“5 Questions With…” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated. This edition features 5 Questions with Paul Nolde, Fund Manager/Managing Director, Riverflow Growth Fund.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

On Feb. 15, 2021, biotechnology company Novavax and SK Bioscience, a vaccine business subsidiary of SK Group, announced an expanded collaboration and license agreement for SK Bioscience to add significant production capacity for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, currently in Phase III clinical trials.

This new agreement follows an already existing manufacturing arrangement under which SK Bioscience obtained a license to manufacture and commercialize NVX-CoV2373, Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, for sale to the Korean government. Novavax recently reported positive interim efficacy results for the vaccine candidate in an ongoing Phase III clinical trial in the United Kingdom and is also currently conducting a Phase III trial in the United States and Mexico.

Lubna Azmi sees herself as a laidback person, but even she isn't immune to the pressures and anxieties that come with planning for the future.

"I've seen how fast people's professional lives can fall apart, especially during the pandemic," says Azmi, who is a second-year international studies and sociology major at Johns Hopkins. "During quarantine, I was asking myself, have I been too selfish thinking about doing what I want to do? Should I be thinking about how to better support my family, including the family I create in the future?"

Image: Alia Poonawala (left), executive director of Hire Hopkins, and Alayna Hayes, senior director of life design for diversity, equity, and inclusion - https://hub.jhu.edu

When AstraZeneca (AZ)  announced in 2019 that it was officially retiring the MedImmune brand, questions naturally arose about whether the U.K. pharma giant would continue the legacy MedImmune support for the BioHealth Capital Region’s (BHCR) life science ecosystem. 

Since its founding in 1998, MedImmune had been an anchor life science company in the region, and starting around 2014, it was a key force behind the creation of BHCR brand, as well as the region’s collective push to be a top-three biotech cluster by 2023. 

Image: https://biobuzz.io

As we noted in our previous story, “Diversity in Biotech, Industry’s Next Big Challenge,” there is a deep, rich, underappreciated history of African-American innovation in the life sciences and STEM fields. 

There is still much work to be done to improve equity across the industry, however. From transdermal diabetes patches and life-saving hemorrhage control systems to advanced biomanufacturing and revolutionary diagnostic testing, this history’s lineage can be traced across the Mid-Atlantic biotech clusters well as throughout the country.   

Image: https://biobuzz.io/

Research by an international team of investigators has demonstrated the ability of trained dogs to detect aggressive prostate cancer from urine samples, and suggests that an artificial neural network could learn from this olfactory capability. The scientists say findings from the study, which is reported in PLOS One, could feasibly be used to help direct the development of novel, machine-based tools for detecting prostate cancer, which integrate canine olfaction with the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine, microbial profiling, and artificial neural network (ANN)-assisted examination. Study lead Claire Guest, from Medical Detection Dogs, in the U.K., and colleagues in the U.K. and U.S., claimed, “We’ve shown it is possible to replicate the dog’s performance as sensors and brains, it is now time to put this technology in every smartphone.”

Image: https://www.genengnews.com

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JAMA Network Open has published "Validation of a Machine Learning Brain Electrical Activity-Based Index to Aid in Diagnosing Concussion Among Athletes," a ground-breaking study on the accuracy of the BrainScope FDA-cleared biomarker, the Concussion Index, to indicate the likelihood and severity of concussive brain injury and to aid in evaluating an athlete's readiness to return to play.  

Most office buildings around the country have remained empty over the past year as companies quickly pivoted to working remotely to help slow the pandemic's spread. However, many office campuses owned by office real estate investment trust (REIT) Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE: ARE) have been buzzing with activity during the outbreak. That's because many of its tenants have been working around the clock waging war against the virus, and they needed the company's specialized lab space to develop solutions aimed at defeating the pandemic.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avoro Ventures announced today that Sara Nayeem, MD, has joined the firm as a Partner, focused on its venture capital investment efforts.

Dr. Nayeem joins Avoro Ventures after 12 years with New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA), where she was a Partner in the firm’s biopharma investment practice serving on numerous company boards, in addition to providing support to fundraising, recruiting, and diversity and mentoring initiatives. She will source and manage private market investments within the biotechnology sector spanning early stage to late stage and cross-over, joining Behzad Aghazadeh, PhD, Managing Partner of Avoro Ventures and Avoro Capital Advisors, and Dr. Garheng Kong, Avoro Ventures Advisory Partner.

As a follow up to our last event Pitch Perfect: Communicating with Investors Before AND After Funding, we’re excited to bring you Pitch Perfect II: In Action.

We’ll be showcasing four startups from the SoPE and GW community. Each will give a 10 minute pitch followed by a 5 minute Q&A to our panel of experienced venture capital and angel investors.

Local incubator member and digital health company Avhana Health Inc. has been acquired by Wilmington, Del.-based digital medicine products company Amalgam Rx Inc. for an undisclosed sum.

Under terms of the purchase, which was announced Jan. 13, Avhana Health will maintain its operations in Los Angeles as a stand-alone subsidiary of Amalgam. Avhana’s chief executive, Noah Weiner, will stay on as general manager of the unit.

Image: Avhana’s Noah Weiner is focused on EHR integration. 

Join the conversation with Emily Durfee, Program Manager at Healthworx, the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst. Healthworx' Challenge focuses on improving health equity at the community level .Learn about Healthworx’ mission and vision, as Emily shares insights, answer questions and explains the intention of this terrific opportunity to connect with a very important leader in Maryland's healthcare and innovation community.

Something of the dark horse in the race to get a COVID-19 vaccine out to the public, Novavax announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide 1.1 billion doses of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, for the COVAX Facility. The vaccine will be manufactured and distributed around the world by Novavax and Serum Institute of India (SII). SII has an existing deal with Gavi.

Image: https://www.biospace.com

NEW YORK – Qiagen on Thursday said that it has launched a "Digital Insights Partnership" program designed to expand the market for its bioinformatics products through various third-party collaborations and deals.

The Montgomery County biotech joins a handful of other local companies to recently debut on the public markets.

Are you a start-up in Maryland, DC or Virginia seeking feedback on your biohealth business idea, pitch deck, or commercialization plan? Schedule your feedback session with BHI EIRs here: www.tinyurl.com/EIRfeedback.  These take place by videoconference via Zoom.  Pre-registration and forwarding of a power point deck one week before the session is required. For questions, more information, or to be added to the wait list, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to register. Thank you!

Are you a start-up in Maryland, DC or Virginia seeking feedback on your biohealth business idea, pitch deck, or commercialization plan? Schedule your feedback session with BHI EIRs here: www.tinyurl.com/EIRfeedback.  These take place by videoconference via Zoom.  Pre-registration and forwarding of a power point deck one week before the session is required. For questions, more information, or to be added to the wait list, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to register. Thank you!

Troy A LeMaile-Stovall, CEO and Executive Director of TEDCO, joins Rich Bendis BioTalk to discuss his background, the local ecosystem, and their vision for the future here in Maryland

Listen now via Apple http://apple.co/3tMsGQ4 , Google http://bit.ly/372QPs5 , http://spoti.fi/3tV2vXI , and TuneIn http://bit.ly/3aOuuzC.

Last month, biotechnology company United Therapeutics began tearing down the historic Elion-Hitchings building in Research Triangle Park, a Mid-Century, Brutalist structure built by the famed architect Paul Rudolph.

While the move was met with dismay from architecture lovers, the demolition could portend a large expansion on the building’s 132-acre property in the coming years.

Image: United Therapeutics currently employs more than 400 people in Research Triangle Park. UNITED THERAPEUTICS.

Johns Hopkins University led all U.S. universities in research and development spending for the 41st consecutive year in fiscal year 2019, spending a record $2.917 billion.

The university's total R&D expenditure for fiscal year 2019—the most recent year for which nationwide data is available—rose 9.6% from the previous year, according to the annual National Science Foundation report on higher education R&D.

Image: https://hub.jhu.edu

Creating university communities of innovation is AURP’s core expertise. And as university innovation communities evolve, AURP announces university innovation community builders’ latest professional development opportunity — Innovation U Virtual Seminars. We’ll be featuring information and knowledge about the latest trends in innovation and university districts — the why, the how-to and “the who is doing it and where?”

Germantown, MD, February, 9, 2021 – Seraxis, a biotech company developing a cell replacement therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes today announced the successful closing of a $40M Series C private financing round. The financing was led by Eli Lilly and Company, with participation from Frazier Healthcare Partners, Polaris Ventures, JDRF T1D Fund, and other investors.

(Reuters) - Genetic testing specialist Qiagen’s Chief Executive Thierry Bernard said the company is interested in organic growth and “bolt-on” acquisitions, when asked about recent merger and acquisition speculation during a results conference call on Wednesday.

The vaccine was found to generate a robust immune response in animals exposed to the vaccine with strong data indicating safety and efficacy, according to the study published recently in the journal Nature Communications. The results have been used to begin testing the vaccine in human trials in the United States with a Phase 3 trial that recently launched at UMSOM’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD).

U.S. drug maker Emergent BioSolutions began speeding up its acquisition of drug supplies beginning early last year, as the coronavirus outbreak was erupting in China. In addition to producing drugs like the opioid overdose-reversing Narcan nasal spray, the firm develops vaccines and antibody therapeutics and had scored lucrative contracts for key biodefense medicines over the decades. 

The Center for Advancing Point of Care Technologies (CAPCaT) in Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Disorders (U54HL143541) announces the 2021 solicitation of grant applications focused on developing, adapting, or validating point of care technologies that can be rapidly applied to heart, lung, blood, or sleep disorders, with additional interest in projects that incorporate complementary and integrative health approaches. We plan, based on the receipt of meritorious applications, to fund up to four awards of up to $100,000 over 12 months, with one or more award(s) focused on complementary and integrative health.

The Port Covington Development Team consisting of lead investors Sagamore Ventures and Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, and lead developer Weller Development Company, today announced that financing for the next development phase has been finalized. The capitalization totals more than $650 million, including approximately $137 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) bonds. The closing of the financing marks a significant milestone for one of the largest urban revitalization efforts in the country, signifying vertical construction is underway. In conjunction with the closings, the Port Covington Development Team funded more than $9 million to the South Baltimore 7 (SB7) Coalition, as part of its Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).

Image: https://pc.city/chapter-1b-underway/

Luis Diaz, co-founder of PGDx, said the new funding will allow the company to "go out and sell" the cancer diagnostics tech it has been working on for a decade.

Image: Baltimore's Personal Genome Diagnostics (PGDx) has raised about $214 million in funding to date. CARLEY MILLIGAN

Here's a look at how Johns Hopkins' COVID-19 website was created and how it grew visits to more than 38 million in seven months.

Image: https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com

University System of Maryland (USM) asked members of its community to get creative with approaches to educating the public on COVID-19 safety ahead of vaccination.

Among the top submissions: a puppet show, an action film parody and, because this is Maryland, a crab.

USM, which oversees a dozen public higher education campuses in the state, issued a Public Health Challenge through its research and innovation task force in December. It called for videos and images “to highlight how USM students, members of the broader university community, and all Marylanders can stay safe and healthy while waiting for a vaccine.”

Image: From "Pandemic Puppet Fatigue." (Screenshot via University System of Maryland)  

The Montgomery County startup is raising new funding — and eyeing an eventual sale of the business.

Image: Sue Carr designed an alternative to the traditional system used for liquid pharmaceuticals. ANDREW BROOKES

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexImmune, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a novel approach to immunotherapy designed to employ the body’s own T cells to generate a specific, potent and durable immune response that mimics natural biology, today announced the pricing of its upsized initial public offering of 6,471,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $17.00 per share. The gross proceeds to NexImmune from the offering, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $110 million.

Maryland is now one of only six states with more than one university entity spending $1 billion or more per year on research, according to the latest rankings from NSF.

Image: A large portion of Johns Hopkins University's total research and development spending can be attributed to the school's Applied Physics Laboratory based in Laurel. COURTESY OF JOHNS HOPKINS APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY

Baltimore, Md. (Feb. 11, 2020) – The University System of Maryland (USM) COVID Research & Innovation Task Force today announced the six winning teams for its Public Health Challenge. Undertaken with the generous support of several local organizations, the Task Force in mid-December invited members of the USM community to take part in this multimedia challenge, seeking creative ways to highlight how USM students, members of the broader university community, and all Marylanders can stay safe and healthy while waiting for a vaccine.

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday listed AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, widening access to the relatively inexpensive shot in the developing world.

“We now have all the pieces in place for the rapid distribution of vaccines. But we still need to scale up production,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, told a news briefing.

Image: FILE PHOTO: A vial of AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine is pictured at St. Mary's Hospital, in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland, February 14, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne