Human health

The bioscience community in Kansas is dedicated to improving and preserving health and has several areas of particular strength within the human health sector:

• Drug discovery and delivery
• Medical devices
• Diagnostics
• Contract research organizations (CROs) and service companies for product focused companies
• Health information technology

Drug Discovery and Delivery

In drug discovery and delivery, Kansas benefits from strong pharmaceutical capabilities stemming from the many spin-offs from Marion Laboratories and other pharma companies together with one of the highest-ranked schools of pharmacy in the country at the University of Kansas. The University of Kansas Medical Center provides clinical support and facilities to advance new drug concepts.

At the University of Kansas (KU), the state is transforming its outstanding drug delivery capabilities into a completely integrated, high performance, world-class drug delivery organization. This starts with KU’s internationally recognized center of excellence in drug delivery based on the legacy of Takeru Higuchi and the internationally recognized innovation of researchers such as Ronald Borchardt, Ph.D., an expert in the biological implications of drug delivery, and Valentino Stella, Ph.D., an expert in the physical and chemical implications of drug delivery.

Kansas is working to capitalize on its drug development assets to further catalyze the biomedical industry. Immediate assets include KU’s Laboratory for Macromolecular and Vaccine Stabilization; the Biotechnology Innovation & Optimization Center; the drug discovery and development platform established by the Office of Therapeutics, Discovery and Development, and the regulatory and commercialization expertise of Beckloff Associates.

Medical Devices

A medical device is any instrument, apparatus, appliance, software, or material used for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of disease or injury. It also may involve investigation, replacement or modification of the anatomy or of a physiological process. In addition to the University of Kansas biomedical engineering program and the University of Kansas Medical Center, several small device companies, such as Biomedical Devices of Kansas (BMDK) are advancing this capability in the region.

Diagnostics

Kansas recognizes the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of diseases in improving the likelihood of long-term survival and health. Novel diagnostics and therapeutic counterparts are emerging in Kansas and are a growing focus for our strategic support. Companies such as SAFC Biosciences, Thermo-Fisher, KCAS, and others provide analytical and diagnostic expertise in the region.

The KBA supports a multi-institutional approach in the development of methods and mechanisms for improving the evaluation and detection of diseases in the human body. The KBA’s current focus for diagnostics is in the following areas:

• Viral and bacterial
• Genetics
• Molecular
• Genomics (microarray)
• Tissue processing, microarray and imaging

Contract Research Organizations

The Kansas City region is ranked 7th in the nation when it comes to the amount of contract research conducted. In fact, a recent study placed the region in the top 10 in the nation for clinical trials and drug development activities, and the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy is perennially ranked among the best in the country.

In addition to outstanding expertise and infrastructure, Kansas also stands ready to provide financial and hands-on business assistance through the KBA which is investing heavily in this critical human health sector — from R&D to commercialization.

Healthcare Information Technology

An area of increasing interest for the KBA is health information technology. Healthcare IT will play an instrumental role in the future process of reforming healthcare in America. It will have a direct impact on patients’ ease in accessing and managing their personal health information.

Key segments of the healthcare IT market that the KBA targets include:

• Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) companies developing software that drives improved outcomes at the point-of-care.
• Clinical trial management companies developing systems to manage clinical trial workflow for the CRO industry, particularly those focusing on specific industry niches or areas where integration between systems will accelerate the clinical trial process or more quickly put clinical data in the hands of decision-makers and regulators.

Examples of success in Kansas

• CritiTech has used super-critical fluid technology to develop a drug intended to better fight ovarian and pancreatic cancers. The company has improved current drug formulations by increasing the effectiveness of the medicine and by reducing the side effects brought about by the harsh solvent previously used as the drug delivery system. The process is expected to increase the number of drugs coming out of the development pipeline by overcoming drug delivery issues for difficult to solubilize active molecules.
• OsteoGeneX is developing a small molecule inhibitor of the new bone anabolic target sclerostin for the treatment of osteoporosis and related bone disorders. Through genomic approaches, sclerostin was identified as a master regulator of bone mass affecting men and women. Using proteomic approaches, OsteoGeneX discovered and patented sclerostin’s mechanism of action.
• Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is expanding to support the development and commercialization of its technology that fights cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and other disorders by preventing cell malfunction.
• KBA Eminent scholar Dr. Blake Peterson has been attracted to the University of Kansas to develop synthetic cell receptors as a new tool for drug delivery and to study small molecule-protein interactions to generate potential therapeutic leads. His research focuses on developing anti-cancer drugs and delivery systems, combining his passions for chemistry, biology, and medicine.
• OncImmune is a commercial company in the market entry stage of development. The company has developed a diagnostic detection assay focusing on EarlyCDT, which is a simple blood test to detect early stages of cancer. The mechanism behind this diagnostic procedure measures the presence of autoantibodies specific to cancer antigens. The antibodies are produced by the immune system as a defense mechanism to a growing tumor and can be used to aid in the early detection of cancer.
• KCBioMedix is a commercial company in the market entry stage of development with innovative medical products to solve feeding issues in premature infants. Its first breakthrough device, the NTrainer System, enables neonatal care units to assess and then provide therapy to develop infant suck, a vital skill that has been linked to faster transition to oral feeding, more rapid weight gain, shortened hospital stays, and reduced hospital costs.
• Novita Therapeutics, LLC is a privately held biopharmaceutical and medical device company headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. Novita is developing an implantable cardiovascular device, and is working on a number of other therapeutic modalities.
• TVAX Biomedical is an early stage company committed to creating an effective alternative cancer treatment through the use of the body’s own immune system.
• Orbis Biosciences is a particle design technology company located in Kansas City, KS. Its technology offers the ability to control the size, encapsulation material, shell thickness, and porosity of nearly any material with a level of scalability that has, until now, been impossible. From drug formulations, to agricultural compounds to novel food processing techniques, Orbis can provide particle design solutions that improve health.