Articles

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Brownsburg entrepreneur is a cryogenic-tooth-banking pioneer

Michael A. Byers’ Tooth Bank is one of a tiny group of U.S. companies catering to the latest iteration of stem cell therapy: harvesting stem cells from the pulp inside baby teeth and extracted wisdom teeth, then culturing, freezing and storing them at a cryostorage facility for later use.

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Beck’s Hybrids prospers against far bigger firms

When Lawrence and Francis Beck planted six acres of hybrid corn on their Hamilton County farm almost eight decades ago, the father and son sowed the seeds of a family business that’s still growing despite widespread industry consolidation.

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Funding drought pinches life sciences firms

Nationally, venture capital investments into life sciences firms totaled $4.9 billion during the first nine months of 2013, down 30 percent from the same period in 2008, according to data from Thomson Reuters and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In Indiana, life sciences firms raised $21 million during the first nine months of the year, far lower than any year since 2003.

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Analysts: Investors wrong to dump Endocyte

Investors on Friday dumped shares of West Lafayette-based Endocyte Inc. after an independent analysis said an experimental lung cancer drug is unlikely to be declared superior to existing chemotherapy. But two analysts say, to the contrary, the analysis shows the prospects for Endocyte’s drug are as good as ever.

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Auction lands $2.1 million for Elona Biotech assets

Elona went into receivership in June after Greenwood officials filed a foreclosure lawsuit against the firm. The company failed after receiving more than $8 million in economic development incentives from the city over the past three years.

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PANEL: Life sciences will see radically different future

IBJ convened a panel of experts at its Life Sciences Power Breakfast on May 10 to talk about the industry issues of venture capital, digital health innovations and research university entrepreneurship.

Panel members included Kristin Eilenberg, CEO, Lodestone Logic, Infuse Accelerator; Philip S. Low, Purdue University professor of chemistry, founder and chief science officer at Endocyte Inc. and On Target Laboratories LLC; R. Matthew Neff, president, CHV Capital Inc.; Brian Stemme, project director; BioCrossroads; Brian S. Williams, director, Global Healthcare Strategy, PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd.; and Raul Zaveleta, CEO, Indigo BioSystems Inc.

The following is an unedited transcript of the discussion.

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