Based in Toronto, Interface Biologics Inc. offers coatings for implantable medical devices to prevent rejection, supply time-released medications—and even make these devices compatible with the body’s immune system. Currently, Interface offers three lines of biomaterials: Endexo, a coating for medical polymers that prevents complications associated with coagulation and inflammatory responses to the devices (such as pacemakers or stents) as foreign; and Kinesyx and Epidel, which time-release medications such as anti-microbial agents and inflammatories from implants.
The company is the brainchild of Professor J. Paul Santerre. Santerre did a post-doctorate at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute before coming to the University of Toronto, where he teaches in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering. Seeing the commercial potential of his work there, he founded Interface in 2001, and continues to serve as the company’s chief scientific officer. The work leading to this research also had ties to the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, known locally by its nickname, “Sick Kids.”
“Interface” is a fortuitous name, and not just because it specializes in inert biomaterial coatings for medical devices, positioning it at the junction of two industries. From the beginning, Interface Biologics resisted the temptation to centre on a single product, and wisely so: these undiversified companies have little chance of remaining viable, even if their technology works. Santerre’s enterprise produces several biomaterials with applications in dentistry, cardiology, and urology. This multi-disciplined approach has led to solid long-term funding.
“Our strategy was to have a few products matched to the technologies that could create a diversified opportunity for us to always have at least one good story to tell the investors, because at no time was it smooth sailing for any one product for the past seven years,” says Santerre.
“Interface” is fitting in yet another way: the company emphasizes the importance of networking and building early-stage partnerships. This has also been key to their long-term financial success. Thanks largely to the company’s attendance at BioFinance, which you can read about on page 4, Interface gained support from sources such as the Business Development Bank and VenGrowth, as well as Genesys Capital. Grants from Materials and Manufacturing Ontario, part of the Ontario Centres of Excellence network; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; and the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council were also invaluable.
The value of partnering went well beyond dollars. Dr. Santerre cites help from the University of Toronto’s Technology Transfer Office: “I was an academic first, a science translator to application second... I had made it clear to people from the beginning that I loved teaching and the university environment, and that if [the company] was going to happen, there would have to be support mechanisms.”
Dr. Santerre also stresses the importance of team-building: “We had the right business officer (Mark Steedman), a motivated engineer (Jeannette Ho), and savvy contacts of mine from the medical device sector (Dr. George Adams, Dr. Leonard Pinchuck), as well as my contacts in key product areas at Barb, Genzyme and Boston Scientific Inc. This was coupled with strong scientific advisors at the Hospital for Sick Kids (Dr. Anthony Khoury), the Ottawa Heart Institute (Dr. Rosalins Labow), McMaster University (Dr. John Brash), and Toronto General Hospital (Dr. Mark Mittelman). Networking made it happen for the investors. The major barrier, I believe, has been getting the big corporation’s attention in a sea of competitive products and ideas. Our solution to this was to stay focused on the corporations’ weak points and lining them up with our technology.”
As to coping with the challenges of running a business while teaching and running a high-tech multidisciplinary project, Dr. Santerre has a simple solution: don’t do it all yourself. He suggests that people in his place “really have to know what they are proficient at so they can identify safe areas to cross into,” and suggests that not venturing too far into unfamiliar territory is every bit as important as trailblazing. Once a solid research team and support network is in place, “it becomes an issue of being able to sell your idea and knowledge to an expert who can take you further in the field than where you could have gone by yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help but get it from those who are respected by others in the field and get it from those who will deliver on their word…. Give them all the respect that you would expect and they will follow you on your path if they are motivated.”
Further Reading:
You can find more about the research environment
in Toronto here.
You can find out more about Interface Biologics
and their current biomaterials offerings here:
Interface Biologics, Inc.
MaRS Centre, South Tower
Suite 300—101 College Street
Toronto, ON M5G 1L7
Telephone: (416) 673-8170
Fax: (416) 977-1329
info@interfacebiologics.com
http://www.interfacebiologics.com/
