History

A unique aspect of Beech Tree Labs (BTL) that distinguishes it from biotech start-ups is the amount of technology, and the corresponding number of indications, it owns. This level of proven capability is the result of the efforts of its founder and president, John McMichael, Ph.D., and the network of practicing physicians, medical scientists, and business people he has developed over decades of investigating Resonant Molecular Signaling therapies.

In 1993, Dr. McMichael, an immunologist and virologist, founded Milkhaus Laboratory, Inc. (MLI), a for-profit biopharmaceutical company specializing in low-dosage medicines which produce placebo-level adverse effects. MLI completed several successful FDA, USDA, and IRB-authorized clinical evaluations of products for the treatment of respiratory, urologic, and oncologic disorders. In great measure, this success can be attributed to Dr. McMichael’s network which allows for the unusually efficient discovery and evaluation of potential new therapeutic products. The expertise of this multi-disciplinary team is evidenced by a growing portfolio of more than 100 issued patents and twice that number of patents pending worldwide, most of which MLI has assigned to Beech Tree Labs, and which are in addition to BTL’s own portfolio. 

Characterizing the success of this approach, MLI’s patent position led to a licensing agreement with Élan Corporation, plc, a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Under that agreement, Élan obtained rights to MLI’s intellectual property relating to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Élan then embodied that technology in FDA-authorized clinical trials which are in progress. Early results have appeared in the scientific and popular presses. 

Reflecting the degree of diversity of Dr. McMichael’s inventions, in late 2003 MLI spun off its veterinary subsidiary to form an independent corporation, Milkhaus Veterinary Products, Inc. (MVP). Using the approach described above, MVP completed a successful USDA-authorized evaluation of its product LDI-100 for the treatment of mast cell tumors in dogs with results published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research.¹ MVP has also conducted trials for the treatment of kennel cough in dogs and heaves (respiratory distress), reproductive disorders, and connective tissue disorders in horses.

In 2004, after the MLI Board of Directors decided to focus the company’s efforts toward nutraceutical products of botanical origin, Dr. McMichael founded BTL in order to continue his efforts in developing a range of potential therapeutic products. Beech Tree Labs is positioned to enable the discovery and early-stage development of these agents which can then be licensed to appropriate company partners who complete the required clinical and regulatory work in order to bring products to market.

Reference

1. “Clinical comparison of LDI-100, a preparation containing human chorionic gonadotropin and BCG, to single-agent vinblastine for treatment of canine mast cell tumors,” Carolyn J. Henry, Sue Downing, Robert C. Rosenthal, Mary Kay Klein, Kari Meleo, J. Armando Villamil, Linda S. Fineman, Dudley L. McCaw, Mary Lynn Higginbotham, and John McMichael. American Journal of Veterinary Research, Vol. 68, No. 11, 1246-1251, November 2007.