Advaxis, A Tenant in EDA’s Commercialization Center, Awarded Fellowship from Commission on Science and Technology
North Brunswick, N.J. (November 2, 2005) – Advaxis, Inc., a tenant at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (EDA’s) Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies here that is utilizing genetically engineered bacteria to create vaccines for cancer and other diseases, has been awarded a New Jersey Technology Fellowship by the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology.
The fellowship is designed to help move cutting-edge research from the laboratory to the marketplace by providing technology-based businesses in New Jersey with up to $55,000 to hire post-doctoral graduates from the state’s research universities. Advaxis was one of six companies selected for the second round of fellowships and is one of 14 firms chosen for the program overall since it was established earlier this year.
Advaxis has used the fellowship to employ Mariela Reyes-Reyes, who received her Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Formed in 2002, Advaxis is poised to conduct clinical trials of a vaccine for late-stage cervical cancer patients and is pursuing toxicology studies for a breast cancer vaccine that may have applications for melanoma and pancreatic cancers. Other therapeutic vaccines are in the pipeline aimed at prostate, colon and brain cancers.
“We’re pleased that Advaxis has been selected to take part in this valuable program,” said EDA Chief Executive Officer Caren S. Franzini. “It’s another example of our state’s commitment to supporting both scientific discovery and the growth of emerging technology and biotechnology businesses.”
The New Jersey Technology Fellowship program fulfills several of the Commission’s goals: said Donald Drakeman, Commission chairman. “These fellowships will encourage collaborations between our research universities and our business community, provide needed talent to New Jersey’s entrepreneurial companies and help convert innovation into commercial products.”
The EDA’s Commercialization Center is located at the Technology Centre of New Jersey, which is now home to 20 growing early-stage and established businesses that occupy about 400,000 square feet of top-quality, customized, competitively priced laboratory, production and office space. More than $100 million has been invested in facilities and improvements at the 50-acre former Johnson & Johnson site located within the Greater New Brunswick Innovation Zone and along the Route 1 research and development corridor between Rutgers and Princeton universities.
The EDA is a self-supporting, independent state agency that works to stimulate business development, job creation and community revitalization throughout the state with financial assistance, technical assistance and real estate development programs.
For more information about the EDA’s Technology Centre of New Jersey, visit www.njtechcentre.com. To learn more about the Commission’s Technology Fellowship program, visit www.state.nj.us/scitech/postdoc.html.
