February 27, 2017
By Alex Keown, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Cities like Boston, San Francisco and San Diego are well-known as hubs of the biotech industry. Now Buffalo, N.Y. is trying to carve out its own niche as a home for life sciences.
This morning Buffalo Rising reported that six biotechs have opened up shop in western New York, bringing new job opportunities to the area. The companies are expected to partner with state universities, including the University of Buffalo . Empire State Development said there are a total of 18 new companies, including the six biotechs that are benefitting from economic incentives provided through Start-Up NY: University at Buffalo. The new biotechs in the Buffalo area are:
1. Acudex Inc.
This biotechnology company is developing a platform for the detection of immunological markers for autoimmune and other immunological non-autoimmune disorders. Acudex is looking to license patented technology from the University of Buffalo. The new biotech will employ 11 people.
2. Omantec, LLC
Although it is not a startup, medical device maker Omantec is expanding operations in western New York. The company will be commercializing its wall-mounted mechanical lift that makes it easier to move patients with limited mobility for hygienic and therapeutic purposes. The company is creating 20 new jobs, Buffalo Rising reported.
Startup Oncolinx is developing antibody drug conjugates to target cancers. The company’s ACD directs an immune-activating payload called Azonafide to the cancer target, which is supposed to mitigate many of the side-effects from typical chemotherapy treatments. Oncolinx will initiate clinical trials with Roswell Park Cancer Institute in mid-2017, Buffalo Rising said. The company is expected to create 19 jobs.
4. PathoVax, LLC
A preclinical life sciences company, PathoVax is developing a “virus-like particle vaccine platform.” The company’s lead candidate will be used to target “all cancers and disease” caused by the human papillomavirus. The company will create 16 new jobs, Buffalo Rising noted.
This early-stage company is developing engineered T-cell therapies to target solid tumors. The company expects to enter clinical trials next year. Buffalo Rising said Tactiva is expected to make significant investments in its equipment and also plans to increase its staffing as it grows and to support clinical trials. The company is expected to create approximately 18 jobs.
6. Vivacelle Bio Inc.
This startup company is developing and commercializing “VBI-1, a novel intravenous resuscitation fluid based on phospholipid nanoparticles with a unique mechanism of action used to reverse the consequences of hypovolemic shock,” according to Buffalo Rising. The therapy is expected to be used to treat people injured in military combat theaters as well as other major traumas. The company will create six new jobs, according to the article.
