A wizard of an idea
A start-up pharmaceutical company, which plans to create drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease and various forms of cancer, has chosen to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the US state Kansas, to set up its corporate headquarters and research facilities there.
A start-up pharmaceutical company, which plans to create drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease and various forms of cancer, has chosen to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the US state Kansas, to set up its corporate headquarters and research facilities there.
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, which has recently completed a series of deals for nearly US$1.5m in funding, chose to locate to Lawrence, Kansas because it will give the company vital proximity to the state's life sciences research and bioscience assets, such as the University of Kansas and its team of life sciences experts. Deciphera Pharmaceuticals is on target to create 35 jobs in the next three years.
The state of Kansas is home to a fast-growing cluster of pharmaceutical and bioscience firms, with life sciences research in Kansas City predicted to increase by $400m a year in the next decade. This is due to the number of financial incentives and opportunities available to the companies. Incentives offered by the Kansas Department of Commerce have provided invaluable support to companies that have recently located such as Serologicals, a worldwide provider of antibodies and other biological products and technologies. The company has set up a new $28m EX-CYTE manufacturing facility. Among the benefits available to companies establishing new operations are direct financial assistance to train workforces, income tax credits and sales tax exemptions on the materials and installation costs of new facilities.
John Watson, director of the trade development division at the Kansas Department of Commerce said: 'It is great news that Deciphera Pharmaceuticals has decided to locate in Kansas, which has become a centre of excellence in life sciences research and development. The Kansas Department of Commerce has supported a number of companies by offering financial initiatives, as well as providing confidential assistance in finding suitable premises.'
Thanks to the efforts of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute (KCALSI), the US heartland has been transformed into a centre of excellence for bioscience companies. The non-profit organisation assists in attracting research funding and encourages alliances among its life science research stakeholders. Collaboration among the stakeholders is encouraged on research initiatives and sharing resources, such as laboratories, information and multi-million dollar pieces of equipment.
The Institute has already secured $6.1m for its 'proteomics consortium' as part of the ongoing five-year effort to raise more than $50m. Stowers Institute for Medical Research, one of the Institute's key stakeholders, is also set to benefit from its collaboration where its facility is to expand to double its size.