$1.4 million SBIR grant fast-tracks antibody technology for pharmaceutical manufacturers

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – An innovation award will help a Purdue University-affiliated bio-analytics startup commercialize instrument technology for pharmaceutical antibody manufacturers.

Novilytic LLC, a company that secures lifesaving drugs and medical devices and is based in the Purdue Research Park West Lafayette, has been awarded a Phase II SBIR contract by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, one of the National Institutes of Health.

The $1.4 million Phase II contract will allow Novilytic to continue the research, development and commercialization of its new Proteometer. The new instrument technology is being created for process chemists and engineers who need to develop better process quality and control. The instrument is designed to test antibody purity in process.

“The Proteometer represents a truly disruptive technology that will allow process research and manufacturing chemists and engineers to monitor and control antibody growth in process,” said Fred Regnier, CTO and co-founder of Novilytic, and the former J.H. Law Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Purdue. “There is no technology available to do this currently. Novilytic is currently focused on the pharmaceutical bioreactor market that produces monoclonal antibodies, one of the most important biopharmaceuticals used to treat many cancers, diseases and viruses.”

The company, which also is launching a seed round funding opportunity, will be opening new laboratories and hiring additional scientists in the coming months. Through the support of the Purdue Research Foundation and Purdue Foundry, Novilytic will continue to grow in the West Lafayette area.

“We are very grateful to the NIH and its support of our various developments,” said Paul Dreier, CEO of Novilytic “This marks our sixth straight SBIR grant. Initial grants led to the commercialization of patented medical devices. This award signifies our commitment to developing strong technology and patented instruments here in Indiana.”

Research reported here was supported by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award No. R44GM137713. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About Novilytic LLC

Novilytic is a biochemistry analytics company that secures lifesaving drugs and medical devices. The company is backed by very strong partnerships with large analytical companies, artificial intelligence leaders, and pharmaceutical consortiums. Our potency is extended by the Novilytic Team, which includes multiple Ph.D. chemists and engineers who have helped us secure significant patents and other IP. Our business plan will increase those forces to insure we meet customer, market, and regulatory demands. Learn more at https://www.novilytic.com.

About Purdue Research Foundation

The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires property; protects Purdue's intellectual property; and promotes entrepreneurial activities on behalf of Purdue. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park, Purdue Technology Centers and University Development Office. In 2020, the IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20 for patents. The foundation received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. For more information about involvement and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information about setting up a presence at Purdue, possibly in the Purdue Research Park or Discovery Park District, contact the PRF Economic Development Office at parksinfo@prf.org.

Writer: Chris Adam, cladam@prf.org

Source: Paul Dreier, pdreier@novilytic.com, 317-752-3116

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