By D. Gregory (Greg) Main

Michigan has a long history of innovation in the life sciences that dates back to 1866 founding of Parke-Davis in Detroit, at one time the largest pharmaceutical company in the United States, and two decades later with the Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo. This rich tradition in successful entrepreneurship has given birth to some of the leading medical instrument and supply companies in the world being founded right here in Michigan. Innovators such as Stryker, Neogen, Terumo and Ash Stevens are but a few examples. Today, Michigan is experiencing a growing community of innovative start-up companies, such as Esperion Therapeutics, Genomic Solutions, and Innovative BioTherapies, all of whom have one thing in common - they are developing leading-edge drug therapies and biologics for the marketplace.