Vanguard Magazine

42 JUNE/JULY 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com game CHangER See the full interview online Q How did you start out in this industry, and how has it brought you to where you are today? I started out as a research associate and project manager for a professor at the University of Guelph, Dr. Chris Hall, on government funded defence-related con- tracts. As Dr. Hall approached retirement, we transferred the programs to the com- pany Dr. Hall co-founded, PlantForm Corporation. Several years and contracts later, we decided to create a subsidiary within PlantForm for the defence-related programs – AntoXa Corporation was born. Initially as the Chief Technology Officer, I worked with the other founders to secure government contracts and ad- vance our lead product into non-human primate safety/toxicology. These years of experience have brought me to my cur- rent role in the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. Q Tell us a little more about your role in your company? I am currently the President and Chief Operating Officer of AntoXa. However, since AntoXa is a small company, I take on a variety of roles. My roles include secur- ing and managing government contracts (non-dilutive funding), engaging our government stakeholders to advance our lead product, and exploring new business opportunities and collaborations. Q What was your most challenging moment? Raising capital in the medical counter- measure space continues to be a chal- lenge. Venture capitalists (VC) special- izing in the defence space are limited. Traditional VC's investing in the phar- maceutical space are typically not inter- ested in medical countermeasures due to limited customer base, despite the short- er product development times. Govern- ment support can also be difficult to se- cure as their priorities can rapidly change depending on the threat, or for a variety of other factors. Q What was your "aha" moment or epiphany that you think will resonate most with our reader? Tell us that story. Realizing that our ricin antidote is ex- ceptionally stable (i.e. has a long shelf- life) and our manufacturing process is highly reproducible. We have challenged the stability of our antidote by testing it at standard storage conditions as well as at extreme temperatures. Our product remained stable for the duration of the studies – 18 months so far and counting. We are gearing up to transfer our manu- facturing process to a large-scale GMP facility. We've conducted experiments to evaluate the reproducibility of the pro- cess. To date, we have found negligible differences from lot to lot produced at our R&D facilities, so that's great news for product consistency and for our abil- ity to scale manufacturing. Q What is the best advice you received? If you're going to do something, do it well. To me, this means striving for ex- cellence and being goal-oriented while remembering the big picture. Q What is a habit that contributes to your success? I invest a lot of time building strong relationships with clients and potential customers. I value open and direct com- munication that promotes transparency. I attribute much of the success from my projects to the open communication, relationships and trust I've established with stakeholders. Q What people or organizations do you believe best embody the innovation mindset? Biotechnology start-ups. These groups often come from academic settings or in- novation hubs where they are surrounded by ingenuity and peers who constantly set the bar higher and higher, ultimately driv- ing innovation. Q What are some of the biggest impediments to innovation in your industry sector? Reduced access to funding through ven- ture capital groups. We primarily rely on support from government contracts for funding. Another is the requirement for biological safety level 3 facilities to evalu- ate efficacy of products, which can make it difficult to find certified collaborators. Q How has innovation become engrained in your organization's culture, and how is it being optimized? Our company is a university spin-off and retains that innovation mindset and focus on ingenuity as we strive for new break- throughs. Q What technologies, business models, and trends will drive the biggest changes in your industry over the next two years? Disruptive technologies, such as our plant-based manufacturing technology, will change the approach of the industry. With business models, we see partnerships and integration of companies from differ- ent sectors bringing diverse product lines and capabilities together on a common mission driver. Trends include decentral- ized manufacturing in countries with un- met market needs. Q What is your parting piece of advice? Try to stay informed about developments in your industry, including funding op- portunities, investments, competitors' progress, etc. These developments can lead to new opportunities for collabora- tions, funding, and can guide your path forward. This knowledge is powerful. ashley Meyers presiDent, co-founDer & chief operatinG officer antoXa corporation

• Cover