Launched through Research Grants, Gamma Therapeutics Plans Growth through Strategic Partnerships
By Linda Barney

Gamma Therapeutics , Inc. is an early-stage biotechnology venture developing a novel class of biopharmaceutical and diagnostic test solutions for cardiovascular disease. The company opened its corporate headquarters and research laboratory in Portland, Oregon in September, 2010. Dr. David Farrell is Gamma Therapeutics’ founder and chief scientific officer (CSO). Dr. Farrell was formerly an Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)  pathology professor and researcher and is currently a professor of medicine in the OHSU Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. David Eastman, a life science and medical device industry veteran and consultant for 24 medical and biotechnology venture start-ups, is the Gamma Therapeutics chief executive officer.

Gamma Therapeutics products

All Gamma Therapeutics products are based upon Dr. Farrell’s Penn State and OHSU research into gamma-prime fibrinogen, a naturally occurring clotting protein in human blood, and include:

• GammaCoeur™ cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assay, a provisional-patented flagship product that will be delivered as a diagnostic lab-based, non-invasive in vitro blood test product. “GammaCoeur will enhance cardiologists’ ability to assess heart attack risk, provide a new predictive tool for point-of-care diagnostics and improve the quality and outcomes of preventative medicine,” states Farrell.

• GammaSeal™, a patent-pending, high strength post-surgical incision sealant for areas of mechanical strain such as large artery vascular surgery or wound repair. GammaSeal will be delivered as a two-part, fast-clotting sprayable or drip sealant.

• Gammarin™, a patented non-immunogenic short-acting anti-coagulant blood thinner for use during and after major surgery for venous thromboembolism control. Gammarin will be delivered intravenously as a biopharmaceutical drug and may replace some traditional blood thinners, with a focus on those that might cause heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Gamma Therapeutics launched based on research

In December 2009, Dr. Farrell wrote two SBIR grants for continuation of his research. In August 2010, he received a $1.46 million, three-year fast-track SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to develop a new diagnostic test for cardiovascular risk factors associated with heart attacks and strokes. The grant allowed him to open lab space at the OHSU Marquam 2 site and hire a scientist to begin developing GammaCoeur. Gamma Therapeutics also formed a Board of Science Advisors comprised of leading scientists in cardiovascular disease, pathology and hematology research.

“We are making good progress and have already accomplished our first NIH aim which was to develop a prototype GammaCoeur assay. We plan to pursue a grant to develop GammaSeal and will try to collaborate with a partner to create Gammarin,” states Eastman. FDA approval of in vitro diagnostic medical devices, such as GammaCoeur, can take up to two years or longer for approval. Gamma Therapeutics plans to submit GammaCoeur to the FDA as a simple ELISA assay to speed BETA testing and device approval.

Growing the company through strategic partnerships

While the traditional method of growth often includes seeking venture capital funding or angel investment, Gamma Therapeutics plans to seek out and work with strategic partners. Eastman said, “We will seek to work with industry partners, who are already diagnostic assay kit developers or diagnostic system suppliers. The goal is to provide the GammaCoeur CVD Risk Assay on as many platforms used commercially for this type of testing. Having collaborative science and product development partners allows us to share costs, get the product to market faster and into the cardiovascular disease industry more broadly. Millions of these diagnostic tests are provided daily around the world and we want to ensure our tests will get to patients at risk of heart attack or stroke to enhance physician prognosis and preventative care therapy.”

Farrell adds, “Collaboration benefits not only the business side but allow us to get the GammaCoeur assay into more consumer and research labs so we can gather additional scientific data on how useful the test is for risk assessment. It also would demonstrate the complementary nature of the test with traditional tests, such as cholesterol, in order to provide an overall panel of tests for a better total risk score.” Gamma Therapeutics is already in the process of reaching out to potential partners, both in the U.S. and Europe, with the goal of providing the assay, when it is approved, to a global audience of CVD at-risk patients. Both Farrell and Eastman indicate they are open to collaborating with other companies and researchers in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

Advice for other biotechnology companies or researchers on getting funding

Dr. David Farrell and David Eastman both have advice for researchers or companies trying to get funding. “Agencies such as USDA, DARPA and the NIH and others, as part of their organizational charters, must set aside a percentage of their annual budgets for SBIR grants. The key to winning these grants is to not only focus on the science behind the invention, but to clearly define the ability to develop the product for commercial use,” states Farrell.

“Life science companies need a great deal of funding and ventures are not the only source for it. But if you are turning to a venture, have the product and the business poised for success and viability. Spend your time getting your products ready for FDA approval, seek partners who can help you, evangelize your solution in your industry, and begin the vital job of name recognition for the company and brand recognition for the product,” states Eastman.

Expanding biotechnology in Oregon

Dr. Farrell talked about involvement with successful early stage bio-pharmaceutical companies in Seattle and indicates that he would like to see the same growth occur in Oregon. “We can do something similar in Oregon because we have the expertise but we need to expand the industry. We need infrastructure here to allow easy development of products out of academic research at the universities such as OSHU, OSU and University of Oregon via technology transfer, business development and partnering to turn them into viable start-up companies. Programs such as OHSU’s Springboard program and technology transfer programs at the other universities are a good start.”

Linda Barney is the founder and owner of Barney and Associates , a technical / marketing writing, training and web design firm in Beaverton, Oregon that provides writing and web content for the high tech, government, biotechnology, medical, sustainability and scientific communities. Linda writes articles for the Software Association of Oregon, the Oregon Bioscience Association, the Clean Technology Alliance, and the Supercomputing Conference. Contact Linda at linda@barneyassoc.com .