BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives

Musculoskeletal injury (MSKI) is the most common form of medical injury experienced by Service members. Clinical interventions for MSKIs lack objective measures to determine their effectiveness, putting affected military personnel at risk of further damage if they return to duty  before fully recovering.

George Mason University bioengineer Dr. Parag Chitnis, an associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering and a member of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation (IBI), and his team are developing quantitative assessments that can both prevent and monitor MSKIs in Service members.

In partnership with Cephasonics Ultrasound, an ultrasound systems and technology company in California, and Infinite Biomedical Technologies, a biotechnology company in Maryland, the team has been selected by the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command to receive nearly $3M from the United States Department of Defense, awarded through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC). The award will support the team’s development of wearable, compact, and hands-free ultrasound systems to assess rehabilitation and recovery from MSKIs through measurements of muscle structure and function during physical activity, with a specific focus on knee injuries.

“MTEC aims to facilitate prototype advancement in support of the Warfighters’ MSKI needs, “ said Dr. Lauren Palestrini, MTEC’s chief science officer. “We are excited to issue this award to the team at George Mason University and believe it has the potential to make great strides in military health and ultrasound research.”

Prior to this award, Dr. Chitnis and Dr. Siddhartha Sikdar, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and a member of the IBI, formed the Training and Recovery Augmented with Ultrasound Myography and Assessment (TRAUMA) program. With funding from the Department of Defense’s Military Operational Medicine Research Program, TRAUMA’s goal is to develop ultrasound systems that can be used to evaluate MSKIs in dynamic settings. The award from MTEC enables the team to further advance their ongoing research.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is proud to announce that US Pharmacopeia (USP) will be hosting the 9th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum for the second year in a row on September 19th and 20th, 2023. In addition to this flagship event, USP will also host the 8th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition on September 20th and the 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference on September 21st.

“We are looking forward to once again hosting the BioHealth Capital Region Forum. As an integral part of this dynamic region, USP is deeply committed to fostering innovation and collaboration across the BioHealth space. USP eagerly anticipates bringing together leading minds and stakeholders to advance our shared vision for the future.” said Anthony Lakavage, J.D., SVP of Global External Affairs at USP.

The BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) stands as one of the largest and most vibrant biohubs in the United States, boasting a unique and unparalleled concentration of assets in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. Situated within the dynamic corridor that encompasses Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, the BHCR is home to key federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which contribute to the region’s stature as a center of cutting-edge research and regulatory expertise. In addition to these government entities, the BHCR is also home to world-class BioHealth companies that drive innovation and development in the field. Complementing this ecosystem is the presence of top-tier educational institutions that foster a highly skilled workforce and provide research and collaboration opportunities. Collectively, these one-of-a-kind assets establish the BioHealth Capital Region as a premier destination for biotech innovation, collaboration, and growth.

“We are thrilled to embark on another year of fostering innovation and collaboration within the biohealth industry. The upcoming BioHealth Capital Region Forum, the Investment Conference, and the Crab Trap competition represent exciting opportunities to engage with industry leaders, showcase groundbreaking ideas, and foster valuable partnerships. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to The United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) for graciously hosting these events for the second year in a row in 2023. Their dedication to advancing global health and their support for this region is commendable. Together, we will continue to drive forward the vision of a healthier and brighter future for all.” — Rich Bendis, President, and CEO, BioHealth Innovation

JLABS is taking the lead in exploring new and innovative approaches to vaccinations with their upcoming event, “Breaking Dependencies on Seasonal Vaccines to Address Infectious Diseases.” This forward-looking program is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at JLABS in Washington, DC, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

The event aims to examine the potential of technology to break the dependence on annual or seasonal vaccinations and provide more durable and reliable solutions for preventing infectious diseases such as coronaviruses, influenza, and rhinoviruses. Through innovation, there is an opportunity to enhance the impact and acceptance of vaccinations, achieve more consistent and impactful outcomes, and limit the spread of infectious diseases across large populations, regardless of risk level.

Winners will be revealed at the celebration on April 27th

The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is proud to announce the ICON awards finalists for its annual Industry Awards Celebration. The event honors individuals and companies in the life sciences, technology, and government contracting industries that have made a significant impact in their respective fields. This year there were ninety-three nominations in eleven categories. Two new award categories have been added this year: Investor of the Year and C-Suite of the Year. The winners will be announced live on April 27^th at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Click here to learn more about the event.

“The Maryland Tech Council is excited to present this year’s ICON Awards. The finalists highlight the best and brightest in the fields of life sciences, technology and government contracting. We are looking forward to hosting Maryland’s greatest night of networking and celebrating the winners,” said IAC committee Co-Chair and Corporate M&A Partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Nicole Islinger.

BioHealth Innovation's Renée Arnold is set to lead an insightful panel discussion at the upcoming ISPOR 2023 conference, which will take place on May 8, 2023, one at 12:45 and the other at 3:15 pm. The session, "Blazing The Trail for Digital Health Innovation: Resources and Examples Based on a Digital Health Application for Dementia Family Caregivers," aims to shed light on digital health technologies' research and development pathway. It will also cover the evolving US regulations framing evidence requirements for the approval of digital health applications.

Partnership Announced to Distribute High Potency Probiotic in Mexico to Support Patients with Gut Microbiome Imbalance

Rockville, M.D., and Charlotte, N.C., April 12, 2023 – ExeGi Pharma LLC (“ExeGi”), a leading developer of live biotherapeutic drugs and probiotics, has announced a partnership with TannerLAC, Inc. (“TannerLAC”), a division of Tanner Pharma Group, to distribute Visbiome® in Mexico. Visbiome® is a high-potency probiotic medical food that helps manage dysbiosis associated with medical conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis. With eight probiotic strains delivered in high potency, Visbiome® is one of the most extensively researched probiotics on the market, with over 80 human clinical trials performed over the last 20 years. The formulation is available in more than 40 countries.

A Baltimore startup that helps get patients to take their medications has raised one of the largest funding rounds in Baltimore so far this year.

Scene Health announced Wednesday the closure of a $17.7 million series B round led by ABS Capital Partners with participation from Claritas Health Ventures, Healthworx, the innovation arm of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, PTX Capital and Kapor Capital. The company is planning to move into an office in North Baltimore this year after it closed its Mount Vernon office during the pandemic.

Click Here to Read More

By Alex Keown
April 13, 2023

Companies within the BioHealth Capital Region hub are hiring for multiple positions in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

BioBuzz rounds up some of the leading companies in the region seeking top talent, with examples of a few of the jobs for which they are currently hiring.

Kite Pharma

A business division of Gilead Sciences, Kite Pharma is developing innovative cancer immunotherapies. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system’s ability to recognize and kill tumors. The company currently has 28 open positions in the BHCR. You can find their open positions here.

Sr. Director, Head of Quality Control

The senior director, head of quality control will be responsible for leading a commercial manufacturing site Quality Control organization, including analytical, microbial, technical services and sample management groups and activities for cell therapy products. The position also calls for the director to advance technology integration in the labs and methods to cultivate COGM reduction. A qualified candidate will possess an advanced scientific degree, such as an MD, PhD or PharmD, and 12+ years’ experience in Quality Control Biopharmaceuticals or a master’s degree and 12+ years’ experience in Quality Control Biopharmaceuticals.

Joining Experienced Business Executives Across Industries, Education and Government to Enhance Economic Development in Montgomery County

Rockville, MD — Under the leadership of Board Chair Kevin Beverly, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation has added new Board Members to its roster, bringing a broad spectrum of experience, knowledge and ideas. The board reflects the diversity and wide range of talent of Montgomery County residents and businesses—working in coordination with the MCEDC team to fulfill its mission of helping businesses start, grow and relocate to Montgomery County, Maryland.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Anne Khadamian, Silvana Nani, and Devang Shah to the MCEDC Board, and appreciate their confirmation from the County Council,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The skills, experience, and relationships that these individuals have in education, workforce development, technology, communications, and other areas will help MCEDC continue their focus on attracting, retaining, recruiting, and convening in our strategic industries.”

“The impressive range of talent and expertise within our board provides a strong complement to the work we do at MCEDC,” said Bill Tompkins, President & CEO. “The board reflects the diversity that is a hallmark of Montgomery County—drawing in a wide range of business executives from healthcare and manufacturing to life sciences, finance and the nonprofit communities.”

Maryland should see a boost in direct public funding toward manufacturing and lab space later this year as Gov. Wes Moore said he plans to sign a bill that will help build out the state’s science and technology industries through a new fund.

Image: Wes Moore spoke about several of his plans to boost Maryland’s innovation infrastructure at the TechStars Equitech Demo Day on April 4, 2023. Photo by Matt Hooke/Baltimore Business Journal

Richmond, VA, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Phlow Corp., a U.S.-based public benefit corporation and contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), today announced that it has closed a $36 million Series B capital raise as part of its mission to protect America’s medicine cabinet. Since its launch in 2020, Phlow has been working to leverage advanced development and manufacturing processes to re-imagine the domestic production of key starting materials (KSM), active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), and finished pharmaceutical products that are critical to U.S. healthcare.

Continuous manufacturing (CM) is an exciting frontier in drug manufacturing with the capacity to increase process efficiency while reducing costs. Manufacturers are now looking at ways to apply CM to make biologics. Biopharmaceutical continuous manufacturing (BCM) could increase product quality and productivity, enhance the process and product control, and increase flexibility, while also decreasing certain fixed costs associated with facility size and equipment maintenance, thereby reducing the environmental impact. There are barriers to the
widespread adoption of BCM, however

Maryland should see a boost in direct public funding toward manufacturing and lab space later this year as Gov. Wes Moore said he plans to sign a bill that will help build out the state’s science and technology industries through a new fund.

Prior to his keynote speech at the TechStars Equitech Demo Day this week, Moore said he planned to sign Senate Bill 549, or House Bill 552, “as soon as it’s on my desk,” which would authorize the creation of the “Build Our Future” grant program to fund infrastructure projects in a variety of technological fields.

Register to attend a free NIH webinar. Attendees will learn about a new method for administering Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This new method improves both the instrumentation used to deliver TMS treatment, and the treatment’s magnetic pulse pattern; which when applied to an awake rat treatment model, was shown to provide significant improvement over conventional TMS treatment methods.

Through this Challenge, NIA is seeking researchers and entrepreneurs with a demonstrated need who have innovative ideas for science-driven technologies and products with the potential to increase the diversity of NIA-funded small business research and development. Entrepreneurs from groups underrepresented in health-related sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.

Marios Gavrielatos had never participated in a machine learning competition when he decided to enter the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center’s Cancer Immunotherapy Data Science Grand Challenge.

Gavrielatos’ friend and colleague, Konstantinos Kyriakidis, asked him to team up in the competition after learning about it from a promotional video on YouTube.

Image: Credit: Rita Elena Serda, Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health A pseudo-colored scanning electron micrograph shows two T cells (red) attacking a cancer cell (white)

A SELL-OUT crowd is anticipated for the AURP Bio Health Caucus in Boston, planned prior to the BIO International Convention.

Focusing on building research space supporting communities of bio innovations, we invite developers, A/E firms, researchers, economic development reps, VC firms, and bio innovation district managers to attend.

Click here to learn more.

MARCH 28, 2023 – GAITHERSBURG, Md., (BUSINESS WIRE) — Salubris Biotherapeutics, Inc. (SalubrisBio), a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing novel complex biologic therapeutics, today announced it received $35 million in financing from China-based Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. The investment will be used to advance and accelerate lead candidate JK07, including the planned initiation of the first Phase 2 study in HFrEF, the continuation of the ongoing Phase 1b clinical trial in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and the launch of the Company’s first neurology clinical trial with JK07. The financing will also support the ongoing Phase 1/2 trial of JK08 in solid tumors and advance JK06, a pre-clinical biparatopic antibody-drug conjugate, into an initial Phase 1/2 study.

Leiden, the Netherlands , March 28, 2023 / B3C newswire / — MIMETAS, a global leader in human disease modeling announces that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Astellas Pharma Inc., a global pharmaceutical company. The partnership comprises utilizing MIMETAS’ comprehensive tumor models to support the next generation of immuno-oncological therapies.

April 3, 2023 – The battle against Cancer has long been a collective effort, with advances in treatment and prevention made possible through the dedicated work of researchers, caregivers, advocates, and the investment of federal, state, and local governments, as well as private investment. Building on the progress made thus far, the National Cancer Plan represents a bold and ambitious framework to end Cancer as we know it. The National Cancer Plan has been developed to coordinate a comprehensive national response to achieving the goals of the Cancer Moonshot initiative, led by President Biden and First Lady Biden, and to deliver better cancer outcomes to all people​.

Image: https://twitter.com/theNCI/status/1642905180596498433/photo/1

When husband and wife Zairen Sun Ph.D. ’98 and Beibei Li Ph.D. ’98 arrived in College Park from China in 1992, they had little understanding of their new country or its traditions or practices. What they did have was a mentor at the University of Maryland who knew what it was like to be an immigrant to the U.S.—and who could empathize with the process of adjusting to a very different way of doing things.

By Tom Still

MADISON, Wis. — Society has been here many times before. A little more than 200 years ago, a group of English textile workers called the Luddites took to destroying mill machinery — not because they were inherently anti-technology — but mainly to protest labor conditions at the time. The movement faded in a few years and the textile industry continued down an inevitable road to automation.

The history of technology reveals many such examples of innovation being met with suspicion and worries that mankind would lose its moral compass. From Gutenberg’s printing press to the dawn of the computer age, people have fretted that new ways and machines would erode the ability of people to discern good from bad while dangerously accelerating change.

The regional UMD I-Corps Customer Discovery Workshops introduce teams and individuals with innovations to the concepts of business models and customer discovery.

UMD offers several live (over Zoom), instructor-led I-Corps workshops each year. You may only join these cohorts with instructor approval upon completing the I-Corps Prerequisite, a self-paced, online course.

March 22, 2023 – The BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) with The District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia are making a name for themselves as some of the most innovative states in the nation, according to a new study by WalletHub. All three have secured spots in the Top 10 of WalletHub’s 2022 rankings of the Most Innovative States. This recognition highlights the region’s strength as a hub for innovation and technological advancement.

The study compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key indicators of innovation-friendliness, including research and development spending per capita, the share of STEM professionals, and tech company density. The District of Columbia took the top spot overall, with Maryland coming in at number 5 and Virginia rounding out the top 10 at number 9. These strong rankings reflect the region’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and investing in developing cutting-edge technologies.

Leiden, March 3, 2023 – MIMETAS has achieved major milestones in its partnership with Roche, developing models for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Hepatitis B Virus infections (HBV).

In July 2021, MIMETAS and Roche entered a risk-sharing collaboration to develop human disease models for the characterization of novel compounds in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Hepatitis B virus infections (HBV). You can find the original press release here.

Image: https://www.mimetas.com

There has been a smoldering fire on the geopolitical stage that, if we continue to ignore, we risk allowing it to spread and burn its surrounding environment. I’m referring to the convergence of multiple technology revolutions with the high-stakes competition between the United States and a rising authoritarian competitor in China.

Event provides forum for researchers to learn more about ARPA-H’s Open Broad Agency Announcement

ARPA-H has opened its first Agency-wide Open BAA, seeking funding proposals for research aiming to improve health outcomes across patient populations, communities, diseases, and health conditions.

On April 4, ARPA-H will host a Proposers’ Day for interested parties to learn more about the application process for the Open BAA and ask questions. Register for the event. (Registration closes 5 p.m. ET on Monday, March 3)

Riley-Brown will succeed Kurt Newman, M.D., who has served in role for over 11 years

March 23, 2023

The Children’s National Board of Directors announced today that Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, has been named as the new president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Children’s National Hospital. On July 1, Riley-Brown will succeed Kurt Newman, M.D., who is retiring after 11 years as president and CEO.

Riley-Brown is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of experience leading and supporting children’s healthcare. She is currently an executive vice president at Texas Children’s Hospital at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, where she serves concurrently as the president of two hospitals in the system while leading the construction and staffing of a third. She also leads system-level operations, strategic planning, physician practice acquisition, quality performance, clinical operations, fund development, marketing, brand management and public relations for the nation’s largest pediatric and women’s healthcare organization.

Whenever someone asks about dreams, there is an underlying expectation that it is something that springs up on you at a nascent age, like an epiphany where you’ve realised your life’s calling. But that is not always the case. For me, founding a global biotechnology company was not an overnight phenomenon, but a dream that gradually materialised as I started helping at my family’s pharmacy when I was eight.

Image: Vishal Doshi is the founder and CEO of AUM Biosciences. Photo: AUM Biosciences.

At Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS, part of our mission is to bring big company benefits to entrepreneurs and startups, along with our network. We also know that networks really do matter when it comes to access to capital.

In leaning into our mission, on March 9th, we brought together more than 30 startup companies and 30 investors from across the US and Canada to JLABS @ Washington, DC for our second annual Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS East North America Investor & Partnering Event.

In a long-awaited decision, the National Institutes of Health rejected a petition urging the agency to use a controversial provision of federal law to widen access to a cancer drug by forcing the manufacturers to license their patents.

MARYLAND, March 23, 2023 — BioBuzz, the media outlet of Workforce Genetics, and the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. (FITCI) have announced a strategic partnership to fuel industry growth in the BioHealth Capital Region and growth for both parties.

FITCI CEO Kathie Callahan Brady says she is excited to move forward. “We both focus on the biotech space, but the perspective is different. It is exactly the type of collaboration we want to infuse into our new EDGE@321 entrepreneurial innovation center opening later this year, bridging competencies and markets to strengthen the whole community.”

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on Friday, March 10, sent shockwaves through the tech and biotech world. But it does not appear to have had a major effect on the BioHealth Capital Region and the Philadelphia region’s life sciences industry, at least not so far.

On about March 8, SVB, a major supporter of tech, biotech and venture capital funds, indicated it was facing a cashflow problem. Initially, it attempted to raise money by selling shares. Then it attempted to sell itself. Investors were alarmed by these efforts and began pulling their funds from the bank, causing a run on the bank, leading to shares plunging on Thursday, March 9. On Friday, March 10, regulators shut down the bank.

Image: https://biobuzz.io/

FREDERICK, Md., March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — RoosterBio Inc., a leading supplier of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs), highly engineered media, development services, cell engineering, and advanced therapy bioprocess solutions, today announced that it has selected Repligen Corporation, a life sciences company focused on bioprocessing technology leadership, as a collaboration partner to advance scalable exosome bioprocessing.

RoosterBio’s goal, in collaboration with Repligen, is to deliver solutions for manufacturing of exosomes using scalable and low shear technologies that enable cost-effective commercialization of these advanced therapies.

Join us for a lunch and learn to hear how new technologies in quantum computing will be utilized to power scientific research and the life science companies already taking advantage. Shahar Keinan, CEO, and Maurice Benson, Lead Software Engineer at POLARISqb, will give a presentation on how the innovations in the quantum computing industry will directly impact the future of drug design, clinical research, and precision medicine. POLARISqb has created one of the first platforms for the life sciences industry that can cut the drug discovery research process timeline from its traditional time of 5 years down to 4 months. Shahar and Maurice will also discuss how quantum computers are beginning to be made ready for commercial use and all of the recent case studies on their performance.

This free 1:1 virtual session is an opportunity to discuss your company with experts in diagnostics, therapeutics, digital health and medical devices.

If you’re a growth-stage biohealth company looking for unbiased advice on your pitch deck, commercialization strategy, evidence development or entrepreneurial challenges, our EIRs can help.

To request a feedback session, please send a non-confidential pitch deck, and a short description of the input you’re seeking from the EIRs, to Dr. Monique Bennett:   mbennett@biohealthinnovation.org

The requested information should be received by our office at least 2 weeks in advance, so that we can schedule the appropriate experts. Thank you!

Want to be on the cutting edge of disease treatment? Learn how companies like Immunyx Pharma are changing the landscape of immune modulation in the battle against diseases with the JLABS/BARDA Blue Knight program on this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis.

Also Available on popular podcast platforms like Apple https://apple.co/3LlbxIy, Google https://bit.ly/3l6O6ba, Spotify https://spoti.fi/405ln5B, Amazon Music https://amzn.to/3J58kde, TuneIn https://bit.ly/3JA8MBO, and even YouTube https://bit.ly/3LhYZS6.

Want to be on the cutting edge of disease treatment? Learn how companies like Immunyx Pharma are changing the landscape of immune modulation in the battle against diseases with the JLABS/BARDA Blue Knight program on this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis.

Available on popular podcast platforms like Apple https://apple.co/3LlbxIy, Google https://bit.ly/3l6O6ba, Spotify https://spoti.fi/405ln5B, Amazon Music https://amzn.to/3J58kde, TuneIn https://bit.ly/3JA8MBO, and even YouTube https://bit.ly/3LhYZS6.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, March 8, 2023 – BioHealth Innovation Inc. (BHI) is pleased to welcome Mona Suliman, Ph.D., as a new Life Sciences Business Strategist. In this role, Mona will evaluate the commercial potential of clients’ emerging technologies and assist start-ups with their go-to-market strategies. Her work will also focus on helping biohealth companies to secure non-dilutive funding.

Mona Suliman has been a consultant in the business and science sectors for over eight years. Her specific areas of focus are entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy, and marketing. She obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from George Mason University and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. As a consultant, she supported companies in developing marketing strategies and creating product launch plans and development strategies.

LEIDEN, the Netherlands, March 07 / B3C newswire / — MIMETAS, a leading company in the field of organ-on-a-chip-based disease models, announces that it has launched its Adult Stem Cell (ASC)-derived tubular organoids in an assay-ready format. As part of its OrganoReady® product line, MIMETAS offers two organoid-based products: ASC-derived Colon1 and Kidney2 Organoid tubules.

“We are thrilled to offer this cutting-edge technology to the research community,” says Jos Joore, co-CEO of MIMETAS. “We’ve worked for several years to optimize these OrganoReady® organoid products. As a result, our early-access users will be the first in the world to have license-free access to ready-to-use, donor-relevant organoid tubules of consistent quality.”

In the field of artificial intelligence, there are winters and there are springs—barren stretches followed by exhilarating bursts of innovation and funding. Right now, we find ourselves definitively in the midst of an AI spring, says Johns Hopkins engineer Rama Chellappa, a veteran of the industry for more than four decades.

Join us and guest speaker John Newby, CEO of Virginia Bio, who will be highlighting strategic goals for Virginia Bio and Virginia Bio-Connect as well as discussing the future of biotech collaborations and partnerships in the DMV region. Enjoy an evening of networking, drinks, and fun!

Join us for a lunch and learn to hear how new technologies in quantum computing will be utilized to power scientific research and the life science companies already taking advantage. Shahar Keinan, CEO, and Maurice Benson, Lead Software Engineer at POLARISqb, will give a presentation on how the innovations in the quantum computing industry will directly impact the future of drug design, clinical research, and precision medicine. POLARISqb has created one of the first platforms for the life sciences industry that can cut the drug discovery research process timeline from its traditional time of 5 years down to 4 months. Shahar and Maurice will also discuss how quantum computers are beginning to be made ready for commercial use and all of the recent case studies on their performance.

Lucy Alexander, Capabilities Lead, Global Supply Chain & Strategy with AstraZeneca, joins Rich Bendis on BioTalk to discuss leading world-class supply chain operations, developing new strategies, and the continued growth of AZ in the BioHealth Capital Region.

Listen via Apple https://apple.co/3Zov7b7, Google https://bit.ly/3JfYiav, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3ZGPekn, Amazon Music https://amzn.to/3ZqknsP, and TuneIn http://bit.ly/2M60Wmx.

The BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) team would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Sarah Miller, Vice President of Economic Development, for her invaluable contributions to the organization as she moves on to a new opportunity. Sarah has played an integral role in BHI's mission to accelerate the commercialization of BioHealth technologies and worked tirelessly to build and maintain strong relationships with industry stakeholders and partners. Her dedication and hard work will be greatly missed, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

The Evolution of Gap Assessments, Remote Audits, Inspection Readiness and Remediation during the Covid 19 Pandemic

The Covid 19 pandemic created immense challenges for the Pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical and Medical Device Industries, and for companies researching, developing, and manufacturing Rx products around the world. In 2020 and 2021 (and to some degree, continuing today) all processes were dramatically impacted by the pandemic as many employees, consultants, and others were restricted from physically working in the office or manufacturing facility, resulting in skeleton crews and largely remote workers.

Theradaptive, a Frederick-based biotechnology company specializing in therapeutic delivery platforms, Wednesday announced a $4 million Technology & Therapeutic Development Award (TTDA) from the Department of Defense through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The contract will fund its OsteoAdapt regenerative therapeutic product for spine and trauma repair to first in human clinical studies.

Theradaptive’s OsteoAdapt product was granted three breakthrough medical device designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2021 and 2022 for various spinal indications. OsteoAdapt is created by combining AMP2 protein, a novel bone regenerative biologic, with ReBOSSIS, a 510K-approved implant material. OsteoAdapt has the capability to precisely direct bone regrowth where it is needed in the body.

The funds from the DOD contract will enable Theradaptive to continue its work to meet regulatory requirements and scale up Good Manufacturing Practices-compliant manufacturing of the OsteoAdapt product in preparation for clinical studies. After a request for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) is submitted to the FDA for approval, Theradaptive will initiate human clinical trials.

Click here to read more via The Daily Record

The Maryland Department of Commerce is seeking companies to join the Maryland delegation at the BIO International Convention in Boston, MA, June 5-8, 2023.  Our goal is to identify companies that would benefit the most from participation.  If selected, your company will receive one complimentary Premier Access pass, including access to One-on-One Partnering in the Business Forum and Exhibitor Booths, educational content, and networking receptions, as well as inclusion in promotional content.  Selected companies must be registered to do business in Maryland.

Join Maryland Technology, a division of the Maryland Tech Council, for our fourth annual Digital Transformation Summit on March 16, 2023. The event will be held in-person at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve, Hanover, Maryland.

The Digital Transformation Summit brings Maryland-based technology organizations and professionals together to educate one another regarding the newest and most exciting technologies of the day, and to discuss and find ways to collaborate on the most relevant emerging or growing technologies and industry trends.

The Center for Innovative NeuroTech Advancement (CINTA) & NeuroTech Harbor (NTH) announce the 2023 Spring Award Competition supported by the NIH Blueprint MedTech Program

Seeking collaborative projects aimed at developing emerging technologies into commercially viable, clinically focused solutions for disorders of the nervous system that are aligned with the mission and interests of the participating institutes and centers

The current solicitation is open and accepting pre-proposals until March 16th, the next solicitation is expected to be announced in July 2023

If you have a bold, ambitious idea and feel you would be a good fit for ARPA-H, please complete the form below and submit your cover letter, CV, and idea or concept that addresses the ARPA-(H)eilmeier Questions.

ARPA-H will support concepts brought to life directly from Program Managers that have not only identified a key problem in health today, but are also passionate about a vision to bring forward revolutionary solutions to solve the problem, and do so in an equitable way. ARPA-H embraces a culture of open innovation and empowers its program managers to fearlessly pursue health breakthroughs that cannot readily be accomplished through traditional research or commercial activity.

Program managers at ARPA-H will serve a term-limited appointment of three years, and no more than six years total, to ensure a constant rotation of new ideas and diverse perspectives.

I walked into the conference room, eager to hear a presentation on the same topic as my ongoing Ph.D. project. But my enthusiasm didn’t last long. As a scientist with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the text-laden slides were difficult for me to process while I simultaneously tried to listen to what the presenter had to say. My mind began to wander, only to snap back to the talk when I heard the sound of clapping. Afterward, I was faced with awkward conversations during the coffee break as colleagues asked for my opinion on the research and I had no real answer to give them. The experience was frustrating, but it also helped me think about how I can craft my own presentations to interest all scientists—including audience members with ADHD.

Image: https://www.science.org/

Six and a half years ago, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, announced a $3 billion commitment to basic science research over a decade, including $600 million to create a biomedical research hub in San Francisco in collaboration with researchers from the University of California at San Francisco, the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. In late 2021 they promised another $3.4 billion toward science.

Image: Angela Detweiler, a scientist in the genome sequencing laboratory at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco, briefs Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, cofounders and co-CEOs of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), on the lab’s instruments.CODY PICKENS FOR FORBES

“I told Bruce Jarrell, I had told Jennifer [Litchman], please don't do this. You know, don't put me on the wall yet!” pleaded University System of Maryland (USM) Chancellor Jay A. Perman, MD, to the laughter of nearly 100 friends, colleagues, and former colleagues at a Feb. 23 ceremony held to unveil his official portrait as a past president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). “For God's sakes, I'm an active faculty member here. I'm not done,” he continued to more laughter.

After Perman and current UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, unveiled the portrait together, Perman agreed artist Jacqueline Jasper’s work was “beautiful” and thanked her, still appearing very self-conscious.

A "biocomputer" powered by human brain cells could be developed within our lifetime, according to Johns Hopkins University researchers who expect such technology to exponentially expand the capabilities of modern computing and create novel fields of study.

The team outlines their plan for "organoid intelligence" today in the journal Frontiers in Science.

Image: Thomas Hartung with brain organoids in his lab at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. CREDIT:WILL KIRK/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

COLUMBIA, Md. (February 28, 2023) – TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $250,000 investment in NasaClip, a woman- and minority-led startup which created a new device to assist in a painless, hands-free method for stopping nosebleeds. This investment came from TEDCO’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI).

“Oftentimes, nosebleeds are non-life threatening, but patients will still go to the emergency department for them,” said Elizabeth Clayborne, MD, CEO and founder of NasaClip. “Unfortunately, the care for nosebleeds can be invasive, painful, and costly; that’s why we created NasaClip. Using NasaClip, patients can treat themselves while remaining in the comfort of their own home. TEDCO’s financial investment will help advance this much needed medical device. ”

MARYLAND – February 22 2023 – Today, Theradaptive, a leading biotechnology company specializing in therapeutic delivery platforms, announces a Technology & Therapeutic Development Award (TTDA) of $4 million from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) awarded through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). The contract will fund its OsteoAdapt regenerative therapeutic product for spine and trauma repair to first in human clinical studies.

Theradaptive’s OsteoAdapt product was granted three breakthrough medical device designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2021 and 2022 for various spinal indications. OsteoAdapt is created by combining AMP2 protein, a novel bone regenerative biologic, with ReBOSSIS, a 510K-approved implant material. OsteoAdapt has the capability to precisely direct bone regrowth where it is needed in the body.

Join us for a lunch and learn to hear how new technologies in quantum computing will be utilized to power scientific research and the life science companies already taking advantage. Shahar Keinan, CEO, and Maurice Benson, Lead Software Engineer at POLARISqb, will give a presentation on how the innovations in the quantum computing industry will directly impact the future of drug design, clinical research, and precision medicine. POLARISqb has created one of the first platforms for the life sciences industry that can cut the drug discovery research process timeline from its traditional time of 5 years down to 4 months. Shahar and Maurice will also discuss how quantum computers are beginning to be made ready for commercial use and all of the recent case studies on their performance.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is seeking a half-time Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) to join their team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The EIR will provide product, corporate, and private investment strategies for NIH-funded R&D teams and small businesses ready to take the next step toward commercial success.

As the world’s largest early-stage biomedical investor, the NIH is committed to accelerating the conversion of scientific discoveries into healthcare solutions. Working directly with NIH staff and the portfolios of early-stage R&D teams and small businesses to mentor and enable business/product development, they will bring, build, and expand networks with private and corporate investors and related stakeholder organizations with a strategic interest in early-stage biomedical technologies.

The EIR will also support existing initiatives for early-stage product development and ideate, plan, and help to implement new programs. They will engage and partner with investment associations, economic development, and business organizations for additional support to enhance NIH innovators’ commercial success across the US. This role will also present and coordinate investor forums, conferences, and other networking opportunities for early-stage life science companies, scientists, universities, associations, and federal laboratories.

Click here to view and role description.

Catalyze Preclinical Services Program

The Preclinical Services Program expands the support available to innovators with a heart, lung, blood, or sleep to include preclinical development activities from end-stage proof-of-concept through preclinical development and US regulatory submissions. Preclinical services are tailored to the development needs of each product. Applicants can request specific services required to advance their technology to the clinic or regulatory submission. Once a project is selected for support, the level of support and services provided are negotiated between the Principal Investigator and NHLBI.

GAITHERSBURG, MD / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2023 / BullFrog AI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BFRG; BFRGW) (“Bullfrog AI” or the “Company”), a digital technology company using machine learning to usher in a new era of precision medicine, today announced a co-development arrangement with the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a world-leading institution in genomics research and innovation, for the design and validation of a synthetic HSV-1 (herpes simplex type 1) virus particle targeting colorectal cancer.

Exciting News: #AGT CEO, Jeff Galvin, won “the most prestigious leadership award in the life sciences industry” — The Life Sciences Voice Top Industry Leaders Award! It recognizes the industry’s most creative minds working on important initiatives and delivering extraordinary results. Read more. https://bit.ly/3IMfVyC

I write today to announce that Dr. Tatiana Litvin-Vechnyak, currently Associate Vice President for Innovation Ventures at Rutgers University, will serve as Georgetown University’s new Vice President for Technology Commercialization starting February 1, 2023.

Dr. Litvin-Vechnyak brings significant experience and expertise to this critical role, having led the Rutgers Innovation Ventures team’s management of approximately 1,260 technologies, 2,600 patent assets, 800 licenses and 90 startup companies. She holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Cornell University Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences and a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Clark University. She has done Postdoctoral Research at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey where she was a recipient of the Gallo Award for Outstanding Cancer Research. Dr. Litvin-Vechnyak is a Registered Patent Agent; has served on a number of boards over the years, including the Research & Development Council of New Jersey; and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of AUTM -the Association of University Technology Managers.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., February 28, 2023 — AMPEL BioSolutions today announced a genomic precision medicine test for chronic kidney diseases, such as Lupus Nephritis, that could save lives by predicting kidney damage before it is irreversible and providing decision support for prophylactic therapies.  Genes that drive the inflammatory pathways characteristic of different stages of kidney damage are revealed in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Immunology.  AMPEL’s breakthrough approach identified markers in kidney biopsy samples that drive pathways that can be targeted by drugs.  The NephroGENE^® lab test, only a concept for the last few years, is now ready for development for practical use as a decision support biomarker test to manage kidney disease.

AMPEL’s innovation is crucial to provide decision support for day-to-day patient care as well as effective drug development.  Currently, physicians rely on microscopic examination of kidney biopsies to assess the severity of disease and there is no current way to predict drug options.  Today’s publication identifies the molecular pathways at every stage of damage leading to end stage renal disease as well as targets of medications to slow down the immune driven damage.  And translation of key genes in animal models used for Lupus Nephritis drug development with human patients is essential to increase the success rate of clinical trials and provide earlier confirmation of the applicability of pre-clinical work to human disease.

Jacob Greenwood, Director of Business Development at CRB, joins BioTalk with Rich Bendis to discuss engineering in the industry, the Chesapeake Bay Area Chapter of ISPE, and his career in the BioHealth Capital Region.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3lO9SQZ, Google https://bit.ly/41g3diC, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3xG8OkN, Amazon https://amzn.to/3SfEKpQ, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3xG9M0I

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is seeking a half-time Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) to join their team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The EIR will provide product, corporate, and private investment strategies for NIH-funded R&D teams and small businesses ready to take the next step toward commercial success.

As the world’s largest early-stage biomedical investor, the NIH is committed to accelerating the conversion of scientific discoveries into healthcare solutions. Working directly with NIH staff and the portfolios of early-stage R&D teams and small businesses to mentor and enable business/product development, they will bring, build, and expand networks with private and corporate investors and related stakeholder organizations with a strategic interest in early-stage biomedical technologies.

The EIR will also support existing initiatives for early-stage product development and ideate, plan, and help to implement new programs. They will engage and partner with investment associations, economic development, and business organizations for additional support to enhance NIH innovators’ commercial success across the US. This role will also present and coordinate investor forums, conferences, and other networking opportunities for early-stage life science companies, scientists, universities, associations, and federal laboratories.

Click here to view and role description.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE: EBS) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its travel health business to Bavarian Nordic (BVNRY) for a total value of up to $380 million, including potential future milestone payments. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Bavarian Nordic will acquire the rights to VIVOTIF®, indicated for the active immunization to prevent typhoid fever, and VAXCHORA®, indicated for the active immunization to prevent cholera, as well as the development-stage chikungunya vaccine candidate CHIKV VLP. Bavarian Nordic will also acquire Emergent’s manufacturing site in Bern, Switzerland, and development facilities in San Diego, California. Approximately 280 current Emergent employees are expected to join Bavarian Nordic as part of the transaction.

Maryland business dedicated to developing telehealth solutions for remotely monitoring patients with eye and brain diseases

COLUMBIA, Md. (February 16, 2023) – TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) investment of $150,000 into JuneBrain Inc., an organization focused on creating new ways for physicians to remotely monitor their patients.

On Friday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller came to North Bethesda to meet with local leaders about a new research facility planned for the area.

“In order for this to be Maryland’s decade, it means it also must be Montgomery County’s decade,” Moore said following a meeting with leaders including County Executive Marc Elrich and county councilmembers. “And this is going to be an important component to actually making that happen.”

• If approved by the FDA, NARCAN Nasal Spray will be the first 4 mg naloxone nasal spray switched from prescription status to over-the-counter use

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Today, Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee have unanimously voted in favor (a total of 19 votes) that the benefit-risk profile of NARCAN® (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray is supportive of its use as a nonprescription opioid overdose reversal agent. Emergent presented an overview of its over-the-counter (OTC) development program, the medical need, Human Factors study data and seven years of post-marketing safety data. The FDA is not bound by the committees’ guidance but will take its advice into consideration.

NCI SBIR is hosting an informational webinarExit Disclaimer on funding and resources designed to assist cancer technology innovators get their projects to the market. This presentation is appropriate for both established small businesses and researchers interested in translating technologies to patients and/or marketplace.  Program Directors Sarra Djemil and William Bozza will cover topics, including: