The WMed Innovation Center is pleased to announce that two client companies have been selected as awardees at the 2018 Michigan Celebrates Small Business event. Congratulations to Proteos, the 2018 SmartZone Best Small Business of the Year Award winner, and Tetra Discovery Partners, a Michigan 50 to Watch company. Both companies will be honored on May 3, 2018, at the gala event in Lansing.
Proteos, Inc., is a contract research organization (CRO) specializing in the production of recombinant proteins and antibodies for the life sciences industry. Founded in 2003 by former Pfizer researchers, Proteos has grown into a nine-person company with a global customer base. From its earliest days, the team at Proteos has been deeply involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the Innovation Center. In 2006, Proteos was also recognized as a Michigan 50 to Watch company.
“Proteos is honored to be the recipient of the 2018 SmartZone Best Small Business of the Year award and is proud to be located in a state that promotes and celebrates the achievements of technology-based small businesses such as ours,” said Mary Shuck, president of Proteos. “As we celebrate our 15th year in business, our mission continues to be the delivery of high quality research reagents and data to our clients.”
Tetra Discovery Partners Inc., develops therapeutics to treat memory loss and cognitive impairment by improving how the brain processes and stores information. Working with potentially breakthrough technology, Tetra’s goal is to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from Fragile X Syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, traumatic brain injury, major psychiatric disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders. With offices in Grand Rapids and laboratory operations at the Innovation Center in Kalamazoo, Tetra has raised close to $30 million to date. Tetra recently received FDA clearance to commence a Phase 2 Trial of one of its compounds in adults with the most common inherited form of autism, Fragile X Syndrome. The Innovation Center has provided support to the Tetra research team for the past four years.
“The WMed Innovation Center has been the engine of much of our success by providing high quality laboratory facilities and an entrepreneurial environment of exciting, successful and productive, early-stage biotechnology companies like Tetra,” Tetra CEO Mark Gurney said,
The WMed Innovation Center currently houses 18 companies and provides support services to numerous additional companies through its programs and seminars. This is the second year in a row that a company from the Innovation Center has been recognized as the SmartZone Best Small Business of the Year. Since the inception of the Michigan 50 to Watch program, Innovation Center client companies have made the list 11 times.
“We believe that all our client companies are destined for greatness,” said Sandra Cochrane, assistant dean of the Innovation Center. “However, when they are recognized as exemplary by other organizations, it is very rewarding. When our clients are successful, that means we did our job well.”