CYVAX program helps bioscience startups accelerate from idea to impact
As the CYVAX program was being developed in partnership with the Iowa State University Research Park, lead Mike Roof says the overarching goal was to address a challenge that had long plagued bioscience startups: how to bridge the "Valley of Death" between a test tube and a commercially viable product.
“In vaccines and immunotherapeutics, scale-up and manufacturing are often the missing links,” says Roof, Iowa State’s Chief Technology Officer for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics. “That’s where most promising companies stall out—and where CYVAX comes in.”
Launched in 2021, CYVAX is a small-scale, shared wet-lab environment located within the ISU Research Park that helps early-stage biotech companies move from bench science to real-world production. Funded by the state of Iowa and operated with strategic support from ISU and the Research Park, the program has already supported eight startups—five in animal health, others in human and plant sciences—and boasts a 100% continuation rate among participants.
From Concept to Commercialization
CYVAX is part of a broader statewide initiative known as the Iowa Biosciences Platform, a key recommendation of the “Techonomy” report that identified four areas where Iowa could lead nationally in technology innovation. The program directly supports Iowa’s economic development goals by helping to commercialize university research, launch and grow bioscience companies, and create high-value jobs in the state.
“CYVAX meets all three of those objectives,” Roof says. “It gives local founders a place to grow and keep their company in Iowa, creates careers and opportunities for Iowans to stay here, and serves as an entry point for recruiting new businesses.”
By removing major financial and logistical barriers for startups—such as the need to purchase expensive fermentation or filtration equipment—CYVAX provides a critical jumpstart.
“We’ve used our funds to provide that capital investment upfront,” Roof says. “So when companies arrive, there’s no delay. They can work tomorrow.”
Speeding Up Success
The timeline advantage is one of CYVAX’s strongest selling points. Roof estimates that startups working through CYVAX reduce their development time from two to three years down to six to twelve months—a difference that can make or break a young company.
“We’ve had eight companies go through it, and none have failed,” Roof says. “A lot of startups in this stage would otherwise give up or sell out. CYVAX helps them hold on to their vision and get across that critical threshold.”
One standout example is Hermes Biomaterials, a plant-based technology company that has grown from one to ten employees with support from CYVAX.
“It’s like watching your grandkids grow up,” Roof says. “They’ve used the tools, the space, the programming—and they’re becoming commercially successful.”
Workforce Wins
Beyond technical scale-up, CYVAX also provides training that supports Iowa’s growing biotech workforce. The program offers five workforce development sessions each year, covering fermentation, bioreactors, filtration, mRNA, and cell-based technologies. Iowa companies frequently send employees through these courses to upskill their teams.
“This wasn’t something we initially set out to do, but it’s been a huge bonus,” Roof says. “The companies not only get their tech scaled, but they get people trained to step in and support it.”
Currently, CYVAX is operating at full capacity, with four companies utilizing the space at any given time. Roof says discussions are underway to scale the program in a way that can support more companies.
“We’ve proven the value of the concept,” Roof says. “Now we’re working on our next steps.”
Learn more about CYVAX at https://immunovac.bioconnectiowa.org/cyvax/