UK life sciences spinout companies promote technology at BIO

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 23, 2011) — University of Kentucky life sciences spinout companies and commercialization & economic development staff will promote UK technology and partnerships at the 2011 BIO International Convention, June 27-30 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The largest global event for the biotechnology industry is organized by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), and will feature key policymakers, scientists, CEOs, and celebrities, and hundreds of sessions covering biotech trends, policy issues and technological innovations.

John Littleton with Naprogenix spoke with Gov. Steve Beshear

UKCED, the spinout companies listed below, and Commerce Lexington will join the University of Louisville, economic development groups and biotech companies from around the state in the Kentucky pavilion at the world's largest biotechnology exhibition. UK is also co-sponsoring a reception hosted by Governor Steve Beshear for invited guests to learn more about partnering opportunities.

The following UK life sciences spinoff companies will be part of the Kentucky pavilion at BIO:

Enzymax is a protein and DNA engineering company that provides various molecular and biochemical services, purified tool enzymes and proteins, and a variety of purified specialty enzymes and proteins for biological/biomedical research needs, drug screening and the cosmetics industry. Enzymax is based on the research of Zhigang Wang in toxicology.

Naprogenix harnesses plant genomics and proprietary high-throughput pharmacological screens to develop novel active natural products. Naprogenix is targeting pharmaceuticals in the areas of cancer, alcoholism, neurodegenerative disease and depression, and nutraceuticals for macular degeneration. The technology is based on the research of John Littleton in the Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center.

Scout Diagnostics and CoPlex Therapeutics are working on issues related to Alzheimer's disease. Scout is developing a new early-stage diagnostic tool using technology based on the discovery of an aberrant protein complex found only in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer's patients. CoPlex is developing a new treatment for Alzheimer's based on the discovery that the aberrant protein complex is neurotoxic, suggesting this complex may be part of the disease pathology. The research for Scout and CoPlex was developed by co-founders Mark Lovell and Bert Lynn, chemistry department and the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. Lovell has a joint appointment in the UK College of Medicine. Co-founder John Beran is CEO for both companies.

Coldstream Laboratories Inc., located at UK's Coldstream Research Campus, is Kentucky's only sterile small-batch pharmaceutical development and manufacturing facility. CLI services include GMP manufacturing, lyophilization, formulation development, analytical chemistry and microbiology services.

About UKCED

The University of Kentucky Office for Commercialization & Economic Development creates jobs and grows Kentucky’s economy through the commercialization of research and innovations, R&D industry partnerships, and business development of university spinoffs, startups and Kentucky small businesses. UKCED manages the intellectual property portfolio and assesses, patents and licenses technology. UKCED includes the ASTeCC campus incubator, Coldstream Research Campus, Kentucky Small Business Development Center, Kentucky Technology Inc., Lexington ICC and the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship.