First scientist/entrepreneur begins work at MSU Bioeconomy Institute

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A Michigan State University faculty member’s spin-off company is the first tenant in MSU’s new Bioeconomy Institute in Holland, Mich.

Professor Rawle Hollingsworth has been operating his company, AFID Therapeutics, Inc., in laboratory space at MBI International in Lansing since 2004, developing technology licensed from MSU.

Hollingsworth’s research on complex carbohydrates derived from biomass and sugars forms the basis for developing high value chemical compounds. The compounds can be used to create drugs for infectious diseases and autoimmune, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders, as well as specialty chemicals for other purposes.

According to Hollingsworth, AFID is developing material for more than 100 companies around the world to use for testing and further development. “At MBI, we are working in a laboratory where we can produce 3 or 4 liters (about one gallon) of biochemical product. At the Bioecononmy Institute in Holland, we have access to a pilot plant where we can process 4,000 liter batches.”

Scale up of AFID Therapeutics’ processes began in Holland in late May, under the leadership of William Freckman, director of Operations at the site for MSU.  

The Holland facility was donated to MSU last year by former owner Pfizer, Inc. Hollingsworth said the fact that the facility was designed for the type of R&D and scale-up processes his company needs was key to the AFID decision to operate there.  “But even more important, West Michigan has the experienced workforce in pharmaceuticals to draw on and the infrastructure to support AFID beyond this step,” Hollingsworth said.

Ultimately, AFID Therapeutics hopes to employ 10 engineering and chemistry specialists there, in addition to a similar number at its Lansing laboratory.

According to MSU Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Paul Hunt, “The novelty and bio-based nature of AFID Therapeutics’ specialty chemical technologies make the company a good fit with the university’s strategic vision for the site.”

Encouraging such university research spin-off companies and nurturing the growth of new non-university businesses are MSU goals shared by Lakeshore Advantage, a West Michigan economic development group in the Holland-Zeeland area. Lakeshore Advantage recently hired Randy Olinger to lead the business development for the BioEnterprise Center, the entity within the Bioeconomy Institute that connects entrepreneurs to planning assistance and business acumen.

“Having an experienced entrepreneur like Rawle as our first tenant is going to give our operation a terrific boost,” said Olinger. “He is engaged in making ‘green’ chemicals that leverage our area’s agricultural advantages, he will soon be hiring the specialized pharmaceutical talent that West Michigan has an abundance of, and he successfully bridges the space between business and the university in remarkably productive ways.”