(WIBW) - A bioscience entrepreneur will run as a Democrat for Kansas Governor.

Tom Wiggans filed paperwork Tuesday with the Secretary of State's office establishing his campaign committee.

He will challenge Republican Sen. Sam Brownback. Herb West has also announced as a Democratic candidate.

According to his web site, Wiggans has started and lead various bioscience and pharmaceutical companies, developing new treatments for infertility, heart disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, and kidney, liver and skin cancers.

He was most recently Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Peplin, Inc., a bioscience company developing a product for skin cancer and other serious skin diseases. Peplin, Inc. was recently acquired by LEO Pharma of Copenhagen Denmark.

Wiggans is a political newcomer. However, he says his experience managing businesses and balancing budgets made him "the best candidate to lead our state through this financial storm, create economic growth and good-paying jobs and keep our young people in Kansas."

Wiggans lives in Olathe. His wife, Kathryn, is a nurse. They have two teenage daughters, Liz and Amanda.

Wiggans was born and raised in Fredonia in Wilson County, Kansas where his father and grandfather operated Wiggans Drugstore.

Wiggans has been a member of the Kansas Innovation Consortium, a gubernatorial-appointed group of Kansas business leaders who are working to stimulate economic development through innovation and entrepreneurship. He is an advisor to the Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation at the University of Kansas Medical Center and he is a member of the Advisory Board of Heartland Bioventures, the venture capital arm of the Kansas Bioscience Authority.

He is also a member the Board of Trustees of the University of Kansas Endowment Association.