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Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (EBS) announced today that it has signed a contract with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to develop a dry formulation of NuThraxTM (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed with CPG 7909 Adjuvant), also known as AV7909, the companys next generation anthrax vaccine candidate. This five-year contract, valued at up to $29 million, provides funding for manufacturing and non-clinical activities through the preparation of an Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The dry formulation of NuThrax is intended to increase stability of the vaccine candidate at ambient and higher temperatures, with the objective of eliminating the need for cold chain during shipping and storage.
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MIMETAS, in a consortium with Radboudumc and FHNW, has received 1.6 million USD funding for development of a kidney-on-a-chip for toxicological applications. A panel of experts from GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Roche, NC3Rs and renowned academic institutions selected MIMETAS’ solution from a strong line-up of competing technologies.
The funding is awarded in the context of the NephroTube Crack-it Challenge to support development of a microfluidic renal model predicting renal toxicity during pre-clinical development. In collaboration with the Radboudumc Pharmacology-Toxicology Department and the Swiss FHNW, MIMETAS will use the funds to develop a high-throughput kidney-on-a-chip model by combining its OrganoPlate™ 3D-culturing technology with the human renal cell line ciPTEC™, analyzed and validated in three separate sites. The resulting model will be used to detect renal tubular injury observed in drug-induced nephrotoxicity. The model’s early prediction of nephrotoxicity will help to reduce animal experiments.
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The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland is seeking a dynamic, innovative and accomplished biomedical/biotechnology executive with demonstrated scientific and entrepreneurial expertise to provide strategic vision and leadership for the Office of Translational Alliances and Coordination (OTAC). The OTAC is charged with developing, implementing and leading translational research programs that create recognizable commercial value for discoveries and innovations during their gestational stages and facilitating their ultimate translation into new diagnostics, devices, therapeutics and tools. The Office is also charged with identifying emerging areas of translational opportunities, serving as a focal point for extramural researchers for information on NHLBI-wide small business technology development opportunities.
The OTAC Director is an expert in entrepreneurism and technology advancement with the vision and unique skill set required to recognize commercial value in very early stage technologies, guide their scientific and business oriented risk-mitigating development and the capital acquisition activities required for their ultimate customer/patient deployment. These skills, gained through experience in both the academic research and the start-up/small business or industry sector, will provide the OTAC Director the capability to oversee and effectively manage existing NHLBI translational research technology development programs and the development of new programs and initiatives required to identify and advance innovations and technology platforms for research, diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention of cardiovascular, lung, blood and sleep disorders.
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WHEN: Thursday, Sept 25th, 2014 From 3:00 to 5:00 PM
WHERE: One MedImmune Way Gaithersburg MD 20878
BioBuzz Double Helix Sponsor MedImmune is hosting a special BioNetworking event for Post-Docs and Professional Scientists on September 25th at their headquarters in Gaithersburg.
This event will include music, lawn games, hors d'oeuvres, drinks and a scientific "Speed Networking" session and is open to Post-Docs & Professional Scientists who currently work in the Therapeutic Areas of:
* Oncology
* Respiratory, Inflammation & Autoimmunity
* Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases
* Infectious Diseases & Vaccines
* Related scientific disciplines
To RSVP: email info to MedIPartneringStrategy@MedImmune.com Sign up by 9/12 and Provide your:
Name
Company
Phone
Therapeutic Area
Let them know you learned about this event through BioBuzz!
This event is for Post-Docs & Professional Scientists
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The I2C Conference is a full-day event to help you get your technology-based small business on the fast-track! Three in-depth panels on Innovation, Commercialization and Financing Speakers include: GlycoMimetics, MedImmune, Johns Hopkins University, Naval Research Labs, Brain Sentry, Mindoula, SmartSenseCom, TEDCO, Maryland Venture Fund, and the exit strategy team from Amplimmune. Enjoy lunch...
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Are you an entrepreneur ready to pitch your company? Register for your chance to film a three-minute video pitch to be seen online by VCs and angel investors and be voted on by fans around Maryland!
The Montgomery County Department of Economic Development and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce have partnered to host Montgomery County's Pitch Across Maryland stops on October 1, 2014. Applications for the Montgomery County Pitch stops are due September 15!
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Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said on Monday the European Union has approved the use of its drug RoActemra in patients with early-stage rheumatoid arthritis.
Roche said the European Commission has backed RoActemra as a treatment for patients with severe, active and progressive rheumatoid arthritis who have previously not been treated with methotrexate.
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When British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline announced in October 2012 that it planned to make detailed data from its clinical trials widely available to researchers outside its own walls, the scientific community was stunned. For a company that spends $6.5 billion a year on research and development, it was a sharp turn away from the system of data secrecy that had made it one of the world’s largest drug companies, with 2013 sales of $43.6 billion.
The announcement came a few months after the company pled guilty to misdemeanor charges in the U.S. that it had marketed drugs for unapproved uses, based on improperly reported clinical trial data, and failed to report safety data on another drug later shown to raise the risk of heart attacks. Given the timing, many wondered if GSK’s move was more about rehabilitating its image than embracing data transparency.
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The 2014 International Biotech Summit Committee invite BioHealth Innovation (BHI) and Montgomery County to attend the three co-located international conferences that will be held on Sep 9 -12 in Shenzhen, China:
- 2014 International Biotech Summit (September 10, 2014);
- The 9th International Conference on Genomics (ICG-9) (September 11th-12th, 2014);
- Shenzhen International Biotech & Health Industry Expo 2014 (SIBHIE, September 10th-12th, 2014).
Ms. Lily Qi, Director of Special Projects for Montgomery County Executive Office who was involved in establishing BHI and a native of Shanghai, is going to speak on behalf of the County and BHI for the forum, "Innovation in Policy and Regulation for Advancing Healthcare Industry." BHI and the County are also invited as an exhibitor for the SIBHIE Expo.
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Funding and Research Opportunities
The following funding opportunity announcements from the NHLBI or other components of the National Institutes of Health, might be of interest:
NIH Guide Notices:
- Implementation of the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy for NIH Grant Applications and Awards
- NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy
- Public Comments on Proposed Guidance Regarding Significant Changes to Ongoing Animal Activities
- Guidance on Significant Changes to Animal Activities
- Notice of National Biosafety Stewardship Month and Health and Safety Requirements for NIH Grantees
- eRA Commons Username Required for Sponsor in Individual Fellowship Grant Applications to NIH and AHRQ
- NIAMS Policy for Submission of Applications Containing Clinical Trials
- (NOT-AR-14-021)
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Requests for Applications:
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers (U54)
- (RFA-AR-15-002)
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Application Receipt Date(s): November 28, 2014
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Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) Funding for Technology Product Development
MIPS provides funding, matched by participating companies, for university research projects that help companies develop new technology products.
Benefits to Maryland Companies
- Cost-effective research with world-class university faculty
- Access to university students, state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories and equipment
- Non-dilutive, non-debt funding for research
- Opportunity to work directly with talented students—potential future hires
- Rapid proposal evaluations—MIPS notifies award winners within 60 days of the proposal deadline
Benefits to Maryland Faculty
- Research translates directly to new product development
- Potential for published papers and improved university facilities
- Students gain valuable experience working on commercial technologies
Visit www.mips.umd.edu or call 301.405.3891301.405.3891 for details.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY OCTOBER 15, 2014!
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SAVE THE DATE: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014
The MCCC Business Awards Dinner Committee and Chair of the Board Lisa Cines, CPA of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP invite you to join in the celebration of those who make our economy and community thrive. This annual sold-out event attracts 700+ guests including award winners, sponsors, business leaders, elected and government officials and the media. Join us for a great evening of Meaningful Connections, Commerce and Celebration.
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A lot has been written lately about innovation, or the lack thereof, in the world of biopharma. One question that often gets asked: which countries lead the way in creating new medicines? Many people think that drugs originate in the nation where the companies that produce them are headquartered. The truth, however, is much more complicated. Given that multi-national firms market the majority of medicines, figuring out where each one of their drugs originated requires digging through some extensive data vaults. A proper analysis requires the examination of company histories, free market deal making, and in some cases government interventions. Consider the following examples:
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Have you always wondered what type of scientific researcher you are? Take the quiz to find out.
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This Monday September 1st marked the beginning of when investors with Angel Venture Forum D.C. started looking at submissions from companies for the Nov. Showcase.
AVF screeners do start reviewing plans as soon as submissions are made and some companies who have submitted to date have already received assistance and invitations to angel groups. Since we typically get a large number of applications and it does take the screeners a while to get through them all. Thus, the sooner an application the better.
The initial screening will occur through Sept. 15th. So you may still make submissions and corrections on applications up until Sept. 15th if needed. However, it is recommended that you complete your submission as soon as possible so that you get in the queue.
To submit an application – no later than Sept. 15th - visit www.angelventureforum.com. For any questions, please feel free to contact Mike Gildea, AVF COO at mgildea@braingainllc.com or 814-451-1151.
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The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first of an eagerly awaited new class of cancer drugs that unleashes the body’s immune system to fight tumors.
The drug, which Merck will sell under the name Keytruda, was approved for patients with advanced melanoma who have exhausted other therapies.
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GETTING IDEAS TO PATIENTS: THE SOPE FOUNDATION CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
To provide SoPE members with educational programs, events and more, we need your support. The SoPE Foundation has started a crowdfunding* campaign —Getting Ideas to Patients—to raise $250,000 by the end of 2014 for educational programs and events. The SoPE Foundation is the sole funder for these activities, such as the Blakely Visiting Lectureship Series named posthumously for one of our co-founders, and support for biomedical and health innovators applying for the Innovation Scholars Program. SoPE's operates on a low-cost membership model to encourage enrollment. With your financial contribution, we will have the funding to do what we set out to do. Every little bit helps, and every larger bit moves us closer to our goal.
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Dubbed as the most severe and deadly outbreak, the Ebola menace in West Africa has caught the attention of GlaxoSmithKline plc (ADR) (NYSE:GSK) and National institute of health. CNBC’s Meg Tirrell reports that NIH and GlaxoSmithKline have partnered to develop a vaccine that is said to have had immense success in primates, but yet to be tested in Humans.
The studies are to be used to ascertain whether the vaccine is safe and also its ability to prompt an immune response, able to combat the Ebola virus. No humans are to be infected’ with the Ebola virus during the course of the study.
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Two Washington entrepreneurs with a history of building successful companies have teamed with a local businessman to start a venture capital fund focused on seed stage companies focused on applications that run on mobile devices.
The fund, called Kiwi Venture Partners I , has raised $2.5 million from 24 limited partners, including 12 from the Washington area. The LP investments range from $25,000 to $500,000.
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According to CB Insights data, funding to digital health/health IT companies has already topped $2.2B in the first half of 2014.
With the space becoming increasingly crowded and well-funded, one effective way innovation trackers can understand which areas (and likely companies) will play a key role in future of the digital health space is by following the smart money.
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Anne Arundel Medical Center is looking to get in on technology commercialization, a game more typically played at research hospitals and universities.
The James and Sylvia Earl Simulation to Advance Innovation and Learning (SAIL) Center is developing a plan to bring together doctors and the local business community to commercialize technology that would benefit the hospital.
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Legal 500, considered one of the most comprehensive worldwide qualitative guides available on legal services providers, recently announced its 2014 rankings. Venable’s national Corporate Group continued to earn high marks in the latest edition leading the way with a Tier 1 ranking in the M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m) category. The group also received high marks in the Technology: Outsourcing, Technology: Transactions and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) categories.
Corporate Practice Co-Chair Charles J. Morton, Jr. and partner William T. Russell received special recognition as Leading Lawyers for M&A: Middle Market (Sub $500m) Technology: Transactions respectively. Leading Lawyers are selected from all the nationally recommended attorneys in a particular category and represent those few individuals, who, in the view of their peers, represent the highest standards of their practice. This is Mr. Morton’s third year as a Leading Lawyer and Mr. Russell’s fourth. Mr. Morton was one of 23 attorneys nationwide named a Leading Lawyer in M&A: Middle Market (Sub $500m). Mr. Russell was one of only 12 attorneys nationwide named a Leading Lawyer in Technology: Transactions.
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A group of UC Berkeley students launched what they call the first-ever student-run health tech incubator Thursday at the office of Downtown Berkeley’s Skydeck, which fosters campus startups.
The incubator, Catalyst@Berkeley, aims to provide a framework for students to bring viable prototypes to the market and open doors of entrepreneurship to undergraduate students interested in health care innovation.
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The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) today announced nearly $750,000 in Proof of Concept grants to Washington state for-profit and non-profit organizations to promote translation of health-related technologies from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace. Also announced was nearly $56,000 in supplemental funding to an existing grant to increase the commercial potential of a drug to protect hearing in patients taking certain antibiotics. (See Backgrounder Information.)
The LSDF Board of Trustees selected the awardees following review of proposals for scientific and technical merit, commercial potential, and health and economic benefits to Washington.
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Friday, November 14, 2014
Encounter the hottest trends and innovations in Health IT as well as investment at the “eHealth Venture Summit”. This event at the MEDICA Health IT Forum showcases new companies, offers valuable insights and shall foster strategic partnerships and investment opportunities crucial to bringing innovative products to market. The event will feature seasoned industry experts from leading companies and funding specialists. The conference is jointly organized by Prof. Talya Miron-Shatz, CEO of CureMyWay, and a faculty member at the Ono Academic College, and Dr. Stefan Becker of the Institute for Drug Safety, University Hospital Essen.
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