NEWS

Amid the backdrop of national protests and calls for change to eliminate racism and ensure social justice, the BBJ reached out to business leaders in Birmingham for their reactions, reflections and calls to action.

Efforts in Birmingham to thwart the spread of COVID-19 stretch from volunteer organizations that have stitched more than 18,500 cloth face masks to tech companies and businesses using prototyping, fabrication and 3D printers to create face shields and ventilator adaptors. Birmingham biotech company CerFlux is using its manufacturing, fabrication and prototyping capacities to create PPEs. “Our primary focus is on producing personal protective equipment (PPE), which includes face shields and respirators/masks. We are also preparing to assist in other areas such as ventilator adaptors,” said Dr. Karim Budhwani, CEO of CerFlux and visiting scientist at UAB’s School of Medicine.

A Birmingham company emerged victorious in the seed-stage category of the first Alabama Launchpad competition of 2020. CerFlux won the $100,000 seed stage prize from the Feb. 27 contest, which is a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. CerFlux previously won the concept stage prize during Alabama Launchpad in 2019.

While the rest of Birmingham goes about its business, a team of superheroes at CerFlux is working tirelessly to crush cancer. Dennis Leonard, from the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, said Alabama’s second chance at a Moon Shot is the eradication of cancer.

For the past 20 years, Dr. Karim Budhwani has been honed in on innovation and how it can change business, science and the lives of people around him. “We’re always focused on being future-ready, rather than just addressing the challenges that they may be having today,” Budhwani said. Now, Budhwani and his team are taking inventions and turning them into innovations. But he said this is just step one, and they have a long way to go.

One exciting aspect of CerFlux’s new way of work is how it’s opening up more research to not just cancer treatments, but also COVID-19 relief. Working closely with their colleagues at the mighty UAB, including Dr. Nitin Arora and Dr. Bert Pierce. Collaborative efforts resulted in an adaptation of the elastomeric half-mask respirator to make it compatible with hospital-grade inline N1000 filters.

Birmingham companies are stepping up to fill in the gaps due to a shortage of PPE during the COVID-19 outbreak, and 3D printing is proving to be one successful resource. "I don’t have to tell you that we are facing an unprecedented situation with the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dr. Karim Budhwani, CEO-Scientist, CerFlux. "Fortunately, we have some of the best health care institutions in our region, however, disruptions in supply chain are threatening to severely constrain these organizations and jeopardize the safety of our friends and colleagues at the very frontlines of fighting this pandemic. So, CerFlux and several others have stepped up to rapidly 'band-aid' these supply-chain disruptions by utilizing local manufacturing and prototyping capacities."

We are proud to support these innovative entrepreneurs,” said EDPA President Steve Spencer. “Alabama Launchpad is here to serve early-stage companies all over Alabama, and we look forward to seeing these finalists compete onstage in our state’s capital”.

A new space to house biotech and R&D startups in the Magic City is preparing to open in downtown Birmingham. The project has been in the works for more than two years, and the end result is expected to provide a boost to the local innovation scene by providing critical lab space and a hub for young companies that are tackling the world’s biggest problems, such as cancer.

Birmingham Medical startup CerFlux and Phenix City’s VentorLux LLC were the two winners. CerFlux took home the $50,000 prize in the concept stage of the competition. The company has conceptualized an approach to finding more precise treatment of people with a cancer diagnosis, using a patent-pending precision medicine model. This model can individualize a therapy that can yield better results in fighting the disease.

“The Alabama Launchpad Seed Award will be invested in areas ranging from procuring additional equipment, hiring and training scientists, to underwriting costs associated with intellectual property protection and regulatory approval processes. Bottom line: we intend to multiply and reinvest this ‘seed’ back in Alabama,” Budhwani said.

As COVID-19 rapidly reshapes daily life, Dr. Karim Budhwani and Dr. Matthew Might share a grounded set of “survival tips” that go beyond handwashing and social distancing to address the broader ripple effects of the pandemic. They highlight unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies (e.g. campus closures worsening travel exposure) and warn that “work from home” protections can leave “atoms” jobs (service and retail workers) economically vulnerable. The article argues for measured, steady leadership that preserves social connection while flattening the curve, stabilizes supply chains, and prevents the health system from being overwhelmed. It closes with optimism that science, technology, and responsible collective action can reduce the aftershocks and improve outcomes.

It’s kind of dizzying to look at all the good work this sizable donation was able to fund. Here are the very broadest brushstrokes: 7 fully funded projects, 7 projects that received partial grants or second-year funding, BCRFA Endowed Professorship. Many, but not all, of the projects are affiliated with the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center. Other recipients included CerFlux, Southern Research Institute and USA Mitchell Cancer Institute.

In our 2019 CFO Awards, we’re recognizing those talented leaders who are often at the right hand of CEOs – guiding companies through periods of growth and navigating increasingly complex regulations while also shaping the strategies of their businesses. Among those honored was Christopher M. Krebs, CFO, CerFlux, Inc.

In front of a sold-out crowd in Selma on February 28, six Alabama startups made their best pitch. And the winner is (drumroll) our health. Check out what $100,000-winner VentorLux and $50,000-winner CerFlux, based in Birmingham, have in store for us. CerFlux is developing a test to identify the most effective first-line cancer treatments for each individual patient. Compared to traditional protocols, this saves money and precious time. It also saves patients from enduring side effects from ineffective treatments.