MIT/Harvard Broad Institute Scientist Joins Semprus Biosciences

Cambridge, MA (I-Newswire) February 9, 2011 - Semprus BioSciences today announced the appointment of Roger Smith, Ph.D., as the company’s new microbiology team leader. In this role, Dr. Smith will direct Semprus’ team of microbiology researchers as they investigate antifouling surface-modified technologies on biofilm and bacterial adhesion.

Semprus BioSciences is a venture-funded biomedical company designing new tools for clinicians and patients to reduce the 56,000 annual U.S. deaths and $11.2 billion cost of infection- and thrombus-related complications1 that arise when vascular access products are implanted in the body. These products are components of the Semprus Platform, a single-surface modification designed to reduce the attachment of bacteria, fungus, platelets and blood proteins to an implanted medical device. The company spun out of the labs of biomedical researcher and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professor Robert Langer, Sc.D., in 2007.

Immediately prior to joining Semprus, Dr. Smith served as Research Scientist II, head of microbial genetics at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. While at the Institute, he managed a group of six scientists in creating genomic tools for functional analyses and antimicrobial screening.

Dr. Smith also served as a post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Stephen Lory at Harvard Medical School’s Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Prior to this, he completed graduate research at the University of Rochester’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology in Rochester, NY, where he studied under the tutelage of esteemed Pathogenic Microbiology expert Dr. Barbara Iglewski.

“As we begin the clinical development of our transformative Semprus Platform technology, Roger’s impressive experience and leadership skills will be invaluable to Semprus BioSciences,” said Chief Executive Officer David L. Lucchino. “We are delighted to have Roger on our team, and look forward to his many contributions.”

Dr. Smith received a Ph.D. and M.S. in Microbiology and Immunology from Rochester University, and a B.S. in Biology from Eastern University in Harrisonburg, VA.


About Semprus BioSciences
Semprus BioSciences is a venture-backed biomedical company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our innovative, multi-faceted Semprus technology signifies a breakthrough in medical device technology. Our current focus is to develop a vascular access catheter with the first single surface modification that is designed to simultaneously reduce microbial adherence and thrombus accumulation over the life of the device. In December 2010, the company completed an $18 million Series B financing co-led by SR One, the corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline, and Foundation Medical Partners (FMP), a national healthcare venture capital investment firm with a strategic relationship with Cleveland Clinic. Combined with previous financing rounds, Semprus has raised a total of $28.5 million in equity.

Visit http://www.semprusbio.com for additional information.


Semprus BioSciences won Frost & Sullivan’s
“2010 North American Enabling Technology of the Year Award for Surface in Functionalization Technologies” for its
Semprus Platform in December 2010.


Semprus BioSciences was selected as one of
“50 Companies to Watch”
by Medical Devices & Diagnostics Industry magazine in June 2010.

About Semprus BioSciences:
Semprus BioSciences, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a venture-backed biomedical company with a dual mission: to provide complication-free medical devices designed to preserve patients’ long-term health and quality-of-life and to contribute to health care cost efficiencies. Our innovative, multi-faceted approach to durable surface modifications signifies a breakthrough in medical device technology. Our current focus is to enable the first permanently dual-functional (anti-colonization and anti-thrombogenic) vascular access catheter with a single surface modification.

Founded out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Langer Lab, the company has developed the next-generation biofunctional surface platform – which is focused on achieving clinical benefits that far exceed current market offerings containing silver, heparin, and antibiotic coatings. Through covalent chemical bonding of our Semprus Surfaces™, a permanent non-leaching biomaterial modification to the device surface, our technology is expected to vastly improve patient outcomes by preventing serious medical complications, such as infection, blood clots, improper healing, and cell overgrowth. We have assembled a world class product development team – scientists, industry executives and clinical experts – who specialize in reducing such complications at the confluence of the human body and implantable devices.

In December 2010, Semprus BioSciences completed an $18 million Series B financing round co-led by SR One, the corporate venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline, and Foundation Medical Partners (FMP), a national healthcare venture capital investment firm with a strategic relationship with Cleveland Clinic. Prior to this, Semprus completed a Series A financing round co-led by a venture capital firm focused on building next-generation life science companies, and Pangaea Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in advanced materials, energy, biomedical, and environmental technology companies, in December 2008. This funding came on the heels of our $2.5 million seed capital raised in 2007.

Additionally, we have worldwide licenses secured from MIT and the University of Washington, and hold numerous proprietary intellectual property filings. Our laboratory and office complex is located in Kendall Square, Cambridge's innovative biomedical center, and employs 27 full-time professionals.

Company Contact Information
Semprus BioSciences
Michael Devine
One Kendall Square
Building 1400W, 1st Floor
02139
Phone : 6175777755