Vol. 3, No. 4 | A publication of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council | Winter 2010 Page 6 In 2010, MassBio launched Innovation Services, a suite of programs designed specifically to address the need to better align the research community with opportunities for commercialization. MassBio’s 2015 Strategic Report and other analysis of the Massachusetts biotechnology supercluster identified the challenges we face in bringing ideas to market. Innovation Services leverage the strength of the MassBio network to connect decision-makers seeking to collaborate and accelerate innovation. Innovation Services include Pharma Days, MassCONNECT, the MassBio Investors Forum, Innovators Roundtables and the MassBio Innovation Exchange. Together, these programs leverage the MassBio network to help members make the connections they are looking for. Read more about Innovation Services on pages 4-5. 2015 VISION 2015 VISION 2015 VISION Beth Rappoli, Bill Brubaker, and Belen Carillo Rivas of Pfizer answer questions at Pfizer Rare Disease Day, one of the Pharma Days sponsored by MassBio in 2010.The 2011 schedule of Pharma Days is being finalized.
Transcript
Vol. 3, No. 4 | A publication of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council | Winter 2010
Pa
ge 6
In 2010, MassBio launchedInnovation Services, a suite ofprograms designed specifically toaddress the need to better align theresearch community withopportunities for commercialization.
MassBio’s 2015 Strategic Reportand other analysis of theMassachusetts biotechnologysupercluster identified thechallenges we face in bringing ideasto market. Innovation Servicesleverage the strength of the MassBionetwork to connect decision-makersseeking to collaborate and accelerateinnovation.
Innovation Services includePharma Days, MassCONNECT, theMassBio Investors Forum,Innovators Roundtables and theMassBio Innovation Exchange.Together, these programs leveragethe MassBio network to helpmembers make the connections theyare looking for.
Read more about InnovationServices on pages 4-5.
2015 VISION2015 VISION2015 VISION
Beth Rappoli, Bill Brubaker, and Belen Carillo Rivas of Pfizer answer questions at Pfizer Rare Disease Day, one of the PharmaDays sponsored by MassBio in 2010.The 2011 schedule of Pharma Days is being finalized.
2�� MassBio News Winter 2010
Looking back on our 25 years of progress
A PUBLICATION OF:Massachusetts Biotechnology Council
One Cambridge Center,Cambridge, MA 02142
617-674-5100 ! www.massbio.org
Robert K. CoughlinPresident & CEO
Imran NasrullahChief Business Officer
John HeffernanVP of Policy & External Affairs
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Geoffrey F. Cox, ChairGeoff MacKay, Vice Chair
Michael W. O�Hara, TreasurerGlenn Batchelder, Clerk
As the year and decade come to aclose, we have much to celebrate and begrateful for � continued growth in theMassachusetts life sciences cluster,increased global collaboration and thetranslation of innovative discoveries intonew technologies and patient treatments.
Since 1985, MassBio has created aforum for the biotechnology company tocome together. In the past decade alone,we have grown considerably � expandingmembership to more than 600 biotechcompanies, universities and academicinstitutions and introducing exciting newevents, networking opportunities and
services. Inside, you will read about thenew suite of Innovation Services availableto our members � linking newentrepreneurs with seasoned professionals,maximizing buyer and seller interactionsand encouraging pipeline growth.
Yet, despite all of our new initiatives,our mission at MassBio ultimatelyremains the same. We are committed toeducating policy makers and the generalpublic on the life-changing work biotechcompanies do every day. In this edition,you will read about one of our boardmembers, Steve Richter, who knows first-hand how important it is that we continue
to move cutting-edge therapies from thebench to the bedside. You will also readabout our Cancer Research Challengefellows and the critical progress they aremaking every day.
Next month, we will host our annualPolicy Breakfast at the historic OmniParker House. It will be a time tocelebrate the fact that 300 of our memberswere recently awarded tax credits throughthe new Qualified Therapeutic DiscoveryProject, for a total of almost $129 millionin investment. It will also be a time todiscuss the potential impacts of healthcarereform implementation. In the year to
come, we will continue to work withlegislators to bolster our industry�sposition as an economic engine and tofight for public policy initiatives andadditional tax incentives for you. I inviteeach of you to join us at the breakfast onJan. 27, as we renew our commitment tomaking the voice of our patients thebusiness of Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill.
Best wishes for a happy and healthynew year.
Robert K. Coughlin is President & CEOof the Massachusetts BiotechnologyCouncil.
Mark R. BamforthAbbie CelnikerErroll DeSouzaJeff EltonFereydoun FirouzScott GillisSteven GilmanJose-Carlos Gutierrez-
RamosJohn K. HennessyTimothy Hunt
Peter Isakson
Edwin M. Kania Jr.
Laurie Bartlett Keating
David Reif
Steven G. Richter
Amit Sachdev
Frank Thomas
Charles Wilson
Lawrence Wittenberg
ROBERT K.COUGHLIN
SIZE AND CONCENTRATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE IN TOP 5 BIOTECH STATES, 2009
Robert K. Coughlin,MassBio President &CEO, with Dr. HengpengZhu, Professor at theChinese Academy ofSocial Sciences (CASS)and Kathleen Tregoning,Vice President of GlobalGovernment Strategy atBiogen Idec. Dr. Zhu,senior adviser to China'sHealthcare ReformCommittee, gave apresentation on China'sHealthcare Reform and itsimplication/opportunityon multinationalbiopharmaceuticalcompanies.
BY EMILY PROCKNAL
Two years after the AmericanCancer Society (ACS) andMassBio joined forces to keeppost-doctoral researchers inMassachusetts with the CancerResearch Challenge, the threeinaugural fellows have madegreat progress.
MassBio membersAstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals,EMD Serono, Inc. and NovartisInstitutes for BioMedicalResearch generously steppedforward with commitments toeach fund a three-year fellow. Afourth fellow was sponsored byMillennium: The TakedaOncology Company earlier thisyear and was featured in thelast edition of MassBio News.
Dr. Matthew Ramsey,AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticalsfellow, is looking at the role ofa specific protein called p63 inSquamous Cell Carcinoma(SCC). This protein isessential to keeping cancercells alive, particularly in SCCcancer, which is common inorgans such as the lung,esophagus, and head and neckregions. The fellowship hasallowed him to analyze theway p63 interacts with a largenumber of other proteins.
�It is important for us tofigure out how the proteinworks and how to control it,�
said Ramsey, who isconducting his research at theMass General Hospital CancerCenter. �Then we�ll be able tofigure out how to exploit it fortherapeutic use.�
Dr. Paul L. Boutz, NovartisInstitutes for BioMedicalResearch fellow, has beenconducting research at the KochInstitute for InnovativeResearch at MIT. Hisexperiments focus on RNAbiology, particularly with afocus on cancer. His goal is tobetter understand howmammalian cells take up doublestranded RNA in order toimprove our ability to turn offspecific genes and thereby causecell death and destruction of thecancerous tumors.
�For ACS to be able to bringtogether groups like MassBioand some biotech companies isa fantastic example of what canbe done,� Boutz said.
At the Dana Farber CancerInstitute, Dr. Adam Boutin,EMD Serono, Inc. fellow, andhis team are working to createa better mouse model in whichthe cancer tumor develops andmetastasizes in the colon as abetter representation of thehuman form of the disease.
Dr. Boutin said that thefellowship has provided himwith support, not onlyfinancially but morally as well.
Fundedfellowships pay dividends
ADAM BOUTIN PAUL BOUTZ MATT RAMSEY
An accomplished financial advisor and chief financial officerfor several venture-backed life sciences companies, Anne Baia,over the course of her 30-year career, helpedto launch many of the Commonwealth�sbiotech start-ups. Sadly, her legacy was cutshort on Oct. 20 when she passed away aftera yearlong battle with cancer.
Baia, who grew up in Framingham andwas a 1973 graduate of Framingham NorthHigh School, went on to receive herbachelor�s degree from Salem StateUniversity and her master�s from BentleyUniversity. She worked as a certified publicaccountant, specializing in finance,accounting and management consultingservices for small start-up technology-basedcompanies, before being hired as financedirector at Phylos Inc., which was later acquired by CompoundTherapeutics in Waltham.
She later served as vice president of finance and
administration at Descartes Therapeutics and chief financialofficer and vice president of business development at
Mercury Therapeutics. Most recently, shewas head of finance at Visterra, aCambridge-based developer of newtherapies and diagnostics for flu and otherviruses.
Baia was also co-founder and financialadvisor of Avaxia Biologics, an early-stagecompany developing orally-delivered antibodytherapeutics. The company was one of four toreceive a loan from the Massachusetts LifeSciences Center�s Accelerator Program in June.
Baia served on BIO�s Business AdvisoryBoard. She was a past chairperson of theMassBio Finance Committee and a longtimemember.
She also cherished her role as wife and mother. She and herhusband, Edward, raised their two children, Amy and EdwardJr., in Burlington.
Massachusetts BiomedicalInitiatives (MBI) celebrated its 25thanniversary in 2009 and has beenrecognized as one of the most
outstanding laboratory incubators in thenation. As the MBI�s CEO, how do youmeasure the success at MBI?
Clearly for us it�s about how manycompanies graduate out of ourfacilities, how many jobs they create,and what kind of healthcare
innovation these companies are producing. So,when I look at a global view of the last tenyears, as an example, a successful company forMBI is when they leave our facilities and areat least five years old and operatingindependently. When I look at that track recordover the last decade, we have 31 companieswho have created over 350 jobs, and we havecompanies working in really diverse areas, likein diabetes, proteins, stem cells and animalmodels. To me, that�s a real sign of growth andsuccess and a reflection on our state whereinnovation and brains are our products. Wealso measure success through our laboratories.We have 37 operating labs in three sites inWorcester and we�re at 95 percent capacity soI think that shows success as well. That�ssomething that we�re mindful of all the time -being able to provide the facility and supportservices for small start-up companies here inthe state. The most important thing for us isthat the vast majority of these companiesremain in Massachusetts and continue to growhere.
In your years at MBI, what haschanged in the biotechnologyenvironment in Massachusetts andin Worcester?
I think in one word it�s collaboration.That has been the key to our successand I think, in large part, the key toMassachusetts� biotechnology
success. Everyone seems to be able to leavetheir swords and shields outside the door andwork together, whether you�re in science oracademia or business or government, and that�san important factor that we need to understandand continue to strive for. We�re in a newglobal economy and clearly that�s changedMassachusetts; we�re competing on a worldstage. The other thing that I�ve seen is anincredibly vibrant biomedical corridor betweenCambridge and Boston and Worcester andeverywhere in between. To me, that is very,very important so that we have this long termview of innovation spread throughout theentire state. The other thing that I think hasbeen incredibly important to us is howgovernments�local, state and federal, inparticular on the state level�how strong theirsupport has been and grown over these years. Iremember 25 years ago when we got going itwas Governor [Michael] Dukakis who helpedus start the Massachusetts BiotechnologyResearch Park in Worcester and todayGovernor [Deval] Patrick and Lt. Governor[Tim] Murray continue in that spirit. All of thesupport we received over all these years inbetween, from administrations and legislators.That�s key and that�s how we�ve grown thebiotechnology environment in a successfulway in Massachusetts and in Worcester.
Among your successful MBIgraduates, what characteristicsstand out in their success?
Number one, they have to have astrong business and science plan. Youneed to have a road map. We allknow that changes as the company
grows but you have to have that in place.Secondly, you need to have outstandingscience innovation that people and thatinvestors clearly see the need. Number three, Iwould say you have to have a solid financialbase in place. Along with that you�ve got to be
thrifty. In other words you�ve got to raise yourmoney beforehand. It does you no good to belooking back and trying to raise money asyou�re going along. I think that has been a keyto success for our successful companies. Youhave to have a strong work ethic as the founderand the person that pulls a great team ofscience and business expertise workingtogether. You have to have the drive, a will tosucceed against all odds. Start-ups, for themost part, tend to fail. But when you put all ofthese pieces in place, and we do that at MBI,our success rate is about 73% which meansthat we try to adhere to those standards. Thelast piece I would say is timing and good luck.There are a lot of people who�ve had greatscience and great plans and have notsucceeded.
Why would a start-up optfor an incubator settingversus a traditionallaboratory setting?
Well, when youlook at an incubatorthat is run well, likeMBI, it�s small,
efficient, affordable lab space �that�s number one. You don�tneed large amounts of lab space.You have one or two people thatneed a small, say 200 square foot lab.That�s efficiency and cost control. Inour combined three facilities weaverage about twentycompanies and about 100employees at anygiven time.Within ourfacilitiesit�s aclusterofsimilar
minded people, so you�re not out there alone.You�re working amongst people who are like-minded in the science field. I never look ateach one of them as competitive, but more ascollaborative. You�re around people at alltimes�whether it�s at the water cooler orhaving lunch together�and you can sharesome of the excitement, the ups and downs.Also within a facility like MBI, you haveshared equipment so you share your costs.Then there�s a strong support network to helpthe companies grow and succeed. You know alot of time companies will come in and say�do you know somebody in a particular area?�or �can you find somebody at the medicalschool, or the veterinary school or theengineering school to help me?� and thatsupport mechanism is in place when you�re in
an incubator versus if you�re out there allalone.
To read more, visit MassBio.org.
MassBio News Winter 2010 �� 3
Q
A
Q & A with
KEVIN O�SULLIVAN
QA
President & CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI)
QA
QA
IN MEMORIAM: ANNE BAIA
KEVINO�SULLIVAN
DR. ADAMWOLFBERG
Dr. Adam Wolfberg has nowparticipated in MassCONNECTthrough two cycles, with twodifferent companies. A Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist at TuftsMedical Center in Boston and afaculty member at Tufts UniversitySchool of Medicine and at HarvardMedical School, Wolfberg appliedto MassCONNECT in order to tapinto a network of experiencedleaders in biotechnology who couldprovide the kind of guidance andmentoring that an aspiringphysician-entrepreneur doesn�teasily access walking from theexam room to the operating room.
�It was enormously helpful tomeet a group of skilledbiotechnology experts who werewilling to share their knowledge
and insight with me and mycolleagues,� he said.
For his first round, Wolfbergshowcased MindChild Medical, acompany focused on makingobstetric care safer and lessexpensive through the use ofrevolutionary fetalelectrophysiological monitoring.MindChild�s Meridian monitor willenter the market in 2011 throughthe FDA 510(k) process. Morereliable than Doppler ultrasound-based technology, and introducingthe safety of ST-segment evaluationwithout the need for an invasiveelectrode, MindChild�s Meridianmonitor will fundamentally changefetal evaluation.
In the second round, Wolfbergpresented Preview Diagnostics, acompany formed to helpobstetricians, midwives, and familypractice physicians improve thequality of prenatal care and prenataldiagnostic services they provide totheir patients. Preview Diagnostics�software collects information frompregnant women through tablet-and web-based interfaces, providesinteractive counseling aboutscreening options for heritableconditions (such as Downsyndrome), and applies decision-support algorithms to guideclinicians toward evidence-basedcare.
Wolfberg is currently finishingup the work with his mentor teamand preparing to present Preview ata Venture Café one-on-one sessionat the Cambridge InnovationCenter.
DR. RAJENDRAKUMAR-SINGH
Dr. Kumar-Singh participated in thepilot round of MassCONNECT withhis technology, a peptide for oculardelivery. Kumar-Singh, an associateprofessor of Ophthalmology at TuftsUniversity School of Medicine, hadbeen working on the idea for sometime and was looking for advice ontaking the research to the next step onthe commercialization spectrum.
The goal of Kumar-Singh�s businessopportunity is to improve the efficacyof existing ophthalmic drugs byincreasing uptake into cells andreducing the treatment dose usingnovel, non-viral delivery technology.The technology takes advantage of thecell penetrating properties of a novelpeptide, known as peptide for oculardelivery (POD), to deliver therapeuticsto the eye. POD can also be used todeliver genes and proteins.
Through MassCONNECT, he wasable to hone his pitch, and begin gettingin front of the venture community.
�As an academic, I have no priorexperience in the pathway ofcommercializing a novel idea andtaking it from �bench to bedside�. Theprogram provides support in the formof experienced individuals who donatetheir time to guide novices like myselfin the art of preparing a business planand presenting it to VCs,� he said.
DR. DOUGLASMCMILLIN
When Dr. McMillin came toMassCONNECT, his scientific workhad recently been published in NatureMedicine, and he was in the processof raising money to move the workout of his lab at the Dana-FarberCancer Institute and into industry.
McMillin�s company, AxiosBiosciences, uses a co-culturescreening technology to developoncology therapeutics active in thetumor microenvironment, wheretumors intimately interact withnormal cells. The company�smission is to improve oncology drugdiscovery and identify drugs toimprove patient health. Axios worksto identify promising drugs that failconventional testing methods whilerejecting drugs that are destined tofail in late-stage clinical trials.
Through MassCONNECT,McMillin was able to get feedbackabout the approach he was using tofind funding, make connections tobusiness development professionalsin the industry and learn about angelfunding options.
Axios has received a lot of buzzthis year, having also been named as afinalist in the Mass Challenge start-upcompetition. Keep your eye on thisfast-moving MassCONNECT star.
Just months after a soft launch, the MassBioInnovation Exchange is picking up steam andpoised to help MassBio�s biotechnology memberswork toward partnerships and licensing oracquisition deals from pharmaceutical companymembers.
The Exchange enables the strategic connection ofinventors (�sellers�) to the partners best suited tocommercialize their innovation (�buyers�) toaccelerate innovation and make deal-making moreefficient. The Exchange was developed underMassBio Innovation Services, a series of programswe�ve added, with our members� input, to addressthe need to better align the research community withopportunities for commercialization.
The secure portal, custom built by our
technology partner ideaPoint, is now open forbusiness, and seeing heavy traffic as technologytransfer offices and business developmentprofessionals sign on.
On the seller side, academic medical centers,universities and biotech companies looking to outlicense have a confidential & secure commonapplication process that is both intuitive andbusiness focused, a real-time status on the interestin their technology submissions and the ability toreview the specific portfolio needs of the buyers inthe Exchange. Already, licensing professionalsfrom Children�s Hospital Boston and UMassMedical Center have begun uploading theirtechnologies.
Merck and Shire Pharmaceuticals have signed
on as Charter Members of the Exchange� andbecause of their commitment will have directaccess to the technologies that fit theirdevelopment pipeline goals.
The Exchange will also be used to fullyintegrate MassBio�s Pharma Day experience intoa year-round model for greater collaboration &performance.
MassBio members are encouraged to check outthe Exchange today at https://massbio.idea-point.com.
For more information on the InnovationExchange, contact Imran Nasrullah [email protected] or 617-674-5100.
MassBio is leveraging the wealth of experiencein the supercluster with MassCONNECT, amentoring program pairing budding entrepreneurswith seasoned biotechnology professionals forevaluation and advice.
MassCONNECT aims to enable everythingfrom better licensing deals to new company start-up through individualized mentoring and industrynetworking. The program has now seen threerounds of applicants, with five cutting-edge
companies completing the full cycle. MassCONNECT is open to life sciences-based,
pre-seed and seed stage opportunities arising fromNew England based laboratories. With the help ofa scoring matrix, applications are reviewed byindustry experts representing various sectors of thebiotechnology ecosystem including venture capital,angel investors, business development, intellectualproperty and technology validation. Chosenentrepreneurs are paired with a team of 5-6
mentors with expertise that fits their need, and anMBA student to coordinate the group�s work. Thementors and mentees meet several times over afew months to collaborate on a business plan forthe proposed new technology or platform. Theprogram culminates with mentee groups makingtheir first pitch to all MassCONNECT mentors andat office hours with venture capitalists.
A look at three exciting MassCONNECTstories:
Pharma Days, launched in late2009, are designed to maximizebuyer and seller interactions andto prospect for pipeline growth.Using these one or two-daymeetings, MassBio helps pharmacompanies speak to biotechcompanies �under the radar,� andarrange the right meetings withthe right people for the rightindications, specific to anorganization�s pipeline.
�Our leadership thought thatthis was one of best boutiquevenue events they have done,�said Christopher Yochim, Directorof External Relations, StrategicPartnering & BusinessDevelopment for AstraZeneca. �Itwas the right location, rightaudience and the mix of one-on-
one meetings ahead of the mainevent allowed us to continueconversations with somecompanies with whom we werealready familiar and wanted tospend extra time talking to.�
The value cannot just bemeasured by deals. StephenWilkie, Global External R&DConsultant at Eli Lilly, said thatcompany's Pharma Days resultedin more than 20 non-confidentialdiscussions, 3 to 5 of which wentto CDA over the 6 months afterthe visit. While the discussionshave not resulted in deals, Wilkiesaid, "there is a significantrelationship aspect that has longterm benefits that may not berealized for many years but isvery tangible.�
For more information, or toapply to be a mentor or
New ventures make valuable connections MASSBIO INNOVATION SERVICESMASSBIO INNOVATION SERVICESInnovation Exchange helps members form partnerships
At right, MassBio members Monika Trzcinska,Christopher McNulty, Chandler Robinson,
Michal Preminger, Nina Green, Rahul Ballal andNils Bergenhem mixed and mingled at Pfizer
Rare Disease Day, part of the MassBio PharmaDays series. The event gave members the
opportunity to make valuable industryconnections and learn how a large
biopharmaceutical company evaluates external research and approaches
licensing and partnerships.
MassBio, members host Pharma Days
MASSBIO HASHOSTED PHARMA
DAYS WITH:Pfizer Briston Myers SquibbAbbott Shire EMD Serono AstraZenecaEli Lilly and Company GlaxoSmithKline Merck Johnson & Johnson
The 2011 Pharma Days schedule is being finalized now.
Pfizer�s Orphan and Genetic Diseases Research Unitvisited with MassBio members on Nov. 18
to provide an overview of their structure forexternal scientific collaboration. At right,Albert
Seymour, the unit�s senior director of medicalgenetics, addressed the crowd. He was joined by
from left,Alvin Shih, Beth Rappoli, Bill Brubaker andBelen Carrillo-Rivas, as well as Ed Mascioli.
6�� MassBio News Winter 2010
BY JOHN HEFFERNAN
The �Creating Hope Act� was introduced into theSenate in mid-2010 by Senators Sherrod Brown, SamBrownback and Al Franken and is intended to helpsupport pediatric orphan drug development through aninnovative mechanism of providing priority reviewvouchers for accelerated FDA regulatory review ofnew products to companies that successfully developdrugs for pediatric orphan indications. If this actbecomes law it would be a very strong incentive tosupport pediatric orphan drug develop.
There are a large number of rare diseases that affectchildren worldwide. In many cases these are smallpopulations make it difficult to justify the lengthy,risky, and expensive process of drug development inthese areas. Priority review vouchers would create realopportunities for these children.
There are numerous potential benefits of this act,such as, incentivizing drug development for rare ororphan pediatric diseases that would otherwise gounaddressed, providing additional resources to drug
development efforts for orphan pediatric diseases toaccelerate development. This mechanism alreadyexists and has proven successful for development ofdrugs for neglected tropical diseases. In addition tocreating incentives for additional investment inpediatric orphan drug development, the passing of thisact would mean new jobs for Massachusetts, andwould not increase any federal spending, thus creatinghope � at no cost.
Looking ahead, MassBio is preparing for anotherbusy year at both the federal and state level. We haveembarked on an initiative to identify and advocatearound key issues that will impact our industry ashealth care reform is implemented. The areas of focuswill be reimbursement, comparative effectivenessresearch, and biosimilars. We will be following up withmore information on this effort.
For more information, visit www.MassBio.org.
John Heffernan is Vice President of Policy & ExternalAffairs at MassBio.
Act passed by U.S. Senate createshope for pediatric patients
MassBio would like tocongratulate the more than 300Massachusetts biotechnologycompanies named as recipients ofthe new Qualified TherapeuticDiscovery Project grants or taxcredits. The announcement wasmade Nov. 3 by U.S. TreasurySecretary Timothy Geithner andHealth and Human ServicesSecretary Kathleen Sebelius.
�As this announcementillustrates, the TherapeuticDiscovery Project Credit programensures Massachusetts� mostcutting-edge companies will beable to maintain their commitmentto investment in life-savingresearch,� said MassBio President& CEO Robert K. Coughlin. �Theprogram helps biotech companiescontinue to discover new curesand therapies to solve unmetmedical needs, while adding goodjobs across the Commonwealth.
We are thrilled to see thisinvestment being made andcongratulate all of the recipients.�
The $1 billion QualifyingTherapeutic Discovery ProjectCredit program was included in theAffordable Care Act signed intolaw in March. The program, whichwas limited to companies withfewer than 250 employees, wouldnot have been possible without theleadership Sen. John Kerry andRep. Richard Neal and the supportof the entire Massachusettslegislative delegation.
MassBio will continue to work onextending and expanding theprogram that will result in jobcreation, speeding up the R&D cycleand help patients around the world.
A total of 310 Massachusettscompanies were awarded either atax credit or grants under theprogram, for a total of almost$129 million in investment.
�My platelets were so low, I didn�twant to bleed out,� he said. �If I somuch as hit my head, I could�ve died.�
His options were either to undergo asplenectomy or weekly infusions ofRituxan, combined with targetedchemotherapy.
�Because I�m in the biotech industry,the targeted approach made a lot of senseto me,� he said. �And one of the otherbenefits of Rituxan � though there�s not alot of data yet � is that it could possiblycure my lupus.�
After four infusions of Rituxan,administered at Dana-Farber, his plateletsbegan returning to a normal level.
�I wasn�t bruising anymore; I couldeven play sports,� said Richter. �I hadmore energy and just felt better overall. Itdefinitely improved my quality of life.�
In the midst of his treatment, Richter
was honored by his alma mater, UMass-Amherst, for his willingness to share hisexpertise as a microbiologist andentrepreneur with UMass students,faculty and staff. The university presentedhim with the Distinguished AchievementAward during the undergraduatecommencement ceremony on May 15.
�It was incredible,� he said. �I neverwalked at my own graduation because Iwas at a job interview, so it meant a lotto be able to do it this time.�
Richter, a Southwick resident, is amember of the College of NaturalSciences Advisory Council at UMassAmherst. He serves on the boards ofboth MassBio and MassBioEd andremains dedicated to advancing thework of the life sciences.
�It�s an amazing industry, helping somany people like myself,� said Richter.�To be involved is incredibly exciting.�
A worldwide leader in mobilesolutions, AT&T has givenMassBio members a reason torethink their wireless solutions.
Beyond its best-in-class cellphone service, the companyhas built a trusted HealthcareSolutions arm poised to helpMassBio member companiesharness the latest technologyto streamline business andresearch processes. A newsupplier in the MassBioPurchasing Consortium, AT&Thas created a special wirelessservice offer. When a membercompany enrolls in theAT&T/MassBio program, itcan take advantage of the
following benefits:! Service discounts of up to
20 percent; ! Employee savings of 15
percent on personal lines ofservice; and! Availability of AT&T�s
dedicated team of accountmanagers to help createcustomized solutions intelehealth, mobility,infrastructure, informationexchange and security anddisaster recovery.
For more information onhow to enroll your company,or to find out if you areeligible for a discount, send anemail to [email protected].
BY BILL KANE
By 2030, it is estimated that people 65 years old and older willcomprise 25 percent of the U.S. population. Fueled by thisdemographic trend, the demand for new drug therapies andimproved healthcare will promote record levels of spending inresearch and discovery and rain dollars upon all companiesinvolved in the life science industry�right? Wrong! In today�sdollars-and-cents world, capital efficiency is playing a morestrategic role in biotech board rooms as the R&D financing worldnavigates through a global economic recovery and the R&Doperating world adapts to the new metrics of healthcare reform.
Enter life science real estate. Requiring robust buildingstandards such as heavy structural loading, sophisticatedexhaust systems and generous floor-to-floor heights, life sciencereal estate presents significant challenges and opportunities ineffectively managing a bio facility�s capital and operating costs.The challenges lie within the upfront investment and ongoingoperating costs that are required to build and manage theseresilient and specialized environments. The opportunities,however, are in space programming and maximizing flexibilityby coupling adaptable work spaces with the latest technology inHVAC controls and design. Successfully implemented, the endresult is a universal and flexible work environment that suits alab user�s evolving needs and significantly lowers utility cost.
The concept of Universal Flex Labs� encourages lab
planners and builders to deviate from the traditional approachto lab module construction where fixed walls, benches andpipes more or less prescribed the intended use and were
expensive to change for new personnel, new science or newprocess. By engaging adaptable work spaces and �plug andplay� mechanical systems throughout an open floor plan, userscustomize the space to their specific needs and make physicaladjustments over time without excessive construction costs.
BioMed Realty Trust, a San Diego-based REIT and one of the
largest life science real estate providers in Massachusetts, recentlyteamed up with lab planners Dan Winny, Arthur Brunelle,architect Arrowstreet, and builder Consigli Construction toincorporate the Universal Flex Labs� approach in theredevelopment of 325 Vassar St. � a 60,000-square-foot laboratoryresearch facility located near the MIT campus in Cambridge. Theteam initially faced an ambitious project goal: to design and buildresearch space that will be adaptable and flexible for a variety ofCambridge lab uses, while also maximizing the space�soperational efficiency. The team created several flexible suites thatcan modulate in size and program through the combined use ofceiling mounted service carriers, modular office systems andflexible tables, benches and casework.
This concept addresses two of the key goals in life sciencefacility design: rapid occupancy and growth and change overtime. Facility owners are allowed to create a user-friendlyfacility before a specific program is known; and users can beconfident that both their initial and future space needs can beimplemented quickly and cost-effectively.
To learn more about Universal Flex Labs� or to tour 325Vassar St. Cambridge, please contact Richards Barry Joyce &Partners at 617-439-6000 or visit www.325vassar.com.
Bill Kane is Senior Director of Acquisitions & Leasing atBioMed Realty Trust.
AT&T encouragesMassBio members to“Rethink Possible”
UNIVERSAL FLEX LABS�A case study on capital and operating efficiency
Dr. Richter experiencesbiotech from all sides RICHTER From Page 8
Don’t miss out on a specialperformance by TheArtifacts, a band made upof MassBio members, atthe 2011 Annual Meeting.The Artifacts will play onMarch 21 at the RoyalSonesta Hotel inCambridge at the close ofthe conference’s first day.Band members includeMichael Henry, RyanDietz, Donald Kirsch, EdConnolly, Steven Gilmanand John Royer.
Dr. Richter, center, with his family: from left, wife Tammy, brothers Ron and BobRichter, niece Hanna Richter and sister-in-law Kandy Richter.
A digital rendering of a Universal Flex Lab�
8�� MassBio News Winter 2010
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PERMIT NO. 981
PATIENT PROFILE
BY MEAGHAN CASEY
As president and scientific director ofMicrotest Laboratories, Dr. StevenRichter goes about his day �working tosave lives,� true to the company motto.
But he may have industry pioneersGenentech and Biogen Idec to thank forhis own.
Richter, who has battled autoimmunedisorders since adolescence, was treatedin May with Rituxan, an antibody co-marketed by Genentech and Biogen Idecthat targets a specific protein on thesurface of antibody-producing cells inthe immune system. In addition toautoimmune disorders, Rituxan is alsoused to treat certain types of non-Hodgkin�s lymphoma and chroniclymphocytic leukemia.
In Richter�s case, Rituxan was anecessary step in the treatment of hisidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) � a bleeding disorder in which theimmune system destroys plateletsnecessary for normal blood clotting.
�It�s really refreshing to have thesetreatments,� said Richter. �ITP is anorphan disease, but in the last few years
we�ve seen more and more companiesgoing after those diseases.�
At age 14, Richter was diagnosed withlupus � a chronic, inflammatoryautoimmune disorder that may affect theskin, joints, kidneys and other organs. It isextremely rare in males, but Richter begannoticing symptoms when he developed arash after a dose of penicillin. Heconfirmed what doctors described asadditional lupus symptoms, including dryeyes, joint pain and fatigue.
�The diagnostic techniques weren�t asrobust as they are now,� he said. �Allthose little things could have easily beenignored.�
Following his diagnosis, Richterpursued the life sciences in high schoolwith more vigor. He went on to earn hisbachelor�s degree in microbiology fromthe University of Massachusetts-Amherst,his master�s in biological sciences fromthe University of Massachusetts-Lowell,and his doctorate in sterilization sciencesfrom Columbia Pacific University.
He founded Agawam-based Microtest in1984 after five years as a microbiologist atthe U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Under his leadership, Microtest has
provided the medical device,pharmaceutical and biotechnologyindustries with premier testing andmanufacturing support. The companyemploys 85 workers including Richter�swife, Tammy, who is project manager, andson, Justin, who is facility manager.
�My family�s been my rock throughouteverything,� said Richter.
Though his lupus remainedasymptomatic for many years, Richter waslater diagnosed with ITP and rheumatoidarthritis � also debilitating autoimmunedisorders. In November of 2009, he begana four-week treatment ofimmunosuppressive agents at Dana-FarberCancer Institute to reduce the clones of B-cells that had begun inadvertently attackinghealthy cells and tissues in his body.
�Autoimmune treatment is an intricateprocess because you don�t want to destroyall the good cells,� said Richter. �Theprincipal function of B-cells is to makeantibodies against antigens, but mine weremaking antibodies against myself.�
Richter was in remission until lastspring when his platelets began to fall todangerous levels.
Richter experiences biotech from all sides
See RICHTER Page 7
Top, Dr. Richter in the lab with Chrissy Stevens,group leader for Endotoxin Testing; above, hespeaks at the groundbreaking for the biotechmanufacturing facility expansion in 2004.
