Biohealth Innovation - 299th Edition

BioHealth Innovation

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April 10, 2018

Third Annual Crab Trap: Finalists Announced Tomorrow

You thought the Shark Tank was tough…

wait until the BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap!

Five finalists will have a chance to win the grand prize by presenting infront of a panel of prominent industry funding experts and executives including:

Rich Bendis (Moderator), President & CEO, BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
Christian Barrow, Executive Director, Life Sciences, J.P. Morgan
Shaun Grady, VP, Strategic Partnering & Business Development, AstraZeneca
Sara Nayeem, Partner, New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
Dr. Paul Silber, Founding Principal, Blu Venture Investors
Robert Silverman, Head Externalized Drug Discovery Partnering, Roche
Stephen Zachary, Associate, Sands Capital Ventures

Christy Wyskiel, Senior Advisor to the President at Johns Hopkins University, chats with host Rich Bendis for new episode of BioTalk

Christy Wyskiel, an investor, entrepreneur, and ecosystem builder, serves as Senior Advisor to President Daniels at Johns Hopkins University. She runs the group Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, which serves as the tech transfer, corporate partnership, and start-up arm of the university. In this episode of BioTalk, Christy and Rich discuss Tech Transfer, Innovation, Investment, Partnerships, Collaborations, and other important areas that she and JHU work on every day.

Listen now on iTunes , Google Play , and TuneIn.

24 most active nonprofit, public or university investment funds identified - TEDCO Recognized - SSTI

In reviewing data regarding the hundreds of TBED-related investment funds, SSTI found that 24 of them have invested in at least one dozen startups each over the past year. The funds are characterized as economic development, university-centric, regionally focused, or impact oriented investment funds, incubators and accelerator programs located in the U.S. or Canada. Data the various funds provide to Pitchbook is the source of the list below, ranked in order by activity level. Each organization may have used their public or university funding to support operations, due diligence or mentoring of portfolio companies and/or to support direct invest into startups. University-centered activities in the list are denoted by an asterisk at the end of the entry. Two of the most active 24 funds are nonprofit, impact accelerators supported in part by foundations and corporation philanthropy.

CASI Pharmaceuticals’ Evomela Moves Closer to China FDA Approval with Receipt of Advisory Meeting Notice from China Center for Drug Evaluation

CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASI), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing high quality, cost-effective pharmaceutical products and innovative oncology therapeutics to patients, announces receipt of a letter from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) (group within the China FDA in charge of technical review) indicating that EVOMELA® (melphalan) for injection has been scheduled for review by the Expert Advisory Anti-Tumor (Oncology) Drugs Committee (the “Advisory Committee”), which is scheduled to take place between April 25-26, 2018 (the “Advisory Committee Meeting”).

2018 BioHealth Capital Region Forum: Only 1 Week Left to Register

April 23-24 | 1 MedImmune Way, Gaithersburg MD 20878

This invitation-only event is free for executive level biotech leaders and is presented by BioHealth Innovation, VirginiaBio, Inova, Children’s National Health System, QIAGEN, Maryland Tech Council, University System of Maryland and MedImmune/AstraZeneca. Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers. The program will feature sessions that focus on the Advancing Science and Accelerating Innovation.

How a local scientist became an accidental entrepreneur - FederalNewsRadio.com

Contrary to popular belief, the D.C. region can be a dynamic place to start a life science business. Many things that we are now taking for granted from the standpoint of healthcare and life extension, are happening, and were developed, here in our region. One example of that is our next guest, David Cetlin, founder of MockV Solutions, a startup that’s growing through revenue in the area.

WellDoc Announces Providence Health & Services’ Implementation of BlueStar® Digital Therapeutic in a Pilot Program for Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes

Today, WellDoc® announced a pilot program in the Providence Health & Services Oregon/SW Washington Region to examine the use of WellDoc’s BlueStar®, an FDA-cleared, proven digital therapeutic for individuals with type 2 diabetes. The Providence Health & Services pilot program will include individuals living with type 2 diabetes and will evaluate the impact of a digital therapeutic—when used in conjunction with the support of a dedicated Diabetes Educator—on user engagement, retention, satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

Gliknik Announces Issuance of U.S. Patent for Use of Recombinant IVIG Mimetics

Gliknik Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) has issued U.S. Patent 9,926,362, which claims methods of using compounds that have utility as recombinant mimetics of pooled human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The patent, which issued jointly to Gliknik Inc. and to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), encompasses the uses of trimers, tetramers, pentamers, hexamers, and many other structures containing two or more human IgG1 Fc domains and binding multiple low affinity Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs).

Compugen signs cancer drug licensing deal worth up to $200m

MedImmune, the R&D arm of AstraZeneca, will make an immediate payment of $10 million to the Israeli cancer immunotherapy company. Israeli cancer immunotherapy company Compugen Ltd. (Nasdaq: CGEN; TASE: CGEN) today announced that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with MedImmune, the biologics R&D arm of AstraZeneca. The agreement will facilitate the development of bi-specific and multi-specific immuno-oncology antibody products.

Apply now for Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards. Deadline: April 18th

The 2018 Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards publicly recognizes achievements by current clients and graduates of Maryland incubators and provides a forum for the nominees to increase their visibility in the business, technology and investment communities.

Business incubators support new and early-stage businesses in Maryland. In 1986, the first public incubator was established at the University of Maryland in College Park. Recognizing the economic challenges facing new companies, business incubators are facilities that provide reasonable market rents, shared services and technical assistance to start-ups and early-stage companies, including manufacturing, biotech, service and technology firms.

Immunomedics Appoints Dr. Robert Iannone Head of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer

Immunomedics, Inc., (NASDAQ:IMMU) (“Immunomedics” or the “Company”), a leader in the field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced the appointment of Robert Iannone, M.D., M.S.C.E., as Head of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer, effective today. In his new role, Dr. Iannone will oversee and lead all clinical development, regulatory, pre-clinical, translational research and medical affairs strategies and activities of the Company. Dr. Iannone brings more than thirteen years of experience in clinical drug development, including the approval of several targeted and immuno-oncology medicines at AstraZeneca/MedImmune and Merck & Co.

MIPS Funding Available: Apply by May 1, 2018

Accelerate tech product development with MIPS funding.

The Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program provides funding for university research projects that help companies develop new technology products.

Division of Industrial Innovation & Partnerships – Division Director Employment Opportunity - National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Engineering (ENG) announces a nationwide search to fill the position of Division Director (DD), Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP). The position provides an unparalleled opportunity to lead the Division to support research, innovation, and entrepreneurship at the forefront of advancing knowledge and stimulating translation of new knowledge into solutions that benefit society; to share in the management responsibility of the Directorate for Engineering to advance NSF’s overall strategic goals “to expand knowledge in science, engineering, and learning, to advance the capability of the nation to meet current and future challenges, and to enhance NSF’s performance of its mission.”

FounderTrac closes out with demo day in Annapolis - Technical.ly Baltimore

At the Loews Annapolis Hotel on Tuesday night, ten founders took the stage.

They were gathered before a full audience of tech community members to pitch and close out FounderTrac, the Annapolis-based program which ran over 12 weeks to start the year. Throughout, the founders went through a curriculum to help build their business and were guided by “Executive Sherpas,” who offered mentorship.

Win Funding for Your Innovative Research – Enter Today! - SoBran, Inc.

Deadline to apply is April 17, 2018

The Maryland Tech Council and SoBran are celebrating the transformational science coming out of Maryland and surrounding area by establishing the Innovation for Impact Prize. This is an added annual award at the Industry Awards Celebration. Tell us how your innovative research will impact the world one day and describe your research!

It is our pleasure to host the Summer RISE program again this year. We had some amazing students last year and we look forward to the next group of rising stars.” – Darlene Douglas, Summer RISE 2017 Host“

GE Sheds Health IT Assets for $1B, Doubles Down on A.I. and Devices - Xconomy

General Electric is selling a chunk of its healthcare IT business to New York private equity firm Veritas Capital for $1.05 billion in cash, as GE (NYSE: GE) chief executive John Flannery aims to streamline the Boston-based industrial behemoth and reverse a steep decline in its stock price.

Former USM Chancellor Brit Kirwan said to be competitive, Marylanders need to care about quality of schools in every county - Baltimore Business Journal

The Kirwan Commission hopes investing in initiatives like full-day preschool and intensified teacher preparation training will help Maryland schools become competitive on an international level.

Abell Foundation, University System of Maryland lead $1.45 million round for aerospace startup - Baltimore Business Journal

An aerospace company born out of the University of Maryland, College Park has raised $1.45 million in a round led by the University System of Maryland and the Abell Foundation.

Aisling Capital's Steve Elms on rise of massive early funding rounds - Business Insider

Funding has been flowing into biotech over the past few years.

Over one week earlier this year, biotech and healthcare startups raised almost $1 billion in capital. And on Tuesday, a cancer-drug startup called Allogene raised $300 million in its series A round.

Private equity firm Alvarez & Marsal Capital acquires majority stake in CNSI Inc. - Washington Business Journal

Federal health IT contractor CNSI has sold a majority interest in the company to Alvarez & Marsal Capital, a middle-market private equity firm.

Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

Just 3 Weeks Away! Is your Intellectual Property protected?

Safeguard Your Intellectual Property Internationally & in the U.S. Learn about IP and how to protect it Online, while Exporting and at Trade Shows

This is an opportunity to learn the basics of IPR protection and U.S. government resources available to help you protect your IPR at home and abroad.