has invested millions of dollars

in partnership with private companies

on state-of-the-art research facilities

to support the life sciences industry.

LIFESCIENCESCenters of Excellence

Partners Finding Success IN LIFE SCIENCES•Avianax

•Sunrise Renewable Company

•Aldevron

•NovaDigm Therapeutics

•Ideal Aerosmith

•BORDERS

•Schiltz Goose Farms North

•Schiltz Goose R&D

Life science and bio-medical companies recognize the benefits of doing business in North Dakota.

Avianax Grand Forks The Life Sciences Centers of Excellence program provided funding for facilities at the UND Research Foundation (UNDRF) that will allow Avianax to create therapeutic products using antibodies from geese and goose products.

“This unique facility enabled us to take a raw agricultural product and prove it could be used for pharmaceutical purposes,” said James Schiltz, Avianax president. “The Centers of Excellence program allows companies to cost effectively find cures for emerging viral diseases.”

Research conducted with UNDRF has shown passive antibody treatments are effective against the West Nile Virus. Once shown effective in clinical and pre-clinical trials, therapeutic products using antibodies from geese will be produced in their entirety in the Dakotas.

“We believe this is going to lead to an entirely new biotech industry,” he said.

North Dakota consistently ranks among states with the lowest costs of doing business in the nation.

1600 E. Century Avenue | Bismarck, ND 585031-800-432-5682 | www.NDBusiness.com

Printed Nov. 2009

North Dakota offers the mostattractive R&D tax credits

in the United States.National Science Foundation (2007)

Put Centers of Excellence To Work for You

North Dakota Centers of Excellence (COE) leverage the expertise of North Dakota researchers in our higher

education facilities to help businesses innovate, become more profitable and grow in North Dakota.

Benefits for Your Business•Assistexistingbusinesstoexpandthroughcreation

of innovative products and services from applied research and development.

•Speedupthecommercializationprocessfornew products and services.

•Leverageuniversity-basedexpertisetohelpyourbusinessbe more competitive long-term through research and innovation.

Business Involvement • MatcheachdollarofstateCOEfundswithatleasttwo dollars of matching funds, of which at least one dollar must be in the form of cash including at least 50 cents from a private sector partner.

• Developstrategicpartnershipswithotherbusinessesandfunding entities for matching funds.

• Participatethroughestablishedequityinvestments.

• Participatethroughcontractsforserviceswithprivatesector entities.

North Dakota had the second highest percentage growth in academic R&D expenditures from 2000-06.National Science Foundation

Center of Excellence for Life Science and Advanced TechnologiesThe Center of Excellence in Life Science and Advanced Technologies (COELSAT) at University of North Dakota (UND) focuses on commercializing research into products that are developed and made in North Dakota.

The 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the art COELSAT facility features both wet lab and animal room spaces and houses the region’s only secured Bio Safety Level 3 germ research lab. It is the only lab in North Dakota that can be leased by the month, eliminating the need for companies to invest in their own expensive infrastructure.

The COELSAT provides additional life sciences and advanced technologies infrastructure that includes laboratories, pilot manufacturing capabilities, and office space for corporate partners and business alliances to launch spin-off companies or form joint ventures with UND.

Center of Excellence for Passive TherapeuticsTheCenterofExcellenceforPassiveTherapeuticsatNorthDakotaState University (NDSU) is one of the leading research institutions developing passive (antibodies) therapeutics from value-added agriculture products for people exposed to or infected with viral infections or diseases.

Center for Biopharmaceutical Research and ProductionTheCenterforBiopharmaceuticalResearchandProductionat NDSU designs, develops and produces biopharmaceutical products. The Center fuels biopharmaceutical and life sciences reasearch that leads to the discovery and development of new vaccines and other pharmaceuticals to treat some of the most challenging diseases facing humankind.

LIFESCIENCESCenters of Excellence

About the North Dakota Centers of ExcellenceThe Centers are hubs of research and development on the campuses of North Dakota’s colleges and universities and work to partner with private companies to commercialize new products and services. The Centers are exploring research in the fields of energy, agriculture, life sciences, electronics, aerospace and manufacturing.

From 2007-2009, investments in the Centers of Excellence have resulted in: • 17neworexpandedbusinesses - 5 new spin-off companies

- 7 companies with a new presence in North Dakota - 5 expansions of existing North Dakota companies • 922directnewjobs • 1,138estimatednewjobssupportedthroughpartnerships • Directimpactof$115.5million • Totalimpactof$329.4million