Dictionary.com defines “outlier” as: (1) something that lies outside the main body or group that it is a part of, (2) someone who stands apart from others of his or her group, as by differing behavior, beliefs, or religious practices (Synonyms: nonconformist, maverick, original), (3) Statistics: (a) an observation that is well outside of the expected range of values in a study or experiment, (b) a person whose abilities, achievements, etc., lie outside the range of statistical probability.
Merck has expanded its digital health accelerator programme, opening it up in the first country outside its home territory of Germany. The company has picked Kenya for the new programme, which will run for three months and see it look for three digital health startups to support with equity-free funding of $15,000.
The complex nature of cancer and its manifestation strikes fear in the heart of many who receive the diagnosis. Scientists are making incredible strides, however, in both the development of diagnostic techniques and treatments. International Innovation’s Stephanie Spurr speaks with Professor of Cell and Gene Therapy at UCL, Waseem Qasim, and explores how gene editing is contributing to far greater success in this field.
GlaxoSmithKline has expanded its alliance with Adaptimmune Therapeutics to accelerate its lead clinical cancer programme toward pivotal trials in synovial sarcoma. The companies signed a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement in June last year for up to five programs, including the lead programme, an affinity enhanced T-cell immunotherapy (GSK3377794) targeting NY-ESO-1, one of the best-characterised and most immunogenic cancer antigens frequently expressed by tumours. GSK can license the programme if it chooses to.
Mission Therapeutics said Tuesday it raised a 60 million pound ($85.8 million) financing round led by Imperial Innovations Businesses LLP. New investor Woodford Patient Capital Trust Plc took part with follow-on investment from existing shareholders Sofinnova Partners, SR One, Roche Venture Fund and Pfizer Venture Investments. U.K.-based Mission Therapeutics is a drug discovery and development company.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Spero Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company targeting drug resistant bacterial infections, raised $30 million in Series B preferred financing, matching the $30 million Series A round Spero raised in June. Existing Series A investors Atlas Venture, SR One, MRL Ventures, Lundbeckfond Ventures, The Kraft Group and Partners Innovation Fund all returned to participated.
The Hercules Pinkney Life Sciences Park has been renamed to Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC). The new name reflects the Center’s mission of fostering a more innovative workforce.
The Montgomery College Board of Trustees approved the new name which is relevant to today’s economic environment and to the business sectors who partner with the academic programs represented at the park.
DATE: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
LOCATION: Montgomery County Department of Economic Development, 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 800, Rockville, MD 20850
Southern Maryland’s Energetics Technology Center (ETC-MD) announces it is opening Montgomery County’s newest technology business incubator as part of the ETC-MD TechFire incubator network at the former National Labor College located at 10000 New Hampshire Avenue. This incubator is sponsored by the Army Research Labs and is purposed to serve companies interested in commercializing ARL developed technologies although other technology companies will be considered as well. Find out how you can work successfully with the Army Research Lab at this informative session.
The World Medical Innovation Forum is shaping up as a fantastic showcase of cancer innovation, breakthrough science and thought leadership from across the oncology community. I encourage you to join me at this unrivaled gathering. For a full list of all of the speakers, visit the website at: worldmedicalinnovation.org/speakers
Alexandria LaunchLabs™ has opened its doors to local, cutting-edge life science startups at 708 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg, MD.
Alexandria LaunchLabs was created by a consortium of world-class partners to fill a specific unmet need in the market for early-stage life science companies. The consortium, which includes Alexandria Venture Investments (the strategic venture capital arm of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.), BioHealth Innovation, Montgomery County, and the City of Gaithersburg, recognized that in addition to providing early-stage life science companies with specialized state-of-the-art lab and office space, access to first- class supporting resources, services, and capital, is critical for innovation and growth. As such, consortium members will extend their respective networks to Alexandria LaunchLabs’ tenants, while BioHealth Innovation will provide access to its Startup and Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs. Additionally, co-location will provide a collaborative ecosystem in which tenants will be able to further assist one another in identifying resources and sharing best practices. The creative startup environment fostered at Alexandria LaunchLabs will dramatically accelerate the growth of local early-stage life science companies.
