Biohealth Innovation - 313th Edition

BioHealth Innovation

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July 24, 2018

Gaithersburg biotech company raises $36 million – Maryland Daily Record

Gaithersburg biotech startup Neuraly has raised $36 million for its potential Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease treatment, the company announced.

7/27 Deadline to Apply: First Coast Innovation Challenge

For the first time this fall, Life Science Nation (LSN) will have two days of competition as part of the RESI Healthtech Week (September 5-7, 2018). Day 1 will feature the First Coast Innovation Challenge, where the top 10 ranked companies of the First Coast tech hubs will present their technologies as a 10-minute pitch to a panel of early-stage investors. Day 2 features the traditional RESI Innovation Challenge, where the top 30 companies who apply are chosen to showcase a poster on the RESI Global Partnering Conference Exhibit Hall. First Coast Innovation Challenge is geared toward companies which have recently moved out of the lab and are ready to target grant, angel, and seed funding. The First Coast Innovation Challenge on Day 1 complements the RESI Global Innovation Challenge on Day 2, offering greater investor exposure to companies from the earliest stage to more established startups that are looking globally and seeking funding from institutional investors.

Apply by this Friday, July 27th to participate in First Coast Innovation Challenge.

RESI/Life Science Nation to Host Inaugural “First Coast Innovator’s Gathering” – September 5th

RESI/Life Science Nation are hosting a day of partnering and networking at RESI/Life Science Nation’s inaugural First Coast Innovators Gathering. Biohealth incubators, accelerators, tech transfer offices, and research labs from the East Coast can promote their organizations and spinout companies to RESI’s audience investors and partners seeking to connect with the region’s earliest stage companies. Participating organizations also are able to offer their companies discounted attendance to day one. For more information, click here.

Office Space Available for BioHealth Start-ups – Montgomery County

Due to company graduations, space co-working and individual office space is becoming available at the Montgomery County innovation centers located in Rockville and Germantown. Each location offer shared meeting space and kitchenette/lunch room and affordable, flexible lease terms. Tenants in these facilities also have access to BHI Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and professional staff for additional support. For more information, contact BHI.

SBIR Advice Available to BioHealth Start-ups

Is your biohealth company located in Maryland, DC or Virginia? Are you thinking of applying for a biohealth related SBIR grant? Does your technology qualify? Are you eligible? Should you apply to NIH? NSF? to other organizations? Sign up now to learn more from one of BHI’s SBIR consultants. (There is no fee for this service. Depending upon your technology and stage in the business cycle, BHI may also prepay for experts to help you improve your SBIR and other non-dilutive funding applications. For more information, click here.)

Armed with $36M A round, Johns Hopkins spinout Neuraly heads to PhI Parkinson’s trial – Endpoints News

A startup company spun out of Johns Hopkins says it’s been able to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease in mice models — and with a fresh infusion of cash, the company is taking the program into human trials.

Montgomery County’s Silver Spring Innovation Center will be run by private operator - Technical.ly DC

Montgomery County is turning over management of the Silver Spring Innovation Center to the recently-launched coworking division of a Maryland-based real estate company.

The Power of Diversity - MOCONNECT

"It will take another 30 years for America to catch up to Montgomery County's diversity." - The New York Times

RESI Healthtech Week, September 5th thru 7th - BHI is a participant

The First Coast Innovator’s Gathering on Day 1 is focused on tech hubs and companies from the First Coast: DC, MD, PA, NJ, NY, RI, CT, and MA. We encourage all global tech hubs and their constituents to attend.

FDA ‘priority’ approval for GSK malaria relapse drug

Following an advisory panel recommendation on July 6, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved, under Priority Review, single-dose Krintafel (tafenoquine) for the radical cure (prevention of relapse) of Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax)malaria in patients aged 16 years and older who are receiving appropriate antimalarial therapy for acute P. vivax infection.

GSK considers splitting up - PharmaTimes

GlaxoSmithKline is reportedly considering whether to split its business into a consumer health spin-off and standalone pharmaceutical and vaccines group.

SilcsBio's drug design algorithms get patent - Technical.ly Baltimore

Algorithms used in a Spark Baltimore–based company’s software was recently patented for algorithms that will help it expand its presence in the market, according to its CEO.

Senator Tim Kaine visits Vibrent Health in Fairfax for town hall discussion on digital health technology

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) today visited Vibrent Health, a Fairfax, Virginia-based health technology company for a tour of the company’s new office followed by a town hall session with Vibrent’s 140 employees.

"Studying and developing new technologies is critical to improving our health care system and expanding access to more Virginians. I’m looking forward to learning more about the work Vibrent Health is doing to modernize the industry as well as hearing from their employees on how the Senate can better support innovation in the health care space," said Kaine.

Tenable seeks to raise $166M in IPO - Technical.ly Baltimore

With Tenable formally filing to go public in late June, observers are closely watching for updates to its Form S-1, which is required to be filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ahead of an IPO.

Biopharma 1H18 Series A investment exceeds funding for all of 2017 - MedCity News

Venture capital investment in early-stage biotechnology and pharmaceutical startups is seeing exuberance that could be classed as “froth,” but it does not appear to be in bubble territory yet.

US venture capital activity so far this year in 15 charts | PitchBook

There's been more venture capital invested through the first six months of 2018 in the US than any six-month period in recent history, which highlights the new normal in the industry: more capital concentrated into fewer, larger deals. On the exit end of the spectrum, there's been improved access to the IPO market, particularly for enterprise tech companies.

Bill Gates and others launch $30M ‘venture philanthropy’ accelerator for Alzheimer’s diagnostics | FierceBiotech

High-profile investors led by billionaires Bill Gates and Leonard Lauder are throwing their weight behind a “venture philanthropy vehicle” offering more than $30 million in grants for new biomarkers and early diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease.

Trump's Drug Plan Picks Up Momentum as Merck Lowers Some Prices - Bloomberg

The Trump administration moved swiftly in the past 24 hours to implement pieces of its plan to bring down drug prices, preparing several significant steps as one of the biggest U.S. drugmakers said it would bring down the cost of some medicines.

Johnson & Johnson launches life sciences incubator for Philadelphia area - MedCity News

The University of Pennsylvania’s startup incubator is getting a boost from a big pharmaceutical company.

Biotech incubator to set up shop in NYC - New York Business Journal

IndieBio is making its way to New York.

The San Francisco-based biotech incubator received a $25 million investment from the state's government. The move is part of a broader push to support life sciences startups across New York State (h/t The Wall Street Journal).