BioHealth Innovation Weekly for February 27, 2024

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February 27, 2024

Empowering Change: Lance Kawaguchi's Journey with the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation

Join us for an engaging episode of BioTalk as we sit down with Lance Kawaguchi, Chief Executive Officer of the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. Lance's career trajectory from global finance to non-profit leadership is as inspiring as it is impactful, driven by a personal mission to combat brain cancer following the loss of his mother.

Listen now via your favorite podcast platforms:
Apple: https://apple.co/48uln2K
Google: https://bit.ly/48uzlBC
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3IeTEIy
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3OVRFwE
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/2M60Wmx

In this episode, we explore Lance's journey from senior investment banker to non-profit leader, propelled by personal loss and a vision for change. We delve into the SouthPoleTrek4Cancer initiative, spearheading a global effort to raise awareness and funds for brain and rare cancer charities, culminating in a historic journey to the South Pole. We recognize Lance's leadership achievements, including ringing the Nasdaq bell twice as a cancer charity CEO, and his success in bringing the GBM AGILE Clinical Trial Platform from the US to Australia, accelerating breakthrough research efforts.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc.’s Rich Bendis Named Finalist for the Community Builder Award in the 2023 BioHealth Capital Region Annual Awards

Rockville, MD – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is proud to announce that our Founder, President & CEO, Rich Bendis, has been named a finalist for the Community Builder Award in the 2023 BioHealth Capital Region Annual Awards, hosted by BioBuzz.

Rich Bendis’ dedication to fostering innovation and supporting the biohealth ecosystem has been instrumental in driving growth and collaboration within the industry. His visionary leadership at BHI has created a platform for emerging companies, researchers, and entrepreneurs to connect with resources, expertise, and opportunities, significantly contributing to the region’s economic development and public health advancements.

Beyond the Breakthrough: Overcoming Georgetown’s spinout challenge

Being a university in Washington DC poses interesting challenges, but Georgetown University's Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak is determined to turn them into opportunities.

Weirdly, being located at the heart of the US capital doesn’t always help Georgetown University when it comes to creating spinout companies. State universities often have economic development mandates that they can follow, but in Washington DC Georgetown is in something of a vacuum — with little direction for what to focus on, less set funding and fewer people pushing to advance the technologies coming out of the institution.

TEDCO Generates $2.7 Billion in Economic Benefits for Maryland’s Ecosystem in 2023, According to Independent Study

COLUMBIA, Md. (February 21, 2024) – TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced the findings of an independent economic impact study detailing the contributions of TEDCO’s six core programs to the state of Maryland.

Conducted by the University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute, the study found that TEDCO continues to be a significant economic driving force in Maryland creating nearly $2.7 billion in statewide economic activity as of 2023. TEDCO has invested in or supported the growth of a portfolio of 442 of Maryland’s leading technology companies, more than doubling the number of companies identified in the first TEDCO impact study in 2008.

Emergent BioSolutions Appoints Industry Leader Joseph C. Papa as New President and CEO

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS), a global company providing solutions that address public health threats and delivering life-extending products to market, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Joseph C. Papa as president and CEO, effective February 21, 2024. Mr. Papa succeeds Haywood Miller, who will step down from his role as interim CEO, effective February 21, 2024.

"Following a thorough search process, we are pleased to appoint Joe Papa as president and CEO of Emergent,” said Zsolt Harsanyi, Ph.D., chairman of the Board of Directors. “He is a recognized industry leader with unparalleled experience in all facets of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Joe has a solid track record of driving growth and successfully navigating companies through periods of transformation. His leadership will be instrumental in strengthening Emergent’s balance sheet and returning to growth, as we continue to deliver on our mission to protect and enhance life. On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Haywood Miller for his leadership and contributions during this interim period.”

AstraZeneca Completes Acquisition of Gracell Biotechnologies

AstraZeneca today announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Gracell Biotechnologies Inc. (Gracell, NASDAQ: GRCL), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, furthering AstraZeneca’s cell therapy ambition.

The acquisition enriches AstraZeneca’s growing pipeline of cell therapies with GC012F, a novel, clinical-stage FasTCAR-enabled BCMA and CD19 dual-targeting autologous chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy. GC012F is a potential new treatment for multiple myeloma, as well as other haematologic malignancies and autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Lab Space Available at Johns Hopkins Science & Technology Park

Attention life sciences companies seeking lab space in Baltimore: Starting June 1st, a fully built-out lab/office space will be available at the Science & Technology Park at Johns Hopkins, located at 1812 Ashland Avenue. This 170,000 square foot facility is designed to accommodate companies at any stage, from startups to established firms.

The building hosts the Johns Hopkins "Fast Forward" innovation hub, promoting the advancement and commercialization of innovations. Situated within a community focused on research and development, it offers an unparalleled opportunity for companies to grow and collaborate in a leading-edge environment.

Don't miss this chance to locate your company in a premier life sciences hub. Contact Matthew L. Seward with Cushman & Wakefield for more details.

LABIOTECH: Biotechs in the US Capital: seven key players based in Washington DC

Washington DC: The heart of the BioHealth Capital Region

The BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) encompasses Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., and more than 1,800 life science and companies are established there. BHCR is among the top-performing biotech clusters in the U.S., with first-class educational facilities, innovative companies, and over 70 federal labs. While the area of Washington D.C. is smaller than Virginia and Maryland where companies are spread across, Washington is still a destination of choice with innovative biotech companies and events.

The BHCR was ranked third biopharma cluster in the U.S. by Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News behind the San Francisco Bay Area and the Boston/Cambridge area. The criteria to measure the performance of these hubs were the National Institutes of Health funding, venture capital funding, the number of biotechnology patents, the total lab space, and the number of jobs. This region, with Washington D.C. at its heart, is one of the most dynamic in the biotech industry.

Biden-Harris Administration's ARPA-H commits $100 million to accelerate women’s health research

First Lady Jill Biden announces funding as first major deliverable from new White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research

As the first major deliverable of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced the ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health, which commits $100 million towards transformative research and development in women’s health. ARPA-H, which was created in 2022 as part of President Biden’s bipartisan Unity Agenda, seeks to advance and accelerate health solutions.

Three Congressional Letters Show the March-In Debate Has Shifted

When the Biden Administration unleashed its proposed march-in guidelines last December, it claimed they would be a powerful tool for lowering drug prices by allowing the government to “march in” to license copiers under the authorities of the Bayh-Dole Act.

It did so despite previously joining every other Administration denying price control petitions as not authorized under the law. It should have known the proposal would have minimal impact on drug prices—but would have a devastating impact on American innovation. That’s because the guidelines apply to all federal R&D agencies—not just the National Institutes of Health — so they cover inventions across the spectrum, not just the life sciences.