Business Development

Founded in 2009 by two young Fred Hutch researchers — computational biologist Harlan Robins and molecular biologist and geneticist Chris Carlson — Adaptive Biotechnologies has quickly become a leader in high-throughput DNA sequencing of immune system T cells and B cells for research and diagnostic purposes. In 2018, Adaptive announced a partnership with Microsoft Research to combine its sequencing technology with machine learning and artificial intelligence, with the goal of mapping the entire human immune system and eventually developing a universal blood test to detect any diseases a person’s body may be fighting.

Juno Therapeutics was founded in 2013 as a collaboration between Fred Hutch, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s Research Institute, combining cutting-edge immunotherapy expertise from all three institutions. With $120 million in Series A private investment funding, Juno was one of the largest biotech launches in history. Now a Celgene company, Juno focuses on developing innovative T-cell therapies to treat a broad range of cancers, with the goal of less long-term toxicity than current chemotherapy treatments and the potential to cure even patients with widespread disease.

Founded in 2014, Faraday Pharmaceuticals is advancing pioneering research from Mark Roth’s lab at Fred Hutch on how salts can temporarily shift a person’s metabolism to protect against injury when blood rushes back to a damaged area after circulation has stopped — such as after a heart attack. Roth, a 2007 MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant recipient, has served as president of the company and a member of the board of directors since its founding.