BioHealth Innovation Weekly for July 30, 2024

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July 30, 2024

BioHealth Capital Region Maintains #3 Ranking: Insights with GEN's Alex Philippidis on BioTalk

In this episode of BioTalk, Rich Bendis, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc., speaks with Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor at Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. Alex joins the podcast to discuss the latest Top 10 U.S. Biopharma Clusters list, where the BioHealth Capital Region secured its #3 ranking for the second consecutive year.

The conversation highlights the factors that contributed to the success of the top biopharma clusters, focusing on early investments in biotech, the generation of high-quality science, building networks with partners, and broadening clusters beyond anchor businesses. Alex elaborates on how these regions have sustained their scientific excellence and the long-lasting impact of pioneering efforts.

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BioHealth Capital Region Retains #3 Spot in GEN’s Top U.S. Biopharma Clusters for 2024

The BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.) has successfully retained its position as the #3 biopharma cluster in the U.S. for 2024. This impressive ranking underscores the region’s ongoing strength in innovation and investment, highlighted by major expansions and investments from leading companies and institutions. Despite facing some challenges, the region continues to lead in patents, NIH funding, and lab space.

From

Alex Philippidis' remarks:

The BioHealth Capital Region has generated enough positive news to retain the number-three ranking it earned and celebrated last year. QIAGEN and Frederick County, MD, officials on July 12 announced completion of a 40,000-square-foot expansion of the company’s Frederick, MD, facility, creating a 75,000-square-foot site focused on next-generation sequencing, genomics, clinical healthcare, and forensics. AstraZeneca is investing $300 million in a new manufacturing facility in Rockville, MD, with plans to create 150 new jobs when the site opens in 2026. Across the state line, The University of Virginia is constructing the $300 million Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology in Charlottesville; named for chairman and CEO of PBM Capital and his wife.

WBJ: JLL experts explore the future and changes of life sciences real estate in D.C.

In the rapidly evolving world of life sciences, the real estate sector is experiencing significant shifts and opportunities. JLL’s latest report, U.S. Life Sciences Property Report, explores the dynamics of leasing, occupancy rates and market conditions.

To learn more about the life sciences market in Washington, D.C., we sat down with local experts, JLL Research Manager Kate Paine and Executive Managing Director Pete Briskman to delve deeper into these trends and gain valuable insights.

In the D.C. market, how have lease terms in the life sciences sector changed over time and what factors have influenced these changes?

Mirroring national leasing trends, lease terms in the D.C. market are shortening, especially among new leases and relocations. The average lease term for new leases (non-renewals) has fallen to just over five years, down from nearly 10 years in 2022. Shortening of lease term is a response to supply outpacing demand, which is giving the leverage back to tenants and allowing startups and pre-revenue tenants to negotiate for shorter terms. A key contributor to shortening lease terms over the past few years is the influx of spec suites that have delivered to the market, which are designed to be flexible space options for early-stage companies.

BioHealth Innovation Celebrates Solaxa Inc.’s Recent TEDCO Investment

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) proudly recognizes the $500,000 investment from TEDCO in Solaxa Inc., a Bethesda-based biopharmaceutical company. Led by Founder & CEO Christian Walker, Solaxa is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of aminopyridine drugs that both detect and treat ion channel dysfunction. Previous research has shown that aminopyridines can improve nerve signaling and muscle function in patients with Multiple Sclerosis, and Solaxa is presently researching additional benefits in patients with other nerve disorders. Solaxa is organized as a for-profit public benefit corporation, with a mission to advance scientific knowledge and deliver impactful and accessible therapies that improve outcomes for patients worldwide.

Prior to this investment from TEDCO, Solaxa was recognized as the “Best of Montgomery” finalist at the 7^th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Pitch Competition in September 2023. Even more recently, Solaxa was recognized as “Venture of the Year” by the Maryland Tech Council in May 2024.

Adventist HealthCare Names BHI Board Member John Sackett President and CEO

Gaithersburg, Md. – Adventist HealthCare has named John Sackett as its next president and CEO, effective Aug. 4, 2024.

Sackett has served as Adventist HealthCare’s chief operating officer since 2014 and served as president of Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center from 2013–2019. During his tenure, Sackett helped launch Adventist HealthCare’s Leadership System and its Standard Management Approach that earned a Malcolm Baldrige Category Best Practice Recognition, one of the nation’s highest honors for performance excellence. He also guided the system’s expansion of comprehensive care through the integration of additional acute care hospitals and significant campus improvement projects.

Emmes Group partners with Miimansa AI to accelerate adoption of Generative AI in clinical research

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Emmes Group, a leading specialty tech-enabled global contract research organization (CRO), today announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Miimansa AI. A critical pillar of the partnership, aimed at revolutionizing clinical research at Emmes, is the acquisition of Miimansa's Clinical Entity Modeling tools based on advanced large language modeling (LLM) techniques and generative AI.

Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to transform all aspects of healthcare including clinical research. Emmes Group is rapidly maturing its technology platform, Veridix AI, and Miimansa's Clinical Entity Modeling technology will serve as a critical building block to accelerate the development of state-of-the-art automated text processing solutions tailored for clinical research.

George Mason researchers lead breakthrough study to find functional cure for HIV

July 25, 2024 / By Laura Powers: Researchers in George Mason University’s Center for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR) and Tulane National Primate Research Center conducted a breakthrough proof-of-concept study, published in Nature’s Gene Therapy, that found a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-like virus particle that could cease the need for lifelong medications. Scientists have made great strides in the treatment of HIV over the past few decades, yet those with the virus must still take antiretroviral therapy for life as the disease is difficult to eradicate.

CIDR researchers led by Yuntao Wu, a professor in George Mason’s School of Systems Biology and the principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health-funded study, developed a special HIV-like virus particle, called HIV Rev-dependent lentiviral vector, that uses an HIV protein, Rev, as a trigger to selectively target and activate therapeutic genes in HIV-infected cells.

The Mason team, including Brian Hetrick, Mark Spear, Jia Guo, Huizhi Liang, Yajing Fu, Zhijun Yang, and Ali Andalibi, has been developing the HIV Rev-dependent vector technology since 2002.

According to Wu, patients need to take medications for the rest of their lives because of the persistence of HIV reservoirs, which are infected immune cells harboring the virus. Currently, antiretroviral therapy used by patients can effectively block the virus but cannot eliminate the viral reservoirs. Experimental approaches such as “shock and kill” and “block and lock” of the reservoirs have been in development to either eliminate or silence viral reservoirs.

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TEDCO Invests in Azadi Health

COLUMBIA, Md., (July 29, 2024) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $100,000 Pre-Seed Builder Fund investment in Azadi Health. TEDCO’s Pre-Seed Builder Fund is housed under TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds which were created to engage and invest in economically underserved founders and communities.

“At Azadi, we are committed to creating a solution to allow marginalized communities more effective and accessible access to mental health care,” said Rodney Bell, co-founder and CEO of Azadi Health. “Thanks to TEDCO’s investment, we look forward to continuing this journey to provide improved care to all.”

Azadi Health, located in Baltimore, Md., is a company developing technology-based tools to support better access to mental health care. Taking decades of research in language, psychology, machine learning and data science, the company has created a tool that could provide a more accessible and effective solution for monitoring patients who may be a risk to themselves or others. Through this support the company aims to enable care teams and caretakers to intervene faster when needed.

Precigen Appoints Phil Tennant as Chief Commercial Officer to Spearhead First Potential Gene Therapy Launch

GERMANTOWN, Md., July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Precigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGEN), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of innovative gene and cell therapies to improve the lives of patients, today announced the appointment of Phil Tennant as the Company's chief commercial officer. Mr. Tennant will be responsible for commercial strategy and execution across US and global markets. His initial focus will be on driving commercial readiness activities for the potential launch of the first- and best-in-class PRGN-2012 AdenoVerse gene therapy in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Mr. Tennant will report to Precigen's President and CEO, Helen Sabzevari, PhD, and will join Precigen's executive leadership team.

TEDCO Announces SSBCI Investment in Solaxa Inc.

Maryland-based biopharmaceutical company receives funding from TEDCO’s Venture Funds'

COLUMBIA, Md., (July 23, 2024) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $500,000 investment in Solaxa Inc. This investment is from TEDCO’s Venture Funds, with $200,000 being allocated from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) funding.

“At Solaxa, we are developing neurorestorative treatments for children and adults suffering from rare neurodegenerative diseases and acute nerve injuries,” said Christian Walker, CEO and founder of Solaxa. “Thanks to TEDCO’s investment, we can accelerate our work to serve patients with spinocerebellar ataxias for whom our first drug has already been shown to deliver significant clinical improvement in gait, balance and speech.”

Discover Innovation at the 2024 NCI Technology Showcase

The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Technology Transfer Center invites you to the 2024 Technology Showcase on September 4th, at the Frederick National Laboratory Advanced Technology Research Facility in Frederick, MD. This free, in-person event will present a remarkable lineup of cutting-edge technologies ready for commercialization. Industry experts will share their insights through engaging presentations, panel discussions on successful collaborations, and a competitive poster session highlighting innovative research.

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs, fostering meaningful networking and potential partnerships. The keynote speaker, Steven Walker, will deliver a compelling address on the future of biotechnology and its impact on cancer research.

The event is an exceptional platform for biotech stakeholders to discover new technologies and explore collaborative ventures. Whether you're a company, investor, or entrepreneur, the 2024 Technology Showcase offers invaluable insights and connections.

BioBuzz: Growth of Early-Stage Resident Companies Marks the Third Anniversary of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS @ Washington, DC

In celebration of the three-year anniversary of JLABS @ Washington, DC (JLABS DC), it’s great timing to highlight recent accomplishments and milestones reached by incubating and regional companies. Additionally, JLABS DC is excited to share new access to specialized lab equipment to support more innovators within the region.

Since the start of 2024, there has been continued success for incubating companies that reside at JLABS DC. Examples with recent funding announcements include Nanochon, raising $4 million in a Series Seed Prime, Acclinate closing $7 million in a Series A round, and Tiny Cargo securing investment from Virginia Ventures Partners.

Washington DC's 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals Awarded Contract with U.S. Army for ARAKODA® Supply Chain Upgrade Support

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SXTP; SXTPW) (the “Company”), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing new medicines for infectious diseases, announced today that it has been awarded a fixed-price contract with the United States Army Medical Materiel Development Activity to support commercial validation of new bottle and replacement blister packaging of ARAKODA ^® (tafenoquine), the Company’s malaria prevention product.

This follows the implementation of an increased tablet compression batch size in Q1 2024, planned in anticipation of increasing sales volume in 2024. Recently, 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals announced that Q1 2024 ARAKODA net sales revenues increased 515% year-over-year to $105.7 thousand.

Maryland Global Consulting Program - Unlocking Your Business’s Global Potential

Ready to take your business to the global stage? Join the Maryland Global Consulting Program through the Robert H. Smith School of Business Center for Global Business and tap into the vibrant export ecosystem right here in Maryland. Gain invaluable insights and resources to expand your company's global footprint and tackle international business challenges head-on.

Benefits of the Program

Customized Consulting Support: Work closely with a dedicated team of business students to develop strategies for global market expansion or address specific international business challenges tailored to your company's needs. Student teams dedicate a minimum of 10 hours per week per semester to a single consulting project.