Agile Sciences Co-Founders Named 2012 NC State University Entrepreneurs Of The Year

North Carolina State University recognizes Dr. John Cavanagh and Dr. Christian Melander

Raleigh, NC (I-Newswire) November 14, 2012 - Agile Sciences announced today that the company’s two co-founders, Dr. Christian Melander and Dr. John Cavanagh, recently received the 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from North Carolina State University (NCSU).

The NC State Entrepreneur and Innovator of the Year awards were established to recognize members of the NC State community who work to promote the commercialization of university intellectual property, train future leaders, and serve as champions of the university’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. NC State's Office of Technology Transfer oversees the awards program

University Chancellor Randy Woodson commented during the awards event; “These outstanding researchers and innovators represent the entrepreneurial spirit that permeates throughout NC State. Not only are they conducting terrific science, but they are turning their results into products, services and even companies that benefit the citizens of North Carolina, the U.S. and the world.”

Dr. Melander is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and his research focuses on (1) defining small molecules that control bacterial behavior and (2) small molecule-coated nanoparticles that have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Melander is a co-founder of Agile Sciences. His efforts have resulted in 17 patent filings and three issued U.S patents.

Dr. John Cavanagh, who is the William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, is an expert in protein structural biology, particularly in how bacteria are able to protect themselves. His discoveries, coupled with the work of Dr. Melander, led to the creation of Agile Sciences.
Commenting on the awards, Agile Sciences’ CEO, Keith Stoneback said; “We are proud and pleased that John and Christian have received this well-deserved recognition from NCSU and remain very appreciative of their initial and ongoing contributions to our success.”

About Agile Sciences:
Agile Sciences is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company was founded in 2007 to addresses environmental and health issues caused by microbes, including biofilms and biocide resistance. The Company’s Agilyte® small molecules enhance the performance of microbicides and antibiotics toward fungal and bacterial pathogens. For additional information, please visit: http://www.agilesci.com.