First String Research, Inc. (FSR) is a biotech, tissue engineering, R&D stage company located in Charleston, South Carolina. FSR is a technology spin-off from the laboratory of Professor Robert Gourdie at MUSC.  FSR's technology is a form of tissue engineering, which modulates the cellular response to injury. The application of this technology may prove to be appropriate for many different types of trauma and injury (external or internal) in the human body, including those occurring skin, heart or spinal cord. First String was incorporated in 2005 and has successfully identified and tested formulations for acute and chronic wound healing therapies.  Its lead topical compound, ACT 1, is undergoing its final pre-indication GLP study - upon the conclusion of which an indication package will be submitted to the FDA for human study approval.  FSR is also in pre-clinical testing of a second topical compound and has ongoing laboratory testing for 8 additional, non-topical therapeutic indications.

FSR currently employs 2 direct full-time employees (FTE), 1 full-time consultant, 1 indirect FTE through MUSC contract, and 1 part-time consultant.  FSR does not have any commercial revenue, however they have received a large sum of money in the forms of grants (described below).  FSR received the following in research dollars:

• Received Federal Grant in 2006.
• First String has raised equity-based financing commitments and plans to raise an additional money this year
• In 2007 FSR joined forces with MUSC and SCRA to respond to a DoD grant request for wound healing technologies.