BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives

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:

GERMANTOWN, Md., Jan. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Deka Biosciences (“Deka”), a biotech company focused on developing novel cytokine therapies to treat cancer and inflammatory diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its review of the investigational new drug (IND) application for DK210 (EGFR) and concluded that Deka may proceed with a Phase 1 clinical trial in the United States. The Phase 1, first-in-human, multicenter clinical study seeks to characterize the safety, and biomarkers for response of DK210 (EGFR) in patients with advanced solid cancer who are overexpressing epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) (NCT05704985).

 First placebo-controlled study of an engineered cell therapy

Gaithersburg, MD, January 31, 2023 – Cartesian Therapeutics, a fully integrated, clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering RNA cell therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer, has dosed the first participant in its Phase 2b randomized controlled trial (RCT) for generalized myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune disorder that causes muscle weakness and fatigue. The RCT will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the company’s lead asset, Descartes-08, a first-in-class, RNA-engineered chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (rCAR-T).

Stronger sales in Europe and the U.S. helped offset declining demand in Japan for the Medical Business Unit of Japanese industrial conglomerate Canon for the company’s fiscal 2022. The company said that sales in the medical division grew almost 7%, to the highest level in the history of the business unit.

For the year, Canon Medical saw sales of 513.3 billion yen ($3.970 billion), representing growth of 6.9% compared to the full-year 2021 numbers. The medical division’s income before taxes fell by 7% to 31.9 billion yen ($246.7 million) – the prior-year numbers were boosted by an increase in deductions related to a corporate acquisition.

The newly established Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) will accelerate cutting-edge biomedical and health research, moving discoveries from the laboratory to patients more quickly, sustainably and equitably than ever before. As the agency seeks to remove roadblocks to solving some of the biggest challenges in health today, Montgomery County, Md., is uniquely positioned to support this crucial federal agency and the ideal home for ARPA-H.

Image: MCEDC

Prince George’s County, Maryland based Medcura’s is pioneering a proprietary biosurgical technology that has repeatedly demonstrated the rapid arrest of difficult-to-control surgical bleeding. With help from TEDCO, a Maryland based venture capital leader, Medcura is working to become the next standard of care in surgical bleeding management. In the television program “Stephen Hawking’s Science of the Future” Medcura was featured in an episode as a top innovative product of this decade for its ability to quickly stop bleeds using naturally abundant and highly economical ingredients.

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GAITHERSBURG, M.D. – Transwestern Real Estate Services (TRS) announces Quality Biological, Inc. has signed a 24,000-square-foot lease at Shady Grove Development Park, a 745,000-square-foot, 10-building mixed-use project in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Transwestern Senior Vice Presidents Guy Copperthite and Jim Darby represented Quality Biological in negotiations with property owner Minkoff Development Corporation.

Quality Biological has provided contract manufacturing solutions to the life science and biotech research industry for nearly 40 years. The company takes occupancy of its new space in July 2023.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Research Agreement with University of Maryland, Baltimore, to Study TNX-1500 (Fc-modified anti-CD40L mAb) for the Prevention of Rejection in Heart Xenograft Transplantation in Animals

Research Study to Assess the Role of TNX-1500 in the Prevention of Heart Xenograft Rejection

Preclinical Xenotransplantation Studies are Expected to Support Regulatory Filings for TNX-1500

CHATHAM, N.J., Feb. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP) (Tonix or the Company), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has entered into a sponsored research agreement with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), for the prevention of rejection in heart xenograft transplantation in animals utilizing TNX-1500¹, an Fc-modified humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD40-ligand. UMB’s preclinical studies will utilize genetically-modified porcine hearts supplied by Revivicor, Inc., a subsidiary of United Therapeutics Corporation. The principal investigator is Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, M.D., MBBS, Professor of Surgery, and Director, Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, Tuesday announced the selection of 24 Maryland companies to participate in the FY2023 FAST SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab cohort.

This program, now in its fifth year, supports companies in the cohort, allowing them to work with TEDCO experts on preparing polished proposals for up to $275,000 in federal awards through the SBIR/STTR Phase 1 program.

The companies in this year’s cohort encompass a variety of technology disciplines, from medical devices to quantum computing to even biomanufacturing.

The Technology Transfer Society – Washington D.C. chapter is running an Introduction to Technology Transfer and Commercialization course in conjunction with Montgomery College. The course will be given in a hybrid format to allow for both virtual and in-person attendance.

This course is intended to provide students with an overview of the entire technology transfer process – moving technologies from the lab to market. This course is a great overview for anyone interested in learning more about the operations of a technology transfer office or those looking to understand how to commercialize their own invention. Students will hear from experienced professionals to broaden their understanding of technology transfer.

This Spring 2023 course (SMB035) will take place starting February 8^th  on the Montgomery College Rockville Campus each Wednesday from 6-8:40 p.m. For more details on the course see here .

Richmond, Virginia, Feb. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Phlow Corp., a U.S.-based public benefit corporation leveraging advanced manufacturing processes to re-imagine the domestic production of pharmaceutical products critical to U.S. healthcare, announced today the formation of the Phlow Business Advisory Board made up of internationally recognized pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and industry experience to the company; the addition of Melinda Hancock of Sentara Health System to Phlow’s Board of Directors; and the promotion of Dan Hackman from Chief Business Officer to President.

AURP’s BioHealth Caucus will examine topics, including:

• Economic impact of the biotech industry in the U.S.
• New biotech hubs growing in VA, NC, OK, MO, and NH
• Building the biotechnician workforce
• Bio innovation impact from the federal multi-billion-dollar CHIPS + Science Act
• Significance of the Bayh-Dole Act and life science IP to keep the U.S. competitive
• Bio manufacturing in space
• Award winning life science incubators, accelerators, and labs
• Importance of the business press covering the biotechnology community
• NIH funding for small business bio hubs
• Emerging role of quantum computing in drug discovery
• Special presentations from state bio infrastructure in MA and MD
• Plus, an optional tour of Harvard’s Science and Engineering building and Harvard Allston Enterprise Research Park

WIB-Capital Region: 5th Annual HERstory Gala

Thursday, April 27, 2023 – 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. ET

Join WIB-Capital Region to honor outstanding women in our local bioscience sector!

The HERstory Gala is the premier event for our chapter and its supporters. This elegant event attracts men and women from industry, government, non-profit organizations, and academia across the Capital Region Metro Area. It provides unique opportunities to meet with some of the region’s most successful women. This event highlights women trailblazers in the life sciences who have significantly impacted the region. Additionally, awards will be presented to the 2022 WIB Inclusion Grantee and the 2022-2023 Rising Star Award Winner.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Montgomery County companies had a record year of investment in 2022, with more than $29.9 billion in combined initial public offering (IPO), merger and acquisition, private investment and venture capital deals. That is an increase from $4 billion in 2020 and more than $18 billion in 2021. In all, Montgomery County had 144 deals across 126 companies in 2022.

“The record investment in Montgomery County companies is a testament to the region’s remarkable climate of business growth and innovation,” said Bill Tompkins, President and CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation. “We are a premier destination with a powerful network of existing businesses across a wide range of industries. Our deep talent pool, diverse and vibrant communities, and proximity to the federal agencies including the Departments of Transportation and Energy, FDA, and NIH position the County’s companies for success.”

QuartzBio, a Part of Precision for Medicine, Acquires SolveBio and Expands Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Data Management Solutions for Clinical Research & Development (R&D)

QuartzBio’s suite of end-to-end SaaS solutions provides pharmaceutical and biotech clients with a fully connected data ecosystem linking sample, biomarker, and clinical data to improve collaboration, planning, and R&D productivity.

Frederick, MD – January 24, 2023 – Precision for Medicine, the first global, precision medicine clinical research services organization, today announced the strategic acquisition of SolveBio by QuartzBio.

SolveBio’s intelligent technologies and enterprise data management platform has integrated into QuartzBio’s suite of SaaS solutions, providing a single, scalable solution supporting clinical sample inventory management and biomarker data management for the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors.

By Alex Keown
January 24, 2023

BioHealth Innovation’s lofty goal of the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) achievement of “Top 3 by 2023” is not likely to be reached this year due to inflation and uncertain economic conditions.

That’s the assessment of Rich Bendis, President and Chief Executive Officer of BHI, who has championed the region’s transition into a top four biopharma hub in the United States. However, given the state of the economy and the amount of money being invested, Bendis said it is unrealistic to expect the region to move up the ranking of the top 10 life sciences regions compiled by Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN).

The Bear Institute, a pediatric health IT collaboration between Washington, D.C.-based Children’s National Hospital and Oracle Health, has named four startup companies as the winners of its second annual pediatric digital health innovation competition.

The competition, dubbed the Bear Institute Pediatric Accelerator Challenge for Kids, allows startups to share their innovations and receive feedback from judges while competing for a chance to win an on-site pilot and software development support, according to a Jan. 17 release from Children’s National.

Germantown’s Precigen Inc. (NASDAQ: PGEN) has raised $75 million in a public offering that closed Friday and intends to use the proceeds to speed development of its experimental treatments for multiple rare diseases.

The clinical-stage biotech, which is developing gene and cell therapies for cancers, autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, sold 42.86 million shares of common stock for $1.75 each. The company also gave the underwriters an option to buy up to 6.43 million additional shares in the 30 days after it filed an updated prospectus Jan. 26 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As many of us were winding down our work over the winter holidays, my colleagues at the University System of Maryland were putting the finishing touches on our 2022 Annual Report. And while the new year compels us to look ahead with purpose, the report gives us a chance to look back at what’s brought us to our place of strength.

The annual report breaks down progress on our five strategic priorities: Innovate the education we provide our students. Make that education accessible to all. Prepare students for jobs that will write Maryland’s future. Conduct and commercialize research that changes the world. Center equity and justice in everything we do.

Novavax Announces Plan to Deliver Updated Protein-based Vaccine Consistent with FDA Recommendations for 2023/2024 Vaccination Season at VRBPAC Meeting

Jan 27, 2023

FDA Advisory Committee votes to harmonize vaccine strain composition of primary series and booster doses Novavax’ protein-based option remains an important part of the current U.S. vaccine portfolio

Novavax participated in yesterday’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee’s (VRBPAC) meeting, which resulted in a unanimous vote recommending harmonizing vaccine strain composition of primary series and booster doses. During the meeting, Novavax shared data demonstrating that the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (NVX-CoV2373), when used as a booster induces a broad functional immune response, including against forward drift variants.

In conversation with Mathias Alder, CEO of Gain Therapeutics discussing his personal life insights and professional achievements in the field of Computational Drug Discovery. Matt Pillar:  A few months ago, I set out to learn as much about computational biology and as myriad applications in Biotech as I could. And on more than one occasion, that effort led me to a Zoom call with Matthias Alder. That my inquiry resulted in multiple opportunities to talk with Matthias made me happy. One, because he’s a really great guy, and two, because while his company’s drug discovery model leans heavily into proprietary structure based computational methods, he’s not one of these bombastic, over the top futurists who’s all in on relinquishing science to the algorithms. Just the opposite, he’s pragmatic and practical about the advantages and the limitations of deploying computational tools in an industry whose mission it is to save lives by injecting things into living human bodies.

The Technology Transfer Society – Washington D.C. chapter is running an Introduction to Technology Transfer and Commercialization course in conjunction with Montgomery College. The course will be given in a hybrid format to allow for both virtual and in-person attendance.

This course is intended to provide students with an overview of the entire technology transfer process – moving technologies from the lab to market. This course is a great overview for anyone interested in learning more about the operations of a technology transfer office or those looking to understand how to commercialize their own invention. Students will hear from experienced professionals to broaden their understanding of technology transfer.

This Spring 2023 course (SMB035) will take place starting February 8^th  on the Montgomery College Rockville Campus each Wednesday from 6-8:40 p.m. For more details on the course see here .

The biotechnology industry is one of the riskiest and the most challenging—but it is also one of the few that makes the difference between life and death.

In recent years, biotech has given us major breakthroughs: vaccines that provide protection from lethal viruses; a lupus treatment approved for use in children with the first new mechanism of action in more than 50 years; and significant progress in hematology with the approval of a bispecific antibody for multiple myeloma.

Image: Dinesh Patel, PhD, CEO of Protagonist Therapeutics (PTGX)

Pennovation Works, the 23-acre University of Pennsylvania property just across the Schuylkill River from the core campus, has long been a site for innovation. Home to a ferry business in the 18th century, a paint company in the 19th century, and a DuPont chemical research facility for much of the 20th century, the space underwent a further transformation in 2016 with the establishment of the Pennovation Center, an incubator for science and technology startups, many of which have their origins within the University. Last year, the 65,000 square foot Pennovation Lab opened, offering larger lab spaces for companies outgrowing their previous locations.

Image: A view of the new research, development, and biomanufacturing facility from the intersection of Grays Ferry Avenue and 34th Street on the Pennovation Works property. (Image: Longfellow Real Estate Partners)

By Cho KyooHong

On Jan. 9, the Ministry of Health and Welfare reported to President Yoon Suk Yeol concerning its 2023 plan, of which the main tasks include leaping forward as a leading country in the field of biohealth through human resource cultivation, deregulation and export support.

Noting that a large number of quality jobs can be created as the biohealth industry grows, President Yoon called for strong support from the government for domestic enterprises to be up to global standards, which requires a tax benefit corresponding to that of the semiconductor sector, capacity development and a solid industrial ecosystem.

Image: Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong

At first glance, it seems like a rough time for venture capital, especially in the healthcare industry. Overall, venture investments in 2022 were down 35% from 2021, according to CB Insights, with digital health investments down over 50%. Biopharma investment beat the trend a little bit, according to Evaluate Vantage, down only 23% from the year before.

Image: Dimension founders Zavian Dar, Adam Goulburn and Nan LiDIMENSION

BioHealth Innovation (BHI) is an innovation intermediary that facilitates the commercialization of emerging technologies in the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC and Virginia).  We are seeking a Life Sciences Business Strategist to join our team remotely.

The right candidate will be an energetic and continuous learner who is passionate about accelerating the adoption of new technologies to improve lives. The position is geared toward an early-career scientist who wants to engage with the biohealth industry in new ways.

Our Strategists support selected growth-stage businesses beyond commercialization plans and federal grant proposals—they cultivate important relationships with client entrepreneurs and innovators. The Strategists’ work also includes collaborating with expert Entrepreneurs-In-Residence from around the country and other professionals in BHI’s network who have built careers at the intersection of business and science.

The University of Virginia will build a biotechnology institute funded with a $100 million donation from Charlottesville investor Paul Manning and his wife, Diane, the university announced Friday.

Along with the Mannings’ gift, U.Va. will contribute $150 million, and the state has allocated $50 million in initial investments for the institute in its 2022-24 budget, according to the announcement.

Image: Paul Manning. Photo courtesy the University of Virginia

Ahead of his swearing-in on Wednesday, Gov.-elect Wes Moore’s Cabinet is nearly complete. Moore announced his picks for nine additional cabinet positions on Tuesday, filling out key roles including the heads of the departments of Housing, Environment, Planning and Commerce.

The latest appointments include two Maryland mayors — Jake Day of Salisbury and Emily Keller of Hagerstown — meaning a change of leadership elsewhere in the state.

Image: The Great Seal of the State of Maryland on the front of the Maryland State House. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

• Company has initiated Phase I/II AFFINITY DUCHENNE™ trial of RGX-202
• Company also enrolling newly active observational screening study, AFFINITY BEYOND, evaluating AAV8 antibody prevalence in boys with Duchenne
• Commercial-scale cGMP material from the REGENXBIO Manufacturing Innovation Center to be used in the clinical trial
• RGX-202 is a potential one-time AAV Therapeutic for the treatment of Duchenne and includes an optimized transgene for a novel microdystrophin and REGENXBIO’s proprietary NAV® AAV8 vector

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced that the Phase I/II AFFINITY DUCHENNE™ trial of RGX-202 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) is now active and recruiting patients. RGX-202 is designed to deliver a transgene for a novel microdystrophin protein that includes the functional elements of the C-Terminal (CT) domain found in naturally occurring dystrophin. RGX-202 uses REGENXBIO’s proprietary NAV® AAV8 vector.

AFFINITY DUCHENNE is a multicenter, open-label dose evaluation and dose expansion clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and clinical efficacy of a one-time intravenous (IV) dose of RGX-202 in patients with Duchenne.

On December 19, 2022, the Department of Defense (“DOD”) issued a proposed rule seeking to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (“DFARS”) to implement the data rights portions of recent Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program Policy Directive, which emphasizes the need to protect the intellectual property interests of small businesses. In addition to addressing the small business directives, the proposed rule seeks to update markings requirements related to (1) small business data rights and (2) concerns raised by the Federal Circuit’s decision in The Boeing Co. v. Secretary of the Air Force, 983 F.3d 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2020).

Federal innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives would receive substantial new funding under the text of the omnibus spending bill shared on the morning of Dec. 20 by the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The legislation, which totals $1.7 trillion and covers both regular FY 2023 appropriations and supplement funding, provides a total of $1.8 billion for programs authorized by this year’s CHIPS and Science Act and increases funding for multiple long-standing efforts — including each of the SSTI Innovation Advocacy Council’s priority programs. The legislation is expected to pass Congress this week, before the current funding agreement expires on Dec. 23.

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, unveiled a legislatively mandated Maryland Innovation Competitiveness Study—one that could lead to a 5-year, $250 million down payment for an Equitech Growth Fund and the establishment of a major Kirwan-type commission. The new commission would map out an in-depth strategic plan focused on ensuring Maryland becomes a national model for a thriving, inclusive tech sector and innovation economy.