Thursday, September 01, 2022
Mayo Clinic, Hibiscus BioVentures (Hibiscus), and Innoforce have joined forces to launch Mayflower BioVentures, an accelerator focused on cell and gene therapy. The primary objective of this collaboration between academia and industry is to identify and establish companies that leverage technologies to address unmet patient needs. Mayflower BioVentures will drive the development of Mayo Clinic's technologies through preclinical and early feasibility studies.
By sharing a common interest in disease treatment and prevention, Mayflower aims to advance new cures for complex and severe conditions using cell and gene therapies.
Mayo Clinic, consistently ranked as the top hospital in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the past seven years, possesses a portfolio of cutting-edge immune system modulators and innovative therapeutics in cell and gene therapy. The Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics at Mayo Clinic leads the efforts to rapidly advance regenerative technologies from discovery to early-phase clinical trials. This includes fostering collaborations with industry partners like Hibiscus, who have the resources to support and expedite this work.
Dr. Julie Allickson, the Michael S. and Mary Sue Shannon Family Director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics, expresses Mayo Clinic's commitment to creating an advanced ecosystem for the development, manufacturing, and delivery of next-generation therapeutics. Dr. Allickson emphasizes the potential of cell and gene therapies to offer hope for patients with limited therapeutic options and looks forward to accelerating the development of new biotherapeutics through collaboration with Hibiscus.
The partnership with Mayo Clinic and Hibiscus provides a robust platform for accelerating cell and gene therapy development, according to Dr. Ken Carter, President of U.S. Operations at Innoforce. Innoforce is excited to collaborate with these two esteemed organizations as they establish comprehensive solutions for advanced medicines.
Sia Anagnostou, Chief Operating Officer of Hibiscus BioTechnology, highlights the research and industry coalition with Mayo Clinic, working together to drive the advancement of cell and gene therapies. The collaboration aims to provide a launchpad for startups leveraging Mayo Clinic's research capabilities to address significant unmet patient needs.
The management team at Mayflower comprises clinical leaders from Mayo Clinic, as well as operational and investment experts from Hibiscus. This collective expertise will facilitate the translation of scientific discoveries from the laboratory bench to patients' bedsides.
Andrew Danielsen, Chair of Mayo Clinic Ventures, believes that this collaboration can bridge the gap between industry and innovative cell and gene therapy research. The partnership will empower emerging startups to navigate the challenges of producing meaningful and novel therapeutics that have a transformative impact on health and medicine.
Mayo Clinic, Hibiscus, and Innoforce have a financial interest in the Mayflower collaboration. Mayo Clinic plans to allocate any revenue it receives to support its nonprofit mission in patient care, education, and research.
