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508th Edition – May 17, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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May 17, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Douglas Falk, CEO & Co-founder of Vita Therapeutics Visits BioTalk

Vita Therapeutics CEO & Co-founder Douglas Falk chats with Rich Bendis to discuss his career, their platforms, and moving into the University of Maryland BioPark.

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/3wwzX8N, Google https://bit.ly/3wxbQag, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3sCZH2t, Amazon https://amzn.to/3G3DLDb, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3FStLfF.

Douglas Falk, MS is the Co-founder and CEO of Vita Therapeutics, a biotechnology company generating state-of-the-art cellular therapeutics for the treatment of muscular dystrophies and solid tumors. He has experience in healthcare equity research investing as a former Principal at Brown Advisory. He has led direct investment into more than 30 biotechnology companies and is a Board Member of Johns Hopkins University’s Biotech Investment Group.

Click here for the transcript.

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How can your BioHealth business benefit from a review by BHI industry experts? Please register for our next Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) day on May 18th and find out. To sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link. (Only 2 spots left)

These free 1:1 virtual sessions are 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 sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

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Cartesian Therapeutics to Present Late-Breaking Data from Phase 1/2a Trial of RNA CAR T-cell Therapy in Patients with Generalized Myasthenia Gravis

– Data Presentation Today at 14th Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America International Conference on Myasthenia and Related Disorders in Miami –

GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Cartesian Therapeutics, a fully integrated clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering RNA cell therapy in and beyond oncology, will present late-breaking interim data from its Phase 1/2a clinical trial of Descartes-08 in patients with generalized Myasthenia Gravis (MG) today at the 14th Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) International Conference on Myasthenia and Related Disorders.  The conference is in Miami, May 10–12, 2022.

The oral presentation, "RNA CAR T-cell Therapy for Myasthenia Gravis," will be delivered today, Tuesday, May 10 at 10:50 a.m. ET by principal investigator Volkan Granit, M.D., of the University of Miami. A poster, "Phase 1b/2a Study of Autologous mRNA-Engineered Anti- B-cell Maturation Antigen Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells for Treatment of Severe Generalized Myasthenia Gravis," will be presented at the conference today and tomorrow.

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QIAGEN Acquires Majority Stake in Enzymes Provider BLIRT S.A. | Business Wire

HILDEN, Germany & GERMANTOWN, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) announced today that it has signed agreements to acquire a 96% majority ownership stake in BLIRT SA (Polish Stock Exchange: BLR), a manufacturer of recombinant enzymes for the life science industry based in Gdansk, Poland.

BLIRT develops, manufactures and commercializes standardized and customized solutions for proteins and enzymes as well as molecular biology reagents. Its offering includes proteins and enzymes that are critical to the life sciences industry and diagnostic kit manufacturers, especially for non-COVID-19 applications. BLIRT, founded in 1994 in Gdansk, Poland, has approximately 90 employees and generated 2021 sales of less than $10 million.

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Emmes launches Advantage eClinical as a standalone cloud native clinical technology platform

The cloud platform will empower biotech companies and CROs with an integrated solution for clinical data management and is supported by Emmes specialist data management teams

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes – a global, full-service Contract Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, announces that it will introduce to market its third generation version of Advantage eClinical at Society for Clinical Trials (SCT) in San Diego, May 15th – 18th. The cloud platform of Advantage eClinical will be available as a standalone software product after undergoing more than two years of development. The system has been specifically designed to provide fast study builds, greater flexibility, and insights to clinical trial sponsors of all sizes.

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Emergent BioSolutions to Acquire from Chimerix its Exclusive Worldwide Rights to TEMBEXA® (brincidofovir), the First FDA-Approved Smallpox Oral Antiviral for All Ages

GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Chimerix, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMRX), to acquire Chimerix’s exclusive worldwide rights to TEMBEXA® (brincidofovir), the first antiviral approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for all age groups for the treatment of smallpox. TEMBEXA was approved in June 2021 and is indicated for the treatment of human smallpox disease in adult and pediatric patients, including neonates.

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The Dutch company MIMETAS (Also a BHI Client) expanded its license to the HUB Organoid Technology to include all organs – Drug Discovery & Development

MIMETAS, a global leader in Organ-on-a-Chip models and technology and headquartered in the Netherlands (Europe), announces  that it has expanded its license to the HUB Organoid Technology to include all organs. The license covers organoid technology developed by Professor Hans Clevers, a pioneer in adult stem cells.

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Emmes Supports Landmark mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Trial in Sub-Saharan Africa

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes, a global, full-service clinical research organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, today announced that it is providing data, statistical analysis, and project management support for new research that will test the Moderna mRNA vaccine at more than 50 sites in South and East Africa.

The clinical trial, which will include about 15,600 participants, seeks to better understand infection and disease in immunocompromised populations in order to prevent severe COVID-19 and chronic SARS-CoV-2 infections and minimize the risk of transmission.  The study will also address the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine's resistance to the variants that have been detected in South Africa and surrounding countries.

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ISPOR 2022 May 15-18, 2022 – Washington, DC, USA Area and Virtual – BHI EIR Renee Arnold to speak 

We are very excited for this year’s conference theme!  Our theme will be a “green thread” that is woven throughout our many sessions to bring a fresh and holistic view into the future of HEOR in patient-driven digital healthcare systems.

The last two years have seen a rapid rise of real-time solutions, digital healthcare interactions and an accelerated expansion of mobile healthcare. As digital systems mature and incorporate a broader array of patient-reported outcomes and preference measures, the trajectory of adoption of new services will be influenced by better information on how they are affecting patients’ lives….

Click here to learn more.

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Virginia’s Pocket Life Science Ecosystems are Booming · BioBuzz

There is no doubt that Virginia is open for business to the life sciences industry. Over the past several years, the state has seen significant growth in pocket ecosystems across the land, particularly in areas like Charlottesville, Richmond, and Blacksburg.

Some of the growth has been fueled by an infusion of federal monies related to the government’s efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, while other growth has been driven by old-fashioned scientific innovation. Across the Old Dominion state, companies are driving research and development of novel therapies and more as they all combine their forces to bolster the life sciences ecosystem.

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Trammell Crow Company Announces Plans for a Life Sciences Campus in Maryland

The Labs at Belward, located at the Belward Campus of The Johns Hopkins University, will Initially Provide 757,000 SF of Trophy Lab and R&D Facilities and Community Serving Amenities

Trammell Crow Company (TCC), a global commercial real estate developer, today unveiled plans to develop The Labs at Belward, a world-class life science campus, in the Shady Grove area of Montgomery County, Md. The Labs at Belward, located at the Belward Campus of The Johns Hopkins University, will initially include 757,000 square feet of trophy lab and research and discovery space across three buildings. The project has the potential to grow to approximately 1.6 million square feet across seven buildings. Construction of the initial 757,000 square feet will begin June 2023 and is slated to be completed in early 2025.

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IndyGeneUS AI Awarded Grant Funding through QuickFire Challenge

IndyGeneUS plans to use the grant funding from Johnson & Johnson Innovation to Scale Blockchain-secured Genomic Data Marketplace and Proprietary Genฤ“US™ Discovery Platform

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, IndyGeneUS AI was named an awardee of the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Veterans Lead QuickFire Challenge: Innovations by Vets.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation, together with Bunker Labs, a national nonprofit organization that aims to equip the military-connected community with the network, tools, and opportunities needed to launch and grow successful businesses, invited U.S. Veteran innovators and military spouses/legal partners to submit potentially ground-breaking ideas in all aspects of human healthcare.

The black-owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business (SDVOSB), IndyGeneUS AI, pitched their cutting-edge blockchain-encrypted and machine learning-powered bioinformatics "Genฤ“US™ Discovery Platform" to a panel of judges, which included both Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Bunker Labs executives.

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Another Federal Regional Cluster Funding Opportunity Emerges

By: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP: Building Communities of Innovation

May 10, 2022

Sometime this September, the US Economic and Development Agency (EDA) will announce its Phase 2 awardees for the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge award winners.

Thirty or so lucky jurisdictions from across the U.S will receive between $25M -$100 M in EDA funding, although actual funding levels will be smaller to support projects on a regional basis for an industry cluster. These programs will develop or scale regional economies and devote funding to workforce training and support equitable development, including science parks and accelerators.

Thirty other finalists though will not be winners though as EDA only has funds to support thirty awards, much less the hundreds of jurisdictions from across the U.S. that applied for the program. (Five hundred and twenty-nine applicants were received by the EDA.)

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BioBuzz Media Completes Inaugural University of Maryland Blockchain Accelerator Program

New blockchain talent marketplace seeks to solve hiring and diversity challenges in the rapidly growing biotech industry.

BALTIMORE, MD (May 10, 2022) – BioBuzz Media, the go-to community platform for biotech job seekers and industry professionals looking to access employers and plug into regional biotech communities, today announced its completion of the inaugural University of Maryland Blockchain Accelerator program. BioBuzz and other participating companies pitched to more than 70 attendees, including investors, mentors and industry leaders at Demo Day on May 4, 2022.

Selected from over 60 applicants to be one of eight startups in the inaugural cohort, BioBuzz is building a blockchain-based next-generation talent marketplace to de-risk hires and equitably expand the life sciences workforce. The new solution promises to provide employers with a more efficient recruiting process while providing job seekers with control of their data through a federated layer and enabling them to earn rewards for learning, training and contributing to the marketplace.

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University of Maryland Adds $67M IDEA Factory To Its Innovation Ecosystem

COLLEGE PARK, Md., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Maryland today dedicated the new E.A. Fernandez IDEA (Innovate, Design and Engineer for America) Factory. Designed to foster technology innovations and advances through collaboration across engineering, the arts, business and science, the A. James Clark School of Engineering's new 60,000-square-foot building is the university's only facility funded entirely by private philanthropy.

Image: The University of Maryland Adds $67M IDEA Factory To Its Innovation Ecosystem – https://www.prnewswire.com

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Sponsored Deloitte: Why now could be a great time to start preparing for an IPO | Crain's New York Business

No question about it—2021 was a banner year for initial public offerings.

Nasdaq data indicates 1,033 IPOs last year, more than double 2020’s 471.  As we move further into 2022, the market has slowed considerably. In the first quarter, only 95 companies filed initial public offerings as opposed to 419 in the first quarter of 2021.

Image: https://www.crainsnewyork.com/

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All Rights Reserved.


507th Edition, May 10th, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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May 10, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Special Edition BioTalk: Dave Saunders, CTO & Co-Founder of Galen Robotics

Dave Saunders, CTO & Co-Founder of Galen Robotics, joins Rich Bendis before their 5/6/2022 Open House in Baltimore. (RSVP to OPENHOUSE@GALENROBOTICS.COM to attend) Also, view a demo of their technology at https://bit.ly/GalenRobotics. Rich and Dave and I discuss Digital Surgery, Choosing Baltimore, and their Design Philosophy.

Listen now via Google https://bit.ly/3w7lIr7, Apple https://apple.co/3MQRj6S, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3MNYfBH, Amazon https://amzn.to/3s7PTgj, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3823iQo.

Read More

How can your BioHealth business benefit from a review by BHI industry experts? Please register for our next Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) day on May 18th and find out. To sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

These free 1:1 virtual sessions are 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 sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

Read More

 

University of Maryland Launches New Center to Bring Health Care's Vision of Tomorrow Into Focus

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (PRWEB) May 05, 2022

Ultrasound data displayed directly on a patient via augmented reality headsets. Immersive "grand rounds" for medical students and faculty even when they're in different locations. Virtual reality landscapes matched with classical opera to transport people with painful injuries outside of themselves, reducing the need for potentially addictive opioids.

These medical examples of extended reality (XR)–the umbrella term used for technology based in virtual and augmented reality or other immersive media–are already being prototyped or tested in clinical trials. But its widespread use in hospitals and other health care settings is currently hampered by technical challenges and sparse regulatory guidelines.

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Virginia Based AMPEL BioSolutions' Machine Learning Breakthrough Predicts Drug Options for Inflammatory Skin Diseases

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 3, 2022 — AMPEL BioSolutions today announces a breakthrough in precision and personalized medicine that could revolutionize the way doctors treat inflammatory skin diseases, such as Lupus, Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis and Scleroderma. Revealed in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, the paper details AMPEL’s breakthrough machine learning approach to characterize disease activity from gene expression data obtained from patient skin biopsies. The lab test, only a concept for the last few years, is now ready for development for practical use. AMPEL's initial focus was Lupus, but the test can be used for many autoimmune or inflammatory skin diseases that affect more than 35 million Americans.

AMPEL's innovative machine learning approach, which is now ready to be developed as a decision support biomarker test, could greatly impact health care by allowing physicians to identify the cause of patient disease symptoms and select appropriate treatment more precisely.  AMPEL’s approach is sufficiently sensitive to detect changes in clinically uninvolved skin so that early intervention may prevent systemic flares and skin damage apparent in lesions.  The application of AMPEL’s machine learning approach could also assist pharmaceutical companies in drug development and clinical trials.

Patients with chronic skin diseases often suffer from unpredictable disease activity that impacts daily activities like work and family life. Since unpredictable symptoms often result in trips to the Emergency Room, the ability to predict worsening disease and systemic involvement with routine skin biopsies has important health care and health economics implications. 

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Scheer Partners to Deliver More Spec-suites and Build-to-Suit Space in Maryland · BioBuzz

It’s been a big few years in the Biohealth Capital Region, especially big for commercial real estate firm Scheer Partners. After the success of buildings like 704 Quince Orchard, a 77,000-square-foot office building converted to lab space, Scheer Partners has continued to bring new buildings to market with both spec suites and build-to-suit space available for tenants of all sizes.

“Speed to market has been the tagline for the last year or so,” said Aaron Gambini, Assistant Vice President at Scheer Partners. “So it’s sort of creating move-in ready options for the market. It seems to be the way to go to start getting activity. And it’s really the next building that delivers that is the next building to lease.”

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506th Edition, May 3rd, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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May 3, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill Guests on BioTalk with Rich Bendis Podcast

Mike Gill, Maryland Commerce Secretary, visits BioTalk to discuss Life Sciences in the State, growing the economy, and how we can continue building on our successes.

#Apple https://apple.co/3y8gVbA, #Google https://bit.ly/3vWZo3g, #Spotify https://spoti.fi/3w4uoP0, #Amazon https://amzn.to/3kz1uBc, #TuneIn https://bit.ly/3kxWZa0, or #YouTube https://bit.ly/39pFfLv.

Secretary Mike Gill is a business leader with four decades of experience as an entrepreneur, technology executive, investment banker, and public servant. He was tapped by Governor Larry Hogan in 2014 to lead the Maryland Department of Commerce as its first-ever Secretary and was asked by the Governor to again lead the Department in December 2021.

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Vita Therapeutics relocates to University of Maryland Biopark

From its new headquarters and lab space, the biotech company aims to generate state-of-the-art cellular therapeutics for the treatment of debilitating neuromuscular diseases and cancers

BALTIMORE, May 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Maryland (UM) BioPark announced today that Vita Therapeutics, a cell engineering company harnessing the power of genetics to develop cellular therapies to treat muscular dystrophies and solid tumors, has established offices and laboratory space within approximately 10,000 square feet of leased space in the BioPark. Vita Therapeutics will leverage the new space to bring together its 25+-person team under one roof for the first time with the goal of progressing its co-lead programs, VTA-100 and VTA-300. The company uses induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to engineer specific cell types designed to replace those that are defective in patients.

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Rockville's Supernus Announces FDA Approval of Qelbree® for the Treatment of ADHD in Adults
  • First novel, nonstimulant option for adults with ADHD in 20 years
  • ADHD affects an estimated 10 million adults in the U.S.

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUPN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an expanded indication for Qelbree (viloxazine extended-release capsules) for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adult patients aged 18 and older. The FDA has now approved Qelbree for the treatment of ADHD in children (starting at age 6), adolescents and adults.

Approximately 16 million children, adolescents, and adults have ADHD in the U.S. While manyโ€ฏchildren with ADHDโ€ฏoutgrow it, up to 90% of those diagnosed with ADHD in childhood continue to have ADHD as adults.

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Kite’s Maryland CAR T-cell therapy site gets FDA go-ahead

Kite, a Gilead company, says the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved commercial production at the company's new CAR T-cell therapy manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland.

Image: https://www.biopharma-reporter.com

Read More

How can your BioHealth business benefit from a review by BHI industry experts? Please register for our next Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) day on May 18th and find out. To sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

These free 1:1 virtual sessions are 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 sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

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6 life sciences leaders see Montgomery County as partner in success – Washington Business Journal

Home to nearly 18 federal agency headquarters, 36 federal labs, and more than 300 life science companies, it’s no surprise Maryland’s Montgomery County is a leader in the life sciences industry.

The six life sciences companies highlighted here consider Montgomery County critical to their success.

MaxCyte, Inc.

“The Montgomery County community has an expansive amount of experience and a perpetual abundance of innovative ideas based on excellent science,” says Doug Doerfler, CEO of MaxCyte, Inc. MaxCyte provides technologies to advance innovative cell-based research and next-generation cell therapeutics. The company’s Flow Electroporation® platform facilitates complex engineering of a wide variety of cells, currently focusing on immuno-oncology and gene editing.

Image: https://www.bizjournals.com

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Emmes and Casimir Announce Research About a Novel, Home-Based Assessment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy | Emmes

Emmes, a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, today announced that Casimir’s research on the development of the Duchenne Video Assessment (DVA) scorecards was published in PLOS ONE.  Emmes acquired Casimir in March 2022, and the group is now part of Emmes’ Rare Disease Center, Orphan Reach™.

The DVA is a novel, home-based clinical outcome assessment that measures ease of movement among those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) through identification of compensatory movement patterns.  Caregivers video record patients performing specific movement tasks at home using a secure mobile application.  The paper describes the development of the scorecards that DVA-trained physical therapists use to score the videos.

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Medcura Expands its Senior Leadership Team and Appoints Leading Neurosurgeon Dr. Kenneth Renkens as Chief Medical Officer

RIVERDALE, Md., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Medcura, Inc., a commercial-stage medical device company, today announced the expansion of its senior management team to include Dr. Kenneth Renkens as its Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Renkens is a thought-leading neurosurgeon who co-founded the Indiana Spine Group and has been involved in the development and commercial success of numerous innovative products now widely used in operating rooms around the world.

Chosen for his deep expertise in neurosurgery and past involvement with numerous implantable surgical innovations, Dr. Renkens joins an experienced team with a demonstrated track record of execution in delivering groundbreaking hemostat innovations. The Medcura team is now narrowly focusing its attention on bringing more disruptive technology to the Operating Room (OR).

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Washington D.C. Mayor Bowser Announces $92 Million Initiative to Catalyze Health Innovation and Address Disparities

Thursday, April 28, 2022

The HOPE Initiative will utilize federal funds to create new lab space, technology advancement & new services

(Washington, DC) Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), announced theโ€ฏHelping Our People Endure (HOPE) initiative, which intends to invest $92 million in the life sciences, to catalyze health innovation and address disparities in the District of Columbia.โ€ฏThe participants will be part of the District of Columbia's application to the U.S. Department of Treasury's Capital Project Fund.

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Virginia Based AMPEL BioSolutions' Machine Learning Breakthrough Predicts Drug Options for Inflammatory Skin Diseases

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 3, 2022 — AMPEL BioSolutions today announces a breakthrough in precision and personalized medicine that could revolutionize the way doctors treat inflammatory skin diseases, such as Lupus, Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis and Scleroderma. Revealed in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, the paper details AMPEL’s breakthrough machine learning approach to characterize disease activity from gene expression data obtained from patient skin biopsies. The lab test, only a concept for the last few years, is now ready for development for practical use. AMPEL's initial focus was Lupus, but the test can be used for many autoimmune or inflammatory skin diseases that affect more than 35 million Americans.

AMPEL's innovative machine learning approach, which is now ready to be developed as a decision support biomarker test, could greatly impact health care by allowing physicians to identify the cause of patient disease symptoms and select appropriate treatment more precisely.  AMPEL’s approach is sufficiently sensitive to detect changes in clinically uninvolved skin so that early intervention may prevent systemic flares and skin damage apparent in lesions.  The application of AMPEL’s machine learning approach could also assist pharmaceutical companies in drug development and clinical trials.

Patients with chronic skin diseases often suffer from unpredictable disease activity that impacts daily activities like work and family life. Since unpredictable symptoms often result in trips to the Emergency Room, the ability to predict worsening disease and systemic involvement with routine skin biopsies has important health care and health economics implications. 

Read More

Life sciences partnerships key to fast-track products in Montgomery County, Maryland – Washington Business Journal

Biotechnology innovation is a team sport.

While we often credit the discovery of a promising new therapy to a single scientist or research team, turning that discovery into a viable product patients can access requires a vast network of players. There are manufacturing platforms capable of producing new cell and gene therapies, teams to support preclinical and clinical trials, real estate developers that offer cutting-edge laboratory space and experts across a wide range of fields who all contribute to bringing a product to market.

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How is Montgomery County built for bio? Get the answers from these life sciences execs (video) – Washington Business Journal

Montgomery County is well known for many transformative firsts in life sciences. First to sequence the human genome; first gene therapy for sickle cell, first cell therapy for COVID-19 — and that’s just the start.* Montgomery County is an epicenter for translating knowledge into life-changing treatment and cures, with gene and cell therapies representing some of the most promising advancements in human health.

Image: Being part of the industry that delivers building solutions to help scientists do their work is what drives Pat Larrabee, CEO of Facility Logix. – https://www.bizjournals.com

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Bringing biotech to market faster in Montgomery County, Maryland – Washington Business Journal

In biotechnology, speed matters.

Emerging technology has opened a new world of possibilities for treating — and potentially curing — diseases. Scientists are developing cell and gene therapies designed to help patients with cancer, heart disease, liver disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and many other conditions. The faster they can get these therapies from the laboratory through clinical trials and into production, the sooner people will be able to benefit.

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Life Sciences | Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Top companies in the life sciences industry choose to locate in Virginia – and flourish here – because of the state’s top talent, advanced culture of innovation, outstanding logistical advantages, competitive costs, and top-ranked business climate. Virginia’s life sciences sector has gained significant momentum in recent years, with 20 life sciences industry projects announced in just the past three years, representing over 1,400 jobs and $1.2 billion in investment. Recent announcements include U.S. Pharmacopeia, AMPAC, Civica, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Bausch + Lomb, and Virginia-grown biotech firm Grenova.

Image: https://www.linkedin.com/

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The ARPA-H (Health) Headquarters: Where Will It Be, and Should I Care?

The medical science publication Stat just published an article about Congressional interest in the location of ARPA-H headquarters, the new $6 billion effort to fund high, risk-high reward health research and cures. We are about to witness a biotech version of the Amazon HQ2 competition, with states and jurisdictions across the country angling to land this headquarters facility.

It is great to see the national interest in housing ARPA-Headquarters, but this project should not distract jurisdictions from planning for the far more important and
numerous other opportunities emerging as Congress and the White House put the finishing touches on current and new programs and projects to fund applied science and health research programs. Both the science community and commercial real estate (CRE) industry should take notice.

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505th Edition, April 26, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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April 26, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Raymond Blanchard, Associate Director of IP & Licensing with QIAGEN, visits BioTalk

QIAGEN Associate Director of IP & Licensing, Raymond Blanchard, chats with Rich Bendis on BioTalk to discuss innovation, intellectual property and having a large footprint in the BioHealth Capital Region.=

Listen now via #applepodcast https://apple.co/38nyPw4, #googlepodcast https://bit.ly/37Bb83q, #spotifypodcasts https://spoti.fi/3Mx7Ahp, #amazonpodcast https://amzn.to/3OzKN6j, #TuneIn https://bit.ly/3Mspodh, or #YouTube https://bit.ly/38mJB5t. #podcast

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MIMETAS participates in €325 million Oncode-PACT initiative to accelerate and improve oncology drug development

LEIDEN, The Netherlands, April 14, 2022 – MIMETAS, a global leader in organ-on-chip-based disease models, is a partner in the Oncode-PACT initiative that has been granted today an amount of €325 million by the Dutch National Growth Fund.

Oncode Institute will lead the Oncode-PACT consortium and its operations. With this investment, the consortium will develop cancer drug candidates faster and bring them to patients sooner. As a partner in Oncode-PACT, MIMETAS will develop the next generation of patient-specific cancer organoid models that include immune cells, blood vessels, and other essential cell types to drive novel cancer drug discovery and developm ent. Using these models, MIMETAS will screen compounds and targets using fully integrated, automatic phenotypic screening lines with AI data interpretation, bringing early validation and de-risking to the cancer drug development pipeline.

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Aurinia Announces Year-Two Commitment to Patient Navigation Grant Program to Address Barriers for Individuals Living with Lupus and Lupus Nephritis

Life Sciences Business Strategist

– Company seeks proposals to create and sustain community-focused programs to support underserved populations with these conditions –  

VICTORIA, British Columbia & ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AUPH) (Aurinia or the Company) today, affirmed its commitment to individuals living with the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN) through the sponsorship of charitable grants to establish or expand community-focused patient navigator programs. This is the second year of this unique program aimed at eliminating barriers to care for individuals living with SLE/LN. LN is a serious manifestation of SLE that can cause irreversible kidney damage and kidney failure and significantly affects more Black, Asian, and Hispanic individuals than non-Hispanic White individuals. Selected applicants may receive up to $50,000 over a one-year period.   

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Kite Receives U.S. FDA Approval of New State-of-the-Art CAR T-Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility in Maryland

April 19, 2022 12:00 UTC   — Kite’s Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Manufacturing Network Increasing Capacity by 50% to Meet Patient Demand for New Cancer Therapies — Scalable and Adaptable Facility Provides Flexibility for Current and Future Cell Therapy Innovation   SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Kite Pharma, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD), today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved commercial production at the company's new CAR T-cell therapy manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland. The site will produce Kite’s FDA approved CAR T-cell therapy used to treat blood cancer.  

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Maryland Life Science Advisory Board Welcomes New Members · BioBuzz

The Life Sciences Advisory Board added three new members, Ellington West of Sonavi Labs, Michael Weingarten of the National Cancer Institute, and GlaxoSmithKline’s KaShauna G. Rohlehr.

Ellington West West was tapped to serve as chief executive officer of Sonavi Labs in 2018. Along with Ian McLane, she is the co-founder of the Johns Hopkins startup digital stethoscope technology company. West was the founder of West Labs Research Group at Johns Hopkins where the company’s core Feelix technology was developed.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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500,000-square-foot life science campus coming to Jefferson Technology Park in Frederick County

Apr. 22—Construction will start this September on a 500,000-square-foot life science campus in Frederick County's Jefferson Technology Park that the developer says will be a $140 million investment in the community.

The Labs at Jefferson Park will include about 200,000-square-feet of research and development lab space, said Eric Fischer, a managing director with Trammell Crow Co., the project's developer. It is slated to be finished next year.

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Initial Results from Novavax' COVID-19-Influenza Vaccine Trial are First to Show Feasibility of Combination Vaccine
  • Phase 1/2 clinical trial of COVID-19-Influenza combination vaccine candidate indicates vaccine is well-tolerated and immunogenic
  • Data from this combination trial will inform planned Phase 2 dose confirmation trial, scheduled to begin by the end of 2022
  • Immune response confirmed in stand-alone influenza vaccine and combination vaccine with potential path forward for both

GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced initial results from the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its COVID-Influenza Combination Vaccine (CIC). The CIC combines Novavax' COVID-19 vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, and its quadrivalent influenza vaccine candidate. The CIC trial demonstrated that formulating the combination vaccine is feasible, well-tolerated and immunogenic.

"We continue to evaluate the dynamic public health landscape and believe there may be a need for recurrent boosters to fight both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza," said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., President of Research and Development, Novavax. "We're encouraged by these data and the potential path forward for a combination COVID-19-influenza vaccine as well as stand-alone vaccines for influenza and COVID-19."

The safety and tolerability profile of the combination vaccine was consistent with the stand-alone NVX-CoV2373 and quadrivalent nanoparticle influenza vaccine reference formulations in the trial. The combination vaccine was found to be generally well tolerated. Serious adverse were rare and none were assessed as being related to the vaccine.

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The ARPA-H (Health) Headquarters: Where Will It Be, and Should I Care?

The medical science publication Stat just published an article about Congressional interest in the location of ARPA-H headquarters, the new $6 billion effort to fund high, risk-high reward health research and cures. We are about to witness a biotech version of the Amazon HQ2 competition, with states and jurisdictions across the country angling to land this headquarters facility.

It is great to see the national interest in housing ARPA-Headquarters, but this project should not distract jurisdictions from planning for the far more important and
numerous other opportunities emerging as Congress and the White House put the finishing touches on current and new programs and projects to fund applied science and health research programs. Both the science community and commercial real estate (CRE) industry should take notice.

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Biden’s Biotech Moonshot Has The Money. Now Cities Want It In Their Backyard

Cities and states jockeying for position in the race for biotech dollars and talent have their sights set on a whale that comes along once in a generation.

When President Joe Biden announced last year that the federal government is launching a new outfit, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, dedicated to funding moonshot tech research, he kicked off a new, high-stakes battle among municipalities that are eager to land the headquarters of a federal agency dedicated to advancing and funding cutting-edge research.

Image: Creative Commons The new ARPA-H, an agency designed to fund moonshot health research, will fall under the umbrella of the National Institutes of Health.

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AURP Announces Executive Team Realignment – Digital Journal

TUSCON, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / April 5, 2022 / AURP, the leading nonprofit representing research parks, innovation districts and regional technology clusters, today announced a realignment of its executive team to optimize AURP’s continued success and global development strategies.

Vickie Palmer, current Director of Operations, has been appointed AURP CEO. Palmer assumes this executive leadership role following her 15 years of experience significantly expanding AURP’s membership and sponsorship community, plus overseeing AURP’s roster of events and programs. During her time with AURP, Palmer has led the organization’s membership, event management and overall operations while working closely with the organization’s CEO, Board of Directors and membership community.

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Don't Miss Out! Pitching To Get Attention Workshop

Join ETC and Squadra Ventures on May 18, 2022 from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm at Monument City Brewing for the second Open Mic Pitch Night!  This is an opportunity for the Baltimore community to embrace new technology and foster connections. This is where entrepreneurs can practice pitching their startup or idea to an audience and receive feedback from a group of like-minded peers, investors, and tech leaders in a safe space.

Pitches will be casual – no presentations – simply get up on stage and spend 2 minutes telling the audience about your company or idea. During the networking hour, audience members will have the opportunity to ask companies questions.

To apply to pitch; please fill out this form by Tuesday, May 17th, 2022 at 11:59 PM. After completing the form you will receive an email with instructions on what to expect, your pitch timeslot, and any other information you may need. If you have any questions, please contact Breonna Massey at bmassey@etcbaltimore.com.

Happy hour drinks and light appetizers will be provided.

Click here to register.

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Join BLUE KNIGHT™ this June: Accelerating preparedness together

Did you hear? Our second BLUE KNIGHT™ Symposium will take place June 9, 2022, and we’re excited to present your first chance to register! Tune in virtually from wherever you are around the world for a day of live programming. This year’s theme, The Power of Partnering to Accelerate Preparedness, aims to answer the questions startups have around accelerating innovations and earning a seat at the global preparedness table.

We echo that theme in today’s exclusive Q&A with Dr. David Boucher of ASPR and Dr. Karen Martins of BARDA, on the power of collaboration to build global resiliency toward health security threats. These experts share advice for early-stage companies and explore their experiences partnering to move "faster and better". Read more here.

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504th Edition, April 19, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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April 19, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Governor Hogan Announces Maryland Cancer Moonshot Initiative; $216 Million in Initial Investments in Comprehensive Cancer Centers, Cutting-Edge Research of Treatments and Cures · BioBuzz

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced a new Maryland Cancer Moonshot Initiative to expand and accelerate cancer detection, screening, prevention, treatment, and research in the state. The state is committing $216 million in investments as a down payment to jumpstart this far-reaching initiative to save lives, including the first ever comprehensive cancer center in Prince George’s County.

Image: https://governor.maryland.gov/

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Ellume manufacturing rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits in Maryland

FREDERICK, Md. — The first company to make rapid take-home COVID-19 tests is now making them in Maryland.

A few months ago, it was nearly impossible to find an at-home COVID-19 test in stores across Maryland. Now, store shelves are stocked with boxes of test kits from different brands.

But it's not just about COVID-19 at Ellume's manufacturing plant In Frederick. The large manufacturing facility was built to support the federal government's response to the current pandemic and future ones.

Hailed as a medical breakthrough a year ago, Ellume's COVID-19 at-home test kits are rolling off a state-of-the-art assembly line in Frederick, which held its grand opening Thursday.

Image: https://www-wbaltv-com.cdn.ampproject.org

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BHI has an immediate opening for a Life Sciences Business Strategist.

Life Sciences Business Strategist

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 (generally in their first 5-7 years after receiving their PhD) who wants to engage with the biohealth industry in new ways.  

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NasaClip Receives a $256,000 Grant by the National Science Foundation | TEDCO

The NasaClip device provides simple and effective nosebleed rescue at home or anywhere, using hands-free, external nasal compression with intranasal sponges that medicine can be added to – helping to stop nosebleeds fast.

Image: https://www.tedcomd.com

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Pre-Application Webinar: NIA Healthy Aging Start-Up Challenge and Bootcamp to Foster Diversity and Accelerate Innovation (April 22 – 2PM)

Individuals from diverse backgrounds can provide unique and valuable contributions in the research and development of life science innovations that prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health. However, certain groups, such as women and individuals from racial/ethnic minoritized groups, remain underrepresented in the U.S. biomedical sciences and in life science entrepreneurship.

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Major life sciences campus coming to Maryland | Maryland Business News

A new 500,000 square-foot life science campus is being planned for Frederick County.

With two 100,000 square-foot research and development labs; two additional 145,000 square-foot production buildings; co-working space; conference rooms; and more, The Labs at Jefferson Tech Park will provide in demand, state-of-the-art space for life science companies looking to locate along the I-270 corridor.

The campus – which aims to be the “premier biodiscovery campus” in the county – is also expected to host numerous fitness and walking trails, outdoor green space, a cafe, and plenty of parking.

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Introducing the Inaugural NIH 21st Century Scholars Program Cohort | SWD at NIH

Today, I am pleased to introduce the inaugural cohort of the NIH 21st Century Scholars Program—a new COSWD-sponsored initiative to promote awareness of the science of scientific workforce diversity. Six mentors and 13 cohort engagement participants from the NIH extramural scientific workforce were selected; together, they will build a vibrant, self-reinforcing culture of mentoring and support with a focus on diversity at the NIH.

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Webcast on Value Analysis at Children’s National | April 20 at 1:30p EST

Please join the inaugural webcast “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know,” hosted by Children’s National Hospital (CNH) Innovation Ventures and the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI). In this episode, we learn about the process of selecting novel technologies for implementation at CNH. Jennifer Yin, MSN, RN, CVAHP, hospital’s Value Analysis Clinical Program Manager, will engage in a fireside chat with Francesca Joseph, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician at CNH and co-Investigator of NCC-PDI. Jennifer and Francesca will provide a general understanding of the Value Analysis process and highlight topics most relevant to medical device innovators.

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Flu-COVID Combination Test the Next Target for Ellume as New BioHealth Capital Region Facility Opens

A Brisbane-based company that has targeted the premium end of the COVID home diagnosis boom has officially opened its 20,000-square-metre facility in the US, but its founder is now nervous about a potential flu pandemic as "vaccine weariness" sets in.

Ellume founder and CEO Sean Parsons tells Business News Australia the opening of the facility in Frederick, Maryland moves "moves us into pretty rarefied air" of companies that have massive capability for manufacturing tests for COVID and other viruses, at around 500,000 per day.

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California Life Sciences – Sector Report 2021

One of the most impactful moments I’ve witnessed working in the life sciences sector happened on the campus of Edwards Lifesciences last year.

Just months after having surgery, a patient met face to face with the team behind her heart valve replacement. She got to thank the people who built and inspected the very device now helping her heart function properly. They hugged, they clapped. For many of the Edwards team, it was the first time they were able to meet a patient whose life they changed.

It’s not often we see these moments up close – the ones where it’s so clear why we do what we do in the life sciences. This is what we do—deliver innovative solutions for healthier lives.

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The Top European Biotech Investments in February 2022

Companies developing lab automation, ophthalmological treatments, and novel foods received Europe’s top biotech investments in February 2022.

European and Israeli biotech investments in February 2022 narrowly beat January’s performance. Life sciences companies in these regions bagged 52 private investments and initial public offerings (IPOs), worth €664M in total. Meanwhile, January’s tally was 41 deals totaling €660M. Neither month matched the biotech investment highs of December 2021.

Image: https://www.labiotech.eu

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503rd Edition, April 12, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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April 12, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

BHI has an immediate opening for a Life Sciences Business Strategist.

Life Sciences Business Strategist

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 (generally in their first 5-7 years after receiving their PhD) who wants to engage with the biohealth industry in new ways.  

Read More

How can your BioHealth business benefit from a review by BHI industry experts? Please register for our next Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) day on April 20th and find out. (Only 3 spots left!)

These free 1:1 virtual sessions are 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 sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

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BiOneCure Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for BIO-106, a Novel TROP2 ADC for the Treatment of Advanced Solid Tumors · BioBuzz

GERMANTOWN, Md., April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — BiOneCure Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the IND for BIO-106, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) designed to target TROP-2 to treat a broad range of advanced solid tumors.

 The clinical study cleared by the FDA, known as StarBridge-1, is a Phase I/II, multicenter, open-label study to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and preliminary anti-tumor activity of BIO-106 as monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced cancers.

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Rockville Economic Development Inc. (REDI) enters strategic partnership with Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) – Rockville Economic Development, Inc

WASHINGTON, DC and ROCKVILLE, Md., March 28, 2022 – The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) has entered into a strategic partnership with Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI), based in Rockville, MD as part of an ongoing campaign to help local businesses and entrepreneurs with innovative technologies succeed through collaborations with federal laboratories.

The Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) was formed in 1997 as a public-private partnership (formerly known as the Greater Rockville Partnership) by the City of Rockville, Maryland, to build the city’s economic base through entrepreneurship, expansion, retention, and recruitment programs. REDI and the FLC signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 22, 2022.

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Senate Confirms Laurie Locascio to Lead Tech Standards Agency – Nextgov

The U.S. Senate confirmed Laurie Locascio, a former bioengineering professor at the University of Maryland, to helm the National Institute of Standards and Technology on Thursday.

Following Locascio’s nomination by President Joe Biden back in 2021, the Senate voted in her favor during an April 8 voice vote. Her nomination was first approved by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation before being sent to the floor for a final vote.

Image: J. STOUGHTON/NIST

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What's around the bend for the Maryland tech economy? These local leaders shared some thoughts – Technical.ly

The impacts of various ongoing developments, from the metaverse’s increasing prominence to the forthcoming gubernatorial shift, on Maryland’s tech economy were on the minds of attendees and panelists alike at last Thursday’s Digital Transformation Summit.

The Maryland Tech Council hosted its third iteration of the annual convention, in which the economic development group looks at the Maryland tech economy’s future, at the Maryland Jockey Club in Laurel.

Image: (L to R) Fearless' design director Jordan Watts; Exelon's principal product designer Chris-Anne Correa; Mindgrub's research and experience design director Shannon Hosmer; Christine Jackson, director of digital Strategy for the National Aquarium; and Solomon Scott, engineering lead, for The Washington Post, speak on a panel during the third annual Digital Transformation Summit. – https://technical.ly

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What It Means for a Pandemic Like Covid to Become 'Endemic’ – The New York Times

For months, some American and European leaders have foretold that the coronavirus pandemic would soon become endemic. Covid-19 would resolve into a disease that we learn to live with. According to several governors, it nearly has.

But we are still in the acute phase of the pandemic, and what endemic Covid might look like remains a mystery. Endemic diseases can take many forms, and we do not know yet where this two-year-old disease will fall among them.

Image: https://www.nytimes.com

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The 'Top 25 Innovators' in health care, according to Modern Healthcare

Modern Healthcare last week released its annual list of the "Top 25 Innovators," recognizing leaders who initiate and lead change in the health care industry.

Methodology For the list, Modern Healthcare accepted nominations from Nov. 22, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022.

To be eligible, nominees had to be at the director level or higher within a provider organization—including a hospital, health system, clinic, or physician group—or an insurer. 

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Brian Coblitz Appointed Executive Director of GW Technology Commercialization Office | GW Today | The George Washington University

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AmerisourceBergen, a global healthcare solutions company, today announced the establishment of AB Health Ventures, a dedicated corporate venture capital fund that will invest in and partner with emerging healthcare startup companies working to transform healthcare for people and animals globally. AB Health Ventures will build on AmerisourceBergen’s ongoing commitment to delivering innovation for its customers.

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502nd Edition, April 5, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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April 5, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Ellume Officially Opens Production Facility in BioHealth Capital Region

FREDERICK, Md., March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Digital diagnostics company Ellume, a producer of at-home COVID-19 test kits, today officially opened its new, 215,000 square foot production facility in Frederick, Maryland. Joined by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Ellume Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sean Parsons inaugurated the new facility, which has the capacity to produce approximately 15 million COVID-19 Home Tests per month and will create hundreds of new jobs.

"From the very onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellume has been committed to supporting the U.S. government's response. With this new facility, we now have the capacity to substantially scale production to meet any future surge in demand for home tests, while also accelerating innovation in developing solutions for the public health needs of today and tomorrow," said Dr. Sean Parsons, Ellume Founder and CEO. "We are grateful for the support of the US Department of Defense, US Department of Health and Human Services, our partnerships with the State of Maryland, the Governor's office and Frederick County, as well as the highly skilled workforce in Maryland's Biotech Corridor who have helped make this facility a reality."

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Adaptive Phage Therapeutics Extends Series B to $61 million with Addition of The AMR Action Fund | Business Wire

GAITHERSBURG, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc. (“APT”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to providing therapies to treat infectious diseases, today announced that the AMR Action Fund has joined an existing $41 million Series B round as a co-investor. The round was initiated in May 2021 and led by Deerfield Management Company, with participation from a second institutional investor and Mayo Clinic. Proceeds of the AMR Action Fund’s investment are primarily intended to support APT’s clinical trials to address substantial unmet patient needs in Prosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) and Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis (DFO).

Image: ttps://www.businesswire.com

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How can your BioHealth business benefit from a review by BHI industry experts? Please register for our next Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR) day on April 20th and find out. To sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

These free 1:1 virtual sessions are 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 sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

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Gaithersburg's Altimmune Announces Initiation Phase 2 MOMENTUM Trial

GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altimmune, Inc.,  (Nasdaq: ALT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has enrolled the first subject in the 48-week Phase 2 MOMENTUM trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of pemvidutide1 in subjects with obesity or overweight. Pemvidutide is a novel, investigational GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist under development for the treatment of obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The Company also today announced the completion of enrollment in its 12-week Phase 1b clinical trial of pemvidutide in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

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We Fuel a Network of Leaders Driving Virginia's Biotech Ecosystem

We are excited to announce that Virginia Bio Connect has launched the first centralized asset resource portal VABIOCONNECT.ORG! This portal is your destination for Virginia’s life sciences resources, jobs, and events. It’s a place to connect and follow people and organizations from the ecosystem. Visit https://vabioconnect.org/ and create your profile today!

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Akan Biosciences, Intelligent Fusion Technology, and Seraxis Graduate from Montgomery County's Business Incubator Program in Germantown

Three portfolio companies have graduated from the Germantown Innovation Center (GIC), Montgomery County's business incubator program. The County's incubator program started in 1999 to foster the growth and development of young technology companies. Akan Biosciences, Intelligent Fusion Technology and Seraxis are the three County-based companies graduating from the program this spring.

"Montgomery County continues to be the epicenter of bio health and information technology in the region," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "Congratulations to Akan Bio, Intelligent Fusion Technology, and Seraxis on their graduation from our incubator. We are excited for their continued growth in the County. Montgomery County is committed to having an economic development environment that fosters growth and entrepreneurship, and these graduates are just the most recent example of the great work happening in our incubators and throughout the County."

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MEDA Angels expands its healthcare investment reach through a Partnership with Tech Coast Angels, one of the largest and most active angel investor groups in the U.S.

MEDA Angels is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Partnership with Tech Coast Angels (TCA) of Southern California. TCA, founded in 1997, is a leading source of angel investor funding of seed-stage and early-stage companies. It has invested more than $255 million in more than 500 companies and has helped attract more than $1.7 billion in additional capital/follow-on rounds.  

MEDA Angels, an angel investor group established in 2019, was founded by seasoned physician- and scientist-investors. Its healthcare-centric membership includes 50+ physicians, scientists, and other healthcare experts, as well as legal, financial, and regulatory professionals. Since its inception, MEDA Angels has invested in 12 companies, totaling nearly $2 million. With one exit providing a 2x ROI & 80% IRR, the unrealized gains from its existing portfolio investments stand at 1.9x ROI and 86% IRR.

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Watch: How 3 women founders are navigating Maryland's startup community – Technical.ly

As increasing effort and attention gets spent on making entrepreneur ecosystems more inclusive and diverse, women entrepreneurs still face challenges that their male counterparts may not.

That might include imposter syndrome stemming from being the only woman or person of color in a room of investors. It might mean few available business-building resources, or connections to those resources. Or a first-time entrepreneur might also be balancing uneven family responsibilities or taking care of a newborn.

Image: Startup Grind Maryland's March event speakers. (Image via startupgrind.com)

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Alexandria Venture Investments Recognized as One of the Top Five Most Active U.S. Investors in Agrifoodtech for Second Consecutive Year

PASADENA, Calif., March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Alexandria Venture Investments, the strategic venture capital platform of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT and the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, agtech and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, today announced that it was recognized by AgFunder in its "2022 AgriFoodTech Investment Report" as one of the top five most active U.S. investors in agrifoodtech by number of companies in which it invested (2021) for the second consecutive year. This significant recognition demonstrates Alexandria's leadership in venture activity that supports the next generation of companies in agrifoodtech. These impactful companies are accelerating and scaling technological innovation and broader transformations in the agrifoodtech sector, which are critical for the long-term health, accessibility, sustainability and resilience of the global food supply. Since 2000, Alexandria has diligently invested in and provided state-of-the-art infrastructure for innovative agrifoodtech companies advancing novel approaches with vast potential to address challenges related to sustainability, agriculture, food and nutrition.

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Brian Coblitz Appointed Executive Director of GW Technology Commercialization Office | GW Today | The George Washington University

The Office of the Provost has appointed Brian Coblitz to be the new executive director of George Washington University’s Technology Commercialization Office (TCO).

TCO promotes and facilitates the transfer of technology developed at GW for the benefit of the university community and the public while leveraging GW resources by partnering with industry experts and entrepreneurs. Coblitz, who was previously interim director of the office and managed licensing for GW's life science technologies for nine years, has been with TCO since 2012.

Image: Brian Coblitz, executive director of GW Technology Commercialization Office. (Maansi Srivastava/GW Today) – https://gwtoday.gwu.edu

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Biden’s new biomedical agency ARPA H fails to gain independence from NIH | Science | AAAS

It’s decided. President Joe Biden’s new biomedical research agency for high-risk, cutting-edge research won’t have the full autonomy many backers had sought. Instead, it will sit within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But to give the agency a measure of independence, its director will report to the NIH director’s boss, the secretary of health and human services (HHS).

Image: Xavier Becerra, secretary of health and human services, testified today before a House of Representatives spending panel that oversees the National Institutes of Health.AP PHOTO/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

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Johns Hopkins Develops Sensor for Father, More Accurate COVID-19 Tests

Researchers say the sensor combines accuracy levels approaching that of PCR testing with the speed of rapid antigen tests, and could be used for mass testing at airports, schools, and hospitals  

Catherine Graham March 29, 2022  

A COVID-19 sensor developed at Johns Hopkins University could revolutionize virus testing by adding accuracy and speed to a process that frustrated many during the pandemic.  

In a new study published today in Nano Letters, the researchers describe the sensor, which requires no sample preparation and minimal operator expertise, offering a strong advantage over existing testing methods, especially for population-wide testing.  

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Updated: Biden’s 2023 budget request for science aims high—again | Science | AAAS

President Joe Biden didn’t forget research today, when he submitted to Congress a 2023 budget request that calls for a 9.5% increase in domestic discretionary spending. Biden is asking for a 19% increase at the National Science Foundation (NSF), a 9.6% boost for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 4.5% more for the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Science, and a 5% hike for NASA’s science missions. Once again, fighting climate change and boosting sustainable energy technologies also rank high among Biden’s research priorities.

Image: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-biden/

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CNBC Transcript: Johnson & Johnson CEO Joaquin Duato Speaks with CNBC’s Meg Tirrell Live During CNBC’s Healthy Returns Summit Today

WHEN: Today, Wednesday, March 30, 2022 

WHERE: CNBC’s “Healthy Returns Summit: Reality, Recovery and Opportunity”

Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC interview with Johnson & Johnson CEO Joaquin Duato and CNBC’s Senior Health & Science Reporter Meg Tirrell live during CNBC’s “Healthy Returns Summit: Reality, Recovery and Opportunity” today, Wednesday, March 30th.

Image: https://www.jnj.com/leadership/joaquin-duato

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501st Edition, March 29, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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March 29, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

QIAGEN reaches milestone with 100 million QuantiFERON tests used to detect TB

HILDEN, Germany & GERMANTOWN, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today marked World TB Day by announcing its QuantiFERON blood test has been used to screen patients for tuberculosis (TB) infection more than 100 million times since its launch – an achievement that cements its status as the gold standard in the fight against this contagious and often deadly disease.

Used to test patients in over 130 countries, the fourth generation QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus assay identifies interferon-gamma released by T-cells following recognition of TB specific antigens as a marker of TB infection. Interferon gamma release assays (IGRA) require only one patient visit to a healthcare provider and are more accurate than the traditional two-visit skin test that has been used for over a century to detect the latent form of the infection.

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NextStep Robotics Chooses University of Maryland BioPark for Headquarters | UM BioPark

BALTIMORE, MD, March 24, 2022 – The University of Maryland (UM) BioPark today announced its newest tenant, NextStep Robotics Inc., a therapeutic device and robotics company creating advanced solutions to alleviate and eventually eliminate foot drop symptoms. NextStep, a company based on technology licensed from University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), will use its new 3,600-sq. ft. space to build out its manufacturing capabilities as well as a state-of-the-art biomechanics laboratory including advanced motion analysis systems.

“We are thrilled that NextStep Robotics selected the BioPark as their headquarters,” said Jane Shaab, associate vice president for economic development UMB and executive director of the BioPark. “Being located on UMB’s campus, the BioPark creates prime opportunities for our tenants to partner with and access the University’s incredible researchers, medical facilities, and resources.”

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The BioHealth Capital Region Maryland 4th,DC 1st, and Virginia 6th” ranks as a Top Region for Innovation

Although it’s not yet a state, DC was recognized in a new report as the country’s most innovative state, while its northern neighbor of Maryland landed three spots down at fourth place.

The report from WalletHub, a DC-based financial advice site, concluded that the district embraces economic and technological creativity more than any of the 50 actual states. Titled 2022’s Most & Least Innovative States, the study found that DC continues to grow innovation in its education, funding, research and new business creation realms. Meanwhile, Maryland came in at #4 and Virginia at #6 — a testament to the tech sector’s strength throughout the DMV and beyond — while Massachusetts and Washington state took the #2 and #3 spots.

Image: A visualization of WalletHub's findings. (Image via WalletHub report)

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BHI’s next EIR Feedback Day is April 20

These free 1:1 virtual sessions are 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 sign-up for any of the EIR dates in 2022, please follow this link.

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Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. to Join the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation's Groundbreaking Ceremony Celebrating the Historic Mission-Critical Milestone in the Development of the National Museum

PASADENA, Calif., March 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT and the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, agtech and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, today announced that its executive chairman and founder, Joel S. Marcus, will be honored at the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation's groundbreaking ceremony in Arlington, Texas, on Friday, March 25, 2022, to commemorate the historic mission-critical milestone in the development of the national museum. Representing Alexandria at the ceremony, Mr. Marcus, who serves on the board of directors of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, will join other foundation board members, major museum donors, government officials and 15 Medal of Honor recipients to commemorate the foundation's remarkable progress toward its goal to build a permanent home for a new national museum in Arlington, Texas. The events will be livestreamed for the public to watch.

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Apply to MedTech Innovator 2022 Showcase & Accelerator

MedTech Innovator is the largest and highest performing accelerator of medical technology in the world and the medtech industry’s premiere showcase and competition for innovative medical device, digital health and diagnostic companies.

  • Our alumni have brought 90 products to the market, had 21 acquisitions and gone on to collectively raise over $4.1B in follow-on funding 
  • Fun fact – MedTech Innovator alumni closed $1.5B in funding across 99 companies in 2021 alone 
  • Our accelerator is remote-friendly, having operated as a virtual program since 2015 
  • We are a founder-friendly nonprofit and do not require equity or fees for participation 
  • Companies that have raised up to a Series C are eligible to apply

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Darryll J. Pines, President, University of Maryland, Visits with Rich Bendis on BioTalk

Darryll J. Pines, President, University of Maryland, Joins BioTalk to discuss all things relating the University to the BioHealth Capital Region from Quantum to Workforce Development to Diversity and Equality

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/3Iq9gqf, Google https://bit.ly/37NHFms, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3KZNziz, Amazon https://amzn.to/3ImyYvP, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3IrYakN

Darryll J. Pines serves as president of the University of Maryland as well as the Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering. 

Formerly the Nariman Farvardin Professor of Engineering and dean of UMD’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, where he has been on the faculty since 1995, Pines amassed a record of academic leadership and research accomplishments that have dramatically elevated the school’s rankings and stature nationally and internationally.  In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his “inspirational leadership and contributions to engineering education.” 

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Fund I report: 2021 year in review – Carta

For venture capital, more money has led to new challenges. With U.S. venture smashing records for funds raised and funds deployed in 2021, the sector has become more competitive on both sides of the table: Entrepreneurs are able to be more selective about who they invite onto their cap tables, and VCs are fielding increased demand from limited partners (LPs) who want access to venture deals at earlier stages. 

What does this mean for the future of the U.S. venture ecosystem? One place to look for new trends is the formation of first funds by new venture firms, which are developing unique strategies to compete for early-stage deals. 

Image: https://carta.com/

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500th Edition, March 22, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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March 22, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Darryll J. Pines, President, University of Maryland, Visits with Rich Bendis on BioTalk

Darryll J. Pines, President, University of Maryland, Joins BioTalk to discuss all things relating the University to the BioHealth Capital Region from Quantum to Workforce Development to Diversity and Equality

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/3Iq9gqf, Google https://bit.ly/37NHFms, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3KZNziz, Amazon https://amzn.to/3ImyYvP, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3IrYakN

Darryll J. Pines serves as president of the University of Maryland as well as the Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering. 

Formerly the Nariman Farvardin Professor of Engineering and dean of UMD’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, where he has been on the faculty since 1995, Pines amassed a record of academic leadership and research accomplishments that have dramatically elevated the school’s rankings and stature nationally and internationally.  In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his “inspirational leadership and contributions to engineering education.” 

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Approved Opportunity Zone Incentive Program will Attract and Retain Biohealth Companies in Montgomery County

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 15, 2022—Today the Council voted on a resolution spearheaded by Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Nancy Navarro to create a Biohealth Opportunity Zone Incentive Program which will provide grants to attract Biohealth Priority Campuses to the County’s Opportunity Zones.  

The Biohealth Opportunity Zone Incentive Program approved today by the Council will provide a grant of $250,000 to any Biohealth Priority Campus located in a County Opportunity Zone, upon its receipt and occupancy permit. 

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BioHealth Innovation and the BioHealth Capital Region Remembers Juvale (Jae) Regala

BioHealth Innovation and the BioHealth Capital Region mourn the loss of TaylorMade Experience LLC (TME) COO Juvale Regala (Jae). Jae has been an integral part of the annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum and Investment Conference, contributing to both events' planning and implementation. Without Jae's dedication, professionalism, and kindness, these events wouldn't have been the successes they were over the years. As a stage 4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Jae was a fighter for herself and her four daughters. As a result, a gofundme has been created to help her family financially during these difficult times. Please visit https://bit.ly/JaeRegala to donate to this worthy cause. Our deepest condolences to Jae's family and the TME team. We miss you, Jae.  

Rich Bendis, President & CEO, BioHealth Innovation

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Maryland Tech Council Receives $2.45 Million in Federal Funds to Propel Tech & Life Sciences Innovation in Maryland With BioHub Maryland | Business Wire

FREDERICK, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Maryland Tech Council, the largest technology and life sciences trade association in the state, today announced it has received $2.45 million in federal funding to accelerate innovation in Maryland. The community project funding is included in the fiscal year 2022 omnibus appropriations bill and made possible by the leadership of Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD), chair of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government subcommittee.

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The medicines supply chain: Increasing visibility to strengthen preparedness | Quality Matters | U.S. Pharmacopeia Blog

March 11 marked the sobering two-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. COVID-19 made clear that it can’t be business-as-usual with the medicines supply chain, not when lives are at stake. Since then, policymakers in Washington have committed billions of dollars to address vulnerabilities in pandemic preparedness infrastructure.

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DMV Healthcare Gamechangers – The Monthly Blend

Sally Allain, Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, and Dr. Kurt Newman, Pres/CEO of Children’s National Hospital sit down with Tien and Anthony to discuss how JLABS and Children’s National are impacting pediatric healthcare in our region and nationally, and why they partnered to create a research and innovation campus at the old Walter Reed Army base.

Image: https://jlabs.jnjinnovation.com/about-us/team/sally-allain

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NexImmune Announces Melanoma Research Collaboration with NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center

GAITHERSBURG, MD, March 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NexImmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: NEXI), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a novel approach to immunotherapy designed to orchestrate a targeted immune response by directing the function of antigen-specific T cells, today announced a research and evaluation collaboration with The Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and part of NYU Langone Health. The collaboration is centered around NexImmune’s artificial antigen presenting cells' (aAPCs) ability to expand neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells in apheresis material provided by melanoma patients. Dr. Jeffrey S. Weber, Deputy Director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center will guide the research and evaluation.

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NOVA Bioscience Center Grand Opening

The Prince William County Department of Economic Development, in partnership with Holladay Properties, cordially invites you to the Northern Virginia Bioscience Center Grand Opening Celebration on March 29, 2022 at 11:30 a.m.

Join us to commemorate the completion of 30,000 square feet in new commercial wet lab space reflecting more than $17.3 million in capital investment. Meet with elected officials from the Board of County Supervisors, GMU faculty and researchers, biotech business owners, and many more.

Lunch will be provided with attendee giveaways and opportunities to tour tenant spaces. Attendance is free, but please RSVP at pwcded.org/nvbc-rsvp by Friday, March 25, to advise of your attendance. We hope to see you there!

RSVP Here

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SXSW 2022 Announces Winners of 14th Annual Pitch Event

“What do you envision for your company’s future?” is a typical question for startups. And many of the 45 companies pitching in nine categories during the 14th annual SXSW Pitch Event showed they had a clear strategy for where they want to take their business next.

But no matter what the future holds, we all benefit from the inspired and imaginative minds solving today’s problems in both emerging and traditional industries like artificial intelligence and robotics, health, immersive, and transportation.

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Thermo Fisher Scientific to Expand Clinical Research Labs’ Capacity in Virginia

New investment will enhance immunochemistry and chromatography services, helping pharma and biotech customers accelerate drug development  

March 14, 2022 08:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time  

WILMINGTON, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced it will invest $97 million to expand its clinical research operations in Richmond, Virginia. The facilities, which include laboratory operations acquired with the purchase of PPD, Inc. in December 2021, will support increasing demand across biopharma for consistent, high-quality laboratory services to accelerate drug development.  

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What kills innovation? 4 hospital innovation leaders weigh in

To make innovation a priority, hospitals and health systems must harness innovation efforts from the pandemic to stay ahead of the curve. Here, four health system and hospital innovation leaders share habits that are killing innovation.

Christine Brocato. System VP, Strategic Innovation of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago). Health systems are just recovering from the last COVID surge and there's a lot of concern about staffing levels and financials, which has hindered innovation as health systems have been focusing on immediate issues rather than future investments in innovation. 

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The U.S. just created a big new biomedical research agency. But questions remain | Science | AAAS

President Joe Biden last week got his wish for a new agency to fund high-risk, cutting-edge biomedical research when Congress created the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and gave it a $1 billion startup investment. That’s a fraction of the $6.5 billion Biden had proposed, but advocates say it’s plenty to launch ARPA-H.

The 2022 spending bill does not resolve, however, a debate over whether to make ARPA-H a standalone agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Instead, it gives HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra 30 days to decide.

Image: https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Collins

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Prospects for Transatlantic Cooperation in Biotech Policy—A U.S. Perspective | ITIF

Mutual self-interest provides a strong basis for transatlantic cooperation in biotechnology based on shared recognition of its vast potential to provide solutions to some of civilization’s most pressing problems. Thanks to explosive advances in our understanding of the many ways in which promiscuous nature has been manipulating DNA and RNA for the past billion years, it is widely anticipated that the 21st century will belong to biology.1 We are now at the point where our ability to innovate is constrained less by technical capability than by the limits of our imaginations. Multiple laboratories and companies on both sides of the Atlantic (and throughout the world) are pursuing promising applications, and experience confirms progress would be accelerated by cooperative approaches. But there are some considerable challenges, especially in agricultural and industrial contexts.

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Johns Hopkins sets its sights on a new strategic vision | Hub

Two years after beginning a collaborative strategic visioning process, only to pause in response to the urgent demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins University is relaunching the work of evaluating Johns Hopkins' Ten by Twenty strategic vision and mapping the next phase of the university's future.

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Open Position: Ventures Analyst and Project Manager at NIH SEED Office

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), is a Montgomery County innovation intermediary which translates market-relevant research into commercial success by bringing together management, funding, and markets. BHI is seeking a life science business analyst to support the NIH SEED Office (https://seed.nih.gov/). The analyst will provide business landscape analysis and other project support on product development, corporate strategy, and private investment for NIH-funded companies. This will entail market landscape, technology, and other business intelligence research to support Entrepreneur-in-Residence and other SEED life science commercialization activities.

Download the PDF of the job description.

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499th Edition, March 15, 2022

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives





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March 15, 2022

FOUNDING MEMBER OF

2022 Happy New Year Image

Dr. Ken Malone, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Early Charm Ventures, Visits BioTalk

Ken Malone, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Early Charm Ventures, Joins BioTalk to discuss his career path, loving Baltimore, and what he sees as next for the BioHealth Capital Region

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3MRn94f, Google https://bit.ly/3tTPIpg, Spotify https://spoti.fi/36gfJXw, Amazon https://amzn.to/3MNckQG, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3i3H3e7.

Ken Malone is a co-founder of Early Charm Ventures, a venture studio founded in 2012 in Baltimore (Charm City) that converts science to business. Early Charm specializes in taking brilliant scientific discoveries made at universities and turning them into companies focused on growth. They don’t chase quick exits. They build companies that create sustainable value.

Click here to view the transcript.

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Open Position: Ventures Analyst and Project Manager at NIH SEED Office

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), is a Montgomery County innovation intermediary which translates market-relevant research into commercial success by bringing together management, funding, and markets. BHI is seeking a life science business analyst to support the NIH SEED Office (https://seed.nih.gov/). The analyst will provide business landscape analysis and other project support on product development, corporate strategy, and private investment for NIH-funded companies. This will entail market landscape, technology, and other business intelligence research to support Entrepreneur-in-Residence and other SEED life science commercialization activities.

Download the PDF of the job description.

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Opportunity: Entrepreneur-In-Residence Role with BioHealth Innovation, Inc. and NIH

POSITION DESCRIPTION – Entrepreneur-In-Residence

EIRs will work in collaboration with SEED to mentor innovators and provide guidance to help them de-risk the technical and business elements of their product development projects. EIRs will also help NIH and individual innovators ensure the long-term success of their projects by facilitating connections with investors and strategic partners who can help achieve commercial success and healthcare consumer access. To be successful in this role, entrepreneurial, commercial or product development experience in areas of social impact including wellness & prevention, healthcare access/community health and a wide network in social impact ventures is required.

This position is currently remote (with opportunity for future in-person activities) and part time (20 hrs/week with potential for expansion); occasional travel may be required (when conditions permit).

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Emmes Acquires Casimir, Its Fourth Major Acquisition

Casimir Further Differentiates Emmes' Industry-Leading Rare Disease Research Capabilities

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes, a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, today announced that it has acquired Casimir, a U.S.-based CRO. Casimir has experience in more than 20 rare diseases and has worked with regulators, sponsors and patients to develop outcome measures that capture the nuances of disease progression and treatment benefit.

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Emergent BioSolutions Initiates Phase 1 Study Evaluating Potential Intranasal Treatment for Cyanide Poisoning

GAITHERSBURG, Md., March 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced that it has dosed the first participant in its Phase 1 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of stabilized isoamyl nitrite (SIAN), a treatment being developed for known or suspected acute cyanide poisoning. Under an existing multi-year contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and in collaboration with the Southwest Research Institute, Emergent is developing a single-use intranasal spray intended for administration by first responders and medical personnel following a cyanide incident.

“Emergent’s R&D efforts are grounded in our mission – to protect and enhance life,” said Kelly Warfield, Ph.D., senior vice president, research and development at Emergent BioSolutions. “We are committed to advancing unique programs like SIAN, which addresses the need for an easily administered first-line treatment for cyanide poisoning. Intranasal SIAN is being developed for potential use by both civilians and first responders and is part of our portfolio of medical countermeasures focused on priority public health threats identified by the U.S. government.”

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Novavax Announces Launch of Global Vaccine Education Program

–  'We Do Vaccines' and 'Know Our Vax' are new educational efforts that provide information regarding vaccines

–  Programs explain Novavax' commitment to vaccine development and innovation

GAITHERSBURG, Md., March 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the launch of its global unbranded 'We Do Vaccines' and 'Know Our Vax' programs, educational efforts aimed to help protect the health of people everywhere in the fight against COVID-19 and other deadly infectious diseases, such as influenza.

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Gaithersburg's Salubris Biotherapeutics Announces $32 Million Financing to Advance Novel Complex Biologics for Cardiovascular, Oncology, and Neurodegenerative Diseases

– Reports Promising Early Data from Lead Clinical Program, JK07, for the Treatment of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction –

– Initiates Enrollment in Second Cohort of JK07 Phase 1 Dose Escalation Study –

(Gaithersburg, MD) – March 7, 2022 – Salubris Biotherapeutics, Inc. (SalubrisBio), a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering and developing novel complex biologic therapeutics, today announced it received $32 million in financing from China-based Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. The investment, which was completed in the fourth quarter of 2021, will be used to advance the current pipeline, including continuation of an ongoing Phase 1b clinical trial and initiation of two additional Phase 1b clinical trials in 2022, and to further expand the pipeline through R&D.

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Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland Medical System to send $4 million in medical supplies to Ukraine

BALTIMORE — The University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins Medicine have announced they will send more than $4 million worth of medical supplies to support Ukraine, and plan on sending more.

The two major hospital systems are sending items including airway aspirators, medical air compressors, beds, oxygen concentrators, positive pressure ventilators, face masks and shields, respirator kits, gowns, gloves and syringes, according to a press release.

The donation will help clinicians in Ukraine provide emergency medical care in the wake of Russia's invasion.

Mohan Suntha, president and CEO of UMMS, said he plans "to send additional supplies in the future."

Image: Photo by: University of Maryland Medical System Supplies for Ukraine

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Stonebridge Plans 800K SF Of Life Sciences Development In Montgomery County

The Bethesda-based developer is preparing two developments under the moniker "EvolutionLabs" to take advantage of the growing life sciences demand in the county, including a 550K SF development near Pike & Rose, the developer announced Thursday. 

That project, EvolutionLabs at North Bethesda, is planned to include three buildings at the intersection of Old Georgetown and Banneker roads. The first groundbreaking there would be in 2024, according to the release. Stonebridge is under contract to acquire the land for that project, Stonebridge principal Kent Marquis told Bisnow in an email. 

The property will take advantage of the "urban, walkable, transit-oriented," spaces under development near the White Flint Metro station, Marquis said.

Image: Courtesy of Cannon Design Stonebridge and Principal Real Estate's EvolutionLabs concept at 9713 Washingtonian Blvd.

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Small Business Funding | Seed

For a small business with a brilliant new idea in the life sciences, a funding infusion can do wonders to help translate that concept into reality. Did you know that the NIH small business programs are the largest source of early-stage capital for the life sciences in the U.S.? These programs set aside over $1.2 billion non-dilutive funds every year — specifically to support small business research and development. 

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Incentives and bioscience economic development – Smart Incentives

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and Council of State Bioscience Associations recently released Driving the Bioscience Economy Forward During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Best Practices in State and Regional Bioscience Economic Development Initiatives. The biennial report provides a summary of state programs serving the bioscience industry.

This year’s report devotes substantial attention to incentives. Many of the incentive policies are intended to support the leading trends in state bioscience support (see below). These include incentives to provide funding for companies coming out of university partnerships, industry workforce training and development, and facility development. Others are intended to provide capital to bioscience companies at the early-stage, mid-stage, and manufacturing stage of development, such as angel investor and seed capital tax credits, R&D and innovation investment tax incentives, and tax exemptions, abatements or discounts.   

Image: https://smartincentives.org

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Maryland Inno – Maryland Tech Council takes regional approach with launch of new chapters

The Maryland Tech Council has launched two new regional satellite chapters to directly focus on the burgeoning technology sectors in Greater Baltimore and Prince George's County.

The tech council (MCT) is Maryland's largest technology and life sciences trade association with more than 450 members. The Baltimore and Prince George's regional councils are the first sub-chapters launched by the organization.

Image: Marty Rosendale, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council, said the organization created regional chapters "to intentionally unite and empower stakeholders through local advocacy, outreach and growth." Maryland Tech Council

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Driving the Bioscience Economy Forward During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Best practices in State and Regional Economic Development Initiatives

Indeed, in 2021, the U.S. bioscience industry represents a unique confluence of characteristics essential for addressing these challenges and realizing societal and economic progress: extraordinary innovation that’s saving and improving lives through advancements in biomedical, energy, and advanced food and industrial technologies, along with an expanding mix of employment opportunities with incomes that support a quality standard of living.

The industry is at the forefront of a host of major global challenges related to diagnosing, treating, and curing disease—especially COVID-19 and other infections with pandemic potential. The industry is also ensuring that the world can rely on a safe, affordable, and more sustainable food supply to feed a growing population, as well as developing biobased fuels, chemicals, and other industrial products to help us address climate change.

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Maryland Tech Council Announces 2022 Industry Awards Finalists | citybiz

FREDERICK, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Maryland Tech Council is proud to announce the 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. For the first time in two years, the awards ceremony will be held in person, with the winners announced live on May 12th at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Last year over 9,000 people tuned in to the virtual Industry Awards Celebration. Click here to learn more about the event. 

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Bispecific antiviral neutralizing antibodies are twice as nice | Nature Immunology

Human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are being used in the clinic to prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2 infection, and experience thus far suggests that combinations of antibodies are potentially able to sustain broad recognition of viral variants as they arise, but developing, testing and approving mAb combination products is complex. One approach to reducing the logistical challenges of combination products is the development of bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) (Fig. 1). In this issue of Nature Immunology, Li et al. report the development and testing of an engineered bispecific human mAb against SARS-CoV-21.

Image: https://www.nature.com

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