Innovation. Growth. Lifesaving discoveries. These are the hallmarks of OMRF. Yet OMRF is more than one of the nation’s premiere biomedical research institutes; it is a powerful economic engine in the state of Oklahoma. In 2009, OMRF secured more than $32 million in out-of-state grants and contracts. Those grant awards help support approximately 500 jobs at OMRF, which has an annual payroll of $31 million. Indeed, the average full-time salary at OMRF is $58,000, well above Oklahoma’s average wage of $35,000. And each job at OMRF also creates, on average, an additional job in the state, generating another $17 million in salaries for Oklahomans each year.The work of OMRF scientists also has yielded more than 600 domestic and international patents. Each patented discovery represents a potential breakthrough in the fight against human disease and a potential new business venture. In fact, OMRF has spun off a dozen biotech companies. Those businesses, in turn, fuel widespread private-sector growth, creating high-quality, high-paying jobs, many right here in Oklahoma.

OMRF is now embarking on a major expansion, adding 300 new scientists and staff members. This new research talent will mean crucial inroads against human disease. And major dividends for the state’s economy.

The work of OMRF scientists also has yielded more than 500 domestic and international patents. These patents speed the movement of discoveries from bench to bedside, ensuring that patients receive the treatments they need in the shortest possible time. And every one of these patented discoveries represents a potential revenue source. With each patent that gives birth to a new drug, OMRF—and Oklahoma’s economy—can reap millions of dollars.Each patented discovery also represents a potential new business venture, and OMRF has spun off numerous biotech start-up companies. These companies, in turn, fuel widespread private-sector growth, creating high-quality, high-paying jobs, many right here in Oklahoma.

OMRF Spinoff Companies:

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Bridge-Blood Technology (now part of Bioenvision, Inc.)
Centaur, Inc. (now a part of Renovis, Inc.)
HealthAide, Inc.
InterGenetics, Inc.
J.K. Autoimmunity
Molecular Image, Inc.
Onconos, INC.
ProteomTech, Inc.
Riley Genomics, Inc.
Zapaq, Inc. (now part of Athenagen, Inc.)

With OMRF set to embark on a major expansion, its role on the state’s economy will continue to grow. The keystone of this expansion is a planned research tower, which, when completed, is projected to house more than 300 new scientists, technicians and support staff. Adding new research talent will, of course, help OMRF achieve its core mission—finding treatments and cures for deadly diseases. But it also will pay major economic dividends to the state, in the form of well-compensated, intellectually rewarding jobs.