After working together, off and on, for nearly 20 years, Bruce Auerbach, Reyn Homan and Brian Krause weren't about to let some cost-cutting corporate decision from the Pfizer to get in their way.

That's why the group of three scientists decided to start Alphacore Pharma shortly after Pfizer closed its Ann Arbor campus in 2007. Today the 2-year-old start-up on the city's west side provides steady paychecks for the three men and a growing stable of independent contractors.

"We've had a lot of good milestone success and a lot of fun doing it," Auerbach says.

The company specializes in early clinical research for a protein that could help treat cardiovascular disease. It got the help of some angel investors to help push its research through the early clinical trial process. Alphacore hopes to partner with a larger pharmaceutical company in the near future to further develop the protein into a drug after it finished the early clinical trials.

In the mean time the trio of ex-Pfizerites continue to do what they enjoy, work together on drug development research. The only difference between doing it today and three years ago is that they don’t have worry about the boss leaving town.

Source: Bruce Auerbach, president of Alphacore Pharma
Writer: Jon Zemke