P h o t o s c o urtes y o f S C launch
number of individuals and organizations in South Carolina’s dynamic business environment. We are now blessed with the unique opportunity to bring game-changing diagnostic tools to the fight against cancer and infectious disease,” said Lab21 President Michael Bolick. “At the same time, we see an outstanding opportunity to leverage exciting advances in genetic sequencing to take a leadership role in the global transition to personalize medicine – right here from our beautiful home state of South Carolina.” Another emerging SC Launch client company is making similar strides in development. MicroVide, a technology company formed in 2008 based on intellectual property from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), is working to commercialize basic discoveries regarding microdialysis and proteolytic pathways. Based in the SCRA University of South Carolina Innovation Center in Columbia, MicroVide’s technology provides for a real-time measurement of critical drug levels in patients during surgical procedures or during delivery of drugs, monitoring for side effects and toxicity. The flexibility of this technology to measure multiple markers of interest increases market applications to include cardiac surgery, surgical oncology and chemotherapy, orthopedic and osteoarthritic disease, metabolic diseases and initial drug screening and preclinical testing. SC Launch client companies in the Lowcountry are also offering new health care technologies and growth opportunities. When originally founded in 2009, Immunologix licensed an MUSC technology that generated fully human antibodies from naïve B-cells isolated from tonsil tissue. This truly unique technology permits the discovery of fully human antibodies through an in-vitro system to any antigen. The company set up operations in the SCRA MUSC Innovation Center in Charleston and began a rapid investment and development period. After 18 months, Immunologix was acquired by Intrexon, a synthetic biology company that uses modular DNA control systems to enhance capabilities, improve safety and lower costs. Upon acquisition, Intrexon expanded from one to four laboratory suites in the SCRA MUSC Innovation Center. The company is positioned for further growth as the current market for therapeutic and diagnostic antibodies is estimated to exceed $40 billion per year worldwide, and many of the current marketed antibodies are not fully human as the licensed MUSC technology provides. These are only three of the stories that are unfolding from the SC Launch program, but they make a significant and important demonstration. South Carolina has tremendous potential to develop our own future in the health care and medical industries. A recent survey and economic impact study show that these knowledge economy companies offer average salaries well above the state and national average and are generating higher per capita income in our state. SCRA is delighted to support these promising technology companies and looks forward to the continued business success, health care improvements and economic development they will bring.
Selah Technologies was founded in the Upstate to commercialize nanotechnology from Clemson University in cancer diagnostics. In 2009, Selah was acquired by Lab21, a leading molecular diagnostics company.
Immunologix licensed an MUSC technology that generated fully human antibodies from naïve B-cells isolated from tonsil tissue.
Bill Mahoney is CEO of SCRA. s c c h a m b e r. n e t | M a y / J u n e 2 0 1 2 | S o u t h C a r o l i n a B u s i n e ss |
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