BioHealth Innovation Weekly for April 30, 2024

Trouble Viewing This Email: Click Here

April 30, 2024

United Therapeutics Announces World's First Successful Xenothymokidney Transplant

The first living recipient of a UThymoKidney, in conjunction with a heart pump implant, is recovering after a successful transplant

This transplant builds on two successful UHeart transplants completed in 2022 and 2023

SILVER SPRING, Md. & RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: UTHR), a public benefit corporation, today announced the world’s first successful transplant of a UThymoKidney™, which the company produced, into a living person on April 12, 2024. This transplant represents several historic firsts for transplantation:
- The first-ever transplant of a xenothymokidney into a living human recipient;
- The first-ever combined mechanical heart pump and organ transplant; and
- The first-ever xenotransplant into a living human using only FDA-approved immunosuppressive medicines

The transplant is the third xenotransplant using United Therapeutics’ xeno organs, following two successful UHeart™ transplants at the University of Maryland Medicine in 2022 and 2023.

Gain Therapeutics Announces Positive Results from the Single Ascending Dose (SAD) Part of the Phase 1 Clinical Trial of GT-02287, a Novel GCase-Targeting Small Molecule Therapy for GBA1 Parkinson’s Disease

BETHESDA, Md., April 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gain Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GANX) (“Gain”, or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leading the discovery and development of the next generation of allosteric small molecule therapies, announces positive results from the single ascending dose (SAD) part of its Phase 1 study. GT-02287 was generally well tolerated up to and including the highest planned dose level, and there were no serious adverse events. The good safety and tolerability profile and the appropriate range of plasma exposure levels achieved after oral administration further bolster GT-02287’s best and first-in-class potential.

Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) Names Joe Benevento as President & CEO

Benevento to lead Virginia’s strategic authority that invests in startup companies, entrepreneurship ecosystems, university commercialization, innovation growth

VIPC is well-positioned to lead Virginia in developing, attracting, and retaining talent, capital, and innovation which expands investment, growth, and opportunity across the entire Commonwealth.”— Joe Benevento, VIPC President and CEO
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES, April 24, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Board of Directors of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) has announced that it has unanimously selected Joe Benevento as President and CEO of VIPC.

Benevento has led VIPC as Interim President and CEO since September 2023 and previously served as Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2022. As Virginia’s Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Benevento helped develop Virginia’s “Compete to Win” and “Innovative Framework” strategy for driving economic growth across all regions of the Commonwealth and oversaw an industry portfolio which included Technology, Life Sciences, Aerospace & Defense, Semiconductors, Advanced Manufacturing, Cybersecurity, Unmanned Systems, and other key sectors.

BISNOW: 'Signs Of Rebound' Emerging In Biotech, $11B In VC Funds To Kick-Start Recovery, Alexandria Says

April 18, 2024
For Global Investor Audience Only

April 23, 2024, Patrick Sisson, Bisnow National - One of the life sciences real estate’s biggest players sees a clear road to recovery, predicting that momentum, in the form of the increased investment dollars seen in early 2024, will hit its stride as the current glut of new supply tapers off in 2025.

During Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ first quarter earnings call, Chairman Joel Marcus cited “positive signs of rebound” in investment and financing for biotech, as well as strong performance from the REIT, which saw total revenues grow 9.7% to $769M.

Investments in the sector showed strength not seen since the high point of 2021. Nearly $11B in venture capital deployment in biotech was announced in Q1 2024, according to a sector overview from Alexandria Senior Vice President of Science and Technology Hallie Kuhn, who said increased investment was a “robust sign of the health of the industry.”

MedCityNews: An Oveview of the Nation’s Largest SEED Fund

Eligible small businesses may receive millions of non-dilutive dollars from NIH’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Funding comes in tranches, from $300,000 – $4 million, based upon the stage of development and likelihood of the end product “moving the needle” in healthcare.

With over $1.3B dollars each year to fund U.S. startups, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business portfolio consists of life science companies dedicated to developing a full range of advanced technologies and products to improve the human condition.

Eligible small businesses may receive multiple millions of non-dilutive dollars from NIH’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Funding comes in tranches, from $300,000 – $4 million, based upon the stage of development and likelihood of the end product “moving the needle” in healthcare. Only the most innovative projects, with reasonable research plans, a strong team, and access to commercialization resources are funded. NIH-funded companies are often leading the curve in solving the most intractable healthcare challenges.

AURP Wins Stage One of the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition

AURP awarded $50,000 in prize money for equitable access to entrepreneurship

WASHINGTON, DC, and TUCSON, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / April 24, 2024 / The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) this week announced the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) as a Stage One winner for the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC). AURP will receive a $50,000 cash prize for its impactful and inclusive approach to nurturing a collaborative national innovation ecosystem to advance small business research and development (R&D) from ideas to the market.

By fostering connections between entrepreneurs, mentors, partners, philanthropies, corporations, investors and other shared resources, GAFC 2024 catalyzes strategic ecosystem partnerships to build community and organizational capacity for the successful launch, growth and scale of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-based entrepreneurs.

Pitchbook: The World’s Top Startup Cities

PitchBook’s VC Ecosystem Rankings compare global cities based on the size and maturity of their startup networks. The framework helps founders, operators and investors assess locations when deciding where to expand or invest.

Network effects matter in venture capital: Investors get more than half of their deals through referrals, according to research led by Harvard professor Paul Gompers. So it stands to reason that dealmakers should seek these networks out when deciding where to do business.

The list is based on a scoring system that uses PitchBook’s proprietary data on private companies. Development and growth scores are based on data related to deals, exits fundraising and other factors from the last six years.

For the best experience, view this dashboard on a desktop device. Read about our methodology below.

Venable Ranks Among American Lawyer Magazine’s Top 100 Firms

Washington, DC (April 17, 2024) – Venable LLP is pleased to announce that it has been named to American Lawyer magazine’s 2024 Am Law 100 list. The annual ranking lists U.S. law firms based on 2023 gross revenue. Venable LLP moved up the list from last year to #64.

The firm also ranked strong in other categories, including:

#62 – Revenue per Lawyer
#67 – Profits by Lawyer
#78 – Compensation – All Partners
#80 – Profits per Equity Partner

Deloitte Acquires Gryphon Scientific Business to Expand Security, Science and Public Health Capabilities

Acquisition will strengthen Deloitte team with a complement of data-driven biosecurity detection, prevention and emergency response solutions

ARLINGTON, Va., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Gryphon Scientific, LLC (Gryphon), a leader in biosafety, biosecurity, and all-hazards preparedness and response, with experience in using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance security and safety. Deloitte's competitive edge will be strengthened by Gryphon's multidisciplinary team who will be joining Deloitte, comprising scientists, programmers, and policy and planning professionals with experience in data science, scientific communications, modeling and risk assessment. Gryphon's cadre of specialists will enhance Deloitte's capability to address its clients' most complex mission challenges, from informing safe policy and practice around novel technologies and AI to strengthening capacities to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats across the globe.