Corporate venture capital (CVC) has long been an important source of capital for early-stage biotechs and shows no signs of diminishing, with more and more biopharma companies stepping up their investment activity.

Corporate venture firms are a well-established presence on the biotech funding scene, with the likes of Novartis and Glaxosmithkine’s SR One among the most active investors in the sector. However, the past few years have seen some different names crop up more and more: Pfizer, Celgene and Roche have noticeably stepped up their financing activity, a new analysis by EP Vantage finds.

BioMarker Strategies, LLC, today announced that the Japan Patent Office has granted new patents covering the Company’s SnapPath® Cancer Diagnostics System technology and its PathMAP® Functional Signaling Profile technology.

The following funding opportunity announcements from the NHLBI or other components of the National Institutes of Health, might be of interest:

Notices

• Notice of Participation of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) on RFA-CA-17-031 " Limited Competition: A Data Resource for Analyzing Blood and Marrow Transplants (U24) 
• (NOT-AI-17-038)
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Notice of Applicant Information Webinar for the Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network Centers (U54)
• (NOT-EB-17-010)
• National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
• Notice of Intent to Publish: Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38)
• (NOT-HL-17-533)
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Notice Announcing an Applicant Information Webinar for Phase II of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (RFA-RM-17-019, RFA-RM-17-018, RFA-RM-17-017, RFA-RM-17-016, RFA-RM-17-015)"
• (NOT-RM-17-038)
• NIH Roadmap Initiatives

Requests for Applications

• Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) (R38)
• (RFA-HL-18-023)
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Program Announcements

• Continuation of Existing Grant Based Epidemiology Cohort Studies in Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Diseases and Disorders (U01)
• (PAR-17-338) 
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Clinical and Epidemiological Research on Chronic Disease in the Caribbean (R01)
• (PAR-17-470) 
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

The MOVE program is an innovative approach intended to attract new businesses to Montgomery County, Maryland. Eligible new businesses will receive a one-time grant upon signing a commercial lease within the county.

Businesses new to the county that lease up to 20,000 square feet of Class A or B office space may receive a grant of $8/sf. All grants are capped at 10,000 square feet for purposes of calculating the grant award.

The university and life science giants AstraZeneca and MedImmune have joined forces with the burgeoning Cambridge Biomedical Campus and pledged to work with the Government and partners in areas identified as major catalysts for growth.

In a bid to detect cancers early and in a noninvasive way, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report they have developed a test that spots tiny amounts of cancer-specific DNA in blood and have used it to accurately identify more than half of 138 people with relatively early-stage colorectal, breast, lung and ovarian cancers. The test, the scientists say, is novel in that it can distinguish between DNA shed from tumors and other altered DNA that can be mistaken for cancer biomarkers.

BrainScope Company, Inc., the medical neurotechnology company which created the first FDA-cleared handheld medical device for assessment of the full spectrum of traumatic brain injury, today announced it has completed a $16 million equity financing.  New investor DBL Partners joined previous backers Revolution LLC, ZG Ventures, Maryland Venture Fund and other existing and new investors in the round, which the company will use to support the commercial launch of its flagship BrainScope One medical device, as well as for continued research and development initiatives. 

Tue, Sep 19, 2017 at 7:30 AM - American Visionary Art Museum800 Key HighwayJRVC 3rd FloorBaltimore, MD 21230

Already dubbed a ‘tech hub’, the Baltimore-Washington region has built a solid foundation in cyber activities as they pertain to government agencies and defense contracting. Now a transformation is underway to build up the commercial side of cyber. And that’s precisely what this panel will reinforce.

AstraZeneca has sold off marketing and development rights to another one of its pipeline assets.

This time it’s Takeda that’s stepping up, inking a deal package totaling $400 million for development and commercialization rights to its home grown MEDI1341, an alpha-synuclein antibody designed to combat Parkinson’s disease.

Virginia Bio, the premier statewide non-profit association of the life science industry in Virginia, elected Andrew J. Krouse to a two-year term as Chairman of the Board of Directors, during the annual meeting of the Board held at i.Lab at UVA.

Lightower Fiber Networks, the premier provider of all-fiber, high-performance networking solutions delivered over its own network, announced the availability of a newly constructed, all-fiber Potomac River crossing near Ashburn, VA. Wholly owned and operated by Lightower, the crossing serves as a strategic route that bypasses the greater Washington D.C. area, allowing for superior network connectivity to data centers, cloud providers, and other service locations in northern Virginia, including the Ashburn area.

AstraZeneca announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Faslodex (fulvestrant) as monotherapy for use in women with hormone-receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer who are postmenopausal and have not received previous endocrine therapy.

The MVR Company (MVR) and Engineered Medical Systems, Inc. (EMS) announced today that they have executed a lease to occupy space at the City Garage in Port Covington. The location will be used for a medical device manufacturing operation and a business development accelerator to support the State’s emerging growth medical technology companies.

Engineered Medical Systems manufactures medical products for their proprietary line, and provides private label and OEM contracts to distribution teams and other medical device companies. Their current facilities operate out of Indianapolis, IN, and Penang, Malaysia. For several years, MVR and EMS have been in discussions regarding the possibility of placing a medical device manufacturing operation in Baltimore to support the growing Medtech ecosystem in the State of Maryland. EMS will produce proprietary and contract products in the new facility and is in discussions with several out of state companies that are interested in producing in the new location. The facility will be known as The Factory™, consistent with the focus of City Garage to develop new capabilities for Baltimore in high value manufactured products. Brad Quinn, Co-President of EMS and Director of Operations, commented “We have been intrigued by the vibrancy of the clinical and innovation atmosphere in Maryland, and have in fact had several productive relationships in the past with researchers and physicians from the area. We view this as a timely opportunity to engage more deeply with the medical device community in greater Baltimore and Maryland.”

Machfu, an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) company leading the way in the development of an edge intelligence platform for IIoT, announced that it has raised $1.6 million in the first round of institutional financing. This investment, led by Blu Venture Investors, will allow the company to accelerate its successes in the Smart Grid and Smart Water markets, and expand its footprint in the oil and gas industry. The company has also recently received financing from Maryland’s TEDCO and other angel investors.

TEDCO’s 7th Annual Entrepreneur Expo will bring together all of Maryland’s entrepreneurial resources from across the state into one place, at one time.

You can expect to see 700+ of the region’s top entrepreneurs, small and large business executives, angel and venture capital investors, federal and state economic development officials, university leaders and legislators.

Gaithersburg's 3iDx will pitch to investors at next month's BIO Investor Forum in San Francisco.  Help the BioHealth Capital Region and 3iDx gain more visibility by voting for them to be a featured company, "The Buzz of BIO," at this conference. Voting runs daily through Friday, September 1st. You may vote once a day, every day of this week to provide a total of 4 votes.  Click here and select 3i Diagnostics under Diagnostics and Beyond.

Biotech/Health execs play  for a small $50 donation in the tournament that will benefit Zaching Against Cancer Foundation organization.

Welcome to the 2017 Biotech / Health Invitational, a DogDenGolf managed event that is being supported by top executives at Medimmune, other Biotechnology / Health companies and Vendors in the region. This year's event will be held on October 23, 2017, at Cattail Creek Country Club in Glenwood, MD and will determine the Biotech / Health Executive Golfers of the Year.   

Proceeds from this event will benefit Zaching Against Cancer Foundation (ZACF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation established to provide support to cancer patients and their support networks through scholarships, research and outreach. Money raised by ZACF goes toward several college scholarships, an internship and donation to cancer research and outreach organizations.

For more information, visit their websites at  www.zachingagainstcancer.org.

Host:  UM BioPark & Wexford Science + Technology

Location:  UM BioPark 801 W. Baltimore Street, Patio, Weather permitting Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Time:  5:00pm to 6:30pm

Please join the BioPark's Monthly Networking Event. Mingle with BioPark tenants, and UMB faculty and staff.

The European Commission (EC), the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have signed a new confidentiality commitment that allows the US regulator to share non-public and commercially confidential information, including trade secret information relating to medicine inspections with EU regulators. This confidentiality commitment is a milestone in the ongoing implementation of the mutual recognition of inspections of medicine manufacturers and it aims to strengthen the EU-US relationship. Ultimately it will contribute to a more efficient use of inspection resources by regulators for the protection of human and animal health.

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) announced today that its board of directors elected four new Executive Officers. The officers will serve for one year. “Providing the right tools and resources to Maryland’s entrepreneurs is vital to strengthening our workforce and ensuring that our state is open for business,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “I would like to congratulate the new executive officers of TEDCO as they work to guide Maryland’s growing number of innovators, entrepreneurs, and start-up companies to achieve even greater successes.”

REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq:RGNX) and Dimension Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:DMTX) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which REGENXBIO will acquire Dimension in an all-stock transaction for an implied value of approximately $3.41 per share. The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction.

As digital healthcare completes its migration to a mobile-centric world, profound innovations are moving full speed ahead toward solutions that aid in chronic care diagnosis, treatment, and management. “There’s a lot of noise—activities, press releases, and investments—and a lot of partnerships going on in digital health,” says Kevin McRaith, chief executive officer of WellDoc.

WellDoc, a digital health company based in Columbia, Md., is an active participant in several such key partnerships. The Columbia, Md.–based company was founded by an endocrinologist with her vision to create an engaging, effective digital health solution for adults with type 2 diabetes. More than a decade later, WellDoc has established itself as a leader in the field of digital health

Following a ceremonial signing with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao for the federal government’s $900 million Full-Funding Grant Agreement, Governor Larry Hogan started demolition to make way for the new Purple Line Operations Center and begin construction on the long-awaited Purple Line. Governor Hogan and Secretary Chao were joined by Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary Pete K. Rahn, MDOT Maryland Transit Administrator Kevin Quinn, Purple Line Transit Partners officials, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congressman Anthony Brown, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, and Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, as well as other state and local elected officials and Purple Line advocates. The Purple Line light rail project will run from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County.

A company that creates vaccines is expanding in Gatihersburg and adding to the quickly growing bio-technology industry in Montgomery County.  

Gaithersburg's Altimmune just announced that the company will expand to a new, 14,000 square foot building.

Gliknik Inc. today announced that clinicians have enrolled and dosed the first of 80 patients in the company’s phase 2 clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of biropepimut-S (GL-0817), an immunomodulatory therapeutic targeting the prevention of recurrence of squamous cell cancer of the oral cavity in patients at high risk of recurrence after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

“We are pleased to enroll the first patient in this phase 2 trial of biropepimut-S, which will further our understanding of the potential role of this advanced-design cancer vaccine with immune enhancing adjuvants in high-risk oral cavity cancer,” said Jeff Herpst, Senior Director of Clinical Development at Gliknik.

Innovative renewable energy, biotechnology, and information research is conducted in our community every day at the Frederick Innovative Technology Center (FITCI).

The Fort Detrick Alliance, which serves as a community partner and liaison to the five federal agencies located at Fort Detrick, will partner with FITCI on September 6, for its 9th Annual FITCI Technology Showcase.

In conjunction with the event, FITCI will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Biotech Shared Lab. Attendees will tour the new lab and meet FITCI entrepreneurial businesses professionals. Dr. Kenneth Bertram, Principal Assistant for Acquisition, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command at Fort Detrick, the keynote speaker, will speak about research advancements.

Paige Decker is the Manager of External Relations and Alliance Development at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). Upon her arrival at BIO, she contributed to the inaugural launch and content creation of BIOAction, BIO’s grassroots advocacy tool. She is a former staffer of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where she worked alongside Chairman Fred Upton and Chairman Greg Walden during her tenure. She is a graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a B.A. in English.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization, represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.

BIOAction’s primary mission is to engage the biotech community to use their voice against harmful policies that deter from the progress of innovation. Critical to this success is connecting biotechnology company employees and enthusiasts in the discussion with their elected officials at the federal, state and municipal level. BIOAction allows constituents to let their voice be heard in just a few clicks.

Paige will be discussing the importance of fostering and educating advocates for biotechnology; why they must lend their voice to balance the public policy debate by sharing their own stories and debunking the many myths and misinformation told about their innovation.

Q&A WITH JONATHAN GENN FOR VIVA WHITE OAK

We recently spoke to Jonathan Genn, Executive Vice President & General Counsel for Percontee, Inc. & Global LifeSci Development Corporation, about the Viva White Oak, a public-private partnership between Global LifeSci Development Corporation, an affiliate of Percontee, Inc., and Montgomery County to build a global state-of-the-art life sciences center in eastern Montgomery County.

AN INTERVIEW WITH GSK’S CHRISTOPHER MADDOX, DIRECTOR OF SITE OPERATIONS MOCONNECT 

Recently interviewed GSK’s Christopher Maddox, Director of Site Operations for The Slaoui Center for Vaccines Research in Rockville. The company made news when it selected Rockville to serve as its U.S. R&D Center, furthering strengthening Montgomery County as a major player in global healthcare.

Pfizer’s interest in developing innovative ways to solve some of the current challenges with healthcare have spanned drug development to early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. A collaboration between the pharma company and Drexel University is using a variation on the Minecraft video game to improve health literacy and reduce the anxiety children and their caregivers might have of managing hemophilia, according to a news release.

Maryland Technology Development Corp.'s board of directors elected four new executive officers, including a new chairman.

Francis Smyth, CEO Century Engineering, has been named chair. He replaces former chairman Newt Fowler, an attorney from Womble Carlyle, who will remain on the board.

Marriott is branching out from hotels into the world of travel experiences in an innovative collaboration between Accenture and Incubator 1776.

The Travel Experience Incubator is a 12-week programme commencing on 12 September which has already received 165 applicants, from which six will be selected to take part in an ideas competition.

Women Building Bio: the XX factor is a day long conference to recognize and learn from leading women in the bioscience industry as pioneers paving the path to success. These women have faced their own unique challenges and carved out lasting legacies.

This day will catalyze the formation of a diverse network. It is a convergence of academia and industry, men and women, researchers and innovators, professionals and decision-makers gathering together to build relationships. This day long conference provides extraordinary opportunities to exchange new ideas, highlight areas of bioscience and research opportunities, and find partners for future collaboration.

GlaxoSmithKline is scrapping more than 30 drug development programs. The major cull of pipeline prospects will see GSK focus 80% of its R&D budget on the top candidates in four therapeutic areas and potentially exit the rare disease space.