Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Pitch

Axena coatings made to fend off infection

By Lynette F. Cornell

Axena Technologies
Headquarters: Providence
Phone: 440-759-3735
Email: jonathan.brown@axenatechnologies.com
URL: www.axenatechnologies.com
Founded: 2010
Employees: 4

In the company’s own words:
“Axena Technologies is an early stage startup working to combat healthcare-associated infections. Every year 100,000 people are killed from infections contracted in the healthcare setting – more than twice the number of deaths from car accidents. The deadliest HAI, ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), is caused by endotracheal tubes. Endotracheal tubes are inserted into a patient’s throat during surgery or intensive care. Bacteria from the mouth or skin attach to these tubes, grow and eventually invade the body leading to VAP. We prevent VAP by preventing bacteria growth on these tubes.”

About the technology:
Axena Technologies has developed an antibacterial coating technology that prevents bacteria attachment and proliferation. According to CEO Jonathan Brown, the coating works by interacting with certain components of bacteria, disrupting essential functional processes, arresting bacteria development and ultimately leading to cellular death. The coating is unique in that it does not affect healthy human cells, nor does it produce negative byproducts, such as free radicals, he said. According to Brown, the coating is 36 times more effective in preventing bacteria growth than standard medical tubing and six times more effective than competing silver technologies.   

People behind the company:
Jonathan Brown, CEO, worked most recently as a design engineer at Sensata Technologies Inc. He recently graduated from Brown University with a master’s in innovation management and entrepreneurship. An Son Leong, is the technology director responsible for business development. He also holds a master’s in innovation management and entrepreneurship from Brown University. Rehim Popatia, who is in charge of operational support, has a master’s in innovation management and entrepreneurship from Brown University. Joseph Ramos, lead scientist, has a master’s from Brown University in public health as well as innovation management and entrepreneurship.

The advisors:
Thomas Webster is Axena’s chief scientific advisor and the technology originator. He is also the head of Brown University’s nanomedicine laboratory. Advisor Angus Kingon is the director of entrepreneurship and organizational studies at Brown University and an entrepreneur and entrepreneurship educator. Jason Harry, Axena advisor, serves as an adjunct professor at Brown and is a serial medical device entrepreneur, currently working as the CEO of Lucidux.

The pitch:
Axena is seeking $500,000 to establish collaborative partnerships with major medical tube producers to bring coated medical tubes to market. According to Brown, a partnership with a company will help guide regulatory activity and allow Axena to focus on developing additional applications in need of antimicrobial technologies.

Awards:
Axena was a finalist in MIT’s executive summary competition. It won second place in Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Venture Forum Business Plan Competition, second place in the Business Plan Competition elevator pitch competition and second place in the Princeton Entrepreneurship Network (PEN) elevator pitch competition.

The market:
The company is pursuing the market for coated endotracheal tubes, which Brown said is worth $2.4 billion. The company plans to enter the market in 2013 with its coating product.

The competition:
Axena’s faces competition from other antimicrobial technologies, as well as anti-infective products and efforts, said Brown.