BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland, has been awarded a renewal of its contract to extend and expand its entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR) program with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). BHI will place EIRs within the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the NIH Office of the Director and other NIH Institutes and Centers.

The EIR program was established with NIH in 2012 with BHI's support. The program is set-up to achieve the mission of NIH by applying knowledge gained through discoveries to solutions for patients with unmet clinical needs. EIRs who participate in this program have prior experience maneuvering through multi-disciplinary technical challenges and the business and regulatory environment to deploy new healthcare solutions.

Due to the program's initial success, the EIR program was expanded in 2015 to include NIH's associated offices and institutes. The new term extends for an 18-month period from February 2017 through August 2018, with an option to renew for an additional 18 months.

"Expanding and extending our partnership with the federal government's leading medical research agency is an honor that builds on our work together filling key EIR roles over the last few years," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "We've placed some of the most innovative and business-centered minds in biohealth and biotech and will continue to do so as we fill EIR roles that will drive cutting-edge approaches to commercializing medical devices and therapies."

BHI can retain the services of up to six EIRs as a part of this program with NIH. The EIRs will be assigned to the appropriate facilities, and their task will be to foster collaboration between NIH leadership and the biohealth industry, while providing the agency with industry insights into innovation and commercialization perspectives in research and development. They will also help to guide NIH scientists, academics and small business innovators on best practices.

More information can be found at http://www.biohealthinnovation.org/programs/entrepreneur-in-residence-program.

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland. BHI is known for providing commercial assistance to scientists and founders, educating and infusing Maryland's life science community with new and young entrepreneurs and fueling startups within Central Maryland's bio-ecosystem by connecting young companies to funding and business resources. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

In an effort to accelerate growth in the cybersecurity and health technology industries in Montgomery County, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) has partnered with The MITRE Corporation of McLean, Virginia—a not-for-profit corporation that operates federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), including the National Cybersecurity FFRDC.

BHI will serve as the primary manager for the Rockville Innovation Center (RIC), which is home of BHI's health tech startup accelerator, Relevant Health. MITRE will provide the resident RIC start-up companies technical mentorship and insight into the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing business and government today. This collaboration is an extension of a strategic initiative recently launched by MITRE to act as an innovation bridge between the private and public sectors.

The RIC will support start-ups and attract early-stage technology companies within these key technology sectors to graduate companies into commercial spaces in Montgomery County in a few short years.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), who is the agent for Montgomery County, has selected BHI to manage the Germantown Innovation Center (GIC) located within the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC). The Germantown Innovation Center was previously managed by the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development, which transitioned into the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) on July 1, 2016.

Additionally, BHI and PIC MC have signed an agreement to work collaboratively on business incubation and company recruitment at the PIC MC—a 20-acre integrated academic, business and research campus.

William Hearl of Immunomic and Lily Qi from the Montgomery County Office of the County Executive Join BHI’s Board

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, Aug. 2, 2016 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced that its Board of Directors has voted and approved the appointments of new board members William Hearl, Founder and CEO of Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. (ITI) and Founder of Capital Genomix, Inc. (CGI), and Lily Qi, M.B.A., Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for Economic and Workforce Development, Office of the County Executive for Montgomery County, Maryland.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome our new members to the board,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “Dr. Hearl’s pioneering spirit and business acumen make him a major player in the vast world of immunotherapies and biotechnology, and Ms. Qi’s active involvement with establishing BHI as well as her ability to bridge the gap across government, corporate and community audiences are assets that make her a great partner.”

Report Unveils Region's Position Among Other BioHealth/Tech Hotbeds Across the Country as Local Leaders Drive Towards Placement as Top Biotech Hub by 2023

The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (EAGB) and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) officially released the BioHealth Innovation Index for Central Maryland at the Second Annual Regional BioTech Forum, which took place April 18 and 19 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Index is a comprehensive analysis of the biohealth industry highlighting the region's strengths, along with those areas that present opportunity for economic growth.

The Index will serve as a guide for the continued development of Maryland's booming biohealth region, by pinpointing key opportunities for future growth to accelerate the region to the top three biotech hubs in the U.S. by 2023.

According to BHI CEO Rich Bendis, who also serves on the Governor of Maryland's Life Sciences Advisory Board, "This index both confirms the region's standing, while also shedding light on what it will take to raise our spot among the top three biotech/biohealth hotbeds in the country. Our region is attracting new and innovative companies at unprecedented speeds. This Index reflects such innovation occurring in Greater Baltimore and Central Maryland, and provides a platform on which to develop a strategic analysis relevant to other U.S. markets such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego and San Francisco."

EDA’s 2015 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program Recognizes BHI for Trademark Method in Commercializing Biotech and Health Tech

WASHINGTON, DC and ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, February 18, 2016 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a leader in commercializing market-relevant science and technology, has been awarded a grant of $495,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) through the 2015 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the award earlier this month.
Judges in the RIS program evaluated more than 170 applications across two competitions: the i6 Challenge and the Seed Fund Support Grants competition. In total, $10 million was awarded to 25 of the applicant programs. Begun in 2010 as part of the Startup Ameriaca Initiative, the competition is now in its fifth year. This year’s i6 program applicants were evaluated for their ability to scale innovative science and technology through assembling sophisticated supportive structures in regional communities that a company or organization works. BHI’s entry was for the expansion of its Venture Commercialization Model (V-COMM).
“The expansion of V-COMM into the biohealth and biotechnology markets in Maryland is pivotal to the growth of our economy both nationally and regionally,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “We want to thank the EDA and the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship—particularly Julie Lenzer—for recognizing our innovative achievements to drive biohealth/tech development through this substantial grant.”
“This award to BioHealth Innovation is yet another indicator of the excellent work the organization is doing and of the vitality of the biohealth and biotech sectors in Montgomery County,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett. “Commercialization of technology is the linchpin that transforms ideas into businesses and benefits for the public. I congratulate BHI on this award and look forward to more great work from it.”

V-COMM is designed to drive technology development and develop entrepreneurial practices in the areas of medical technology, vaccines, and bioHealth cybersecurity within the biohealth industry of Maryland. V-COMM’s expansion from this grant will enable BHI to review a greater number of technologies, and help to spur the development of new companies, while raising capital, and creating jobs.
“We are thrilled to have BioHealth Innovation as a partner in actively growing our biohealth economy,” said Councilmember Nancy Floreen. “This new EDA grant represents the fabulous work BHI is doing on a regional basis.”

“This 2015 Regional Innovation Strategy cohort of grantees is truly an exciting group – the diversity in programs and regional representation proves that innovation and entrepreneurship are igniting all corners of the country,” Assistant Secretary Williams said. “From Puerto Rico to Pittsburgh, and Seattle to Blacksburg, these programs will reach all kinds of communities and help entrepreneurs gain the edge they need to succeed.”

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland. BHI is known for providing commercial assistance to scientists and founders, educating and infusing Maryland’s life science community with new and young entrepreneurs and fueling startups within Central Maryland’s bio-ecosystem by connecting young companies to funding and business resources. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

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Media contact:
BioHealth Innovation, Maryland, USA
Rich Bendis, President & CEO, Phone: 301-637-6439, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

- Several BHI Board Members and Designees Among Those Appointed by Governor Hogan

- Chancellor Robert L. Caret Joins BHI Board of Directors as Representative for the University System of Maryland (USM)

Rich Bendis, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) President and CEO, was recently appointed to serve on Governor Larry Hogan's Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board (LSAB). Mr. Bendis is one of 16 individuals who represent Maryland's key federal, academic and industry organizations on the LSAB.

Several members of the BHI Board of Directors, including Dan Abdun-Nabi, President and CEO of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (who also serves as LSAB Chair); Doug Liu, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Operations at Qiagen Sciences Inc.; and Mike Gill, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, were also among those newly appointed to the LSAB. BHI Board alternate designees Christy Wyskiel, Senior Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University, and Jarrod Borkat, MedImmune's Head of External Collaborations, Biotech Hubs and Government Contracting, are also new LSAB appointees.

Attracts Top Health Tech Startups from Around the Country and World

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, Oct. 27, 2015  – Relevant Health, a health technology startup accelerator in the Washington, DC metro area, welcomes its inaugural class.
The selected startups come to Relevant Health from its backyard of Bethesda and Rockville, as well as Washington, DC, Baltimore, New York City, and Latvia. This week, the cohort of startups embarks on a five-month program that involves an intensive product development focus, enabling them to improve their skills to define, develop, position and launch a viable health tech product.

"Relevant Health chose candidates who have a vision and business model for a product that promises significant positive impacts in the health sector,” stated Rich Bendis, BioHealth Innovation President and CEO. “A cohort of companies building wearable devices, consumer-facing health apps, and provider-facing healthcare platforms is a strong representation of the innovation occurring in the health marketplace."

Juan Carlos Lopez of Roche and Mike Gill, Secretary for Maryland's Department of Business and Economic Development, Join BHI Board

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that its Board of Directors has unanimously voted and approved the appointments of Board Member Juan Carlos Lopez, Ph.D., Head of the Academic Relations and Collaborations (ARC) Group at Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), and Ex-Officio Board Member Mike Gill, Secretary, Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), State of Maryland.

"We are pleased to have two powerhouse individuals join our dynamic board," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "We also want to thank Roche's Dr. Judith Dunn for her commitment and service to our board during her tenure, which has now ended. We are grateful for her leadership and contributions during her time with us."

Dr. Lopez leads the Roche pRED's team in conducting outreach to academic and non-profit biomedical research and healthcare organizations for purposes of enhancing and complementing their internal R&D efforts. He began his career with the Nature Publishing Group in 2000, coming on board as an Associate Editor to launch Nature Reviews Neuroscience. In less than a year, he advanced to Chief Editor and led the publication to become the top monthly reviews journal in the neuroscience field, a position it retains to this day. In 2004, he was named Chief Editor at Nature Medicine, which is ranked by the Institute of Scientific Investigation as the world's top journal in experimental and research medicine.

Financial Award from SBA's Accelerator Competition Supports Relevant Health's Mission to Bring the Best Health Tech Products and Services to Market

ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BioHealth Innovation's Relevant Health, a recently launched health technology startup accelerator focused on bringing products to market, participated in the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Second Annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. Relevant Health was among 80 winners from a pool of 400 applicants from across the country, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia and territories. Relevant Health was the only accelerator in Maryland to be recognized with this honor.

The total prize amount for all of the winning accelerators was $4.4 million, and the announcement came yesterday at 4:00 p.m. EDT when President Barack Obama formally named the winners during an event at the White House. The President discussed the future of innovation and entrepreneurship as demonstrated by individuals and businesses within the United States who participated in the White House Demo Day. SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet played a similar role in ceremonies in Los Angeles as part of the same program.

Each of the winning accelerators will be given $50,000 to aid in continuing to invest in the innovative startups and entrepreneurs who participate in the programs. In exchange for the recognition and funding that was awarded to them, the accelerators will be required to provide quarterly reports documenting metrics around the use of these funds, including job creation, additional funding generated, outside sponsorships and the status of startup launches.

−Drs. Steve Wolpe and Ethel Rubin Named EIRs for National Institutes of Health; Dr. Albine Martin to Serve as EIR Working with Johns Hopkins University and Maryland-Based Health-Technology Companies

−BHI Continues Search for Neurology and Neuroscience Experts to Fill Roles of EIRS for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, June 8, 2015 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today the hiring of three new entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs): two for the NIH and one to work with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Maryland-based health-technology companies. Additionally, BHI is actively recruiting neuroscience and neurology experts for EIR positions within the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is providing grantees of the National Institute of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) with mentoring and training designed to develop and hone their presentation skills as a step toward securing investment dollars and strategic partners. The NIH has awarded BHI a contract to conduct a multi-year effort for NINDS grantees that will boost their business acumen, strengthen their communications skills, and introduce them to additional sources of funding designed to help bring new healthcare products to market.

"Frequently, NINDS grantees are forced to balance their focus between advancing their research and technology objectives into healthcare products and the necessity of procuring funding and building partnerships to drive those advancements. They are truly distinct activities, but progress needs to be made on both fronts to mature projects for commercialization," said Richard Bendis, BHI President & CEO. "By coaching grantees on the best methods to develop and deliver impactful industry presentations and introducing them to investors and strategic partners, we help strengthen the grantees' business perspective and expand their networks."

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, April 7, 2015 – To capitalize on the region's significant human capital and resources driving health innovation, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and ProductSavvy, in partnership with Montgomery County Department of Economic Development (DED), are launching a health technology accelerator program named, "Relevant Health." The accelerator will consist of a five-month intensive program focused on preparing eight early-stage health-related businesses for pilot product testing and financing. The program is scheduled to launch in September 2015 and will be located in the Rockville Innovation Center, part of the Montgomery County incubator network.

BHI is a public-private partnership that's been building programs to foster commercialization of health and life sciences assets in the Central Maryland region over the last three years.
"It's fitting that we are fueling the launch of the first dedicated health-technology accelerator aimed at 'moving minds to market' in Montgomery County with the product-acceleration company, ProductSavvy, and our strategic partner, Montgomery County DED," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "Montgomery County is a hotbed of brilliant scientific minds driving new innovation. Our mission is to focus these minds toward new commercial-oriented goals. This new accelerator will allow us to foster leadership teams in these companies, enabling them to interact with the rich health resources and talent located in Central Maryland."

AstraZeneca and MedImmune, in Partnership with BioHealth Innovation, Inc. and Tech Council of Maryland, Convene Life Sciences Leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. to Support Growth of Regional Biotech Ecosystem

Gaithersburg, Md., March 30, 2015 – Today and tomorrow, more than 400 leaders from life sciences companies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, investment funds and government entities across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. will convene for the first Maryland Regional Biotech Forum. This event, hosted by AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, in partnership with BioHealth Innovation (BHI), Inc. and the Tech Council of Maryland, will be held at MedImmune’s corporate headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It was launched as part of a collective effort to grow the region’s biotech ecosystem and chart a course toward becoming one of the top three biotech hubs in the nation by 2023.

The Maryland Regional Biotech Forum agenda boasts an impressive lineup of more than 100 speakers and panelists, including Gerd Binnig, a Nobel Prize laureate in physics and Founder and CTO of Definiens; Rachel King, Chair of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of GlycoMimetics; more than 25 regional CEOs, including Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca; five university presidents from across the region; and leaders from federal institutions.

In addition, the region’s first Leaders of Tomorrow Summit will be held in parallel with day two of the Maryland Regional Biotech Forum, also at MedImmune’s headquarters. This event is the Mid-Atlantic region's first student- and postdoc-led, cross-functional and inter-generational leadership summit, and is designed to engage and influence the next generation of biotech leaders and ignite innovation in the future bioeconomy.

BHI to Provide Qualified EIRs to NHLBI and NINDS

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has signed an agreement to extend and expand its entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR) program with BHI. Under the terms of the new agreement, BHI is providing the services of five EIRs to the NIH starting with two lead institutes: the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

“BHI is excited to extend its existing relationship with NIH. By adding new EIRs within multiple institutes, we expand our ability to both support breakthrough technologies and to help identify new commercial opportunities working with national scientific experts,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President & CEO. “These new breakthroughs can then turn into new health-related products, many of which will come from the cutting-edge startup companies fostered by BHI that are focused on further enhancing the future of healthcare for all.”

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, September 30, 2014 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today that venture capitalist, Tania Fernandez, Ph.D., has joined the BHI team as a strategic advisor. Dr. Fernandez will be a member of the management team for a new BioHealth Gap Fund, which will provide up to $50 million in seed and early-stage equity investments to therapeutics, medical device, diagnostics, and health IT companies in Maryland. Additional BioHealth Gap Fund management team members include Richard Bendis, Ram Aiyar, Todd Chappell, and Ken Malone, who each bring domain knowledge and industry access to the fund.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) and BHI have entered into an agreement to advance healthcare technologies coming from academic institutions, federal laboratories and startups based in Central Maryland. Under the terms of the agreement, BHI will identify health technologies that Roche will evaluate for potential research, development and commercialization opportunities. Priority areas of interest will include oncology, neuroscience, ophthalmology, rare diseases, immunological and infectious diseases. Financial terms for the agreement were not disclosed.

The agreement was initiated through Roche pRED Academic Relations and Collaboration (ARC) group, which is led globally by Juan Carlos Lopez. "Sourcing of technologies from academia, federal labs and early-stage startups can be a challenging and lengthy process," said Lopez. "As we seek to expand our capabilities to source and screen technologies aligned with our strategic interests, BHI is an ideal partner to support identification of external opportunities in a broad, systematic fashion."

- Representatives from Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc., Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., and Deloitte Consulting LLP Take New Board Seats - 

- Charles Morton Becomes New Venable LLP Representative on Board while Mike Baader Stays on as Board Member (Now as Greenspring Associates Representative) -

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, August 11, 2014 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors. Dave Lemus, Chief Executive Officer, Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Joel S. Marcus, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Founder, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (Alexandria Venture Investments); and Beth Meagher, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, have joined the BHI Board of Directors, effective August 7, 2014, based upon their organizations’ newly committed support of BHI. Charles “Chuck” Morton now represents Venable LLP on the Board, as another new Board member, while Mike Baader, formerly with Venable, will continue to hold a seat on the Board, but now as a representative of Greenspring Associates. Cynthia L. Collins, CEO, Clarient, who had served on the BHI Board since early 2013, is stepping down from her Board position after relocating to the West Coast

“The expansion of and continued diversity within the BHI Board, based upon new key industry and service provider representatives who are all deeply involved in life sciences, is a testament to the positive impact BHI has made on the Central Maryland biohealth community to date,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President & CEO. 

“We look forward to the contributions from the new Board members representing these organizations. We’re also pleased to welcome a new Venable representative to the Board and that Mike Baader will continue to add value to the organization now that he is on the Greenspring Associates team,” said Douglas Liu, Chair, BHI Board of Directors, and Senior Vice President of Global Operations for Qiagen. “And, on behalf of the BHI staff and Board, I would also like to offer gratitude to Cynthia Collins for her service and contributions to the BHI Board over the last year and half.”

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, today announced the launch of a new service offering: the Startup Package for Client Companies. The new package is designed to provide early-stage biohealth companies in Central Maryland with access to critical professional services – including corporate legal guidance, intellectual property, banking, accounting, payer and strategy, and grant support – as an enhanced benefit to working with BHI.

"We are proud to offer this service to our startup clients seeking to commercialize biohealth products," said Richard Bendis, President & CEO. "BHI aims to facilitate the development of commercially viable health-related products and companies. Providing access to these professional services is a critical step towards helping our biohealth startup clients in achieving this goal."

BHI has partnered with a supporting network of professional service providers that share the same vision for growing Maryland's biohealth sector, including Venable LLP, M&T Bank, Aronson, Miles & Stockbridge, InHouse Patent Counsel, Science Sherpa, Center for Medical Technology Policy, ADVI, and BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting. These firms understand the nature and needs of startup companies, and offer preferred rates for client companies.

– BHI offers program that guides biohealth startups in securing federal funding –  

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, June 10, 2014 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that two local biohealth companies to which it has provided strategic assistance, N5 Sensors, Inc. and BioDatomics, have secured Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. N5 Sensors, a BHI client, received two awards: one from the Enivronmental Protection Agency (EPA) and one from the National Science Foundation (NSF). BioDatomics, which participated in a federal funding assistance program offered by BHI, secured an SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)¹.  The U.S. federal government’s SBIR program encourages domestic small businesses to engage in federal research and development that has the potential for commercialization. The SBIR program empowers these companies to develop their trade and provides a path to profitability.  

“BHI is dedicated to supporting start-up biohealth companies in Central Maryland in their submission of competitive SBIR applications,” said Ethan Byler, Director, Innovation Programs, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. “We congratulate N5 Sensors and BioDatomics on receiving SBIR grants from the EPA, NSF and the NIH, respectively.”

N5 Sensors of Rockville, which is developing a new generation of chemical sensors that can detect harmful chemicals mixed in air in very small quantities, recently announced that the EPA has issued a SBIR Phase I grant to the company for its low-power, small form-factor benzene sensors for exposure monitoring using mobile devices. The $100,000 grant will support N5’s work developing sensors that can detect small amounts of benzene in the air. A University of Maryland, College Park spin-off, N5 Sensors, Inc. has engaged BHI to support its commercial strategy. N5 has also recently been awarded a Phase I SBIR from the NSF to develop chip-scale carbon monoxide and ammonia sensors.

BHI Appoints Shady Grove Adventist Hospital President John A. Sackett to Board of Directors

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, April 21, 2014 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today the appointment of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital President John A. Sackett to its Board of Directors. Mr. Sackett is filling a vacancy on the BHI board left by William G. “Bill” Robertson, who recently announced that he was leaving his post as President and Chief Executive Officer of Adventist HealthCare for a position in Washington state. 

“The addition of John to the BHI Board of Directors affords us with another strong healthcare leader who provides a perspective from the health system side of the business,” said Rich Bendis, President & CEO, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. “His decades of experience as a healthcare administrator will be an asset to BHI as we work with startups who are seeking to commercialize biohealth products and gain acceptance within the healthcare system.“

In April of 2013, Mr. Sackett became President of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. He began his career at Boulder Memorial Hospital in 1982. He served as Vice President for General Services from March 1984 until being named President of Avista Adventist Hospital, formerly Boulder Memorial Hospital, in June of 1989.  In 1996, when Avista Adventist Hospital became a member of Centura Health, he was named Senior Vice President for Mission and Ministry, in addition to his responsibilities as Administrator for Avista.  He most recently served Centura as the Chief Executive Officer for Avista Adventist Hospital in Louisville, Colorado. 

– Effort designed to help revolutionize access to genomic interpretation services in hospitals,
molecular diagnostics companies and academic medical centers throughout the U.S. –

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, MARCH 25, 2014 – Strand Genomics Inc. (Strand) and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) today announced a strategic partnership designed to expand the Strand Centers for Genomics & Personalized Medicine into the U.S. This effort is intended to help revolutionize access to genomic interpretation services in cardiovascular disease, oncology, rare diseases, and many other indications. Strand Genomics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Strand Life Sciences, a Bangalore, India-based bioinformatics, clinical genomics, and diagnostics company.

Strand operates clinical genomics and diagnostics laboratories in India that perform end-to-end clinical genomics services, such as testing and diagnostics, to healthcare systems in that country. Strand now provides diagnostic tests based on next-generation sequencing to more than 50 major hospitals in India. Strand is expanding globally and is actively seeking partnerships with hospitals, molecular diagnostic companies and academic medical centers looking to offer genomics-based diagnostics tests. In December 2013, Strand had announced its collaboration with El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA. BHI, a Maryland-based innovation intermediary, will be integral in supporting the market penetration of Strand’s services into the U.S. healthcare system by connecting Strand with key market channels, thus providing access to genomic services to more patients and healthcare providers.

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, February 18, 2014 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and China Fortune Land Development Co., Ltd. (CFLD) announced today that they have signed an agreement to jointly manage a newly created Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) position to be located at the BHI headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. This first-of-its-kind position will lead in the scouting of technologies and partnership opportunities in life science hubs in the U.S. and China. 

“We're very pleased to advance our partnership with BHI,” said Mr. Hu Zhen Yu, Vice President for CFLD, a company specializing in investment and operation of industrial areas in China, including science parks. “Our organizations first had a chance to connect in person when BHI’s CEO Rich Bendis traveled with a delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland, to China. Now, we look forward to filling this new EIR position, which will help to identify talented businesses and commercial prospects for our collaborative efforts.”

The new EIR will evaluate life science technologies in both China and the U.S. markets; provide a strategic plan for start-up companies; advise on opportunities for new ventures; and lead the commercial strategy for mature assets. This would be BHI’s 5th EIR since the program’s inception two years ago.

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, January 6, 2014 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and MIMETAS announced today that Todd Chappell, MBA, an Entrepreneur-in-Residence for BHI, has been named General Manager, U.S. Affairs for MIMETAS. A Netherlands-based company, MIMETAS is establishing its offices within BHI's headquarters in Rockville. MIMETAS and BHI created a U.S. subsidiary of MIMETAS to access the clinical, regulatory and scientific resources available in Central Maryland and to access the U.S. marketplace, the largest life sciences market in the world.

"We're very pleased to add Todd to the MIMETAS team," said Jos Joore, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer of MIMETAS. "Todd couples a vast experience in business creation with a profound understanding of biology and disease mechanisms. Most importantly, Todd shares our sense of urgency around enabling better medical treatment by using more predictive cell culture models."

Previously, Mr. Chappell was the Vice President of Operations for Shape Pharmaceuticals, a portfolio company of HealthCare Ventures, LLC, where he oversaw all day-to-day operations involved in the development of a novel HDAC inhibitor for Cutaneous-T-Cell-Lymphoma. Prior to that, he was at CombinatoRx Inc. for eight years and served as Director of New Products. Mr. Chappell will be combining his role at MIMETAS with his existing EIR position at BHI.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today that Reg Seeto, M.D., has been appointed to the BHI Board of Directors. Dr. Seeto currently serves as Vice President, Head of Partnering & Strategy at MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.  

"It is a pleasure to welcome Reg to the BHI Board of Directors," said Doug Liu, Chair, BHI Board of Directors, and Senior Vice President of Global Operations for Qiagen. "Reg’s background in business development and partnering strategy will be an important asset to our Board as we give counsel to BHI in its fostering of startups in Central Maryland. We look forward to his contributions to this Board, to the BHI organization, and to the biohealth startup community."

Dr. Seeto rejoined the MedImmune Leadership Team in 2013 to lead the Partnering and Strategy Group after having spent a year as an executive abroad for AstraZeneca. He is responsible for MedImmune’s Business Development and Strategy teams, which deliver external partnership strategy for the organization. 

Partnership with Johns Hopkins and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. will speed 10 healthtech startups to market

Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia, PA — September 18th, 2013—DreamIt Ventures is pleased to announce the launch of DreamIt Health Baltimore, a partnership with The Johns Hopkins University and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. to recruit, invest in, and speed the growth and success of a select group of early-stage health IT companies. The program comes on the heels of a successful health IT program in Philadelphia also built on strong industry partnerships that give participants access and advantages typically out-of-reach to startups.

"The key to making health care more accessible is innovation, and the most fertile focus for health care innovation is in acquiring, storing, analyzing and sharing information," said Ronald J. Daniels, President of Johns Hopkins. "This accelerator project will have important implications for the future use of information as we use technology to find solutions for the most pressing health problems of our day. Just as important, it sets up Baltimore to become even more central to the health care information revolution through the rapid validation of solutions."

"Technology holds the potential to transform the way in which we approach health care in this country and around the world," said Paul Rothman, MD, Dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Johns Hopkins has been at the forefront in developing innovative solutions to the most pressing health care challenges. The partnership with DreamIt presents an exciting and unrivaled opportunity to develop the most cutting-edge solutions at the crossroads of information technology and medicine."

Richard Moore, BD DiagnosticsROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, August 26, 2013 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today its selection of Richard Moore, M.D., Ph.D., as a new Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). BHI and BD established this position in July 2013. Dr. Moore, an executive with decades of experience in diagnostics development and technology strategy, will help support the development of new start-up companies and product commercialization based upon innovative technologies selected via OTT license agreements.

BHI Also Announces Agreement With BD to Create Entrepreneur-in-Residence Position

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) today announced the fiscal year 2013-2014 election of officers and a new appointment to its Board of Directors. BHI also announced it has entered into an agreement with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) to establish an entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR) position at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Technology Transfer. In conjunction with this agreement, BD is entitled to a voting position on the BHI Board of Directors, which will be held by Richard M. “Rick” Ivey, Worldwide Vice President Research & Development, BD Diagnostics - Diagnostic Systems.

"I am pleased to welcome the new roster of officers and a new member to the BHI Board of Directors," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "The officers are a committed group of individuals who already have contributed to the steady growth of BHI, and will continue to be important leaders as the organization further develops."

"Rick Ivey joins the Board on behalf of BD as part of the terms of an agreement between BHI and BD to establish an NIH EIR position,” added Mr. Bendis. “He represents an important new addition to our Board as he is a seasoned medical technology executive who can offer experience and insights to the growing cadre of start-up diagnostics companies in the State of Maryland."

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, today announced its selection of Ram Aiyar, Ph.D., M.B.A., as the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) for BHI at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Dr. Aiyar will help advance fundamental research discoveries to new therapeutics, diagnostics and devices that can be used clinically and commercially.

“We’re pleased to add Dr. Aiyar to our roster of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence,” said Rich Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “He is now our third EIR – joining Todd Chappell, who is EIR at NIH, and Ken Malone, our EIR working with the University of Maryland Ventures. The growth of this program will be a benefit to BHI and our partner organizations for years to come, and will result in transitioning more early-stage biomedical technologies to commercial potential. ”

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, today announced its selection of Ken Malone, Ph.D., of Early Charm Ventures, as the first BHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) assigned to work directly with UM Ventures. Dr. Malone, a serial entrepreneur who has founded or been an officer of five biotechnology or advanced materials companies, will help advance the commercialization efforts of new start-up companies based upon innovative discoveries coming out of research programs at the University of Maryland (UMD) College Park and Baltimore.

“We’re thrilled to name Ken Malone as an EIR,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President & CEO. “Ken and I have a long history of working together, so I know first hand that he has the experience, drive and perspective to be a true asset to BHI and to the many start-ups he’ll serve from University of Maryland in support of the newly launched UM Ventures initiative.” Dr. Malone will assist any interested UM start-ups once they have been launched.

- Technology Company Awarded Prize at Invest Maryland Challenge Ceremony -

BALTIMORE, MD, April 16, 2013 – University of Maryland (UM) Ventures, an ambitious joint research commercialization effort of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), announced today that it has awarded the first UM Ventures Start-Up Prize to VisiSonics, an Investment Maryland Challenge Semi Finalist company that was founded on intellectual property owned by the University. VisiSonics was recognized during the Invest Maryland Challenge Award Ceremony on Monday, April 15, 2013 at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, Maryland.

"Identifying customers and having sales is, of course, a major hurdle for university start-ups," said James L. Hughes, Director of UM Ventures, and President, Research Park Corporation, University of Maryland Baltimore. "With the significance of achieving more than half a million dollars in sales in 2012, VisiSonics is a worthy recipient of this inaugural prize."

- Multiple SBIR/STTR Submission Deadlines Quickly Approaching -

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today the launch of its Commercial Relevance Program (CRP). BHI's CRP is designed to help life science companies navigate the complicated process of preparing applications for federal funding, inclusive of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and other federal government awards.

"The federal grant application process can be very complex. Based on 2012 data released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Maryland ranks 32nd out of 50 states with regard to SBIR award success rates. We would like to improve on this – and are confident that the CRP will help companies be more successful with their submissions," said Ethan Byler, Director, Innovation Programs, BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

"At the end of the day, it's about helping Central Maryland companies to get the best results possible as they seek out federal grant awards as a means of non-dilutive funding," he added.

The CRP incorporates a pre-proposal review by knowledgeable BHI staff and advisors prior to a life science company's submission of a full proposal. Through this review process, applicants will receive a set of recommendations and tips for troubleshooting their proposal for federal funding.

Interested life science companies in Central Maryland should This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. today for more information. The following federal agency SBIR/STTR deadlines are fast approaching:

• NIH SBIR/STTR Deadline - April 5, 2013
  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm
• NSF SBIR/STTR Deadline - June 11, 2013
  http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/index.jsp
• DOD SBIR/STTR Deadline - June 26, 2013
  http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/sbir/sb/schedule.shtml

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, March 4, 2013 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, today announced that BioHealth Innovation, Inc. President & CEO Richard Bendis is scheduled to present at the upcoming SXSW 2013 conference and the 2013 BIO International Convention this Spring. Mr. Bendis is also serving on the Program Committee for AdvaMed 2013: The MedTech Conference, which will be held in Washington, DC, in September.

Specific information for each event is as follows:

• 2013 South By Southwest "SXSW" Conference, March 8-12, 2013, Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas. Mr. Bendis is participating in a panel on Saturday, March 9, entitled, "Entrepreneurs-in-Residence: Not Just for VCs!" Venture capital firms have utilized the services of 'Entrepreneurs-in-Residence' (EIRs), seasoned innovators with functional expertise, to help spur entrepreneurship and fill gaps in expertise. This panel will look at the value of combining the 'innovation mojo' of EIRs with some of the government's brightest 'intrapreneurs' to solve the nation's most pressing challenges. Joining Mr. Bendis on the panel will be Arnaub Chatterjee (Associate Director of Health Information Partnerships, Merck - Office of the Chief Medical Information and Innovation Officer), John Paul Farmer (Senior Advisor to the U.S. CTO) and Zachery Jiwa, Health IT Advisor; Innovation Fellow, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Advisor, HIMSS State Advisory Roundtable.
  
  
• 2013 BIO International Convention, April 22-23, 2013, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Bendis is scheduled to be part of The Translational Research Forum on April 22, 2013, beginning at 1:30 p.m., and a panel discussion focused on effective strategies in developing accelerator models beginning at 4:35 p.m.
  
  
• AdvaMed 2013: The MedTech Conference, September 23-25, 2013, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC. Mr. Bendis is reviewing panel submissions in the eHealth IT Track.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, February 11, 2013 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today the appointment of GenVec, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Cynthia L. Collins to its Board of Directors. BHI also announced that BHI Founding Board Member Jerry Parrott, formerly with Human Genome Sciences, has stepped down from his board seat but will continue to remain active on BHI's Commercial Relevance Advisory Board.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, February 27, 2013 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today the formation of its Commercial Relevance Advisory Board (CRAB). Members of the CRAB represent diverse business and academic organizations from throughout the region, such as venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates, Ernst & Young, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the University of Maryland (UMD), Johns Hopkins University, and leading biotechnology companies.