By Staff
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
I embarked on the entrepreneurial path driven by a profound sense of responsibility and a keen observation of gaps within the field of medicine. My true passion lies in the realm of scientific progress, particularly with a deep affinity for virology and microbiology. The invisible world that exists beyond the naked eye has always fascinated me. While we navigate the macroscopic, there are constantly unfolding microscopic battles that have a profound impact on our lives. It became clear to me that I had an obligation to harness my insatiable hunger for knowledge and my unwavering resilience in the pursuit of scientific applications.
Infectious diseases stand as one of the foremost causes of global morbidity and mortality. Bacteria and viruses show no preference for age, race, or convenience. My vision has always been to establish a company dedicated to developing groundbreaking therapeutics and intellectual property. These include new diagnostic tools, new cell and gene therapies, discovering new molecular pathways or molecules, and drug development. These endeavors aim to advance the fields of diagnostics testing, drug discovery and genomic engineering, effectively addressing the pressing challenges posed by infectious diseases and other complex medical issues.
Tell us about your company and your role.
I proudly serve as the Founder and CEO of Xyma Industries, LLC (Xyma (xymaindustries.com)). Xyma Industries is a dynamic biopharmaceutical (or life science) startup, deeply committed to the realms of curative and personalized medicine. Our focus lies in drug discovery, biotechnology, and regenerative medicine, particularly within the realms of cell and gene therapies. Our overarching goal is to harness the capabilities of our research and development teams in Diagnostics Innovation, Cell/Gene Therapy Innovation, and Drug Discovery Innovation to combat diseases that have significantly impacted the human quality of life. Our primary areas of interest include infectious diseases (initially STDs – HIV I/II/AIDS, HSV I/II) given their elusive and complex nature. Additionally, we are committed to dedicating our resources to gaining a deeper understanding of serious Central Nervous System disorders, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), as well as cancers affecting the head, neck, and pancreas.
What are your top three goals for your company?
The top three goals of my company are:
- Securing Resources for Research Advancement: Our foremost goal is to secure the necessary funding to establish well-equipped laboratory facilities, procure essential equipment, and assemble a highly capable research team. This foundation will underpin our ongoing research efforts.
- Developing Innovative Therapeutics (3 Phases): We aspire to successfully develop an Investigational New Drug (IND) or cell/gene therapy that exhibits the potential to disrupt the
viral replication cycles of the varying infectious diseases mentioned earlier, ultimately reducing or eradicating the viral load without adverse side effects. This involves rigorous computational modeling, FDA-approved animal studies, and advancing through Phases 1 to 4 of Human Clinical Trials. We aspire to successfully develop innovative diagnostic tools for infectious diseases that reduce turnaround time, increase false positive efficiency readings, and potentially limit cost while increasing availability. We also plan to dedicate resources to furthering innovation within cell and gene therapies, which can be applicable essentially to any disease or disorder with the necessary alterations and testing (incurable STDs, ALS, MS, and different cancer subtypes)
- Market Entry and Collaboration: Our third goal is to bring our FDA-approved products to market and offer our proprietary technology, including drugs, diagnostic tools, molecular pathways, and molecules, to other life science companies. Collaboration and partnerships will play a crucial role in our growth and impact.
What does success look like for you?
Success, from my perspective, manifests as transformative discoveries in the domains of genomic engineering, diagnostics, and drug discovery. Patience is a fundamental aspect of our mission, and any form of progress over time is considered a success. Furthermore, success involves creating opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds, with a particular emphasis on people of color, who exhibit excellence in their respective fields. This endeavor is rooted in a commitment to humanity, and we aim to provide opportunities to those with unique expertise, a thirst for learning, and the fortitude to tackle challenges with creativity and determination.
What can be done to motivate African Americans to advocate more about their health?
To motivate African Americans and indeed all individuals to prioritize their health, several key actions should be taken:
- Embrace Technology and Research: Leverage the innovative potential of technology to empower individuals to conduct research and due diligence about their health. This includes understanding what is normal for their bodies without attempting self-diagnosis. Technology can also connect individuals to reliable healthcare resources and information.
- Build Trusting Relationships with Healthcare Providers: Foster trusting relationships with healthcare providers who not only believe patients but also empathize with their unique circumstances. Healthcare professionals should offer resources and create a comfortable environment for open dialogue.
- Engage in Clinical Research Education: Encourage a deeper understanding of the clinical research process, its importance, and its ethical safeguards. Highlight the significance of clinical trials as opportunities for individuals to contribute to medical advancements while receiving compensation for their participation.
- Acknowledge Past Injustices: Acknowledge historical injustices such as the Tuskegee experiments and the case of Henrietta Lacks. Emphasize that modern clinical research prioritizes participant protection, anonymity, and the generation of unbiased and truthful data. Promote awareness of the stringent ethical standards upheld in contemporary clinical trials.
Where would you like to see your company in the next five years?
In the next five years, I envision Xyma Industries having made substantial strides, representing around 35% to 40% progress toward our research objectives. This achievement would encompass acquiring essential laboratory infrastructure, securing consistent funding to overcome upcoming challenges, and establishing fruitful collaborations with other life science companies, including small cell providers, pre-clinical testing experts, and specialists in chemistry and biological synthesis.
Furthermore, we aim to have a clear understanding of the novel therapeutics and intellectual property that we can offer to the industry. This knowledge will not only guide our collaborative efforts but also pave the way for Xyma Industries to carve out a unique and impactful niche within the biopharmaceutical landscape.
Our Mission
We aim to collaborate with companies possessing proprietary technology within the biotechnology sector, particularly in the fields of genomic engineering and sequencing. These partnerships are integral to advancing our research and development endeavors in infectious disease diagnostics, as well as cell and gene therapies.
These groundbreaking scientific advancements and diverse innovations will provide us with a deeper comprehension of the potential for eventual eradication of the aforementioned illnesses. Our mission is to pioneer drugs that can effectively rectify these issues by uncovering novel cellular mechanisms, signaling pathways, and molecules essential for gene editing.
About Jason Clark
A native of Baltimore, MD – Jason received his B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University in 2018. After completing his undergraduate degree, he utilized his acumen and passion for research and science as a researcher at the Naval Medical Research Center (also known as Walter Reed Army Institute of Research) in the Neurotrauma branch under the United States Department of Defense.
He then relocated to Atlanta, GA where he worked in Clinical Research/Clinical Trials at the site level in Investigational Products (drug development). Once he excelled at the site level, he yearned for a more well-rounded knowledge base. This resulted in shifting to the Clinical Research Organization (CRO) level to work in the monitoring & managing of medical device & biotech. clinical trials.
This heavy research background allowed him to understand the 3 levels that clinical trials require to successfully study the efficacy of a drug or device (Sponsor, CRO, & Site.) By creating a company considered to be a sponsor, he has a firm grasp on the stages of Drug Development & phases of a clinical trial required to safely study for human benefit.
