“What’s the matter with the lab you already have?” Stanton asked.
“The lab belongs to Harvard,” Edward said. “I have to get the Ultra project away from Harvard because of a participation agreement I signed when I accepted my position.”
“Is this going to cause us some problems?” Stanton asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” Edward said. “The agreement concerns discoveries made on company time using company equipment. I’ll argue that I discovered Ultra on my own time, which is technically correct although I’ve done the preliminary separation and synthesis on company time. Anyway, the bottom line is that I’m not afraid of some legal harassment. After all, Harvard doesn’t own me.”
“How about the development period?” Stanton asked. “How much shorter do you think you could make that?”
“A lot,” Edward said. “One of the things about Ultra that has impressed me is how unbelievably nontoxic it appears to be. I believe this fact alone will make FDA approval a breeze since characterizing specific toxicities is what takes so damn much time.”
“So you’re talking about getting FDA approval years sooner than the average,” Stanton said.
“Without doubt,” Edward said. “Animal studies will be accelerated if there’s no toxicity to worry about, and the clinical portion can be collapsed by combining phase II and phase III with the FDA’s expedited schedule.”
“The expedited plan is for drugs targeted for life-threatening diseases,” Kim said. From her experience in the SICU she knew something about experimental drug testing.
“If Ultra is as efficacious for depression as I think it will prove to be,” Edward said, “I’m confident we can make a case for it in relation to some serious illness.”
“What about western Europe and Asia?” Stanton asked. “FDA approval is not needed to market a drug in those areas.”
“Very true,” Edward said. “The USA is not the only pharmaceutical market.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Stanton said. “I can easily raise four to five million without having to give up more than a token amount of equity since most of it would come from my own resources. How does that sound?”
“It sounds fantastic,” Edward said. “When can you start?”
“Tomorrow,” Stanton said. “I’ll start raising the money and organizing the legal work to set up the corporation as well as to start the patent applications.”
“Do you know if we can patent the core of the molecule?” Edward asked. “I’d love the patent to cover any drug formulated with the core.”
“I don’t know, but I can find out,” Stanton said.
“While you’re seeing to the financial and legal aspects,” Edward said, “I’ll start the process of setting up the lab. The first question will be where to site it. I’d like to have it someplace handy because I’ll be spending a lot of time there.”
“Cambridge is a good location,” Stanton said.
“I want it away from Harvard,” Edward said.
“How about the Kendall Square area?” Stanton suggested. “It’s far enough away from Harvard and yet close enough to your apartment.”
Edward turned to Kim and their eyes met. Kim guessed what he was thinking so she nodded. It was a gesture imperceptible to the Lewises.
“Actually I’m moving out of Cambridge at the end of August,” Edward said. “I’m moving to Salem.”
“Edward is coming to live with me,” Kim said, knowing it would quickly get back to her mother. “I’m renovating the old house on the family compound.”
“That’s wonderful,” Candice said.
“You old rogue,” Stanton said as he reached across the table and gave Edward a light punch in the shoulder.
“For once in my life my personal life is going as well as my professional life,” Edward said.
“Why don’t we site the company somewhere on the North Shore?” Stanton suggested. “Hell, commercial rents up there must be a fraction of what they are in the city.”
“Stanton, you’ve just given me a great idea,” Edward said. He turned sideways to look at Kim. “What about that mill-turned-stables on the compound? It would make a perfect lab for this kind of project because of its isolation.”
“I don’t know,” Kim stammered. She’d been caught totally unawares by the suggestion.
“I’m talking about Omni renting the space from you and your brother,” Edward said, warming to the idea. “As you’ve mentioned, the compound is a burden. I’m sure some legitimate rent could be a real help.”