Bexion Pharmaceuticals awarded $99,965 from Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 | Source: SOAPBOX

Bexion Pharmaceuticals, LLC, is doing amazing things in the fight against pancreatic cancer and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (KCED) is taking notice.

In an effort to help this pancreatic cancer research along, the KCED has awarded SBIR-STTR Matching Funds of $99,965 to Bexion for their National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant called "A Novel Biotherapeutic Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer."

Alongside the KCED, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED's Northern Kentucky ezone and the KCED's Department of Commercialization (DCI) are also lending a helping hand to Bexion.

"Northern Kentucky is in the early stages of becoming a significant contributor to Kentucky’s future in bioscience with Bexion’s presence and the additional companies that will come to the area as a result of this company’s success," says Chairman of NKY Tri-Ed and Kenton County Judge Executive, Ralph Drees.

Bexion is gaining notoriety for a promising piece of preclinical anti-tumor technology from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

This new protein-lipid nanovesicle technology attacks tumors in cases of glioma, pancreatic cancer, neuroblastoma and leukemia, and selectively kills cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unscathed.

Alongside being a boon for cancer victims, this new technology holds great promise for the Kentucky's flourishing medical research industry.

"Bexion is a very promising addition to Kentucky’s growing and emerging life science portfolio of companies," says DCI Commissioner Deborah Clayton. "The Commonwealth’s unique SBIR-STTR matching program is a valuable resource available to high-tech companies located in the state or willing to relocate here."

KCED's assistance to Bexion has been received with gratitude.

In a clear statement of appreciation, Bexion CEO Dr. Ray Takigiku says, "Bexion’s mission is to develop cures for cancer, and Kentucky’s programs are helping us by providing a much needed mechanism to increase our resources to more rapidly bring our first product into the clinic and help patients… These Kentucky programs clearly support us."