Maryland Tech Council (MTC) announced today that, with the support of the Maryland Department of Commerce, the Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services (MTC VMS), will expand beyond Montgomery County to serve entrepreneurs throughout Maryland. The MTC VMS, which started just two years ago, has trained more than 60 mentors. The program uses a unique team approach to mentoring and is focused on technology and life sciences companies that are preparing to raise their first or second round of venture capital or institutional financing.

The fund aims to invest in larger, more mature companies primed for growth.

Many health systems acknowledge that partnering with digital healthcare startups is a necessary step toward innovation, but if providers do not tend these partnerships carefully, they will not be able to reap their benefits.

CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASI), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and delivery of high quality, cost-effective pharmaceutical products and innovative therapeutics to patients in the U.S., China and throughout the world, announces the appointment of Larry Zhang to the position of President of CASI (Beijing) Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., the China operating subsidiary of CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. 

Viral clearance is not a new challenge for the biopharmaceutical industry. However, regulatory demand for better data combined with the growing recognition of the shortcomings of current virus removal and inactivation methods are fostering innovation, according to industry experts.

BHI and Launch Workplaces are co-hosting a series informational programs on topics of interest to early stage companies in Montgomery County’s innovation network.  Geared toward biohealth and technology startups, these sessions are open to all start-ups in the BioHealth Capital Region (with priority on 1:1 office hours given to Montgomery County Innovation Center tenants). 

Each program begins with an overview of issues related to the day’s topic with lessons learned and best practices from experts in the field and companies which have been through the process.  Attendees can sign up for 1:1 meetings with the experts after the overview session to discuss their specific scenarios more in depth. Mark your calendars (more details to follow): 

10/24 - CMS Reimbursement  

11/28 - Legal Issues for Early Stage Companies  

1/24 - Tax Implications for Startups   

1/29 - Fundraising (SBIR)  

2/27 - Fundraising (nonSBIR nondilutive and dilutive)

3/27 - Successful Marketing & PR Strategies 

4/24 - Selling to the Government

5/15 - Pricing Factors 

6/12 - Staff Recruitment and Retention

For more information/to hold your spot for one of the dates now, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ReveraGen BioPharma, Inc. today announced the initiation and first patient enrollment in a double-blind, placebo- and prednisone-controlled clinical trial (VBP15-004) of vamorolone, a first-in-class dissociative steroidal anti-inflammatory, in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research (OER) provides the corporate framework for NIH research administration, ensuring scientific integrity, public accountability, and effective stewardship of the NIH extramural research portfolio. The OER is seeking a Supervisory Medical Officer (Research) or Pharm.D. or Ph.D. Clinical Research Nurse to serve as the Director of a new division with oversight for human subjects research and clinical trial policy and process implementation.

The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded on Monday to James P. Allison of the United States and Tasuku Honjo of Japan for their work on unleashing the immune system’s ability to attack cancer, a breakthrough in developing new cancer treatments.

Swiss-based Roche announced it is buying UK-based Tusk Therapeutics in a deal that could hit $758 million (U.S.).

Under the terms of the acquisition, Roche is paying $81 million upfront with another possible $677 million in various milestone payments.

Qiagen announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the expanded use of the company's Therascreen EGFR RGQ PCR Kit to allow its use as a companion diagnostic for Pfizer's Vizimpro (dacomitinib) for first-line treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutation.

New cases of sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise worldwide, and some strains have become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat them.

With the support of a $5.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Jeff Wang a professor in the Whiting School of Engineering's Department of Mechanical Engineering and member of the school's Institute for NanoBioTechnology, is leading a team that is creating a device that not only rapidly tests for gonorrhea, but detects if a particular bacterial strain is resistant to antibiotics.

A report released this week at the annual conference of the trade association for medical device and diagnostics companies had a stark message to deliver: invest in customer-centric capabilities and digital collaborations to build personalized health solutions or die.

Summer 2018 may have brought more rain than sun, but when it comes to funding at Maryland startups, things have been hot, hot, hot. With top-notch research institutions, an unparalleled technical workforce, and a network of accelerators, Maryland is a hotbed for innovation, so it's no wonder venture capitalists want Maryland startups in their portfolio. Here’s a snapshot of companies that have recently received VC investments. 

We are pleased to announce a pitch event will be hosted by MITRE Corporation at the Tysons, VA campus in the Metro DC area on Wednesday, October 10th from 9am-6pm EST.

Join us to hear 10 new startups present their innovations to our ecosystem of industry experts. This will be Starburst's annual east coast selection committee, so don't miss out! It's a great way to make the most of your trip for those of you who plan to be in the DC area for the AUSA conference Oct 7-10.

CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CASI), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and delivery of high quality, cost-effective pharmaceutical products and innovative therapeutics to patients in the U.S., China and throughout the world, announces the appointment of George Chi to the position of Chief Financial Officer. Dr. Wei-Wu He, Executive Chairman of CASI Pharmaceuticals, commented, “I’m very pleased to announce George’s appointment and welcome him to CASI. George joins us at an opportune time as our company prepares for the marketing and sales of our first oncology product in China. He will be integral to help transition the Company’s financial operations to commercial stage as we launch EVOMELA® and other additional products from our pipeline.”

Fina Biosolutions announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent for expression and purification of the conjugate vaccine protein CRM197 in E. coli. CRM197 is a key component of many vaccine formulations utilized worldwide.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization applauds the House and Senate’s bipartisan passage of the Small Business Innovation Protection Act. The bill directs increased cooperation between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to improve intellectual property protections for small businesses.

Across the state, nearly 120,000 scientists are developing biologically advanced materials with the potential to change the course of our health, environment and even the foods we eat. It’s expanding New Jersey’s reputation from the “medicine chest of the world” to a hub for the life sciences.

When: Thursday, October 11, 20184:30 - 7:30 PM EST
 
Where: UM BioPark801 West Baltimore StBaltimore, MD 21201

bwtech @UMBC Cyber Incubator and Anchor Ventures will co-host a special event celebrating the cybersecurity industry in Maryland. The first part of the event will include an Anchor Ventures Panel discussing "Cybersecurity Issues in Healthcare" from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM, immediately followed by the renowned CyberTini Networking Reception from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. This double feature event will attract C-Level Executives and cybersecurity practitioners and will include comments by the "movers and shakers" in the cybersecurity world.

Innovating medical technologies in emerging markets Medical device company with the potential to save up to 2.6M newborn lives a year

In developing countries, many hospitals are overcrowded, understaffed, and lack standard medical equipment, leading to preventable newborn deaths. Neopenda is a for-profit public benefit corporation that is developing technologies to prevent these deaths, including a wearable that captures newborn vital signs so nurses in resource-constrained hospitals can attend to babies in distress.

UM Ventures – College Park, part of the University of Maryland Division of Research, is pleased to announce the addition of new talent to its innovation and commercialization efforts: Ken Porter, director of the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and Stan Smith, venture investment manager. These new hires build on UM Ventures’ strategic goal of unleashing innovation.

The Collegiate Inventors Competition®, an annual competition that rewards innovations, discoveries and research by college and university students and their faculty advisors, announced today its 2018 Finalists.

Baltimore-based Cerecor announced the acquisition of Ichorion Therapeutics, a New York–based biopharmaceutical company.

The deal includes an all-stock transaction worth up to $26.6 million, with potential for an additional $15 million in milestones, which could be paid in cash or stock.

Montgomery County has awarded a total of $425,000 in matching grants to 12 small companies who applied for the County’s new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Matching Grant Program.

In order to qualify, eligible companies must have been awarded a SBIR or STTR Phase 1 or Phase II grant during the current calendar year by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 51 percent of research and development operations must be conducted in Montgomery County.

A total of $150K was awarded to six pediatric cardiovascular innovations during the medical device pitch competition at the 6th Annual Pediatric Device Innovation Symposium hosted by Children's National Health System.  Award winners with Children’s National Vice President Kolaleh Eskandanian (far left) and CEO Kurt Newman, MD, (far right) include:  Ken Nelson, Bardy Diagnostics; Henri Justino, MD, PolyVascular Corp.; Corin Williams, Draper; Doug Vincent, VentriFlo; Joshua Woolley, NuPulseCV; and Kurt Newman, MD, Children’s National Health System. Peca Labs, not pictured, was also an award recipient. Photo credit: Paul Loftland Photograph

Six companies presenting innovative medical devices that address significant unmet needs in pediatric healthcare were awarded a total of $150,000 in grants yesterday in Philadelphia, Penn.at the Sixth Annual Pediatric Device Innovation Symposiumorganized by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Health System.

The “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!” competition this year focused on pediatric cardiovascular devices, an area where new devices can make a life-changing difference, especially for younger children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 40,000 children are born annually in the U.S. with a congenital heart defect (CHD) and approximately 1 million U.S. children currently live with a CHD.

The pitch competition was originally slated to award $100,000 in grants; however, because of the judges’ response to the quality and potential of the technologies presented, Children’s National expanded the award grants to $150,000 to include six awardees.

Join us for the 5th Annual BioBowl! You and your company team will be competing against other biotech firms to win the coveted BioBowl Trophy! But first you have to RSVP to claim your spot in the competition.

The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) and the University of Maryland have teamed up to present the AURP 2018 International Conference from October 22nd to October 26th. The International Conference attracts 200+ park leaders from around the world for knowledge exchange and networking with industry expert presenters.

AURP is a not-for-profit international organization that focuses on creating communities of innovation and education for university research parks both operating and planned, innovation districts, incubators, accelerators and businesses that cater to the research park industry.

BioHealth Capital Region moves up one spot to number four, closing in on our goal to be a Top 3 by 2023.

What makes a top-tier biopharma cluster? The standard answers involve a critical mass of resources including the brightest scientific and business minds capable of attracting public and private funding; powerhouse universities and healthcare systems, with endowments reaching into the billions; research institutes, often named for billionaire benefactors; and drug and tools & technology developers that can translate investment into net income.

From “doing digital” to “being digital,” that’s where the life sciences and health care industry needs to go. To help your business navigate digital disruption, this series provides a life sciences and health care perspective on Deloitte's 2018 Tech Trends report. From blockchain to digital reality to the no-collar workforce, explore eight trends that are shaping strategic and operational transformations and redefining life sciences and health care.

The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) concluded its Bio+Tech18 Conference yesterday in Baltimore with the announcement of Remedy Plan Therapeutics as the winner of its Inaugural Start-Up Pitch Contest. Remedy Plan Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing drugs that target cancer stem cells to inhibit tumor growth and proliferation.

Put a Regulatory consultant, a lawyer, and a venture capitalist in a room together and what do you get? Come to the National Capital Chapter SoPE event on October 17th, 2018 to find out!

The Biden Cancer Summit takes place Friday, September 21st in Washingtin, D. C. The event aims to promote new solutions, bring together problem solvers, and tell stories that epitomize what it means to be cancer FIERCE. The Summit is the flagship event of more than 450 Biden Cancer Community Summits convening throughout September 21st, all focused on improving the cancer journey for patients, their families, and caregivers.

Good morning and thank you for having me here today.

One of the most critical points on a patient’s journey is the moment of diagnosis.  The moment when you find out what’s wrong.  What the options are.  The uncertainty of the unknown can be the hardest part of a grave diagnosis. And the emotional health that comes with more confidence and more certainty is inextricably linked to physical health and outcomes.

The National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI) has been awarded more than $800,000 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to supplement a current $6.5 million grant provided to NDRI that supports continued national leadership with the recovery and distribution of human organs and tissues for medical research over the course of five years. The supplemental awards provide support for NDRI to serve as a human biospecimen resource for research focused specifically on Alzheimer’s disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and HIV/AIDS. The three awards are supplements to NDRI’s Human Tissues and Organs for Research Resources (HTORR) program which has been supported by the NIH since 1987.