Tom Cantor, Revelle ’73, and his wife, Cheryl, started Scantibodies Laboratory in his garage with $130. They had just graduated three years previously and were determined to put their biochemistry and international studies educations into practical use by developing and manufacturing medical tests.

Today, thirty years later, Scantibodies has grown into a debt-free, international company of more than 450 people, manufacturing over 1500 products, ranging from “First Response” and “Answer” pregnancy kits, to serums and test kits for dialysis patients. Through its supply to other companies, Scantibodies components or test kits can be found in virtually every clinical lab in the world.

In 1978, the Cantors sold their home and garage in San Diego and moved to a ranch in Lakeside, Calif., where they cared for, immunized and harvested antibodies from 300 goats and 300 rabbits.

During the 1990’s, Scantibodies opened strategic office locations in Penzberg, ­Germany, Paris, France, and Tokyo, Japan. The company, which remains private, began construction on a custom-built 125,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Tecate in 2006, where it now has a state-of-the-art mouse vivarium designed to produce viral free mice in breeding quarters for the production of specific antibodies. The facility also houses research and cell-culture laboratories.

Not bad, for starting with $130 in your family garage.

Written by Serena Renner, ’08, and Raymond Hardie

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