LST News
A new startup born at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis aims to reshape treatment for pediatric leukemia and neuroblastoma. SEAK Therapeutics, LLC, began in the research lab of Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Wei Li, who also serves as the Director of the UT College of Pharmacy Drug Discovery Center. In 2017, Wei read a paper published by Muxiang Zhou, a professor at the Emory University School of Medicine, about the identification of a known small molecule that showed promise in mouse models of pediatric cancers. Intrigued, he reached out to suggest a collaboration that resulted in the formation of a drug discovery team with complementary expertise: Wei’s lab concentrates on medicinal chemistry and small molecule drug discovery, while Muxiang, a professor of pediatrics, specializes in cell and molecular biology.
Stryker is moving to acquire fellow device maker Wright Medical in a $4 billion play to gain a stronger foothold in fast-growing orthopedic segments. The Amsterdam and Memphis, Tennessee-based Wright Medical posted $836 million in global net sales for 2018, driven largely by its products for the upper and lower extremities—including multiple joint replacement, plating, fixation, and fusion systems designed for shoulders, elbows, wrists, ankles, and toes. In its yearly financial report (PDF) for 2018, the company said it expects the global extremities market to grow by 7% to 10% annually, powered by the development of procedure- and anatomy-specific devices as well as an increase in total ankle replacement procedures overall.
Farmers don't need sunshine to produce abundant food. Ideal growing conditions can be duplicated indoors, using lights. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is teaming with utility and energy agencies to research ways to grow nutritious crops inside a new facility—a so-called "fresh electric farm. The fresh electric farm is a way to produce quality crops while reducing both carbon and acreage footprints. The "farm" is inside a large shipping container, and the first crop being studied is kale. The plants were started as seedlings and will be finished in tall columns under bright, purple LED lights. The purple hue comes from light energy that's 80% red and 20% blue, broken down this way to aid photosynthesis.
Cognate BioServices (Cognate), a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specialized in cell and cell-mediated gene therapy products and Cobra Biologics (Cobra), a leading CDMO specialized in providing manufacturing services for plasmid DNA and viral vector, today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement in which Cognate will acquire all of the outstanding share capital of Cobra. Existing Cognate investor EW Healthcare Partners led the financing for the acquisition.
RVL® Attorney Kevin Christopher Named Rising Star by Super Lawyers
Kevin Christopher has been selected to the 2019 Mid-South Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the region are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Kevin Christopher is the principal of Cookeville based Rockridge Venture Law®, Tennessee’s first Certified B Corp law group and a 2019 Best For The World: Community honoree. Kevin is a registered patent attorney, active entrepreneur, and National Science Foundation (NSF) evaluator for the research hub Center for Green Solid-State Electric Power Generation and Storage (CEPS).
