October 11, 2016
By Mark Terry, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff
Genzada Pharmaceuticals announced that it will build its new headquarters in Sterling, Kansas.
Genzada focuses on plant-based therapeutics for oncology. For example, the company holds the patent on a fortified version of the plant extract, GZ17. The plant in question is Arum palaestinum, commonly found in the Middle East and used as an herbal remedy to fight cancer. The company was founded by Gene Zaid, who also founded Jacam Chemical, also located in Sterling, Kansas. Jacam manufactures, designs and distributes a complete line of specialized chemicals for the oil and gas industry. Zaid is also Jacam’s chief executive officer.
A Palestinian refugee, Zaid came to the U.S. at the age of 17 via a foreign outreach educational program. He earned a bachelor degree at Kansas Wesleyan, a Masters degree at Wichita State University and his doctorate in California. He founded Jacam in 1982. The author of 40 patents, he was one of the top three finalists for the Lemelson-MIT Inventor of the Year award in 1995.
Genzada was founded in September 2010 by Zaid and his son, Jason West. According to West, as reported by The Hutchinson News, the company has several patents for its human drug compounds, and hopes to begin human clinical trials in 2017. “The company right now is conducting a lot of research in an effort to better understand the science around a material we believe has some effect on certain types of cancers. The goal is to learn more and, ultimately, if the data leads us there, we’d like to get approved for human use.”
The studies are being conducted on three compounds, including two that are plant-based. “We recently linked up with some universities and some contracted research labs to help us study the product in more depth and in more of a medical setting,” West said. “They have the instrumentation and scientists who know how to test for certain things. From what we’re finding out right now, things look pretty promising. We hope to receive approval to begin human trials sometime in 2017.”
Genzada’s new headquarters are expected to open in 2017. It will be at 101 South Broadway, and be approximately 10,000 square feet. The company’s current location, also in Sterling, will become a research and manufacturing laboratory. The current site is 1,800 square feet.
In addition, the company expects to hire between 25 and 30 new employees. The jobs, according to Jason West, the company’s executive vice president, will let the company “expand on achieving our mission, which is to eliminate diseases that induce human suffering.” It currently employs seven people.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility is scheduled for October 14 at 10:30 a.m.
“Genzada’s decision to expand their presence creates new jobs for Kansas who will have the joy of knowing they are working to improve the health of those around them and save lives,” said U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, to KWCH Channel 12. “Genzada also represents an important investment in the community.”
