A Lawrence-based bioscience company that is working on technology to block diseases such as cancer soon will be doing its scientific work in the East Hills Business Park.

Deciphera LLC, which literally came to town four years ago in a pickup truck, is poised to consolidate its Lawrence laboratories and offices into a 67,376-square-foot building at East Hills.

While the company won’t occupy the entire building, its decision to use at least some of the space will be part of a larger plan to provide high-tech labs in town – all in a building built four years ago as a joint economic-development project of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, city of Lawrence and Douglas County government.

Mike Maddox, chairman of the Lawrence-Douglas County Economic Development Board, said that while he was unfamiliar with the particulars of the project, any decision to use the so-called “spec” building – and particularly for a promising bioscience company – would be a welcome move.

“It’s a big opportunity for Lawrence,” Maddox said. “It will demonstrate to everybody in the state that Lawrence wants to be a player as it relates to bioscience economic-development opportunities.”

Details of the project – a partnership of the chamber, Kansas Bioscience Authority and perhaps others – are scheduled to be unveiled today at the chamber offices, 734 Vt.

Deciphera recently completed a round of venture capital financing as it continues development of molecular “blockers” to proteins that cause diseases such as cancer.

Deciphera President and CEO Daniel Flynn – who co-founded the company in Cambridge, Mass. – has emphasized his desire to keep the company in Lawrence, despite inevitable pressures to move elsewhere. The company’s offices and labs currently are in separate locations near Bob Billings Parkway and Wakarusa Drive.

City and county commissioners, meanwhile, previously have committed to setting aside a combined $400,000 a year for 10 years to finance bioscience initiatives – particularly development of high-tech lab space that would serve as an incubator for promising companies and technologies.

The Kansas Bioscience Authority already has backed such an initiative in Manhattan, and Lawrence has been on the short list of possibilities for financing from the authority.