FuturePharm

FuturePharm is a fictional scientific research company featured in the Iron Man family of comic book titles published by Marvel Comics. It was conceived by writer Warren Ellis in the first issue of Iron Man, volume 4.

History
FuturePharm was a biotechnical research institute located in Austin, Texas, specializing in bioelectrics and robotic microsurgery. Many years ago, defense contractors began funding Futurepharm in yet another of endless efforts to duplicate the legendary Super Soldier Serum, first developed by Doctor Abraham Erskine in the 1940s. Futurepharm's scientists created a process known as Extremis. Extremis was designed to invade a human body’s repair center and rewrites their genetic code, oftentimes re-growing entire limbs.

A short time ago, one of Futurepharm's most accomplished scientists, Doctor Maya Hansen, discovered that the government contractors were planning to scale back their research funds – a decision that would have crippled their research efforts. Hansen decided to take drastic action in order to preserve future government funding.

Maya and fellow scientist Aldrich Killian stole their Extremis project from Futurepharm and allowed it to fall into the hands of a domestic terrorist named Mallen. They knew that Mallen would develop super-powers from the process, and likely use them in a large-scale terrorist attack. Such an episode would galvanize defense contractors into increasing Futurepharm’s grants in order to perfect the research.

Shortly after releasing Extremis into Mallen's hands, Aldrich Killian realized that he could no longer deal with the guilt of handing over such a dangerous weapon into the hands of a mad man. He typed out a brief confession (without naming Hansen as his accomplice) and subsequently took his own life.

Soon after, Mallen raided the FBI offices in Houston, Texas and began arbitrarily slaughtering as many agents as he could. Maya Hansen contacted billionaire industrialist, Tony Stark, and together they labored to stop Mallen. Donning his Iron Man armor, Tony was unable to defeat the super-powered terrorist. In their initial struggle, Mallen nearly ended Iron Man’s life once and for all.

Futurepharm personnel arrived and airlifted the battered and broken Iron Man back to their lab in Austin. Maya cut away broken pieces of the armor and discovered the Avenger's secret identity. Tony knew that he was dying and asked Maya to infect him with the Extremis process. It was the only way to save his life. Reluctantly, Maya agreed, and Tony was reborn as a literal interface between man and machine. Iron Man tracked Mallen down and defeated him, taking his life in the process.

Only afterwards did Tony learn of Maya's involvement in allowing Extremis to fall into Mallen's hands. Iron Man flew back to FuturePharm armed with a squad of army personnel who promptly arrested Hansen.

Following the Skrull invasion of Earth, Tony Stark was branded a fugitive and a wanted criminal. He endeavored to destroy all existing Iron Man Armors that he had stored in armories across the country before they could be seized by Norman Osborn and his H.A.M.M.E.R. organization. He sent his trusted colleague Maria Hill to FuturePharm with instructions to destroy the facility.

Recomended reading

 * Iron Man, Volume 4 #1
 * Iron Man, Volume 4 #2
 * Iron Man, Volume 4 #3
 * Iron Man, Volume 4 #4
 * Iron Man, Volume 4 #5
 * Iron Man, Volume 4 #6