ANN ARBOR – The life sciences industry doesn’t generally spring to mind when one thinks of Jackson, Michigan. Yet, the Jackson area is home to one of Michigan’s emerging biotechnology companies ? a company that is poised for success.
TransPharm Preclinical Solutions is a contract research organization (CRO) that provides a complete array of studies in infectious disease animal models for the antibiotic discovery industry. TransPharm president and CEO, Dan Ross, proudly promotes his company as “being located in the heart of Michigan?s Biotechnology Corridor, mid-way between the life sciences hubs of Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo and just south of Michigan State University.”
Launched by Ross and TransPharm Vice-President and CSO, Michael Dority, both former Pfizer employees who preferred to remain in Michigan when the pharmaceutical giant closed its Michigan operations, the TransPharm team has over 115 years of combined experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry and is highly skilled in designing and performing comprehensive studies to determine antibiotic efficacy. While the company is barely two-year’s old, Ross said, “our experience in animal care, drug discovery and drug development makes TransPharm leading experts in antibiotic testing in animal infection models. We’re also unique in that we specialize only in infectious disease research.”
The company is located just south of Jackson on a scenic wooded nine-acre setting in Napolean Township. Work is done in an interconnected complex of buildings including wet lab space large enough for 16 workstations and a vivarium, a facility for keeping animals for research or observation, with an attendant surgical suite. “We recently expanded our services and now offer vivarium space on a month to month basis and clients leasing the space can use the surgical suite and dedicated lab space,” Ross said. Ross sees great potential in contracting with other post-Pfizer start-ups who can conduct their research at TransPharm’s facility far more cost effectively than setting up their own operations.
Ross managed the build out of the TransPharm facility with no outside investors by leveraging his connections with Pfizer and obtaining more than $500,000 in donations of sophisticated Pfizer equipment and lab materials. “Help from the state in the form of a $400,000 loan enabled us to get up and running quickly and begin contract research with clients throughout the U.S., the Far East and Europe,” Ross says. The wet lab area is equipped to handle all biological procedures and analyses. The vivarium?s interior contains two biobubble plastic-walled clean rooms, each with two large hepa filters that exchange the air inside 100 times an hour.
The company is currently awaiting accreditation from the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) an international group that evaluates organizations that use animals in research, teaching or testing. The accreditation is awarded to companies, universities, hospitals, government agencies and other research institutions that have demonstrated, through a rigorous review process, the highest level of commitment to responsible animal care and use. Site visits to TransPharm have been completed and the company expects accreditation to be awarded at the AAALAC board meeting in September. Ross said: “this accreditation could very likely double our business. It will open the door to clients who only use certified labs to conduct their work.”
Ross credits the Michigan Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC) for the guidance it provided in helping shape and build his business. Ross acknowledges, “the SBTDC staff was there for us from the very early stages, when TransPharm was basically just an idea. The SBTDC helped us build our business plan, create our very specific value proposition and connect us to resources and assistance we would not otherwise have been aware of.” Ross is also grateful for the strong community support TransPharm received from Jackson?s economic development group and from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
“We were one of only four companies to receive the maximum amount of funding from the state’s Pfizer Retention Fund and I believe it would not have happened without help from the SBTDC,” said Ross. John Balbach, SBTDC technology counselor states, “TransPharm has staked out a strong market niche and is well positioned to grow as the economy recovers and allows for more drug studies to take place.” He also believes the company will help diversify the Jackson area. “TransPharm is a small but growing life sciences company that has great potential to attract similar business and skilled workers to the area,” said Balbach.
TransPharm is also doing its part to ensure there is a supply of biotech workers for the jobs of the future. They currently have two interns from Jackson Community College and an Michigan State University Ph.D colleague spending valuable lab time with the company. According to Ross, TransPharm is also partnering with Jackson?s Baker College vet tech program. Ross said: “the college doesn?t have a facility to house lab animals. We have negotiated an agreement whereby Baker College will use TransPharm to teach lab animal testing and testing techniques in a properly controlled environment.” As Balbach aptly notes, “TransPharm is the type of company Michigan needs to populate its life sciences corridor.”
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