes supercritical CO2 in a variety of biomedical and industrial applications.
www.micell.comEndeavors Article: The Man Who Taugh CO2 to Clean |
MiCell Integrated Systems (MIS)MiCell Integrated Systems (MIS) is a spin-off of a spin-off (MiCell) and was formed to utilize super-critical CO2 technology to clean and process computer chips and devices. www.micell.com |
Morphormics
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NanoManipulator, Inc.NanoManipulator, Inc., of Durham, NC, formed to offer devices that provide tactile feedback to scanning probe microscopes to provide the most intuitive and informative user interface available. www.nanomanipulator.com Endeavors Article: A Jolt of the Juice |
Novan, Inc. Drug-resistant infections kill more Americans every year than AIDS and breast cancer combined. The onset of antibiotic resistance and its ensuing economic burden on America's health care system have created a demand for new weapons in the fight against bacteria. Novan, Inc. was founded to commercialize proprietary technology that aims to greatly reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by infected wounds and implanted medical devices. Co-founded by UNC-Chapel Hill Associate Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Mark Schoenfisch, Novan is a privately funded, development stage company with office and laboratory space located in Research Triangle Park, NC. |
Oriel TherapeuticsOriel Therapeutics is developing technology for drug delivery to the lungs to better treat respiratory and pulmonary disease. The company is located in Research Triangle Park, NC, and was formed around technology developed by Timothy Crowder in Biomedical Engineering. www.orieltherapeutics.com |
Parion Sciences Parion Sciences, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is developing therapies for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and other respiratory diseases, based on research by Richard Boucher in Medicine.
www.parion.com |
PharmatrophiX PharmatrophiX formed in 2005 around technology developed by Frank Longo, formerly UNC’s Chair of Neurology. The company is focused on developing proprietary small molecules to treat the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s.
http://pharmatrophix.com |
Qualyst Qualyst (originally called ADMETech) was created to pursue technology developed by researchers in Pharmacy. The technology enhances the drug discovery/drug development process by accelerating the process of screening drug candidates for ADME properties. Qualyst is located in Raleigh, NC.
www.qualyst.com |
Realtromins Realtromins was founded in 2008 to commercialize novel, advanced critical care monitoring technology that guides the care of critically ill children. The technology was developed by Keith Kocis, a Pediatrician at UNC. www.realtromins.com |
Science Learning Resources, Inc. Science Learning Reources, Inc, was founded by Gary Duncan in Psychiatry to provide instructional models to teach science and is located in Carrboro, NC. “Science Learning Resources, Inc. (SLR) is dedicated to enhancing scientific literacy throughout our communities with innovative multimedia technology. Our products address educational needs spanning elementary school through college levels.”
www.sciencelearningresources.com |
TheraLogics TheraLogics was formed by Al Baldwin in Biology around a method of combining of anthracyclene antibiotics and NFkB (proteosome) inhibitors to treat cancer. |
Vascular PharmaceuticalsVascular Pharmaceuticals was formed by Dave Clemmons in Medicine to pursue two technologies related to novel targets important in the vascular complications of diabetes. |
Viamet Pharmaceuticals® Viamet Pharmaceuticals® was formed in 2006 by Holden Thorp in Chemistry for the discovery and development of metal targeted therapeutics.
www.viamet.com |
Xintek Xintek was formed to commercialize technology from Otto Zhou in Physics focusing on industrial applications for carbon nanotubes. Xintek is located in Research Triangle Park, NC. “The company develops nanomaterial-based field emission technologies and products for a broad range of industries such as x-ray imaging, information display, telecommunication, aerospace and oil detection. Xintek’s major products include: carbon nanotube (CNT)-based field emission electron source, field emission grade CNT material, field emission x-ray source and CNT AFM probes.”
www.xintek.comEndeavors Article: The Physics of Clarity |
