Join us for an insightful episode of BioTalk as host Rich Bendis welcomes back Rachel King, the visionary CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), bringing with her a remarkable journey spanning roles as an entrepreneur, board member, and advocate for the biotech industry.

In this engaging installment, Rachel offers a glimpse into her evolution from consulting to industry, including her role as co-founder and former CEO of GlycoMimetics, Inc. (GMI). Discover the essence of BIO, its mission, and the global perspective it brings to the biotech landscape. Delve into Rachel's advocacy role and the critical issues facing the industry today, including pricing, congressional relations, and investment challenges. Gain insights into the state of the biotech industry and Rachel's projections for both the near and long term.

Listen as we unravel the dynamic journey of Rachel King, a trailblazing leader in biotechnology, and gain a comprehensive perspective on the industry's present and future. Available now on all major podcasting platforms.

Listen now via your favorite podcasting platform:

• Apple: https://apple.co/3Eotykt
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Your Invitation to a Pivotal BioHealth Event in Rockville, Maryland Awaits

If you haven't yet marked your calendar for the 9th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum, it's not too late. The event will be held at the US Pharmacopeia (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, and is free to attend, thanks to our generous sponsors.

Two Days of In-Person BioHealth Exploration: September 19th and 20th

The Forum is just weeks away and promises an in-person experience under the theme "Global Breakthroughs for a Healthier Future." This cornerstone event offers industry experts, academic trailblazers, and government representatives a unique opportunity to reconnect in this “Top 3” BioPharma cluster.

Your Invitation to apply to a Key Investment Event in Rockville, Maryland Awaits

There's still time if you haven't yet marked your calendar for the 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference. The one-day event will also be held at the US Pharmacopeia (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, and is free to attend, thanks to our generous sponsors. Applications to attend are due by September 12^th!

A Unique Investment Opportunity: September 21st

The Investment Conference brings together investors and companies seeking funding. With a strong track record of fostering successful financial engagements, this conference is an unparalleled opportunity for those eyeing transformative funding.

The horseshoe crab has endured for over 450 million years.In this episode we talk with three experts about how this animal’s unique blue blood has become essential to modern medicine. We also talk about why horseshoe crab populations are dwindling, and what biotech is doing to address the shortfall.

Click here to listen.

US-based biotech company VLP Therapeutics, Inc. (VLPT) and its Tokyo-based group company VLP Therapeutics Japan, Inc. (VLPT Japan) together announced on September 5 the second closing of its financing round, which secured investments from two existing investors: MUFG Bank, Ltd., and Miyako Kyoto University Innovation II L.P., as well as two new investors: FFG Venture Business Partners Co., Ltd. and toberu Fund run by Phoenixi Co., Ltd.

With this funding the VLPT group plans to: 1) bolster its vaccine research and development underway in the US for cancer treatment and infectious disease prevention, such as malaria and dengue; and 2) establish a manufacturing facility, which is expected to begin operation in 2024–2025 and will enable VLPT Japan to produce investigational vaccines in-house in Fukuoka, Japan.

ROCKVILLE, MD, Sept. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  MacroGenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGNX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, today announced that its partner, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD), nominated the first of two research programs, leveraging MacroGenics’ DART® and TRIDENT® platforms for generating bispecific antibodies. This nomination grants Gilead an exclusive option, upon achievement of a pre-defined preclinical milestone, to license worldwide rights to the research program.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced NARCAN^® Naloxone HCl Nasal Spray 4 mg will be available on shelves nationwide and online beginning in September. Over-the-counter (OTC) access to NARCAN^® Nasal Spray offers more people the ability to respond in an opioid emergency, helping to save lives and keep loved ones and communities safe. Expanding access and awareness is critical given the staggering toll of the epidemic mainly driven by synthetic opioids, like fentanyl.¹ Last year, approximately every seven minutes one life was lost due to an opioid overdose, and today it is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S.^2,3 The average response time for emergency services to arrive is approximately 10 minutes.⁴ Having NARCAN^® Nasal Spray in a first-aid kit, or carrying it on the go in case of an opioid emergency, can make a difference and help reverse the effects of opioids while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.

Funding includes $1 billion for vaccine clinical trials, $326 million for a new monoclonal antibody, and $100 million to explore novel vaccine and therapeutic technologies

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), awarded more than $1.4 billion for Project NextGen to support the development of a new generation of tools and technologies to protect against COVID-19 for years to come.

The awards announced today follow extensive coordination with industry partners and include support for clinical trials that will enable the rapid development of even more effective and longer-lasting coronavirus vaccines, a new monoclonal antibody, and transformative technologies to streamline manufacturing processes.

“Project NextGen is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to keeping people safe from COVID-19 variants,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These awards are a catalyst for the program – kickstarting efforts to more quickly develop vaccines and continue to ensure availability of effective treatments.”

The new 250,000-square-foot facility will support the Bloomberg School's mission through dynamic workspaces, state-of-the-art classrooms, and a variety of study, collaboration, and event spaces.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shared the latest updates on their planned new building at the Baltimore City Urban Design & Architecture Advisory Panel (UDAAP) meeting this morning.

The new building will be located on existing Johns Hopkins property at the corner of McElderry and Washington streets—adjacent to the division's main Wolfe Street building and at the heart of the East Baltimore campus. The school has been working with award-winning, London-based architectural firm Hopkins Architects as design architect and Baltimore-based Hord Coplan Macht Inc. as architect of record to design a facility that will meet the demands of public health education, research, and practice well into the future.

Totaling approximately 250,000 gross square feet across seven floors, the new facility will support the school's mission of inspiring and educating the next generation of public health leaders through dynamic workspaces, state-of-the-art classrooms, and a variety of study, collaboration, and event spaces, including for events and meetings with community groups.

Currently, the school's academic departments have outgrown their existing spaces, primarily comprised of two separate buildings on North Wolfe Street and North Broadway. The new facility will connect to the Wolfe Street building, bring the core activities of all 10 departments together in one location, and accommodate the Bloomberg School's growth. The new building will also add much-needed green space to the campus, including an expansion of the existing School of Nursing courtyard that will provide a shared collegial space for rest and relaxation between the two schools.

"We are thrilled to be able to move this building to the next phase of planning, with a thoughtful design for a modern facility that connects to our current Wolfe Street building, in order to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, enhance our teaching and learning experience, and provide new opportunities for community engagement and convening," said Bloomberg School of Public Health Dean Ellen J. MacKenzie. "Our goal is to create a vibrant space where researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students collaborate seamlessly to address the most pressing challenges facing us today. We are excited to create an environment that nurtures innovation and incubates ideas that can advance public health globally."

Click here to read more via JHU's HUB.

The Frederick National Laboratory Advanced Technology Research Facility in Frederick, MD, is set to host the 2023 Technology Showcase on September 6, 2023. This annual event serves as a platform for potential industry partners to engage with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Frederick National Laboratory (FNL).

Registration and Attendance

Interested parties can register to attend the showcase either in person or online. Each mode of attendance has its own unique registration link, offering flexibility for participants.

What to Expect

The Technology Showcase is a free hybrid event featuring a variety of activities and opportunities:

• Inventor Highlights: NCI and FNL inventors will present technologies ripe for commercialization and collaboration.

• Programmatic Insights: Leaders from NCI and FNL will share avenues for potential collaboration.

• Partnership Perspectives: The event will provide insights into what partnering with NCI and FNL entails, including viewpoints from companies that have successfully collaborated.

• Panel Sessions: These will feature success stories and topics relevant to the commercialization of biomedical technology.

• Lightning Pitch Competition and Poster Session: These segments will spotlight NIH technologies available for co-development or licensing, presented by the NCI Technology Transfer Ambassadors Program.