Manon Cox typically arrives at her office each morning by 7:30 a.m. and is usually the last one to leave each night.
As president and CEO of Protein Sciences, a Meriden biotech company with 30 years of experience developing and producing vaccines for use against influenza and other diseases, Cox is dedicated and passionate about the cutting-edge work being done there.
Protein Sciences, which posted revenues of more than $32 million last year and hopes to exceed $40 million this year, has several late-stage patented recombinant protein-based vaccines, including two influenza vaccines (FluBlok and recombinant neuraminidase) that have completed Phase III and II(b) human clinical trials, respectively.
The company, which was also recognized as a business champion last year, currently has about 90 employees in Meriden, with 20 more at its newest manufacturing facility in Pearl River, N.Y.
Flublok is a highly purified protein vaccine that does not require the growth of the influenza virus, or adjuvants, or antibiotics. The vaccine uses recombinant DNA technology to prevent the flu and was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people aged 18 to 49.
“We are bringing innovation to the vaccine industry,” Cox says. “Influenza is an important disease that claims more lives than HIV in the U.S. This is exciting as we are breaking new ground.”
Cox joined Protein Sciences in 1998 as director of business development, becoming COO in 2000 and CEO in 2010. After completing her MBA in 1997, Cox says she was looking to join a biotechnology company and pursued an opportunity with Protein Sciences because she admired the company’s scientific and entrepreneurial leadership.
“I followed the company over many years as they attempted to use the BEVS technology to make an HIV vaccine,” Cox said. “I had been interested in this technology since my graduate work in the late eighties when I wrote a paper on its potential.” BEVS refers to vectors used by researchers to carry new genes into insect cells.
Protein Sciences boasts three central business lines in support of its mission to save lives and improve health, including:
• Proprietary vaccines — Developing and producing the next generation of safer and more effective vaccines.
• GeneXpress product development and manufacturing services — Partnering with other companies to develop and manufacture cGLP- and cGMP-grade biologic materials.
• Research antigens — Offering a variety of high quality purified antigens and antibodies to the scientific community for disease research.
While the company’s rapid growth does present its share of challenges, including building and maintaining a team of excellence that adheres to the values Protein Sciences espouses, Cox is very pleased with the team she has assembled.
“Most people enjoy being on the edge of innovation, developing products that make other people’s lives better, or even save lives.” Cox says. “Our staff generally has high energy, is happy and excited to come to work all day. There is a lot of work to be done. I look for people that present solutions, get things done and are creative.”
Part of successfully building that team, according to Cox, is all about location.
“Connecticut is a very attractive state to live in and we are therefore able to attract talent to the region,” she says. “We are surrounded by some great universities and are close to NYC and Boston — centers of finance and technological innovation.”
Protein Sciences is always trying new things and looking for innovative ways to keep its employees motivated and energized. The company sponsors weekly luncheons, bi-weekly company meetings, monthly events held away from the office, and at least two annual parties that include family members. In addition, Protein Sciences welcomes guest speakers and sends its employees to scientific conferences and meetings to present their work to professional colleagues.
“Protein Sciences is fantastic for the opportunities it presents,” says Dr. Rachael Felberbaum, manager, Scientific Communications, who has been with the company for two years. “We are developing and implementing industry-changing vaccines that will make a real impact on global health. And because we are a small company, there are ample opportunities to get involved.”
Felberbaum believes Protein Science’s way of making vaccines — without growing pathogens — is the future and she says the company can provide global health solutions where others can’t.
“Vaccines are such an important part of public health; by preventing disease, they promote a healthier world — not to mention, offer a solution to the rising costs of healthcare,” Felberbaum said.
In the coming years, Cox says she would like to add new products to the Protein Sciences portfolio and position the company as a true market leader in influenza vaccine.
For now, she is more than happy to happy to celebrate the moment with her team.
“It is fabulous and rewarding that we are recognized for our hard work and accomplishments over many years,” she said.H
