Entrepreneur Insight: Al Hawkins, Milo Biotechnology

Driven by the rarity of the disease and the fact that there were no viable therapies on the market, Al Hawkins set out on a mission to enhance the lives of patients diagnosed with debilitating and incurable muscular dystrophies. In 2012, he founded Milo Biotechnology, a clinical-stage startup working to develop gene therapies to treat these conditions.

The Cleveland-based company recently received a joint investment from JumpStart’s Evergreen Fund and Columbus-based Rev1’s Catalyst Fund. This was JumpStart’s second investment in the company (the first was made in early 2012). Milo’s latest round of capital will be used to prepare for multi-center clinical trials that are slated to begin later this year.

Hawkins has spent the better part of the last decade advancing the biomedical field in Northeast Ohio. As a CEO-in-Residence at BioEnterprise, he had a hand in developing Deep Brain Innovations, Abeona Therapeutics and Milo. Watch the video below to learn more about Hawkins’ entrepreneurial journey and discover what lies ahead for Milo Biotechnology.

This post is part of JumpStart’s “Insight” video series, a monthly feature introducing you to Northeast Ohio investors, entrepreneurs and organizations dedicated to helping entrepreneurs succeed.