(St. Joseph, Mo.) – Antibiotic technology developed by a tenant of the Innovation Stockyard in the Kit Bond Science and Technology Incubator at Missouri Western State University has been purchased by a newly formed pharmaceutical company.

Sopharmia, Inc., founded by Dr. Larry Sutton, MD, PhD, has announced the closing of a $3.3 million Series A venture capital financing round and the formation of Gladius Pharmaceuticals Inc. based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Sopharmia’s antibiotic technology is now wholly owned by Gladius Pharmaceuticals.

Sopharmia’s team pioneered dual mechanism small molecule antibiotics that combine antibiotic functionality with activity against one of the main causes of antibiotic resistance, beta-lactamase inhibition. Dr. Sutton and his team did a large portion of their work at the Innovation Stockyard, a business and life sciences incubator.

“We are so excited to see technology that was developed in the Innovation Stockyard coming to fruition,” said Ronan Molloy, president of Innovation Stockyard. “Antibiotic resistance is a serious issue that globally affects both human and animal medicine and it is encouraging to see progress being made on this front.”

While Sopharmia, LLC will graduate from the Innovation Stockyard, Dr. Sutton and his team will not be leaving St. Joseph. They will orchestrate Gladius Pharmaceuticals’ North American research and development operations from their new company Sopharmbique LLC that will also be housed in the Innovation Stockyard.

“This financing enables us to accelerate the advancement of our lead compound,” said Dr. Sutton, “Innovation Stockyard has helped us through good times and bad. We’re pleased to continue this relationship with them.”

“We are very fortunate that Dr. Sutton and his team will remain at Innovation Stockyard,” said Dr. Tammy Platt, Innovation Stockyard’s science officer. “Their expertise is a great asset to our current and future tenants. We are working to create an environment where entrepreneurs can not only have space to work on their ideas, but have access to expertise in a variety of fields in an interactive atmosphere that encourages communication and collaboration with fellow entrepreneurs.”

The funding transaction was final on June 22, 2015 and Sopharmbique plans to be moved into its space and starting work shortly after the first of July, 2015.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety announced the arrest Monday of 41-year-old Jon Rubendall and 39-year-old James Bost, both of Hiawatha, Kansas.

The men were charged in the death of 44-year-old Allen Pafford, of Nodaway, Iowa. Bond for both men was set at $1 million.

An affidavit says authorities found Pafford tied up in a workshop near his mother’s home in Nodaway, with a bedsheet wrapped around his head and neck and a bullet wound in the back of his head.

According to the document, Bost told authorities that Pafford owed Rubendall $3,000 for drugs.

Authorities from Iowa and Kansas arrested Bost and Rubendall in Hiawatha.

Saint Joseph police are investigating the death of an eleven-day-old baby boy.

Officers responding to a call Monday night found the infant in a northend residence.

Capt. Jeff Wilson said an autopsy will be performed today.

Officers are releasing few details at this point as the investigation into the death continues.

Wilson said it could be a little while before further details are released.

The City of St. Joseph said it’s ready to kick off its Independence Day celebration.

The City plans to host a fireworks display and entertainment on July 4th. It said many people will be able to view the fireworks from their home in the city. However, if you prefer to join the crowds of people at public gatherings, you have several choices.

Heritage Park Softball Complex will open to the public at 6pm, and offers a large pavilion with food and beverage concessions, restrooms, shade, and extensive lawn and bleacher seating. At 7pm, Larry Buck and the East Bank All-Stars will play a mix of various musical styles to please the crowd. They will play into the fireworks display. Heritage is family-friendly and a safe place to view the show.

The large parking lot at the Remington Nature Center will be open at 6pm for motorists to gather and watch the fireworks. There will be portable toilets for the public’s convenience. Cravings Concessions will have a trailer with food and soft drinks.
The fireworks display will begin at dark. The guesstimate is that will be between 9:30-9:45pm when the display will begin.

The fireworks are shot from Wyeth Hill and the park will be closed all day for the Aerial FX crew to set their display.

MacArthur Drive will be closed beginning at 9pm and will not reopen until after the fireworks.

Post fireworks traffic will exit in the right lane via MacArthur Drive and all traffic in the left lane will exit by Highland Avenue.

Special effects shells include parachutes, spirals, hearts, bowtie, stars, and many new effects.  Aerial FX is a St. Joseph pyrotechnics company.

The city said reminds participants that there will be no personal fireworks allowed at any of the viewing sites.

Help has arrived for a massive power restoration effort in Kansas City. Tens of thousands were left without power by severe weather last week, and many were still in the dark Monday morning.

Nearly a thousand utility workers from throughout the region are lending a hand in Kansas City.

Hundreds of utilities contributed crews to the effort. Many of them spent the night in St Joseph before heading south for the restoration effort.

Kansas City Power and Light reported about 1,500 customers still without power Monday morning.

Severe storms last week left nearly 160,000 utility customers without power.