The North Carolina Biotech Center (NCBC) is a state supported organization that facilitates and supports biotech research and product development in NC. In the early stages this funding can be critical to survival of the small entrepreneurial company. Countervail applied for support to the NCBC and was awarded a $25,000 collateral free small business loan to fund the early drug development regulatory activities that included the implementation of a pre-IND meeting with the FDA.