ONL Therapeutics is growing and the most visible sign of that is the expansion of its leadership team.
The Ann Arbor-based start-up recently hired a vice president of research and development, bringing its headcount to four employees and a few independent contractors. The 2-year-old firm recently completed its pharmacology study and is developing the plan and design for its clinical trials.
"We will complete the formulation of the product and manufacture the supplies to conduct the final, formal safety study and supplies for the clinical trial," says Raili Kerppola, CEO of
ONL Therapeutics.
ONL Therapeutics is developing a new retinal therapy to help prevent retina detachment and blindness in some cases. It spun out of the University of Michigan's
Kellogg Eye Center and is working with the university's
Office of Technology Transfer.
ONL Therapeutics recently obtained an orphan drug designation because it treats a rare affliction. The designation is expected to help clear the path to the market. Kerppola expects the clinical trial for the therapy to begin next year. Commercialization is expected to take about five years.
Source: Raili Kerppola, CEO of ONL Therapeutics
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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