Arkis BioSciences®, a high-tech medical device company that has brought more than $6 million in investments and employment opportunities to the region, officially opened a new state-of-the-art facility at Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus, the University of Tennessee’s research and development park.
Since its founding in 2013, Arkis BioSciences has operated from the University of Tennessee Research Foundation Business Incubator before expanding to Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus, a strategic move that provides access to the resources of the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials (JIAM), the University of Tennessee, UT Medical Center and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Arkis BioSciences offers a portfolio of neurosurgical tools and advanced catheters that are designed to streamline surgeries, reduce risks, enhance treatment outcomes and lower the overall cost of care. In August, Arkis obtained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of its new external ventricular drainage (EVD) catheter, CerebroFlo™, marking an expansion of Arkis’ surgical line and extending its reach into neurocritical care.
“Arkis provides innovative surgical solutions designed to be less invasive and more reliable, which incorporate new advanced materials,” said Chad Seaver, CEO of Arkis BioSciences. “Our move to the Innovation Campus and collaboration with JIAM will accelerate Arkis’ expansion of advanced materials-based devices.”
Cherokee Farm offers tenants like Arkis BioSciences unparalleled resources, including access to JIAM, a world-class materials science research facility. The $56 million, 140,000-square-foot JIAM facility offers research capabilities, including polymer labs and advanced microscopy.
“The resources of Cherokee Farm are an ideal fit for Arkis BioSciences,” Cherokee Farm Development Corporation President and CEO Cliff Hawks said. “Our goal is to provide companies the most powerful research and development resources, and we designed this campus with companies like Arkis BioSciences in mind.”
The grand opening event, which took place at Arkis BioSciences’ 6,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, drew researchers, educators, elected officials and business and community leaders.
“Partnerships with outstanding companies like Arkis BioSciences benefit all parties as we work towards our goal to increase innovation and entrepreneurship as part of Vol Vision 2020,” UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport said. “We are particularly proud that a company with roots in our business incubator is expanding to Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus.”
Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus is the only research and development park in the Southeast affiliated with both a major research university and a national research laboratory. It includes more than 77 developable acres along the Tennessee River and is a collaboration of UT and ORNL.
“At the University of Tennessee, we are on a mission to advance knowledge and solve problems through research,” said Stacey Patterson, interim UT vice president for research, outreach, and economic development. “Cherokee Farm is playing a key role in fulfilling our research mission as home to the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials, an unmatched center for high-end research.”
In addition to the expertise of JIAM, Cherokee Farm tenants have access to world-leading resources in computational science, advanced materials research and testing, neutron science and biological sciences. Tenants can work in collaboration with the university and ORNL in a way that not only benefits the company, but also benefits the community by advancing the commercialization of research.
“The quality of innovation that will be generated from companies like Arkis BioSciences at Cherokee Farm will have a widespread positive impact,” UT President Joe DiPietro said. “Today’s announcement is evidence of years of steady progress toward the vision for Cherokee Farm.”
Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus is an ideal fit for firms that will benefit from close partnerships with UT and ORNL and access to the research capabilities of the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials. The campus is located in the heart of Innovation Valley, the corridor linking ORNL and McGhee Tyson Airport and provides regional economic development and world-class resources in science, technology and business. For leasing information, visit http://www.cherokeefarm.org.
About Arkis BioSciences
Arkis BioSciences is a leading innovator and provider of minimally invasive surgical instrumentation and advanced catheter technology, for neuro-, general-, and plastic-surgeries. The company’s surgical instrumentation product line and its proprietary Single Pass™ workflow aim to provide less invasive and less traumatic procedures. Arkis additionally provides advanced materials for neuro catheters, which incorporate Endexo®. Arkis BioSciences is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and began operations in 2013. For further information, please visit www.arkisbiosciences.com.
About Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus
Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus in Knoxville, Tennessee, is the Southeast’s only research and development (R&D) park where the resources of a major research university and a leading national laboratory are combined with globally recognized researchers expressly for the benefit of tenants. The campus is a collaborative effort of the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Located on 188 acres on the banks of the Tennessee River, the campus has 77 developable acres and includes 16 building sites that support approximately 1.6 million square feet of development. Parcels are available for immediate development, and space is available for leasing. For more information, visit www.cherokeefarm.org.