Advanced Medical Technology

The St. Louis region has a well-established Advanced Medical Technology industry. Our region has a strong cross collaboration between clinical trials, academic research, and corporate development. The region has over 12,000 jobs and 275 establishments in the medical devices and biotech supporting industry sectors. Forty-five firms focus on research and development of biotechnology alone, employing approximately 3,000 St. Louisans. The number of firms and employees in the biomedical sector continues to grow, as the community of medical companies gains strength in the region.

Medical Device and Imaging Companies ADAC Medical Technologies Essex Industries Obtura Spartan AG Industries General Physiotherapy Phillips Allied Healthcare Products Global Surgical Corp. PSI/EYE-KO Ameritech Guard Industries Rhein Manufacturing Back-Mueller I.V. House Siemens Bausch & Lomb Invacare Steris Becton Dickinson Keller Laboratories Stereotaxis BioMèrieux McCormick Scientific Stryker Coretech Holdings Meridian Medical Technologies Synergetics Covidien Micro Medical Technologies The Respiratory Group Dyna Flex of Missouri NiTi Medical Technologies Young Innovations

Advanced technology incubators in St. Louis bring increasing levels of support and collaboration opportunities for biomedical startups. St. Louis is constantly expanding available space at an affordable cost. Many of the incubators are strategically located close to other companies, universities, and hospitals. St. Louis is committed to building a network of research, technology, and business support for new companies.

The Center of Research Technology and Entrepreneurial Exchange (CORTEX) is a collaboration of Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. It has completed a $36 million, 170,000-square-foot laboratory and office building in midtown St. Louis in the area between the medical schools of Washington University and Saint Louis University. This area contains one of the highest concentrations of NIH-funded scientists in the United States. Solae, a joint venture between DuPont and Bunge, built its 100,000-square-foot, $40 million world headquarters in CORTEX as well.

Center for Emerging Technologies (CET) is a 92,000-square-foot private, not-for-profit incubator that develops startup companies in biotechnology, biomedical engineering, advanced materials, and electronics. In 2004, Stereotaxis, the developer of an advanced cardiology control system for use during surgery, became the first of its companies to complete a public offering. CET has been recognized by the National Business Incubation Association as one of the top 10 incubators in the country. Stereotaxis now resides in the first CORTEX building.

Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise is a 40,000-square-foot, non-profit incubator which serves entrepreneurs preparing new technologies for market. Established in 2000, it currently houses about half-a-dozen companies, including APT Therapeutic, Cervimark, and MOgene, and has graduated several others. Located across the street from The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, scientists at the two organizations frequently exchange ideas. This space includes state-of-the-art laboratory space, furnished individual office space, general business services, and common equipment available for use.

University of Missouri - St. Louis recently opened IT Enterprises (ITe), a life science convergence facility, conveniently located by the UMSL campus, Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, and resides within minutes of area hospitals and other incubators. IT Enterprises, a 56,300-square-foot incubator, houses multiple startup companies in the high-growth fields of information technology and life sciences, providing necessary wet lab space, bench space, and supercomputing. ITe fosters collaborations between tenant companies and faculty/students that provide solutions to R&D questions and problems. Companies receive assistance in obtaining collaborative grants and contracts with faculty/students.

The nanotechnology company, PixelEXX Systems, in conjunction with researchers at Washington University, is working to bring nanoarrays to market. Nanoarrays hold potential for cancer and drug research, which could lead to improvements in drug safety and efficacy. This technology affords more accurate and precise imaging of cell physical features, such as biochemistry, electrical charges, and electromagnetic fields. Nanoarrays were discovered at Washington University and licensed to PixelEXX, which was led by Dr. Samuel Wickline, Stuart Solin, Kirk Wallace, and Mike Hughes. PixelEXX has received significant seed funding and has chosen to locate at the CORTEX One facility in Midtown St. Louis.

The Siteman Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (SCCNE) at Washington University, in collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and the Alvin Siteman Cancer Center, is providing a research and clinical resource in the Midwest for both the fundamental exploration of nanotechnologies applied to cancer and also their translation, commercialization, and application in the clinical environment. Scientists and physicians affiliated with Siteman hold nearly $150 million in cancer research and related training grants. The results of basic laboratory research are rapidly incorporated into treatment advances. This process is enhanced by patient access to more than 350 clinical studies, including many collaborative efforts with other leading cancer centers throughout the country.