A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, Protein Manufacturing Start-Ups, features profiles of Chesapeake PERL Inc., Chlorogen Inc., ProteomTech Inc. and Psyche Pharmaceuticals Inc. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: ArgoLink Inc., Confirma Inc., FivePrime Therapeutics Inc. and QuantomiX Ltd.

ProteomTech Inc. has developed a protocol for speeding up the protein refolding process so it can be completed in 24-to-48 hours. It's strategy for generating revenues includes contract manufacturing for the research market, a service business that may one day grow to include manufacture of protein drugs

Should a disruptive protein production technology emerge, the current interest in developing large-molecule therapeutics assures there would be many takers.