Florida Institute Funds Alachua-based Curtiss Healthcare, Inc.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. and BOCA RATON, Fla., March 20, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research (the Florida Institute) announced today that it has finalized a funding agreement with Curtiss Healthcare, Inc., an Alachua-based company with technology developed at the University of Florida. The Florida Institute supports new company creation based on publicly-funded research, and bridges early funding gaps for companies spinning out of Florida-based universities and research institutions.

Curtiss Healthcare is providing a disruptive vaccine technology focused on improving food safety and food quality. Their Salmonella vaccine (RASV) vector platform can be used to develop vaccines against any bacterial, viral or parasite pathogen in animal species and humans, requiring only the identity of the protective antigens.

"There are 48 million food-borne infections each year, costing the U.S. economy $15 billion annually," said Thomas Bigger, Curtiss Healthcare Chief Executive Officer. "Bacterial infections will always be present in agriculture. The RSAV vector platform is a highly efficient penetrator in the gastro-intestinal tissues of target species, and produces robust immune stimulation and longer protective immunity." 

"Curtiss Healthcare's platform utilizes orally administered live vaccines that stimulate immunization against clinically important bacteria and other pathogens," saidJackson Streeter, MD, Florida Institute Chief Executive Officer. "The Institute looks forward to supporting Curtiss Healthcare as they continue to develop vaccines that improve food quality and safety, and help treat and prevent serious infections." 

About the Florida Institute

Formed by the Florida Legislature in 2007, the Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research is a non-profit organization that works collaboratively with the technology licensing and commercialization offices of Florida's state universities and private research institutions to leverage a $2.5B+ research base and form investable companies that create clean jobs in new industries that are driving the global economy. With funding from the State of Florida through the Department of Economic Opportunity, and through the generosity of mentors, advisors and donors, the Institute provides company building services, and seed funding through the Florida Technology Seed Capital Fund, to promising Florida startups. Sixty-six companies have been funded to date, and the Institute's economic impact through June 30, 2016 in the State of Florida was $630 million. 

About Curtiss Healthcare, Inc.

Curtiss Healthcare was founded in July 2015 to commercialize a platform to develop new vaccines to help make our world a safer place through technologies that improve food quality and safety and help treat and prevent serious infections in animals and humans. Curtiss Healthcare possesses and controls all the intellectual property for its innovative superior recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccine (RASV) vector platform that can be used to develop vaccines against any bacterial, viral or parasite pathogen in animal species and humans, requiring only the identity of the protective antigens.

CONTACT:
Jane Teague
Chief Operating Officer
Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research
561-368-8889
[email protected]  

SOURCE Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research

Related Links

http://www.florida-institute.com