March 2009
The Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute provides this news brief for civic, corporate, political and scientific leaders to update you on the progress of the life sciences initiative in the Kansas City area. To unsubscribe, please contact Sharon Newman at 816-753-7700.
DHS Plans NBAF Pre-Proposal Conference at Kansas State University
The Department of Homeland Security has issued its Request for Proposals (RFP) for preliminary construction bids on the National Bio and Agro-Defense (NBAF). The Department will hold a Pre-proposal Conference for general contractors offering proposals on April 7, 2009 at Kansas State University. Those interested in attending the conference should email: Paulette.Webster@dhs.gov for details.
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Medical Device Company Narrows in on KC
for $13.5B Expansion
After a nine-month search covering all 50 states, Minneapolis-based Medtronic Inc. confirmed Kansas City was a finalist for its $13.5 billion diabetes-division expansion. The company plans to create approximately 1,500 jobs within five years. A final decision is expected mid-April.
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UK Company Selects Animal Health Corridor
PetScreen, a UK animal health diagnostics company, will open its first U.S. office in Columbia, MO, part of the Animal Health Corridor. The company specializes in treatment tools for cats and dogs affected by age-related diseases such as cancers and renal diseases. PetScreen’s expansion will create more than 30 new jobs in the next five years and help attract more business dependent on research to the corridor.
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Boehringer Expands St. Joseph Facility
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica announced a $150 million expansion of its global manufacturing and research and development facilities in St. Joseph, MO, part of the Animal Health Corridor. The expansion is expected to create 124 new local jobs.
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Kansas Invests $40.1M,
Approves First Two Centers of Innovation
The Kansas Biosciences Authority announced $40.1 million in new investments to use the state’s unique bioscience strengths in drug discovery and delivery and bioenergy to address national challenges. More than half of the monies will go to expand the University of Kansas Medical Center’s cancer research space. Expanding this space will help advance the university’s efforts to earn National Center Institute designation.
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Kansas Well-Positioned for Entrepreneur Job Growth
Kansas ranked eighth in the nation for a key factor known as “gazelle jobs.” Gazelle jobs are jobs created by entrepreneurs that tally sales growth of 20 percent or more for four straight years. Researchers calculated that these businesses generate as much as 80 percent of the jobs created by entrepreneurs. Davyeon Ross, founder of AthletixNation, a high-tech startup that provides college sports video and advertising, is a prime example of a gazelle firm taking advantage of the region’s collaborative programs in technology and science.
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Incubator Awaits Financing
Edwards Management Group wants to transform the former Independence Regional Health Center into a business incubator. David Edwards, a principal of CEAH Realtors, said the incubator could add roughly 1,400 jobs during the next decade. The company received the Independence City Council’s approval of $10 million in tax increment financing for the project.
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Proteon Therapeutics Lands $38M, Option to Sell
Proteon Therapeutics received an additional $38 million in equity financing for its blood vessel-dilating drug candidate. The company has now raised $72 million outside the company for its product that will help establish and maintain access points for dialysis patients. Proteon has also granted Novartis AH the option to buy the company for $550 million.
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Missouri General Assembly Establishes
Biotechnology Caucus
A bipartisan group of 29 Missouri state legislators has announced its intention to form a state biotechnology caucus. Led by Kansas City Reps. Ryan Silvey (R-38) and Mike Talboy (D-37), caucus members will use this forum to continue to explore the state’s deep biotech base of assets and consider market factors that affect Missouri’s bioscience sector and, more broadly, the state’s ability to leverage its scientific research base in support of global health, agriculture, environmental, commercialization and economic development initiatives.
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KCALSI Adds Stakeholder Institution
Truman Medical Center (TMC) is the newest stakeholder institution at KCALSI. KCALSI now has ten key stakeholder institutions increasing its overall research base in the region. TMC is a not-for-profit acute-care hospital health system in Kansas City that includes TMC Hospital Hill, TMC Lakewood, TMC Behavioral Health, the Jackson County Health Department and a number of primary care practices throughout Eastern Jackson County, Missouri.
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KC Life Sciences Fund Established
The Kansas City Life Sciences Fund was established in February to enable donors across the region to help Kansas City recruit top medical research talent. The fund expects to receive charitable gifts ranging from $25 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation committed an initial contribution of $1.5 million. The fund is a result of the “Time to Get It Right” study commissioned by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.
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