North Carolina Biotechnology Center

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center, established in 1981 as a private, non-profit corporation by the state's General Assembly, is dedicated to enhancing the biotechnology sector in North Carolina. It focuses on fostering biotechnology research, business development, and educational initiatives to create long-term economic benefits for the state. Although it does not conduct laboratory research itself, the Center plays a crucial role in supporting job creation and promoting strategic policies that bolster the biotechnology industry. By facilitating collaboration among researchers, businesses, and educational institutions, the Center aims to position North Carolina as a leader in biotechnology innovation and economic growth.

Greta Brunet

Senior Director of Investments

Robin Deacle

Vice President of Corporate Communication

Douglas Edgeton

President and Chief Executive Officer

Kate Holt

Senior Director for Investments

Ken Janoski

Senior Director of Investments

Kathy Meserve

Senior Director for Investments

Mark Stohlman

Vice President of Finance

Past deals in Grant

Duke University

Grant in 2023
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Home of the Blue Devils, Duke University has about 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-class faculty helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The university has a strong commitment to applying knowledge in service to society, both near its North Carolina campus and around the world.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, established in 1789 as the first public university in the United States, is dedicated to advancing education, research, and public service both locally and globally. It offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields, including arts, sciences, law, medicine, and nursing. The university is committed to fostering the next generation of leaders through a rigorous academic environment supported by exceptional faculty and staff. Additionally, it manages an endowment fund that finances scholarships, fellowships, research initiatives, and library resources, thereby enhancing the educational experience and promoting the success of its students. Through its outreach efforts, the university aims to improve the quality of life for citizens in North Carolina, leveraging knowledge and resources to serve the community effectively.

Plakous Therapeutics

Grant in 2022
Plakous Therapeutics, Inc. is a human biologics company focused on restorative and regenerative healing through the development of biotherapeutics derived from post-delivery human placentas. Founded in 2016 and based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the company manufactures products such as Protego-PD, an orally delivered acellular biotherapeutic. Plakous Therapeutics utilizes the cytokines and growth factors found in human placentas to create allografts that aid in healing by leveraging the body's natural regenerative processes. The company aims to provide safe and effective therapeutic solutions that promote and sustain healing.

Coprata

Grant in 2022
Coprata Inc. focuses on non-invasive physiological monitoring through innovative technology that allows for discreet health tracking with minimal disruption to daily life. The company is developing a Smart Sampling Toilet, a novel wastewater technology licensed from Duke University, which was created by researchers associated with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This digital health platform aims to facilitate hands-free stool sampling and automate the monitoring of bowel movements, enabling the detection and management of both acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Additionally, it provides early warnings for infectious diseases, helping individuals access tools for personalized wellness monitoring.

Plakous Therapeutics

Grant in 2022
Plakous Therapeutics, Inc. is a human biologics company focused on restorative and regenerative healing through the development of biotherapeutics derived from post-delivery human placentas. Founded in 2016 and based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the company manufactures products such as Protego-PD, an orally delivered acellular biotherapeutic. Plakous Therapeutics utilizes the cytokines and growth factors found in human placentas to create allografts that aid in healing by leveraging the body's natural regenerative processes. The company aims to provide safe and effective therapeutic solutions that promote and sustain healing.

TheraBionic

Grant in 2022
The Company is focused on the commercialization of its first oncology application: treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. It has completed a phase II study, which shows effectiveness as well as excellent tolerability, even in previously treated patients with severely impaired liver function. See less
North Carolina State University is an educational institution that offers graduate and undergraduate programs. The university offers academic qualifications in engineering, agriculture, life sciences, textiles and design, natural resources, and management through 106 bachelor’s degrees, 104 master’s degrees, 61 doctoral degrees, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The University of North Carolina’s 17 campuses extend from the state’s mountains to the coast. More than 220,000 students are enrolled at 16 universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the country’s first public residential high school for gifted students. North Carolina State University is one of the eight universities with a presence at the North Carolina Research Campus, where it operates a research and education organization devoted to food crops. In March 2008, the university also launched the University Sustainability Office in order to address environmental concerns on campus. North Carolina State University was founded on March 7, 1987.

PRA International

Grant in 2020
PRA International, a prominent contract research organization (CRO) headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, specializes in providing outsourced clinical development and data solution services to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries worldwide. The company operates in two main segments: Clinical Research and Data Solutions. The Clinical Research segment encompasses a range of services, including clinical trial management, regulatory affairs, biostatistics, and quality assurance, supporting all phases of drug development. Additionally, PRA offers strategic solutions such as embedded services and early development services for Phase I and II studies. The Data Solutions segment focuses on delivering data analytics, technology, and consulting services, providing clients with insights into market intelligence and commercial effectiveness. With over 10,000 employees operating in more than 80 countries, PRA has contributed to the successful development of numerous marketed drugs, conducting pivotal trials that have led to regulatory approvals. The company has also partnered with organizations like The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to advance clinical research for specific diseases. Founded in 1976, PRA International has established itself as a leader in the global clinical research landscape.

Locus Biosciences

Grant in 2020
Locus Biosciences is a developer of a CRISPR-engineered precision antibacterial platform designed to revolutionize the treatment of bacterial disease. The company's platform combines the antibacterial power of CRISPR-Cas3 with the efficient, safe delivery of bacterial viruses called bacteriophage, enabling physicians to begin treatment more quickly, resulting in a better medical outcome.

Chiesi USA, Inc.

Grant in 2020
Chiesi USA is a pharmaceuticals company specializing in pharmaceutical research & development services.

BioAesthetics

Grant in 2020
BioAesthetics was founded in 2015 as a Tulane University spin-out with the mission to improve reconstruction options for breast cancer patients after they undergo mastectomies. The BioAesthetics’ initial product is a tissue-engineered nipple-areolar complex (NAC). This product will be provided to plastic and reconstructive surgeons as an off-the-shelf ready, acellular, NAC graft. During the breast reconstruction phase, after a mastectomy, the surgeon would engraft the NAC graft in position onto the patient’s reconstructed breast. The patient’s body would then use this NAC graft as a building frame to regenerate their own NAC. This patent-pending product is currently in the pre-clinical phase.

Isolere Bio

Grant in 2020
Monoclonal antibodies make up an effective and rapidly growing class of drugs. They are also critical research tools and essential for the development of many new diagnostics. Isolere Bio was co-founded with the vision of simplifying and streamlining the purification of biotherapeutics to improve global access to these important drugs.
East Carolina University (ECU), founded in 1907 and located in Greenville, North Carolina, is a comprehensive educational institution offering a wide range of graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across various disciplines, including health sciences, medicine, nursing, fine arts, communication, technology, and business. Renowned for its Brody School of Medicine, ECU ranks highly in primary care and rural medicine, emphasizing research and innovation, particularly in robotic surgery. The university is also recognized for its College of Education, whose graduates have achieved state and national accolades. In addition to traditional courses, ECU provides adult learning opportunities and distance education. Student support services encompass career counseling, health services, and study abroad programs. The ECU Foundation, established in 1963, manages an endowment fund aimed at enhancing the university's academic programs and research initiatives through private contributions. As a non-profit institution, ECU operates under the University of North Carolina system, committed to fostering educational excellence and community engagement.
North Carolina State University is an educational institution that offers graduate and undergraduate programs. The university offers academic qualifications in engineering, agriculture, life sciences, textiles and design, natural resources, and management through 106 bachelor’s degrees, 104 master’s degrees, 61 doctoral degrees, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The University of North Carolina’s 17 campuses extend from the state’s mountains to the coast. More than 220,000 students are enrolled at 16 universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the country’s first public residential high school for gifted students. North Carolina State University is one of the eight universities with a presence at the North Carolina Research Campus, where it operates a research and education organization devoted to food crops. In March 2008, the university also launched the University Sustainability Office in order to address environmental concerns on campus. North Carolina State University was founded on March 7, 1987.
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching and mentoring with research and service. University of North Carolina Wilmington, commitment to student engagement, creative inquiry, critical thinking, thoughtful expression and responsible citizenship is expressed in our baccalaureate and master's programs, as well as doctoral programs in areas of expertise that serve state needs. Our culture reflects our values of diversity and globalization, ethics and integrity, and excellence and innovation.
UNC Charlotte is North Carolina's urban research university. It leverages its location in the state's largest city to offer internationally competitive programs of research and creative activity, exemplary undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, and a focused set of community engagement initiatives. UNC Charlotte maintains a particular commitment to addressing the cultural, economic, educational, environmental, health, and social needs of the greater Charlotte region.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, established in 1789 as the first public university in the United States, is dedicated to advancing education, research, and public service both locally and globally. It offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields, including arts, sciences, law, medicine, and nursing. The university is committed to fostering the next generation of leaders through a rigorous academic environment supported by exceptional faculty and staff. Additionally, it manages an endowment fund that finances scholarships, fellowships, research initiatives, and library resources, thereby enhancing the educational experience and promoting the success of its students. Through its outreach efforts, the university aims to improve the quality of life for citizens in North Carolina, leveraging knowledge and resources to serve the community effectively.
Duke BioRepository & Precision Pathology Center (BRPC), Duke’s largest human tissue biobank. BRPC stores samples from consented patients for use in research.

AveXis

Grant in 2019
Based in Dallas, Texas, AveXis is a clinic-ready, synthetic biology platform company. AveXis has, at its core, a desire to establish unique industry and research alliances which will bring innovative treatments to people with unmet medical needs. Our work in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare/orphan disease, is our first focus.

TregTherapeutics

Grant in 2019
TregTherapeutics is a preclinical stage company based in North Carolina, specializing in the development of innovative therapies for multiple sclerosis. The company is focused on creating a tolerogenic vaccine that leverages the regulatory functions of T-regulator cells (Tregs) to modulate the immune response. This approach aims to reverse the inflammatory attacks on the nervous system that characterize multiple sclerosis while promoting an anti-inflammatory response. TregTherapeutics has secured an exclusive license for its proprietary technology from East Carolina University, positioning it to potentially transform treatment outcomes for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Its commitment to advancing universal tolerance induction therapy reflects a strategic focus on addressing the underlying causes of neurodegenerative disorders.

Redbud Labs

Grant in 2019
Redbud Labs, Inc. is a company based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that specializes in developing and manufacturing microfluidic technologies and MEMS for the life sciences sector. It produces innovative products, including the MXR, a fully modular microfluidic mixer that enhances assay performance and is utilized by leading biotechnology firms. Redbud Labs focuses on creating solutions that facilitate small-volume sample collection, processing, and analysis, thereby improving efficiency in laboratory workflows. The company originated from research in Professor Richard Superfine’s group at the University of North Carolina and was incorporated in 2010.

Dignify Therapeutics

Grant in 2015
Dignify Therapeutics is a drug development company focused on delivering novel drug therapies for bladder and bowel disorders in spinal cord injured, multiple sclerosis and similar patient populations. By combining novel pharmaceutical agents with drug delivery technology, Dignify Therapeutics will redefine the treatment of these disorders and restore the dignity of voluntary excretory function for these patients. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Panacea Biomatx

Grant in 2014
Panacea Biomatx offers its customers with nutritional supplements that are according to each person’s gender, age, and weight. Customers are able to personalize their mix by choosing a flavor. Panacea Biomatx was founded by Edison Hudson and Staton Noel in January 2013. It is based in Durham, North Carolina.