Biohealth Innovation
Montgomery College and the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), in conjunction with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), have completed two intensive pilot training programs designed to create a skilled talent pipeline to support the life sciences sector in Montgomery County. The four-week “Bio Boot Camp” program—a public-private effort announced in November 2020—was created to help kickstart recovery from the COVID-19 health crisis.
Image: https://montgomerycomd.blogspot.com
The entrepreneurs behind an exited Baltimore biotech company are creating a new center for immigration law in the city.
A $5 million gift from Marco and Debbie Chacón to the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law will help to establish the Baltimore-based school’s new Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice.
The couple founded Paragon Bioservices, the contract manufacturing and development company that was acquired by Catalent in 2019 for $1.2 billion. Marco Chacón served as CEO and Debbie Chacón served as VP when the company moved to the University of Maryland BioPark in 2009. Now known as Paragon Gene Therapy, it still has a base at the BioPark, and Marco Chacón founded Irazú Bio, which is also based in the BioPark.
Image: Marco and Debbie Chacón founded Paragon Bioservices. (Photo courtesy of University of Maryland School of Law)
All eyes are on the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Achieving the broad uptake needed to reach population immunity and curb the virus’s spread will require an unprecedented effort among health workers, scientists and stakeholders at every step of the supply chain.
During this 90 min event, experts from organizations central to vaccine development and delivery, regulatory oversight and quality assurance will discuss over the course of two high-level panels what’s needed for the global COVID-19 vaccination campaign, how to build public trust in the quality and effectiveness of vaccines, and how these investments can build better systems for the future.
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — As students and staff return to the classroom, state leaders are working to get every teacher vaccinated. Now, there’s a way to track the progress.
Johns Hopkins University is launching its teacher vaccination tracker.
Image: https://baltimore.cbslocal.com - From Video
COLUMBIA, Md. (March 8, 2021)—TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced today its Seed Fund invested $400,000 in two technology start-ups. TEDCO’s Seed Fund invests in early-stage, technology and life sciences companies and includes gap financing.
A free, virtual Forum focused on the growing Digital Health industry in the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond, presented by EAGB & BHI.
The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (www.greaterbaltimore.org) and BioHealth Innovation (www.biohealthinnovation.org) have partnered to host a Forum focused on the growing Digital Health industry in the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond. The Forum is free and will be held virtually on March 25, from1 – 3:00 pm. There is no fee and all are welcomed, but you must register in order to receive the link to the event.
The Digital Health Forum features two panel discussions and a moderated conversation. Brief welcome comments by Rich Bendis and Michele Whelley, CEO of BHI and EAGB, respectively, will open the Forum.
Visit https://bit.ly/DigitalHealth21 to learn more and register for this FREE Event today.
Sponsored by: First National Bank, Olive, and TEDCO
A free, virtual Forum focused on the growing Digital Health industry in the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond, presented by EAGB & BHI.
The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (www.greaterbaltimore.org) and BioHealth Innovation (www.biohealthinnovation.org) have partnered to host a Forum focused on the growing Digital Health industry in the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond. The Forum is free and will be held virtually on March 25, from1 – 3:00 pm. There is no fee and all are welcomed, but you must register in order to receive the link to the event.
The Digital Health Forum features two panel discussions and a moderated conversation. Brief welcome comments by Rich Bendis and Michele Whelley, CEO of BHI and EAGB, respectively, will open the Forum.
Visit https://bit.ly/DigitalHealth21 to learn more and register for this FREE Event today.
Sponsored by: First National Bank, Olive, and TEDCO
Shares of Altimmune Inc. ALT were down 4.8% in trading on Thursday after the company said it started enrolling participants in a Phase 1 clinical trial for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Altimmune is developing a single-dose nasal spray vaccine. The study is expected to enroll up to 180 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 55 years old, who will receive one of three doses of the experimental vaccine. The company said it expects to share the first batch of clinical data from this trial in the second quarter of this year. Altimmune's stock has soared 969.9% over the past 12 months, while the broader S&P 500 SPX is up 21.7%.
Are you a BioHealth entrepreneur working with an academic institution on your oncology R&D? The NCI SBIR Development Center has announced a new funding opportunity to support academic post-doc transitions to industry. This new and unique Fast-Track only award structure comprises a Phase I STTR that transitions to a Phase II SBIR. An STTR award is a collaborative award made to small businesses working closely with a university deadline to apply by 3/25. For more information, check online: Small Business Transition Grant | NCI: SBIR & STTR (cancer.gov)
Image: https://sbir.cancer.gov/funding/sbtg From Video
Emergent BioSolutions’ contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) business is playing a crucial role in supporting the battle against COVID-19. The company has contracted with multiple vaccine makers, including AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, to manufacture the preventative medications.
It’s a critical role not taken lightly by the employees in the company’s two Baltimore-based facilities. Sean Kirk, executive vice president of Manufacturing and Technical Operations at Emergent, said the importance of the work taken on by Emergent, as well as the biopharma industry at large to battle the pandemic is not lost on him.
Alexandria Venture Investments Senior Associate, Conley Jones, virtually sits down with Rich Bendis on BioTalk to discuss Venture Trends, Investment Goals, and their National Footprint
Listen now on Apple http://apple.co/3sCbtaH, Google http://bit.ly/3kG3MgX, Spotify http://spoti.fi/3kKNGmt, and TuneIn http://bit.ly/3uGvJtJ.
George Mason University President Gregory Washington on Monday announced he has formed an advisory roundtable of nearly 30 regional business executives and community leaders to focus on the university’s innovation initiative.
The President’s Innovation Advisory Council will focus on issues such as GMU’s efforts to increase the pipeline of tech workers. George Mason’s innovation initiative includes $235 million in General Assembly funding to produce approximately 30% of the 25,000 undergraduate and graduate majors as part of the state’s Tech Talent Investment Program.
Image: Concept rendering of George Mason University's Institute for Digital InnovAtion (IDIA) in Arlington
A free, virtual Forum focused on the growing Digital Health industry in the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond, presented by EAGB & BHI.
The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (www.greaterbaltimore.org) and BioHealth Innovation (www.biohealthinnovation.org) have partnered to host a Forum focused on the growing Digital Health industry in the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond. The Forum is free and will be held virtually on March 25, from1 – 3:00 pm. There is no fee and all are welcomed, but you must register in order to receive the link to the event.
The Digital Health Forum features two panel discussions and a moderated conversation. Brief welcome comments by Rich Bendis and Michele Whelley, CEO of BHI and EAGB, respectively, will open the Forum.
Visit https://bit.ly/DigitalHealth21 to learn more and register for this FREE Event today.
Sponsored by: First National Bank, Olive, and TEDCO
SoPE + GW Startup Pitch Application Apply now to pitch at our March 24th Event: Pitch Perfect II: In Action!
Application is limited to SoPE members or those affiliated with George Washington University (students, staff, licensees, etc). Limited spots available. Submission does not guarantee acceptance.
Submission deadline: March 5th, 2021.
ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2021-- GlycoMimetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLYC) today announced the promotion of Eric Feldman, M.D., to Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Feldman joined the Company in 2019 and was previously Vice President, Global Clinical Development.
“Eric is internationally recognized for his work in the development of new therapies for the treatment of leukemias and related bone marrow disorders, and in the past two years, has established himself as a leader in our management group as well as in the trenches with our clinical operations team. Having spent his career dedicated to patients with hematologic malignancies, he is especially well positioned to lead our uproleselan program as it advances through Phase 3 clinical trials. In addition, his extensive clinical research background will serve us well as we drive forward other programs in our pipeline,” said Rachel King, Chief Executive Officer.
This free webinar will feature a fireside chat-style conversation with Dr. Robert Scharpf (Delfi Diagnostics) and Dr. Christie Bergerson (Exponent). Drs. Scharpf and Bergerson will discuss how machine learning and artificial intelligence are impacting biomedical engineering and the wider world of human health.
Rich Bendis (BioHealth Innovation/BioTalk podcast) will facilitate the discussion. View the speaker bios for more information.
After the main session, participants will have the opportunity to join one of three, smaller breakout sessions:
COLUMBIA, Md. (February 24, 2021)—TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced today the appointment of Jack Miner as the chief investment officer. He begins his tenure with TEDCO on March 1, 2021.
“Jack brings many years of venture capital and leadership experience to fill this critical role at TEDCO,” said Troy LeMaile-Stovall, TEDCO’s CEO and executive director. “Leveraging his extensive knowledge of the entrepreneurial and venture capital community, we’re looking forward to the impact he will make in fostering TEDCO’s mission to better serve our entrepreneurs.”
Many policy decisions on the pandemic -- in Washington and locally -- are driven by an online data tool developed at Johns Hopkins University. Correspondent David Begnaud spoke to one of the people behind the site.
Image: https://www.kctv5.com - From Video
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. and GERMANTOWN, Md. and HILDEN, Germany, Feb. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) and INOVIO Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INO) today announced an extension of their partnership with a new master collaboration agreement to develop liquid biopsy-based companion* diagnostic products based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to complement INOVIO's therapies. (*Complementary when referring to the US regulatory pathway.)
Richmond-based pharmaceutical development company Phlow Corp. has formed a partnership with a nonprofit organization that will involve opening new laboratory operations in downtown Richmond.
Phlow, which is working to build the supply of medicines that face shortages in the U.S. market, said Monday that it has formed a strategic alliance with United States Pharmacopeia to develop a new laboratory operation in the Virginia Bio+Tech Research Park.
Image: Daniel Sangjib Min - Times-Dispatch
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will now allow small businesses that are majority owned by private equity firms to bid on both Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer opportunities.
Congratulations to the BHI Board-members who made the list.
Biographer Robert Caro, in discussing his craft, wrote that “power reveals.” It reveals the true character of people, the nature of their endeavors, their goals and ambitions.
Welcome to The Daily Record’s inaugural Power 100 List.
We are recognizing the men and women across Maryland who are shaping our businesses, governments, nonprofits, law firms and other critical institutions. In essence, they are playing an outsize role in the culture, lifestyle, civic conversation and economic fortunes of Maryland.
The LaunchPort™ announced today that Novel Microdevices (http://www.noveldx.com) has moved to their Medtech venture center in Port Covington, Baltimore, and has established The LaunchPort™ as its primary location for their GMP development efforts.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) small business programs, which include the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, are the largest source of early stage capital for life sciences startups in the United States. The grant money helps startups accelerate their discoveries and put their discoveries into clinical trials. The grants awarded are just that, a grant and not a loan; there is no requirement to pay back the money. The NIH grants $1.2 billion dollars every year in the combined SBIR and STTR programs.
Georgetown University ranks second among the nation’s colleges and universities in graduating women who go on to lead venture capital firms, according to a report published by the investment company Different Funds.
Image: https://thehoya.com
Richmond, VA., February 22, 2021 – Phlow Corp., a public benefit essential medicines solutions provider, and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) today announced a strategic alliance to develop a new laboratory that will certify and validate Pharmaceutical Continuous Manufacturing processes resulting in affordable, high-quality, U.S.-manufactured essential medicines. Throughout its 200-year history of setting standards for medicine quality, USP has been providing validated scientific methods used by manufacturers and regulators to determine what “good quality” looks like. The methods developed through this strategic alliance will be available for use by other domestic generics manufacturers to encourage broader adoption of Pharmaceutical Continuous Manufacturing in order to strengthen the U.S. drug supply.
USP, a global, scientific not-for-profit organization located in Rockville, Maryland, develops public standards that establish the quality expectations for medicines, collaborating with scientific experts from the academic, industry, and healthcare practitioner communities along with the U.S. FDA. The alliance will facilitate Phlow’s application of “flow” chemistry and other continuous advanced manufacturing processes to produce the crucial ingredients that enable domestic, end-to-end drug manufacturing of essential medicines that have been or are at risk of being in shortage thereby contributing to a more resilient medicines supply chain.
Don’t miss a unique opportunity to discuss your biohealth technology innovation directly with Program Officers from NSF, various institutes at NIH (including NIA, NCI, NIDA, and NHLBI), the University of Maryland MIPS program. Learn the latest about the current areas of focus for these funding resources, Tips and Tricks for submitting successful applications, and Additional Resources to support your early stage company. Confirmed speakers and partnering meeting participants include:
Additional participants from the NIH National Cancer Institute and other resources TBA.
Click here to.. Reserve your spot (no fee) today!
Don’t miss a unique opportunity to discuss your biohealth technology innovation directly with Program Officers from NSF, various institutes at NIH, the University of Maryland MIPS program, and others. Learn the latest about the current areas of focus for nondilutive funding resources, tips for submitting successful applications, and additional resources to support your early-stage company. Confirmed speakers and partnering meeting participants include:
Register (no fee) today! www.tinyurl.com/2021SBIR
for The Rockville-based National Foundation for Cancer Research is accepting applications through Sunday evening, February 28, from academic laboratory and early stage start-up-based promising oncology technology projects for its 2021 Salisbury Award Competition for Entrepreneurial Translational Research. In addition to increased exposure, insight from a world-class judging panel and access to NFCR’s network, cash prizes totaling $10,000 will be provided to three category winners, the first one of which who will also be introduced to the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund for consideration of investment. Learn more and apply here: https://www.nfcr.org/salisbury-award/.
The National Foundation for Cancer Research is proud to present the Salisbury Award in honor of the Salisbury family’s vision and legacy of funding “high risk, high impact, and high reward” cancer research. Over 80 years of service, the three Salisburys galvanized NFCR into a significant force in cancer research worldwide.
The Salisbury Award encourages and promotes innovative scientists and early stage startups to translate their discoveries into therapies that can improve the lives of cancer patients. The initiative is designed to catalyze and advance promising research innovations onto the path of commercialization. Download the flyer and help spread the word!
Gaithersburg, MD, Feb. 22, 2021 – Cartesian Therapeutics, a fully integrated, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering mRNA-engineered cell therapy in and beyond oncology, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 2a clinical trial of its mRNA chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, Descartes-11, in patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk multiple myeloma. Based upon the company’s research and analysis, this program is understood to be the first RNA-engineered cell therapy to enter clinical development for a frontline cancer. Descartes-11 is the third product candidate to be evaluated in clinical trials resulting from Cartesian’s RNA Armory℠ engineering platform.
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the complete enrollment of PREVENT-19, its pivotal Phase 3 study in the United States and Mexico to evaluate the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine. Novavax has previously reported positive interim efficacy results of NVX-CoV2373, its recombinant protein-based vaccine candidate, in an ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial taking place in the United Kingdom.
The LaunchPort™ announced today that Eyedea Medical (https://www.eyedeamedical.com/) joined the Venture Center and will make the Port Covington, Baltimore location their HQ and engineering site.
Eyedea Medical is an early-stage, ophthalmic medical device company that was spun out of the Wilmer Eye Institute and the Center for Bioengineering Innovation & Design at Johns Hopkins University. Eyedea Medical was formed by a group of ophthalmologists and biomedical engineers in 2019 to alleviate the burden of corneal blindness globally through development and commercialization of a series of devices with potential to improve outcomes and access to vision-restoring corneal procedures.
Deka BioSciences CEO, John Mumm, CEO of Deka BioSciences, virtually guests on BioTalk to discuss his history in the BioHealth Capital Region, Precision Medicine, and Funding Strategies.
Listen now via Apple http://apple.co/3aIy6Ew, Google http://bit.ly/3sfEysd, Spotify http://spoti.fi/3aJq8ei, and Tunein http://bit.ly/2Me25ut.
One of the nation’s leading scientists in the desperate campaign to develop coronavirus vaccines—and in the Hollywood-esque triumph of succeeding within a year—grew up just across the street from the University of Maryland. Underlying all that work is her hope of returning to campus.
“I’m fighting the pandemic partly so I can get back to my Terps season tickets,” said Dr. Kathleen Neuzil ’83, lamenting a men’s basketball season played in a mostly empty Xfinity Center.
Image: Dr. Kathleen Neuzil '83, director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, designs and oversees U.S. vaccine trials. An avid athlete and Maryland sports fan, she played softball as a UMD undergrad (below) and recently tailgated on campus with her husband and three children (bottom). (Portrait courtesy of University of Maryland, Baltimore; softball and family photos courtesy of Dr. Kathleen Neuzil ’83)