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October 30, 2006
New companies at Purdue Research Park take it to next levelWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A medical device company using nanotechnology that debuted at the Purdue Technology Roadshow in Fort Wayne last fall will establish residence in northeast Indiana, Purdue Research Foundation officials announced Monday (Oct. 30).
The New Ventures Presentation was a seminar to venture capitalists and angel investors that featured four high-tech start-up companies. Nanovis, a company that is developing research from biomedical engineers at Purdue University, in December will begin operations in Columbia City near Fort Wayne.
"Nanovis is one of more than 40 companies based on Purdue research that has gone on to market its technology, but it's the first to relocate to the Fort Wayne area," said Steven R. Gerrish, director of development for the Purdue Research Foundation. "We're expecting more technology translocations to occur."
The company's relocation represents a coordinated effort between Purdue's Office of Technology Commercialization and Department of Business Services in West Lafayette with the newly created Office of University Engagement in Fort Wayne, Gerrish said.
"This was a prime example of a successful team effort between West Lafayette and Indiana University Purdue University-Fort Wayne," said Sean Ryan, director of university engagement at IPFW. "We're encouraged by the confidence of the investors and hope to continue to boost economic growth here in northeast Indiana by spotlighting more Purdue inventions."
Nanovis will commercialize a portfolio of nanostructured surfaces, materials and proprietary medical devices that better manage the interface with bone, soft tissue, nerves and cardiovascular cells. Thomas Webster, who was an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Purdue and is now an researcher at Brown University, discovered the technique. Nanovis' first chief executive officer is Brian Emerick.
The other new startup companies with Purdue technologies and partial management teams include:
• Zb2 Bike – This invention (pronounced "Z-b-squared") by Scott Shim, assistant professor in industrial design, has applications for the youth bicycle market and will make bicycling a more viable option for aging baby boomers. The bike won first prize in the 2005 International Bicycle Design Competition and was featured in Time magazine as one of “The Most Amazing Inventions of 2005." Randy Clark is CEO.
• Agri Processing Services, LLC – Purdue animal scientist Bud Harmon is using Purdue technology to reclaim and reuse byproducts from the food processing industry. Water is recycled and products can be used as animal feed while, at the same time, helping companies meet more stringent Environmental Protection Agency standards. Timm Ortman is CEO.
• Pax Vax – This startup company is developing oral vaccines for flu, HPV, anthrax, malaria and HIV. Purdue molecular virologist Suresh Mittal and his collaborators have discovered a new way to provide immunity against avian influenza viruses, or bird flu. This technology represents one of six different technologies assembled to create these new vaccines. Dan Henderson is the CEO.
Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu Sources: Steve Gerrish, (765) 496-7378, srgerrish@purdue.edu Sean Ryan, (260) 399-1662, ryans@ipfw.edu Matt Hedrick, Nanovis, (317)507-1058 Randy Clark, (317)965-5369, rclark@bgindy.com Timm Ortman, (765)860-5108, APS1436@aol.com Dan Henderson, (858)761-8648, dhenderson@paxvax.com
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