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468th Edition, August 10, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


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August 10, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



Reverse BioTalk – Jeff Galvin, CEO of American Gene Technologies Interviews Rich Bendis, CEO and President of BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

Jeff Galvin, CEO of American Gene Technologies and Rich Bendis, CEO and President of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. have a fireside chat about the rapid evolution of the BioHealth Capital Region.

You can also listen to the audio only version via Apple https://apple.co/37wc6Kk, Google https://bit.ly/2XbLe0v, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3yCWhxE, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3AqYkoR.

Click here to view the video interview between Jeff and Rich.

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GlycoMimetics Names Harout Semerjian as New Chief Executive Officer to Succeed Retiring CEO Rachel King – GlycoMimetics, Inc.

ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 4, 2021– GlycoMimetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLYC) today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Harout Semerjian as chief executive officer (CEO), effective August 6, 2021, to succeed retiring Founding CEO Rachel King. Mr. Semerjian, a seasoned executive with strong oncology commercialization experience, will lead the company as it advances its registrational trials on its lead clinical candidate, uproleselan, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), accelerates planning for potential commercialization, and continues to build out the company’s pipeline.

 

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Paul Rennie OBE and Professor Jason Snape Join Rich Bendis on BioTalk (2)

Paul Rennie OBE, Counsellor for Global Issues in the Global Economy Group at the British Embassy, Washington DC, and Professor Jason Snape, Head of Environmental Protection within AstraZeneca’s Global Sustainability Team, join Rich Bendis to Discuss Life Sciences, Climate Change, COP26 – UN Climate Change Conference, and The Race to Zero Campaign.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3ls3EEp, Google https://bit.ly/3liTlSU, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3ylxair, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3rS9Giz.

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BHI EIR Feedback Day August 18th. Register Now! (2)

Are you a biohealth start-up in Maryland, DC or Virginia seeking feedback on your biohealth business idea, pitch deck, or commercialization plan? Schedule your feedback session with BHI EIRs on one of the following dates. Pre-registration is required; Sign up here tinyurl.com/EIRfeedback

For questions/more information, contact BHI.

 

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Sands Capital Closes $560 Million Life Sciences Fund

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Sands Capital held a first and final closing of its second life sciences dedicated fund, Sands Capital Life Sciences Pulse Fund II, L.P. (“Pulse II”), raising $560 million. This close increases total Pulse Strategy assets under management to more than $950 million, including Sands Capital Life Sciences Pulse Fund, L.P. (“Pulse I”) and related vehicles. The team will continue investing with the same emphasis on private therapeutics, diagnostics, and life sciences tools businesses. The strategy’s mission is to help transform how diseases are defined, diagnosed, and treated.

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Emergent BioSolutions to Resume Manufacturing Covid-19 Vaccine at Bayview Facility · BioBuzz

GAITHERSBURG, Md., July 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is allowing Emergent’s Bayview manufacturing facility to resume production of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) Covid-19 vaccine bulk drug substance. This resumption of manufacturing follows extensive reviews by FDA, weeks of diligent work, and close coordination with J&J and FDA to execute on Emergent’s quality enhancement plan.

“We are proud to be resuming production of bulk Covid-19 vaccine batches following additional reviews and collaboration with FDA and our manufacturing partners,” said Emergent chief executive officer, Robert Kramer. “We are in the unique business of producing life-saving medications for catastrophes that we hope never occur like anthrax attacks, opioid overdoses, and Covid-19.”

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EY named founding member of the University of Maryland Quantum Startup Foundry

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Quantum Startup Foundry (QSF) at the University of Maryland (UMD) today announced that Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) is a founding member of the QSF and will help the foundry advance its mission of accelerating leading-edge quantum technologies and driving the second quantum revolution.

EY is the first professional services firm and overall organization to work with the foundry on programs that connect the virtual and physical resources needed to support quantum entrepreneurs and startups. Additionally, EY will provide insight, mentorship, customer and investor introductions, and other services to companies cultivated through the QSF.

 

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Is Maryland Becoming a Hub for Bacteriophage Technologies? · BioBuzz

The Bacteriophage (Phage) Therapy (PT) market is growing rapidly in the U.S. The rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria and multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRs) across the globe has increased the value and industry acceptance of a phage approach, which can help combat bacteria that cannot be effectively treated by antibiotics. What’s more, the phage modality is a great fit for targeted personalized medicine approaches.

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8 hospitals, health systems piloting digital transformation programs

Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. are pushing forward digital transformation efforts by creating new tools and launching innovative programs. 

Here are the organizations that announced pilots of new innovation programs or expansions to existing programs during June and July, as reported by Becker’s Hospital Review.

1. Worcester, Mass.-based UMass Memorial Health expanded care beyond hospital walls with the recent rollout of its tech-powered hospital-at-home program. 

 

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Advanced Studies in Technology Transfer | Course Catalog and Student Handbook 2021-2022

The FAES Academic Programs at NIH offers a unique Advanced Studies in Technology Transfer to persons with a Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering or a related field. Courses are offered in the evenings, making it convenient for working professionals and postgraduate Fellows to gain expertise and experience in patenting, licensing, collaborative agreements, and other fundamental intellectual property transactions. The technology transfer profession field employs more than 10,000 professionals in the U.S., with many practicing their trade in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area.The course instructors are leading practitioners in the field, so students can simultaneously gain the necessary knowledge and build professional networks.

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Pharmaceutical industry must fix broken supply chain: Phlow

A leader from the company says to ensure medicines keep reaching the patients that need them, the industry must revamp outdated technologies and techniques. People both inside the pharmaceutical industry and outside share many common concerns about the state of the pharma supply chain. Interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, global unrest, severe weather catastrophes, and other events stand to disrupt the supply of essential ingredients and products; these challenges have pharma professionals, government leaders, and others looking for ways to shore up the supply chain and avoid interruptions.

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License with Sana Biotechnology | MaxCyte Inc

GAITHERSBURG, MD, 9 August 2021 – MaxCyte, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXCT) (LSE: MXCT, MXCN), a leading provider of cell-engineering platform technologies, today announced the signing of a clinical and commercial license with Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: SANA), a company focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sana Biotechnology obtains non-exclusive clinical and commercial rights to use MaxCyte’s Flow Electroporation® technology and ExPERT™ platform. In return, MaxCyte is entitled to receive platform licensing fees and program-related milestone payments.

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Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



467th Edition, August 3, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


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August 3, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



Paul Rennie OBE and Professor Jason Snape Join Rich Bendis on BioTalk

Paul Rennie OBE, Counsellor for Global Issues in the Global Economy Group at the British Embassy, Washington DC, and Professor Jason Snape, Head of Environmental Protection within AstraZeneca’s Global Sustainability Team, join Rich Bendis to Discuss Life Sciences, Climate Change, COP26 – UN Climate Change Conference, and The Race to Zero Campaign.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3ls3EEp, Google https://bit.ly/3liTlSU, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3ylxair, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3rS9Giz.

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AstraZeneca chief calls for global cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 and climate change – I by IMD

The chief executive of AstraZeneca has underscored the importance of multilateral cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 as well as other systemic global challenges such as climate change, calling global warming “the biggest threat to humanity”.

In a wide-ranging and exclusive interview, Pascal Soriot expressed unease over what he saw as an excessive focus on Western nations in the context of vaccinations. He told IMD’s President Jean-François Manzoni: “The whole discussion is about [the] US and Europe, but there are 7 billion people outside of those two regions.”

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MaxCyte Announces Pricing of Upsized Offering and Approval to List on the Nasdaq Global Select Market

GAITHERSBURG, Md., July 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — MaxCyte, Inc., (LSE: MXCT, MXCN), a leading provider of cell-engineering platform technologies, today announced the pricing of its upsized offering of 13,500,000 shares of common stock at an initial offering price of US$13.00 per share (the “Offering”).

MaxCyte has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 2,025,000 additional shares of common stock at the initial offering price per share of common stock less underwriting discounts and commissions.

The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on August 3, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

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Emergent BioSolutions to restart COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in Baltimore – Technical.ly Baltimore

Maryland biotech company Emergent BioSolutions said on Thursday that it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to resume manufacturing of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine at its Bayview plant in East Baltimore. The Gaithersburg-based company, which serves as a contract manufacturer for pharma companies, has an agreement with J&J to provide doses of its one-shot vaccine.

Image: Emergent Biosolutions’ Bayview facility. (Courtesy photo)

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The Storied 25 Year History Behind the Baltimore Biotech Manufacturing Facility Producing COVID-19 Vaccines · BioBuzz

Emergent Biosolutions’ vaccine manufacturing plant in Baltimore has been the subject of many headlines this past year for its’ role in producing several COVID-19 Vaccines. However, the history of this facility goes back more than two decades.

For the past 25 years, this Baltimore biopharmaceutical facility has played a significant role in Maryland’s life sciences ecosystem. Over the course of its life, the building has gone from being home to vaccine and small molecule manufacturing to the development of countermeasures for biologic threats, including COVID-19.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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BHI EIR Feedback Day August 18th. Register Now!

Are you a biohealth start-up in Maryland, DC or Virginia seeking feedback on your biohealth business idea, pitch deck, or commercialization plan? Schedule your feedback session with BHI EIRs on one of the following dates. Pre-registration is required; Sign up here tinyurl.com/EIRfeedback

For questions/more information, contact BHI.

 

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Immunomic Therapeutics Expands Board of Directors with Appointments of Two New Members – Immunomic Therapeutics

ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., (“ITI”), a privately-held clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the study of nucleic acid immunotherapy platforms, announced today that it has appointed Steve Sang Young Park and Robert V. Ahlgren as new members to its Board of Directors, expanding the board to eight members.

“We are pleased to welcome Steve and Robert to Immunomic’s Board. Our scientific platform, financial acumen and growth strategies are strengthened by their wealth of knowledge and leadership experience,” commented Dr. William Hearl, CEO of ITI. “Each brings deep and diverse expertise across global financial markets and large healthcare companies that will be meaningful to us as we advance our immunotherapy pipeline and strategic vision.”

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Mason’s Michael Buschmann and team at start-up AexeRNA Therapeutics Inc. pursue patents for improved COVID-19 vaccines

George Mason University bioengineering professor Michael Buschmann and a team of scientific collaborators have devised improved lipid nanoparticle technologies to deliver mRNA that could make mRNA vaccines such as the COVID-19 vaccines less costly, with fewer side-effects and more available worldwide.

Image: Michael Buschmann (seated) and his team that includes (l to r) Aarthi Narayanan, Mikell Paige and Caroline Hoemann have developed improved technology that could help make COVID-19 vaccines better and more readily available. Not pictured: Pat Gillevet. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

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New Collaboration Aims to Improve Measurement of Viral Vectors Used in Cutting-Edge Gene Therapies

A large interlaboratory study of adeno-associated virus (AAV), an important tool in gene therapy, will be led by USP and NIST in collaboration with NIIMBL.

Rockville, MD, July 27, 2021 —The United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) have announced a research collaboration to assess analytical methods and develop standards for adeno-associated virus (AAV), an important mechanism for delivering gene therapies.

AAVs are particularly useful for gene therapies because they are not known to cause human disease and cannot replicate on their own. AAV-based therapies are currently used to treat a type of inherited retinal dystrophy that causes blindness and spinal muscular atrophy in children, and treatments for many more diseases are currently being developed. However, to use AAVs most effectively, scientists need to accurately measure attributes related to their quality. These attributes include the purity of the AAV product and the relative number of virus particles that contain the full genetic payload.

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Shuttle Pharma Awarded a New Patent for Selective Inhibitors for Cancer Treatment

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Shuttle Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc (Shuttle Pharma), a Maryland-based developer of new drugs for cancer treatment, was awarded US Patent No.: 11,034,667 B2 for “Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors for the treatment of Human Disease.” These non-cytotoxic, highly selective inhibitors target the histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) enzyme to stimulate the immune system for applications in the treatment of cancers, neurological diseases and immunological disorders.

Lead inventor Scott Grindrod, PhD describes histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as “a novel class of drugs that target enzymes involved in regulation of critical cellular functions that can inhibit cancer growth and activate cellular immunity. These are key target functions to improve cancer treatment. HDAC6 regulates the innate immune system and will be tested to activate an anti-cancer immune response to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The molecules in this patent enhance Shuttle Pharma’s platform technology of selective inhibitor discovery for cancer treatment.”

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Cerecor Announces Positive Initial Phase 1b Results for CERC-002 in Moderate to Severe Crohn’s Disease Patients

ROCKVILLE, Md. and CHESTERBROOK, Pa., July 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cerecor Inc. (NASDAQ: CERC), a biopharmaceutical company focused on becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of treatments for immunologic, immuno-oncologic and rare genetic disorders, today announced positive initial results from a Phase 1b proof-of-concept study evaluating CERC-002, an investigational first-in-class fully human anti-LIGHT (tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14 (TNFSF14)) monoclonal antibody, in adult patients with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease (CD). Crohn’s disease is a disorder affecting as many as 780,000 people in the United States.

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Check-out JLABS quarterly portfolio update

Each quarter we bring you an update from our Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS Portfolio of ompanies across our 13 sites, from San Diego to Shanghai. Beyond news of our companies milestones, we also report on the diversity of our JLABS Portfolio leadership as we seek to reflect the patients we serve.

This past quarter JLABS @ Washington, DC opened its doors and welcomed the inaugural class of residents with areas of focus ranging from health equity to broad-spectrum antivirals. Housed at the new Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, JLABS @ Washington, DC also serves as the BLUE KNIGHT™ hub in collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). You can read more about our newest site in Fierce Biotech and you can always find our latest stats and companies via our JLABS Portfolio Navigator. Finally, don’t forget to register to virtually join the JLABS @ Washington, DC Grand Opening celebration on September 22!

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Boston Properties to Acquire Maryland Biotech Campus for $117M – Commercial Observer

Boston Properties (BXP) is set to acquire the Shady Grove Bio+Tech Campus, a seven-building, 435,000-square-foot office park in Rockville, Md., for $116.5 million, from Lantian, the company announced.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.

The 31-acre property, located at 9600 Gudelsky Drive, is situated within the Shady Grove life sciences cluster, home to a host of companies in the biotechnology sector. It is also currently home to the Universities at Shady Grove, a biomedical and tech-focused university that is part of the University System of Maryland.

Image: PETE OTTENI. PHOTO: BY BXP

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The Delta Variant: How Companies Should Respond

The rapidly spreading Delta variant is forcing employers to rethink their strategies for handling the pandemic. Policies they should reconsider include encouraging or requiring employees to be vaccinated, whether to hold off on having remote workers return to company facilities, rules for social distancing and wearing masks at job sites, ventilation, testing, travel restrictions, communicating exposures, and support for mental health care. This article offers advice on how to think through these issues.close

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Why is the delta variant of Covid-19 more transmissible? — Quartz India

The delta variant spreads much faster than other Covid-19 strains—and scientists may now know why.

People infected with the delta variant have more than 1,260 times the viral load—the concentration of viral particles in the body—than those with the original strain found in China, a group of scientists has reported in a preprint paper. A higher viral load can have many implications such as more severe disease. Its most significant contribution is to a virus’s higher transmissibility.

Image: https://qz.com

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Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



466th Edition, July 27, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


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July 27, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



Jeff Boyle, President of Ellume USA, joins Rich Bendis on BioTalk

Jeff Boyle, President of Ellume USA, joins Rich Bendis on BioTalk to chat about his history, their Flagship U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Frederick, MD, and why BioHealth Capital Region is a right fit for their company goals.

Listen now on Google https://bit.ly/3i0XFUO, Apple https://apple.co/2TDD1kg, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3kWwP1P, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3BGPDrP

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MaxCyte Announces Launch of Offering and Application to List on the Nasdaq Global Market

GAITHERSBURG, Md., July 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — MaxCyte, Inc., (LSE: MXCT) (LSE: MXCN), a leading provider of platform technologies for cell engineering, today announced the commencement of an underwritten offering of 12,000,000 shares of common stock (the “Offering”) at an expected offering price between $11.50 and $13.50 per share. All shares to be sold in the Offering will be offered by MaxCyte. In addition, MaxCyte intends to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,800,000 additional shares of common stock.

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Emergent BioSolutions wins extension on smallpox vaccine deal – Baltimore Business Journal

The extension follows a tumultuous time for the Gaithersburg company, making it unclear if the government would proceed with deals as normal.

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Montgomery County Updates: County Welcomes BioNTech to Gaithersburg for U.S. Manufacturing Facility

German-based BioNTech has announced that it will soon be joining Montgomery County’s growing list of world-renowned international companies in the “Immunology Capital Next to the Nation’s Capital.” BioNTech is acquiring a Gaithersburg manufacturing facility and cell therapy research and development platform from Kite, a unit of Gilead Sciences, to support the development of BioNTech’s expanding pipeline of novel cell therapies.

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BioNTech to Acquire Kite’s Neoantigen TCR Cell Therapy R&D Platform and Manufacturing Facility in Gaithersburg, MD · BioBuzz

MAINZ, Germany & SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX, “BioNTech”) and Kite, a Gilead Company (Nasdaq: GILD, “Kite”) today announced the two companies have entered into a purchase agreement for BioNTech to acquire Kite’s solid tumor neoantigen T cell receptor (TCR) R&D platform and clinical manufacturing facility in Gaithersburg, MD. The acquired Gaithersburg facility will provide production capacity to support clinical trials in the United States and will complement BioNTech’s existing cell therapy manufacturing facility in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. The facility will support the development of BioNTech’s expanding pipeline of novel cell therapies, including cancer product candidates based on its CAR-T Cell amplifying mRNA vaccine (CARVac) and NEOSTIM platforms as well as the newly acquired individualized neoantigen TCR program.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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Alexandria Plans 200K SF Lab Building To Kick Off Huge Rockville Project

Montgomery County is set to consider plans for the first phase of a five-building life sciences project in Rockville.

An affiliate of life sciences giant Alexandria Real Estate Equities filed plans for a 200K SF research and development building as part of an 18-acre project on Darnestown Road. The Montgomery County Planning Board is scheduled to hear the plans on July 29.

Image: Montgomery County Planning Department A rendering of the 200K SF lab building on Darnestown Road in Rockville.

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Matan Companies breaks ground on Progress Labs at Riverside

Matan Companies breaks ground on Progress Labs at Riverside I The City-based project will feature 215,000 square feet of biomanufacturing-ready space — including a 96,000 square foot existing building, which is available for immediate occupancy, as well as a 118,000 square foot expansion building, which will be delivered in June 2022.

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Game Changers | VT Corporate Research Center

Come join the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center for Game Changer Week! Game Changer Week, set for August 23-27, 2021 will bring together industry disruptors, entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers for a variety of online and in-person events. Events include webinars, happy hours, start-up mentoring, special guests, open houses, and more!

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Preparing for the Endless Frontier: What Universities, States and Regions Should Do Now While Congress Finalizes Its Plans?

The Endless Frontier bill, now incorporated into the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, made progress in the U.S. Senate while parallel legislation in the House also advanced to create a Technology Directorate in the NSF. Congress and the Administration also advanced through the budget process and other Congressionally authorization bills billions of dollars to create new tech hubs, advanced manufacturing, increased tech transfer, test beds, and applied research. Collectively this is one of the largest investments in applied research and tech based economic development undertaken by the federal government.

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HIV Cure Program Releases Initial Clinical Trial Data | American Gene Technologies

ROCKVILLE, MD, July 15, 2021 /Globe Newswire/ — American Gene Technologies (AGT) announced today that the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) voted unanimously to continue AGT’s HIV cure program without modification, after safety analysis of the participant’s data revealed no adverse effects from the treatment. AGT’s Phase 1 trial of AGT103-T, a new cell and gene therapy for HIV disease, is designed to induce durable viral suppression by delivering therapeutic genes to the recipient’s immune cells. The cells are collected by leukapheresis, modified outside the body, then re-infused. Once infused, the cells are expected to durably suppress the virus at undetectable levels without the need for antiretroviral treatment.

Image: https://www.americangene.com

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Immunomic’s Academic Collaborator Dr. John Sampson Recognized as “World Expert” in Glioblastoma as Part of Glioblastoma Awareness Day | Business Wire

ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., (“ITI”), a privately-held clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the study of nucleic acid immunotherapy platforms, announced today that its’ academic collaborator, Dr. John Sampson of Duke University’s Department of Neurosurgery, has been recognized as a World Expert in Glioblastoma by Expertscape, an online resource that identifies the world’s top experts in all medical fields. The publication recognized the top 0.1% of scholars writing about glioblastoma over the past ten years, a level they label as “World Expert”. Dr. Sampson’s recognition as a World Expert in glioblastoma is part of Glioblastoma Awareness Day, which is being celebrated today, Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

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Science Magazine: ARPA-H: Accelerating biomedical breakthroughs | The White House

The biomedical research ecosystem has delivered advances that not long ago would have been inconceivable, exemplified by highly effective COVID-19 vaccines developed by global partners and approved in less than a year. The United States stands at a moment of unprecedented scientific promise and is challenged to ask: What more can we do to accelerate the pace of break-throughs to transform medicine and health? Toward that end, President Biden recently proposed to create a new entity, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) “to develop breakthroughs—to prevent, detect, and treat diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer,” requesting $6.5 billion in the fiscal year 2022 budget.

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The NIH’s Investment in Biotech Ecosystems | Bioeconomy.XYZ

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) are the largest public supporter of basic life science in the world.

With an FY2020 budget of $42 billion, most of their expenditures are university grants supporting either new discoveries or early-state clinical studies of promising treatments and diagnostic tests.

Since 1982, Congress has mandated that a fraction of the total annual NIH budget be put to work via grants or contracts to small life science and biotech companies rather than academic institutions.

Image: Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

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Sponsored | The essential guide to drug commercialization: A manufacturer’s handbook for selecting solutions and partners | BioSpace

You have invested the time, expertise, and financial resources to develop a therapy that changes patient lives for the better. After all of your hard work and dedication, how can you ensure your product reaches patients? What are the key commercialization considerations for healthcare innovators, large and small? Learn how to unlock product potential in this step-by-step guide to making the most of your commercialization investments.

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Covid vaccine maker BioNTech buys Gaithersburg manufacturing facility – Washington Business Journal

The German firm hopes to expand its cancer treatments with the purchase.

Image: BioNTech is buying a Gaithersburg manufacturing facility on Clopper Road from Kite Pharma. GOOGLE STREET VIEW

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Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



465th Edition, July 20, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


July 20, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



Pediatric Device Innovators Forum Explores State of Focused Ultrasound – MedCity News

If you are interested in pediatric medical device innovation or alternative solutions to surgery such as focused ultrasound, these two topics will merge at the Pediatric Device Innovators Forum, July 22, from 2 – 3:30 p.m. This free livestream event, hosted by the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI), features clinical, regulatory and reimbursement experts discussing the topic “Focused Ultrasound for Pediatric Indications.”

Image: https://medcitynews.com

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» Overcoming the Limitations of Conventional Cell Engineering

DNA-modified cells can behave unpredictably in the body and there is a risk that they could proliferate uncontrolled, cause severe toxicities, and even survive unchecked for months or years. Cartesian uses its platform technology to engineer RNA into cells, making time-controlled changes. The company is developing treatments for cancer, respiratory conditions, and autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. We spoke to Murat Kalayoglu, president and CEO of Cartesian, about its RNA-engineered cell therapies, how they work and how the company is pushing the use of cell therapies beyond cancer.

Image: https://globalgenes.org

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Exclusive: White House taps Maryland professor for tech role

President Biden will nominate Laurie E. Locascio to lead the federal agency in charge of promoting innovation and technology, the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Driving the news: Biden will name Locascio, currently vice president for research at the University of Maryland, as Undersecretary for Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce.

Image: https://news.yahoo.com

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Citybiz Interview with Ronald Piervincenzi, CEO of U.S. Pharmacopeia | citybiz

Ronald T. Piervincenzi, Ph.D., has served as Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) since February 2014. USP is an independent, nonprofit, scientific organization that sets quality standards for medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients worldwide. USP’s quality standards are legally recognized in the United States and elsewhere and are used in more than 150 countries.

Image: Ronald Piervincenzi, CEO of U.S. Pharmacopeia

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Reforming Federal Rules on Corporate-Sponsored Research at Tax-Exempt University Facilities

Improving university/corporate research partnerships is key to advancing US competitiveness. Reform of the IRS rules surrounding corporate sponsored research taking place in university facilities funded by tax-exempt bonds has long been sought by the higher education community and will stimulate more public-private partnerships. With Congress considering new ways to fund research through a new NSF Technology Directorate and the possibility of a large infrastructure package, an opportunity is now open for Congress to address these long-standing reforms in IRS rules.

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Ascentage Pharma Establishes Cooperative R&D Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute for Clinical Development of Ascentage Pharma’s Drug Compound pelcitoclax | BioSpace

SUZHOU, China, and ROCKVILLE, Md., July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, today announced that the company has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of National Institutes of Health, under which they will collaborate on the non-clinical and clinical development of Ascentage Pharma’s drug compound pelcitoclax.

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Join Our Celebration | American Gene Technologies

The Data Safety and Monitoring Board has met and evaluated the safety data from the first participant treated with AGT103-T, our HIV-cure drug candidate. The participant experienced no significant adverse events, and the DSMB voted unanimously to “continue the study with no modification”.

AGT is now a clinical-stage biotech company with initial safety data on a potential cure for a disease affecting over 1.2 million people in the U.S. and nearly 40 million people globally!

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Emerge Launches EMPWR, Emerging Manager Program Focused on Women | Business Wire

BUFFALO, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Emerge Capital Management (“Emerge”) has officially launched EMPWR, an emerging managers program. Emerge’s EMPWR program includes a roster of elite, emerging portfolio managers with a special focus on women portfolio managers. It provides full back-office support, platform support, and ESG monitoring dedicated to high performance.

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Maryland-based Novavax’s effort to vaccinate the world, from zero to not quite warp speed: ‘This takes time and expertise’ – Baltimore Sun

On a sweltering June morning, Novavax CEO and COVID vaccine maker Stanley Erck stood on a stage unmasked and did something that would have been unthinkable six months ago: He shook hands with Maryland’s governor.

Erck was with Gov. Larry Hogan to announce Novavax’s global vaccine headquarters ― a Gaithersburg campus expected to house laboratories and more than 800 employees. Hogan called Novavax’s future “bright” and crowed that more than 71% of the state’s adults had received at least one shot.

Image: https://www.baltimoresun.com – From Video

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GSK expands jobs and workforce diversity in Rockville · BioBuzz

With the opening of its state-of-the-art facility in Rockville in 2017, GSK has been strengthening its manufacturing presence in the US. As a result, the site’s portfolio of programs and bulk production has been growing steadily, with many immediate full-time job openings at the site. BioBuzz recently hosted a Virtual Recruitment Event for job-seekers to learn more about the various roles at GSK Rockville BioPharm, its work culture, and what the company is looking for in prospective employees.

Read More




Johns Hopkins AI spinout launches clinical diagnostics tool – Insider Intelligence Trends, Forecasts & Statistics

The news: Johns Hopkins spinoff Bayesian Health has $15 million in VC backing to offer an AI-based clinical decision support platform designed to make health systems’ electronic health records (EHRs) more predictive.

Here’s how it works: The system analyzes EHR-collected patient data and sends providers real-time clinical signals when a critical moment is detected. It targets high-priority areas such as clinical deterioration, sepsis, pressure injury, and transitions of care.

Read More




Surge in Demand Fuels Increase of 1.6 Million SF in Montgomery County, MD’s Life Science Lab Inventory | Progress Labs

Montgomery County, Maryland, home of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and more than 480 life sciences companies, continues its momentum as a magnet for new life sciences development with a major surge in leasing and investment. With rising demand and just 5.2% availability for the county’s existing lab space, an additional 1.6 million square feet (SF) of lab space is in development—joining the current 10.6 million SF of total lab inventory already in Montgomery County.

Read More




Lab Space Market Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2021-2027 – Forest City, Alexandria Real Estate, Scheer Partners, Related Beal, Biomed Realty Trus, etc – CryptoTodays

Lab Space industry analysis included the latest data on revenue numbers, product information and earnings of the major firms. The data includes a breakdown of earnings for the Lab Space international marketplace and a forecast for exactly that same period. This report also includes the most important business strategies that have been identified by the key players in the global Lab Space marketplace. The report also highlights the risks and strengths of key competitors in the global Lab Space market. The market’s vital information is provided by the study on Worldwide Lab Space Market 2021. This report covers all the current facts about Lab Space marketplace, which is crucial in helping to foster this market. A comprehensive assessment of the Lab Space marketplace’s dynamic background is provided at the end of the research.

Read More




Emergent BioSolutions rises after announcing contract term extension by HHS (NYSE:EBS) | Seeking Alpha

Emergent BioSolutions (EBS +1.1%) has gained in morning hours after the company announced that a government agency exercised an option to extend a contract term related to its supply of Smallpox vaccine into the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (“ASPR”), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), has modified the contract with the exercise of the second of nine annual contract term extension options, the company said.

Image: https://seekingalpha.com

Read More




Owings Mills-based venture capital giant Greenspring Associates to be acquired by StepStone Group for $725M – Baltimore Business Journal

The deal is expected to close this calendar year.

Read More




GSK to build $549m biotech hub in Stevenage, UK

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has plans to open an approximately $549m (£400m) biotechnology campus in Stevenage, UK, which would possibly create up to 5,000 skilled jobs in the coming five to ten years.

The plan for the new hub was developed in collaboration with Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC), the UK Government, Stevenage Borough Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Image: GSK’s R&D site in Stevenage, UK. Credit: GSK / Flickr.

Read More




Beckham Gumbin Ventures Announces Ballenger Bio: A Life Sciences Conversion and Innovation Center Coming to Frederick, Maryland | Benzinga

FREDERICK, Md., July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Beckham Gumbin Ventures (BGV), a commercial real estate investor and developer, is beginning construction on brand new R&D laboratory spec suites and amenities at Ballenger Bio (321 Ballenger Center Drive) in Frederick, Maryland. Ballenger Bio will offer several 3,000 to 7,000 SF R&D laboratory spec suites, with the ability to combine up to 37,000 SF of contiguous space on a single floor. Building such spec labs will allow for growing biotech companies to focus on their business as opposed to construction costs and timelines.

Read More




(1519) HIV Breakthrough at American Gene Technologies Gets Researchers Closer to the Cure – YouTube

In May 2021, American Gene Technologies (AGT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced the treatment of the first participant in its Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the safety of the cell and gene therapy product AGT103-T. Designated as the RePAIR trial (Restore Potent Antiviral Immune Responses, NCT04561258), participants are infused once with their own CD4 T cells that were enriched, for cells capable of reacting to HIV, and genetically modified to resist infection. This is a first-in-human study for AGT103-T. The primary endpoint is safety; testing related to secondary endpoints evaluates responses to treatment including changes in the immune response to HIV. This video explains AGT’s research and HIV cure program strategy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiA2s7JCkJ8

Read More




A New Interactive Map Reveals Where the Deadliest Germs Are Studied | Schar School of Policy and Government

As the world waits for the results of the investigation into the Wuhan biosafety laboratory and the verification of the COVID-19 origin , experts are turning to other high-security biological research facilities with a renewed interest. The Wuhan lab is only one of many around the world, but where are these other facilities? What are they working on? And most importantly, what security procedures are in place to keep future pandemics from happening?

Image: https://schar.gmu.edu/

Read More




NIIMBL Receives $153M in Awards from NIST | Business | The Daily News

NEWARK, Del., July 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) confirms that it has received $153M in new funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as announced by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at NIIMBL’s National Meeting in Washington, DC. The two awards include $70M to continue federal funding for NIIMBL for an additional five years and an additional $83M for coronavirus response projects under the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

Read More




With $1.27B raised, DC stays on record-setting pace for venture capital funding in 2021 – Technical.ly DC

Venture capital totals for D.C. area companies got off to a strong start in 2021, and they’re continuing to rise with a new record high through the halfway point of the year.

In the second quarter of 2021, companies in the metro area collectively raised $1.27 billion across 72 deals, according to data from the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, a quarterly report produced by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association with support from Silicon Valley Bank.

Image: Venture capital. ((Photo by Flickr user, used via a Creative Commons license))

Read More




A new portfolio model for Pharmaceutical & Medical Products in biotech | McKinsey

Until recently, biotech companies tended to be founded with a focus on a single technology or biological pathway. An early exemplar of this was Genentech, founded in 1976 on the promise of recombinant DNA to generate proteins relevant for human health.1 Proof of concept came with the production of the hormone somatostatin in 1977, and the company made its synthetic insulin breakthrough in 1978, alleviating the need to harvest the protein from animal pancreases.

Read More



Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



464th Edition, July 13, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


July 13, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



BioTalk with Rich Bendis welcomes Howard Carolan, CEO of CoapTech, and Neil Davis, Program Director at University of Maryland Baltimore

Howard Carolan, Co-Founder and CEO  of CoapTech, Inc., and Neil Davis, Program Director of the Biomedical Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate program at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB), joins Rich Bendis to discuss Startups, Tech Transfer, and the Funding.

Listen now on Google https://bit.ly/36fStWr, Apple https://apple.co/2UpA0UO, Spotify https://spoti.fi/36igrjG, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3hpCRpT.

Mr. Davis is currently Program Director of the Biomedical Entrepreneurship graduate certificate program at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB).  This unique 12 credit graduate certificate provides the student with an opportunity to learn the process of creating valuable intellectual property (IP) and moving it into commercial application.  This process begins with the creation of IP, continues to its licensing and the formation of a venture through the growth of the venture, and culminates with the monetization of that venture.

Read More




BioHealth Innovation Appoints Jeff Boyle to Board of Directors

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, July 6, 2020 The Board of Directors of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) unanimously approved the appointment of Jeff Boyle as a new board member. Jeff Boyle is the President of Ellume USA LLC and leads the team establishing the manufacturing operation and commercial headquarters in Maryland; and is responsible for all aspects of the North American business operation. Jeff has previously held leadership positions at CSL, Cellestis, and most recently with QIAGEN as a Global Franchise Head.

Read More




MIMETAS and Roche Enter into a Collaboration to Develop Human Disease Models for Drug Development

LEIDEN, The Netherlands, July 06, 2021 / B3C newswire / — MIMETAS, a leader in organ-on-chip-based disease models and technology, and Roche, a world-leading pharmaceutical company, announced today that they have entered into a collaboration to develop human disease models to characterize novel compounds in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and hepatitis B virus infections (HBV). Under the terms of the agreement, MIMETAS is eligible to receive an upfront payment and milestone payments from Roche.

MIMETAS will be responsible for developing tissue-based disease models and assays in the OrganoPlate, its proprietary organ-on-chip platform that increases predictability of biomarkers and reduces animal use in scientific testing. Roche will gain access to technology, disease models, and scientific results. Roche will also receive an option to exclusively license specific disease models and assays for use in drug discovery.

Read More




Qiagen and Sysmex Team up on Cancer Companion Diagnostics | mddionline.com

The companion diagnostics market is on track to reach $6.8 billion by 2025 (from $3.7 billion in 2020), according to a Markets and Markets report , driven by the growing need for targeted therapy, the rising importance of personalized medicine, the increasing global incidence of cancer, and a raging demand for next-generation sequencing (NGS). So it’s not surprising to see more and more alliances between pharmaceutical companies and diagnostics companies.

Read More




Join us for the 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum – September 13-14, 2021 – Two Virtual Half-Days

 

The BioHealth Capital Region Forum is free Virtual 2 Half-Day event for executive-level biotech leaders. The theme of the forum this year is “Big Data…Big Data…Converging” with panels on Big Data in Biotech, nfectious Diseases, Developing Talent, Regional Real Estate, IP Analysis and Protection, Funding, and a Fire Side Chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director.

The 7th Annual BioHealth capital Region Forum is organized by event partners – Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, BRAINBox Solutions, Inc, Children’s National Hospital, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS @ Washington, DC, Maryland Department of Commerce, and Virginia Bio. Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. Please join us for our 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow. We hope you’re able to join us!

Read More




Accepting Applications for the 6th Annual Crab trap Competition

Registration is now open for the BioHealth Capital Region 6th Annual Crab Trap Competition. The Crab Trap this year will be held virtually in affiliation with the 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum with attendees receiving a link to watch live on September, 29th, 2021. Judges Sally Allain, Head, JLABS @ Washington, DC, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Andrea Alms, Co-Fund Manager, BioHealth Capital Fund, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, Chief Executive Officer, TEDCO, Conley Jones, Senior Associate, Alexandria Venture Investments, and John Newby, Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Biotechnology Association, join Moderator, Rich Bendis, President and CEO of BHI, to choose one biohealth startup with the most commercial potential.

Companies interested in applying, please visit https://bit.ly/crabtrap2021 today.

Read More




Vigene Biosciences closes deal to be acquired by Charles River Laboratories – Washington Business Journal

The firm helps gene therapy and vaccine companies develop and manufacture products for rare diseases.

Image: Vigene Biosciences, led by CEO Zairen Sun, right, and Chief Commercial Officer Jeffrey Hung, has been acquired. EMAN MOHAMMED

Read More




Adaptive Phage Therapeutics Expands Board Following Series B Financing Led by Deerfield Management | 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 the appointment of Evan Loh, M.D., CEO of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTK), Jonathan Leff, Partner at Deerfield Management, and Jana Jensen, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer at Deerfield Discovery and Development, to the company’s Board of Directors.

Read More





Ron Daniels’ tenure as Johns Hopkins University president extended through 2029 | Hub

Johns Hopkins University’s board of trustees has voted unanimously to add a new five-year term to the presidential tenure of Ron Daniels, an extension through June 2029 that “reflects the board’s full and unwavering confidence in the trajectory of our institution and its remarkable people—our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—supported and sustained by President Daniels’ able leadership,” Lou Forster, the board’s chair, wrote in a message to the Hopkins community today.

Image: Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels speaks at the 10,000 Small Businesses graduation ceremony in Baltimore in November 2019. CREDIT:WILL KIRK / JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Read More




Money Moves: It’s a big investment week for Frederick companies – Technical.ly Baltimore

This week, a pair of Frederick companies raised millions in new investment, offering evidence of the Maryland city’s growing role as one of the region’s tech hubs. Check out the specifics on those companies and more:

Image: Frederick, Maryland. (Courtesy photo)

Read More




DC Region’s Life Sciences Sector Is on the Rise – Commercial Observer

Go pakh your cahr, Boston. Grab some granola, California. It’s D.C.’s moment in life sciences.

For years, the Washington metropolitan area has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing and largest life sciences markets. Growth during the pandemic and the market’s singular location are launching it into a whole other stratosphere.

Image: ST. JOHN PROPERTIES’ MATT HOLBROOK AT RIVERSIDE TECH PARK IN FREDERICK. PHOTO: BY ST. JOHN PROPERTIES

Read More




Kinexum ATTD 2021 report.pdf(Shared)- Adobe Document Cloud
  • This document has been redacted by Sam Collaudin, Kinexum Business Strategy Consultant, independently from any pharmaceutical and biotech companies
  • It synthesizes selected data presented during the ATTD 2021 conference
  • Grey rectangles are personal comments and opinions, underlined words are clickable links to other slides or external references
  • If you have comments, please contact me by email (samcollaudin@kinexum.com)
  • Disclosure: Business strategy consultant at Modular Medical, CEO of Abvance Kinexum , consultant for Therapeutics, chairman of a non for profit French health care insurance company (Groupe Operating Since 2003 Uitsem)

Read More




Boston University Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research Announces New Partnership with CONNECTED DMV · BioBuzz

We are excited to announce a partnership between CEID and CONNECTED DMV. We will be cooperating with CONNECTED DMV in their Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Initiative and serve as a key partner in the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center and AHEAD100 initiative.

Read More




Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: July 2, 2021 | FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continued to take action in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

Today, the FDA authorized the use, under the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, of an additional batch of vaccine drug substance manufactured at the Emergent facility. To date a total of four batches of Janssen drug substance that were manufactured at the Emergent facility have been authorized. The FDA conducted a thorough review of facility records and the results of quality testing performed by the manufacturer. Based on this review and considering the current COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA has concluded that these batches are suitable for use. While the FDA is not yet ready to include the Emergent BioSolutions plant in the Janssen EUA as an authorized manufacturing facility, the agency continues to work through issues there with Janssen and Emergent BioSolutions management.

Read More




Sands Capital, Accolade Partners and more funds are raising money. Here’s what’s driving it. – Washington Business Journal

In Greater Washington, we spotlight these VC firms raising new funds or adding dollars to their existing ones.

Read More




Life Sciences Markets Eye ‘Transformative’ New Federal Investments

Arriving in Washington in the midst of a pandemic, the Biden administration has been laser-focused on funding life sciences, announcing support for the onshoring of crucial manufacturing and proposing vast increases in National Institutes of Health funding and the creation of ARPA-H, a new multibillion-dollar applied research center for the health sciences.

Image: Courtesy of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Congress has passed a series of bills that may send billions of dollars of funding to life sciences clusters across the country.

Read More




Top 8 Best-Selling COVID-19 Vaccines and Drugs of Q1 2021

By the end of this week, the world should cross two small but significant milestones on the road to overcoming COVID-19—getting at least 5% of the global population fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, with at least 10% receiving one dose of vaccines that require two.

According to Our World in Data, a collaboration of the Oxford Martin Programme on Global Development at the University of Oxford and the nonprofit Global Change Data Lab, 376,173,766 people were fully vaccinated as of May 20 (4.8% of global population), while 739,208,299 people had received one dose (9.5%).

Read More




Seven Up-and-Coming COVID-19 Drugs

Thanks to unprecedented development speed and mostly strong safety and efficacy data, vaccines have dominated the response to COVID-19. But ending the pandemic will also require development of numerous therapeutics.

Seven COVID-19 drugs have shown promise recently. Positive signs include the accumulation of encouraging data, participation in the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) trials, and/or progress toward regulatory authorizations.

Read More




Startup Professionals Musings: 6 New Venture Realities To Target Your Funding Effort

Entrepreneurs who require funding for their startup have long counted on self-accredited high net worth individuals (“angels”) to fill their needs, after friends and family, and before they qualify for institutional investments (“VCs”). The many crowd funding platforms on the Internet, led still by Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, were expected by many to put regular people in charge of funding new opportunities, and kill the need for angel groups.

Image: https://blog.startupprofessionals.com

Read More



Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



463rd Edition, July 7, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


July 7, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



BioTalk with Rich Bendis welcomes Howard Carolan, CEO of CoapTech, and Neil Davis, Program Director at University of Maryland Baltimore

Howard Carolan, Co-Founder and CEO  of CoapTech, Inc., and Neil Davis, Program Director of the Biomedical Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate program at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB), joins Rich Bendis to discuss Startups, Tech Transfer, and the Funding.

Listen now on Google https://bit.ly/36fStWr, Apple https://apple.co/2UpA0UO, Spotify https://spoti.fi/36igrjG, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3hpCRpT.

Mr. Davis is currently Program Director of the Biomedical Entrepreneurship graduate certificate program at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB).  This unique 12 credit graduate certificate provides the student with an opportunity to learn the process of creating valuable intellectual property (IP) and moving it into commercial application.  This process begins with the creation of IP, continues to its licensing and the formation of a venture through the growth of the venture, and culminates with the monetization of that venture.

Read More




BioHealth Innovation Appoints Jeff Boyle to Board of Directors

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, July 6, 2020 The Board of Directors of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) unanimously approved the appointment of Jeff Boyle as a new board member. Jeff Boyle is the President of Ellume USA LLC and leads the team establishing the manufacturing operation and commercial headquarters in Maryland; and is responsible for all aspects of the North American business operation. Jeff has previously held leadership positions at CSL, Cellestis, and most recently with QIAGEN as a Global Franchise Head.

Read More




MIMETAS and Roche Enter into a Collaboration to Develop Human Disease Models for Drug Development

LEIDEN, The Netherlands, July 06, 2021 / B3C newswire / — MIMETAS, a leader in organ-on-chip-based disease models and technology, and Roche, a world-leading pharmaceutical company, announced today that they have entered into a collaboration to develop human disease models to characterize novel compounds in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and hepatitis B virus infections (HBV). Under the terms of the agreement, MIMETAS is eligible to receive an upfront payment and milestone payments from Roche.

MIMETAS will be responsible for developing tissue-based disease models and assays in the OrganoPlate, its proprietary organ-on-chip platform that increases predictability of biomarkers and reduces animal use in scientific testing. Roche will gain access to technology, disease models, and scientific results. Roche will also receive an option to exclusively license specific disease models and assays for use in drug discovery.

Read More




Qiagen and Sysmex Team up on Cancer Companion Diagnostics | mddionline.com

The companion diagnostics market is on track to reach $6.8 billion by 2025 (from $3.7 billion in 2020), according to a Markets and Markets report , driven by the growing need for targeted therapy, the rising importance of personalized medicine, the increasing global incidence of cancer, and a raging demand for next-generation sequencing (NGS). So it’s not surprising to see more and more alliances between pharmaceutical companies and diagnostics companies.

Read More




Join us for the 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum – September 13-14, 2021 – Two Virtual Half-Days

 

The BioHealth Capital Region Forum is free Virtual 2 Half-Day event for executive-level biotech leaders. The theme of the forum this year is “Big Data…Big Data…Converging” with panels on Big Data in Biotech, nfectious Diseases, Developing Talent, Regional Real Estate, IP Analysis and Protection, Funding, and a Fire Side Chat with Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director.

The 7th Annual BioHealth capital Region Forum is organized by event partners – Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, BRAINBox Solutions, Inc, Children’s National Hospital, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS @ Washington, DC, Maryland Department of Commerce, and Virginia Bio. Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. Please join us for our 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow. We hope you’re able to join us!

Read More




Accepting Applications for the 6th Annual Crab trap Competition

Registration is now open for the BioHealth Capital Region 6th Annual Crab Trap Competition. The Crab Trap this year will be held virtually in affiliation with the 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum with attendees receiving a link to watch live on September, 29th, 2021. Judges Sally Allain, Head, JLABS @ Washington, DC, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Andrea Alms, Co-Fund Manager, BioHealth Capital Fund, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, Chief Executive Officer, TEDCO, Conley Jones, Senior Associate, Alexandria Venture Investments, and John Newby, Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Biotechnology Association, join Moderator, Rich Bendis, President and CEO of BHI, to choose one biohealth startup with the most commercial potential.

Companies interested in applying, please visit https://bit.ly/crabtrap2021 today.

Read More




Vigene Biosciences closes deal to be acquired by Charles River Laboratories – Washington Business Journal

The firm helps gene therapy and vaccine companies develop and manufacture products for rare diseases.

Image: Vigene Biosciences, led by CEO Zairen Sun, right, and Chief Commercial Officer Jeffrey Hung, has been acquired. EMAN MOHAMMED

Read More




Adaptive Phage Therapeutics Expands Board Following Series B Financing Led by Deerfield Management | 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 the appointment of Evan Loh, M.D., CEO of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTK), Jonathan Leff, Partner at Deerfield Management, and Jana Jensen, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer at Deerfield Discovery and Development, to the company’s Board of Directors.

Read More





Ron Daniels’ tenure as Johns Hopkins University president extended through 2029 | Hub

Johns Hopkins University’s board of trustees has voted unanimously to add a new five-year term to the presidential tenure of Ron Daniels, an extension through June 2029 that “reflects the board’s full and unwavering confidence in the trajectory of our institution and its remarkable people—our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—supported and sustained by President Daniels’ able leadership,” Lou Forster, the board’s chair, wrote in a message to the Hopkins community today.

Image: Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels speaks at the 10,000 Small Businesses graduation ceremony in Baltimore in November 2019. CREDIT:WILL KIRK / JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Read More




Money Moves: It’s a big investment week for Frederick companies – Technical.ly Baltimore

This week, a pair of Frederick companies raised millions in new investment, offering evidence of the Maryland city’s growing role as one of the region’s tech hubs. Check out the specifics on those companies and more:

Image: Frederick, Maryland. (Courtesy photo)

Read More




DC Region’s Life Sciences Sector Is on the Rise – Commercial Observer

Go pakh your cahr, Boston. Grab some granola, California. It’s D.C.’s moment in life sciences.

For years, the Washington metropolitan area has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing and largest life sciences markets. Growth during the pandemic and the market’s singular location are launching it into a whole other stratosphere.

Image: ST. JOHN PROPERTIES’ MATT HOLBROOK AT RIVERSIDE TECH PARK IN FREDERICK. PHOTO: BY ST. JOHN PROPERTIES

Read More




Kinexum ATTD 2021 report.pdf(Shared)- Adobe Document Cloud
  • This document has been redacted by Sam Collaudin, Kinexum Business Strategy Consultant, independently from any pharmaceutical and biotech companies
  • It synthesizes selected data presented during the ATTD 2021 conference
  • Grey rectangles are personal comments and opinions, underlined words are clickable links to other slides or external references
  • If you have comments, please contact me by email (samcollaudin@kinexum.com)
  • Disclosure: Business strategy consultant at Modular Medical, CEO of Abvance Kinexum , consultant for Therapeutics, chairman of a non for profit French health care insurance company (Groupe Operating Since 2003 Uitsem)

Read More




Boston University Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research Announces New Partnership with CONNECTED DMV · BioBuzz

We are excited to announce a partnership between CEID and CONNECTED DMV. We will be cooperating with CONNECTED DMV in their Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Initiative and serve as a key partner in the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center and AHEAD100 initiative.

Read More




Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: July 2, 2021 | FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continued to take action in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

Today, the FDA authorized the use, under the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, of an additional batch of vaccine drug substance manufactured at the Emergent facility. To date a total of four batches of Janssen drug substance that were manufactured at the Emergent facility have been authorized. The FDA conducted a thorough review of facility records and the results of quality testing performed by the manufacturer. Based on this review and considering the current COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA has concluded that these batches are suitable for use. While the FDA is not yet ready to include the Emergent BioSolutions plant in the Janssen EUA as an authorized manufacturing facility, the agency continues to work through issues there with Janssen and Emergent BioSolutions management.

Read More




Sands Capital, Accolade Partners and more funds are raising money. Here’s what’s driving it. – Washington Business Journal

In Greater Washington, we spotlight these VC firms raising new funds or adding dollars to their existing ones.

Read More




Life Sciences Markets Eye ‘Transformative’ New Federal Investments

Arriving in Washington in the midst of a pandemic, the Biden administration has been laser-focused on funding life sciences, announcing support for the onshoring of crucial manufacturing and proposing vast increases in National Institutes of Health funding and the creation of ARPA-H, a new multibillion-dollar applied research center for the health sciences.

Image: Courtesy of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Congress has passed a series of bills that may send billions of dollars of funding to life sciences clusters across the country.

Read More




Top 8 Best-Selling COVID-19 Vaccines and Drugs of Q1 2021

By the end of this week, the world should cross two small but significant milestones on the road to overcoming COVID-19—getting at least 5% of the global population fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, with at least 10% receiving one dose of vaccines that require two.

According to Our World in Data, a collaboration of the Oxford Martin Programme on Global Development at the University of Oxford and the nonprofit Global Change Data Lab, 376,173,766 people were fully vaccinated as of May 20 (4.8% of global population), while 739,208,299 people had received one dose (9.5%).

Read More




Seven Up-and-Coming COVID-19 Drugs

Thanks to unprecedented development speed and mostly strong safety and efficacy data, vaccines have dominated the response to COVID-19. But ending the pandemic will also require development of numerous therapeutics.

Seven COVID-19 drugs have shown promise recently. Positive signs include the accumulation of encouraging data, participation in the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) trials, and/or progress toward regulatory authorizations.

Read More




Startup Professionals Musings: 6 New Venture Realities To Target Your Funding Effort

Entrepreneurs who require funding for their startup have long counted on self-accredited high net worth individuals (“angels”) to fill their needs, after friends and family, and before they qualify for institutional investments (“VCs”). The many crowd funding platforms on the Internet, led still by Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, were expected by many to put regular people in charge of funding new opportunities, and kill the need for angel groups.

Image: https://blog.startupprofessionals.com

Read More



Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



462nd Edition, June 29, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


June 29, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



Cartesian Therapeutics President & Chief Executive Officer, Murat Kalayoglu, MD, PhD, Returns to BioTalk

Dr. Murat Kalayoglu, President and CEO at Cartesian Therapeutics, provides an update since his last visit on their cell and gene therapies, as well as fundraising successes.

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/2SuVe2M, Google https://bit.ly/35Uq6wV, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3w3d7nd, or TuneIn https://bit.ly/2U9zYjL

Read More




Life Science Company MaxCyte Relocating HQ to Rockville, Md. – Commercial Observer

MaxCyte, a life science company specializing in cell-engineering technology, is relocating from Gaithersburg, Md., to Rockville, Md., Commercial Observer has learned.

The company signed a 13-year, 67,000-square-foot lease at 9713 Key West Avenue, a five-story, 120,000-square-foot office building, with landlord Beckham Gumbin Ventures.

Image: 9713 KEY WEST AVENUE. PHOTO: BY EDGE

Read More




CEO Talks Series, featuring Immunomic CEO Bill Hearl

UNITE, A comprehensive immuno-oncology approach

}https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmkDu4qK2aM

Read More




TEDCO and JLABS Discuss Innovation and Workforce Diversity in Maryland · BioBuzz

TEDCO recently launched ‘TEDCO Talks’, a series featuring thought leaders in economic development across the State of Maryland. On May 28th, TEDCO CEO & Executive Director, Troy LeMaile-Stovall interviewed Sally Allain, Head of JLABS @ Washington DC, about the future of the innovation ecosystem and the crucial role that JLABS will play in advancing the BioHealth Capital Region. It was extremely uplifting to hear the leaders of the two powerhouses discuss solutions on issues ranging from pandemic preparedness and healthcare inequality to diversity in the workforce.

Read More




2021 Life Sciences Workforce Trends Report

The life sciences industry has been asked to play the lead role in delivering innovative solutions to the world’s pandemic challenges; but like other sectors, is not insulated from these disruptive societal and workplace impacts. And while far from finished, the industry is meeting the moment—delivering on biomedical innovations to mitigate and ultimately end the global pandemic; continuing its role as economic stalwart countering economic downturns with hiring and continued growth; adjusting to the turmoil of remote operations; advancing varied and creative diversity and inclusion initiatives; and partnering with educators to advance the science, technology, engineering, and math, or “STEM” talent needs of the industry as well as enhancing its diversity. This is a daunting agenda for any industry, let alone in a single year, and this report works to take stock of the industry’s position and strategic priorities in 2021, with a primary focus on its demands for workforce and talent, arguably the most critical ingredient for addressing this bold agenda.

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Children’s National scientists shortlisted for funding | Children’s National

A diverse, global team of scientists, led by University College of London and Children’s National Hospital/George Washington University, has been selected for the final stages of Cancer Grand Challenges – and is in with a chance of securing a share of £80 million (c.$111 million) of funding to take on one of cancer’s toughest problems.

Nearly 170 teams submitted ideas for this round of awards, and the NGTC team, which stands for ‘Next Generation T-cell therapies for childhood cancers, led by Martin Pule, Ph.D., University College of London, and Catherine Bollard, M.B.Ch.B., M.D., Children’s National Hospital and George Washington University, is one of 11 shortlisted groups.

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Emmes Selected as an Area Top Workplace by The Washington Post for a Fifth Year | Emmes

Emmes today announced that it was selected as one of the best places to work in the greater Washington area. This is the fifth time that the company has been chosen as a top workplace by The Washington Post, whose rankings are based on the highest employee engagement ratings.

The Post’s 2021 Top Workplaces list included a wide range of organizations, including government contractors, law and real estate firms, professional and business services firms, and technology companies.

The Post partnered with employee engagement firm Energage, LLC, to conduct the survey, asking employees about the companies they work for on topics ranging from employee development to innovation. More than 3,500 area companies were invited to participate, representing over 65,500 employees. Emmes was selected as a top workplace in the large company category.

Read More




New rapid COVID testing options coming to Delta; Purchase and pack for smooth U.S. re-entry | Delta News Hub

Delta customers now have more ways to meet COVID-19 test requirements introduced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and many international governments during the pandemic. Convenient and accurate in-home rapid antigen tests that can be shipped directly to a home address or picked up locally are now available for purchase on delta.com.

“Even as the U.S. achieves widespread immunity through vaccinations, many international countries lag behind the U.S. in vaccination rates. Testing and proof of a negative test result within 72 hours of travel remain core components for entry to many international destinations as well as to return to the U.S. during the global pandemic,” said Henry Ting – S.V.P. & Chief Health Officer. “These new purchase and pack COVID-19 tests offer a convenient option to provide proof of a negative test result and enable a seamless experience for our customers.”

 

Read More





More than 290 biotech leaders sign declaration in favor of preserving IP rights

Many of you are following the ongoing effort by some political leaders to strip our scientific intellectual property rights pertaining to vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. This proprietary science and technology was developed by our scientists working day and night at great financial risk to our companies.

Read More




Aifred Health is #2 in the WORLD in the Global @IBM Watson AI XPRIZE!

It is with enormous pride and excitement that we announce that Aifred Health is #2 in the WORLD in the Global @IBM Watson AI XPRIZE!

I could not be prouder of the entire Aifred Health team and especially the four co-Founders Robert Fratila, Kelly Perlman, Sonia Israel and David Benrimoh, MD.,CM., MSc. whose vision and passion started us on this journey.

The US$1M prize will be used to accelerate the delivery of our AI technology in the field of #depression and to begin the work to apply our tech to other disease indications where personalize treatment choice is needed to deliver better outcomes to patients.

Read More




Cloud’s trillion-dollar prize is up for grabs | McKinsey

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel made the decision to build his mRNA research-and-development platform on public cloud to create what he calls “software for life.”1 He used the cloud as a means to accelerate therapeutic discovery and development. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, this strategy proved prescient. The company was well positioned to quickly design research experiments and to harness its automated laboratory and manufacturing processes and enhanced drug-discovery pipeline.

Read More




How Did Silicon Valley Become Silicon Valley? by Endeavor – issuu

Three Surprising Lessons for Other Cities and Regions. Download the PDF: http://share.endeavor.org/pdf/HDSVBSV.pdf

Read More




Governing Coastal Resources | Resource Panel

Coastal resources – including fish, minerals and energy – are critical to people, nature and the economy, and are a focus for the emerging sustainable blue economy agenda. It has long been recognized that a particular challenge in coastal areas is the management of land-based activities that generate detrimental impacts on coastal resources in the marine environment. Many of these pressures are negative externalities of land-based human activities that are not taken into account within existing resource-governance frameworks. Therefore, the development of improved approaches to land-sea governance that take account of how land-based activities affect the quality and availability of coastal resources is the focus of this report.

Read More



Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



461st Edition, June 21, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


June 21, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



You’re invited to 2021 BioHealth Capital Region Virtual Forum

This event is free for executive-level biotech leaders and is presented by the  Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, BRAINBox Solutions, Inc, Children’s National Hospital, Emergent BioSolutions,  George Mason University, JLABS, Maryland Department of Commerce, and Virginia Bio. Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow. We hope you’re able to join us!

Monday, September 13, 2021 8:00 AM 2021 BioHealth Capital Region Virtual Forum

Register Now!

Read More




Baltimore’s Protenus raises $21 million Series D round – Baltimore Business Journal

“The Protenus team is excited to continue to scale and set a high standard for how health systems ensure compliance,” CEO Nick Culbertson said in a statement.

Image: Nick Culbertson, CEO of Fells Point-based Protenus. ERIC STOCKLIN

Read More




5 Questions about Andy Eckert, BioHealth Nomad · BioBuzz

“5 Questions With…” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region and Greater Philadelphia to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated.

Well, we decided to shake things up. Instead of publishing an interview-style “5 Questions With…” featuring one of our community members, we asked our community “5 Questions About” our very own Andy Eckert.

Read More




Veralox Therapeutics Announces Closing Of $16.6 Million Series A Financing And Announces New Board Members

FREDERICK, Md., June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Veralox Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing first-in-class small molecule therapeutics that treat the underlying pathologies of diseases with significant unmet medical needs, today announced the closing of a $16.6 million Series A financing. The round was led by Hatteras Venture Partners with participation from Genesys Capital, Point Field Partners and Alexandria Venture Investments as well as support from previous Veralox investors including Sanofi Ventures, JDRF T1D Fund, Maryland Momentum Fund, VTC Innovation Fund and TEDCO. The Company also announced that Ben Scruggs, PhD, principal at Hatteras Venture Partners, and Jamie Stiff, MBA, managing director at Genesys Capital, will join the Veralox Therapeutics board of directors.

Read More




Children’s National among US News’s Best Children’s Hospitals | WTOP

A D.C. hospital has once again scored well in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of the nation’s best children’s hospitals.

And the one ranked second-best overall is just a few hours away.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia ranked second in the annual U.S. News Honor Roll, with D.C.’s Children’s National Hospital not far behind at seventh overall.

Dr. Kurt Newman, the president and CEO of Children’s National, noted that it marks the fifth year in a row that Children’s National has been ranked among the top 10 nationwide.

Read More




Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures Boosts Maryland Life Sciences · BioBuzz

Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) has had a significant impact on the Maryland life sciences ecosystem since its founding in 2014, assisting with hundreds of licensed therapeutics in development and backing nearly 200 startups that have collectively nearly $3 billion in venture capital funding, 30% of which has remained in the state.

Read More




MIMETAS – Seeking Operations Manager – Immediate Opening

Starting immediately, the Dutch biotech company Mimetas is looking for an Operations Manager for its office in Gaithersburg,MD, USA. In this new role, you will work together with the Scientific and Commercial teams in the US, and our Finance and Logistics teams in the Netherlands. You will manage the operational and financial aspects of our two US subsidiaries and play a role in the growth of our company in the US. Do you have experience as an Operations Manager with analytical and financial skills, and do you want to work in an international environment? Then join our dynamic and fast-paced team now!

Click here to learn more.

Read More




Laboratory Technician – RNA Therapeutics Development in Gaithersburg, Maryland | BioBuzz Job Board

Starting immediately, miRecule, Inc. is looking for a Laboratory Technician to join its rapidly growing team in Gaithersburg, MD on the development of next generation RNA therapeutics to treat cancer and other diseases.

Job description:

As a Laboratory Technician at miRecule, you will be responsible for supporting antibody development platforms in our lead therapeutic programs. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Preparation of media and solutions as needed for expression and purification of recombinant antibodies and scFvs
  • Performing laboratory experiments to improve expression, purification, stability and affinity of recombinant antibodies and scFvs

Read More





Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Named BIO’s Governor of the Year | BIO

Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) presented Maryland Governor Larry Hogan with its 2021 Governor of the Year Award. Governor Hogan received the award virtually at BIO Digital 2021.

With the annual award, BIO honors governors for their leadership in public service, commitment to public health, and dedication to strengthening the biotechnology sector in their state. For over a decade, the long-standing award has recognized governors from across the country and both sides of the aisle.

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Hogan

Read More




SBA Amends SBIR/STTR Policy Directive, Clarifying Broad Phase III Eligibility For the Successors-In-Interest of Phase II Recipients – Ward & Berry PLLC

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently made important clarifications to its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Policy Directive, giving the industry more certainty about whether and when a successor-in-interest to a Phase I/Phase II SBIR/STTR awardees is eligible for Phase III awards.

Read More




Biden administration to invest $3.2 billion for Covid-19 antiviral pills

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced a $3.2 billion plan Thursday to build up the country’s supply of drugs to treat Covid-19 and future viral threats.

The plan, called the Antiviral Program for Pandemics, will spur clinical trials and the manufacturing of promising treatments for Covid-19, with the goal of gaining authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for some antivirals and making them available to the public within a year, the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

Image: https://www.nbcnews.com – From Video

Read More




Time to make essential medicines within the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many problems in American society ranging from public health and racial disparities to economic challenges and supply chain limitations. As was true with many nations around the world, the United States was caught without a detailed plan for dealing with a pandemic. Hospitals were unprepared for the deluge of patients and health care providers did not have access to the supplies they needed to protect themselves. State and national leaders provided mixed cues on how to shut down and when to reopen, and there continue to be sharp partisan differences in how people feel about wearing masks and getting vaccinations.

Read More




Saving Lives with Autotransfusion

Join us Sunday, June 27 at 3:45 PM GMT for our next session of Saving Lives with Autotransfusion: Lessons from the Field—a Sisu Global webinar series where clinicians speak about their experience using Hemafuse in surgery and other global health issues.

 

Read More




Bipartisan group aims to harness America’s entrepreneurial spirit in economic recovery, launch 320 new businesses annually

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and U.S. Representatives Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) introduced the Next Generation Entrepreneurship Corps Act to encourage new business and job creation in underserved communities through a competitive fellowship for entrepreneurs. With a six-year investment of $330 million, the bill will identify talented entrepreneurs through a national competition and directly support the creation of 320 new businesses each year.

Read More




National Academy of Inventors

This is the annual report published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) on top university patent holders. The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2020 were compiled using data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Top 100 highlights the vital role patents play in translating university research and innovation. Published annually by the NAI and IPO since 2013, the report ranks the top 100 universities named as the first assignee on utility patents granted by the USPTO during the 2020 calendar year.

Read More




Seven Tips for Managing Procrastinators

Studying procrastination used to be a terrific way to avoid doing things I was supposed to be doing. It hasn’t been as much fun for me since one of the things I supposed to be doing was writing this column on how to manage procrastinators. Rats!

One thing I learned before I was distracted from my studies is that about 20 percent of adults identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. That is, they are habitually unable to perform tasks on time, even when there are serious consequences involved. Moreover, reports DePaul University psychology professor Joseph Ferrari, author of Still Procrastinating? The No-Regrets Guide to Getting It Done, the incidence of procrastination is pretty consistent across age cohorts, gender, and nationalities. As yet, procrastination researchers have not identified any “blue zones” — Shangri-las in which people not only live longer, but also never miss a deadline.

Read More




Earth’s fifth ocean just confirmed | Live Science

The Earth has finally attained popular recognition for its fifth ocean, with a decision by the National Geographic Society to add the Southern Ocean around Antarctica to the four it recognizes already: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans.

Although the designation of the frigid waters around the icy southern continent as a separate ocean has kicked around for almost 100 years and is widely used by scientists, until now it has not had popular backing.

Read More



Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



460th Edition, June 15, 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


June 15, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



You’re invited to 2021 BioHealth Capital Region Virtual Forum

This event is free for executive-level biotech leaders and is presented by the  Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, BRAINBox Solutions, Inc, Children’s National Hospital, Emergent BioSolutions,  George Mason University, JLABS, Maryland Department of Commerce, and Virginia Bio. Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 7th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow. We hope you’re able to join us!

Monday, September 13, 2021 8:00 AM 2021 BioHealth Capital Region Virtual Forum

Register Now!

Read More




Baltimore’s Protenus raises $21 million Series D round – Baltimore Business Journal

“The Protenus team is excited to continue to scale and set a high standard for how health systems ensure compliance,” CEO Nick Culbertson said in a statement.

Image: Nick Culbertson, CEO of Fells Point-based Protenus. ERIC STOCKLIN

Read More




5 Questions about Andy Eckert, BioHealth Nomad · BioBuzz

“5 Questions With…” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region and Greater Philadelphia to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated.

Well, we decided to shake things up. Instead of publishing an interview-style “5 Questions With…” featuring one of our community members, we asked our community “5 Questions About” our very own Andy Eckert.

Read More




Veralox Therapeutics Announces Closing Of $16.6 Million Series A Financing And Announces New Board Members

FREDERICK, Md., June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Veralox Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing first-in-class small molecule therapeutics that treat the underlying pathologies of diseases with significant unmet medical needs, today announced the closing of a $16.6 million Series A financing. The round was led by Hatteras Venture Partners with participation from Genesys Capital, Point Field Partners and Alexandria Venture Investments as well as support from previous Veralox investors including Sanofi Ventures, JDRF T1D Fund, Maryland Momentum Fund, VTC Innovation Fund and TEDCO. The Company also announced that Ben Scruggs, PhD, principal at Hatteras Venture Partners, and Jamie Stiff, MBA, managing director at Genesys Capital, will join the Veralox Therapeutics board of directors.

Read More




Children’s National among US News’s Best Children’s Hospitals | WTOP

A D.C. hospital has once again scored well in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of the nation’s best children’s hospitals.

And the one ranked second-best overall is just a few hours away.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia ranked second in the annual U.S. News Honor Roll, with D.C.’s Children’s National Hospital not far behind at seventh overall.

Dr. Kurt Newman, the president and CEO of Children’s National, noted that it marks the fifth year in a row that Children’s National has been ranked among the top 10 nationwide.

Read More




Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures Boosts Maryland Life Sciences · BioBuzz

Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) has had a significant impact on the Maryland life sciences ecosystem since its founding in 2014, assisting with hundreds of licensed therapeutics in development and backing nearly 200 startups that have collectively nearly $3 billion in venture capital funding, 30% of which has remained in the state.

Read More




MIMETAS – Seeking Operations Manager – Immediate Opening

Starting immediately, the Dutch biotech company Mimetas is looking for an Operations Manager for its office in Gaithersburg,MD, USA. In this new role, you will work together with the Scientific and Commercial teams in the US, and our Finance and Logistics teams in the Netherlands. You will manage the operational and financial aspects of our two US subsidiaries and play a role in the growth of our company in the US. Do you have experience as an Operations Manager with analytical and financial skills, and do you want to work in an international environment? Then join our dynamic and fast-paced team now!

Click here to learn more.

Read More




Laboratory Technician – RNA Therapeutics Development in Gaithersburg, Maryland | BioBuzz Job Board

Starting immediately, miRecule, Inc. is looking for a Laboratory Technician to join its rapidly growing team in Gaithersburg, MD on the development of next generation RNA therapeutics to treat cancer and other diseases.

Job description:

As a Laboratory Technician at miRecule, you will be responsible for supporting antibody development platforms in our lead therapeutic programs. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Preparation of media and solutions as needed for expression and purification of recombinant antibodies and scFvs
  • Performing laboratory experiments to improve expression, purification, stability and affinity of recombinant antibodies and scFvs

Read More





Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Named BIO’s Governor of the Year | BIO

Today, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) presented Maryland Governor Larry Hogan with its 2021 Governor of the Year Award. Governor Hogan received the award virtually at BIO Digital 2021.

With the annual award, BIO honors governors for their leadership in public service, commitment to public health, and dedication to strengthening the biotechnology sector in their state. For over a decade, the long-standing award has recognized governors from across the country and both sides of the aisle.

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Hogan

Read More




SBA Amends SBIR/STTR Policy Directive, Clarifying Broad Phase III Eligibility For the Successors-In-Interest of Phase II Recipients – Ward & Berry PLLC

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently made important clarifications to its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Policy Directive, giving the industry more certainty about whether and when a successor-in-interest to a Phase I/Phase II SBIR/STTR awardees is eligible for Phase III awards.

Read More




Biden administration to invest $3.2 billion for Covid-19 antiviral pills

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced a $3.2 billion plan Thursday to build up the country’s supply of drugs to treat Covid-19 and future viral threats.

The plan, called the Antiviral Program for Pandemics, will spur clinical trials and the manufacturing of promising treatments for Covid-19, with the goal of gaining authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for some antivirals and making them available to the public within a year, the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

Image: https://www.nbcnews.com – From Video

Read More




Time to make essential medicines within the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many problems in American society ranging from public health and racial disparities to economic challenges and supply chain limitations. As was true with many nations around the world, the United States was caught without a detailed plan for dealing with a pandemic. Hospitals were unprepared for the deluge of patients and health care providers did not have access to the supplies they needed to protect themselves. State and national leaders provided mixed cues on how to shut down and when to reopen, and there continue to be sharp partisan differences in how people feel about wearing masks and getting vaccinations.

Read More




Saving Lives with Autotransfusion

Join us Sunday, June 27 at 3:45 PM GMT for our next session of Saving Lives with Autotransfusion: Lessons from the Field—a Sisu Global webinar series where clinicians speak about their experience using Hemafuse in surgery and other global health issues.

 

Read More




Bipartisan group aims to harness America’s entrepreneurial spirit in economic recovery, launch 320 new businesses annually

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and U.S. Representatives Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) introduced the Next Generation Entrepreneurship Corps Act to encourage new business and job creation in underserved communities through a competitive fellowship for entrepreneurs. With a six-year investment of $330 million, the bill will identify talented entrepreneurs through a national competition and directly support the creation of 320 new businesses each year.

Read More




National Academy of Inventors

This is the annual report published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) on top university patent holders. The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2020 were compiled using data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Top 100 highlights the vital role patents play in translating university research and innovation. Published annually by the NAI and IPO since 2013, the report ranks the top 100 universities named as the first assignee on utility patents granted by the USPTO during the 2020 calendar year.

Read More




Seven Tips for Managing Procrastinators

Studying procrastination used to be a terrific way to avoid doing things I was supposed to be doing. It hasn’t been as much fun for me since one of the things I supposed to be doing was writing this column on how to manage procrastinators. Rats!

One thing I learned before I was distracted from my studies is that about 20 percent of adults identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. That is, they are habitually unable to perform tasks on time, even when there are serious consequences involved. Moreover, reports DePaul University psychology professor Joseph Ferrari, author of Still Procrastinating? The No-Regrets Guide to Getting It Done, the incidence of procrastination is pretty consistent across age cohorts, gender, and nationalities. As yet, procrastination researchers have not identified any “blue zones” — Shangri-las in which people not only live longer, but also never miss a deadline.

Read More




Earth’s fifth ocean just confirmed | Live Science

The Earth has finally attained popular recognition for its fifth ocean, with a decision by the National Geographic Society to add the Southern Ocean around Antarctica to the four it recognizes already: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans.

Although the designation of the frigid waters around the icy southern continent as a separate ocean has kicked around for almost 100 years and is widely used by scientists, until now it has not had popular backing.

Read More



Home | About BHI | BHI News | Programs | Partners | Contact

Copyright © BioHealth Innovation 2021
All Rights Reserved.



459th Edition, June 7 2021

By BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives




BioHealth Innovation


If you are having trouble viewing this email, please click here


June 7, 2021












FOUNDING MEMBER OF



Are we ready for the next pandemic? Because it’s coming | COMMENTARY – Baltimore Sun

As states ease COVID restrictions, more and more people post their vaccine selfies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates its mask guidance. It’s beginning to feel like the country is getting back to normal and, in many ways, we are. But the truth is that what we do now in this moment will determine whether we’ve learned the right lessons from the last year of a pandemic that’s cost the world more than 3 million lives.

Read More




Maryland’s Life Sciences Market Needs More Spec Development To Compete With Massachusetts

The efforts to develop a Covid-19 vaccine accelerated the already strong demand for life sciences real estate in Maryland, and tenants now want lab space faster than developers can build it.

The market’s vacancy rate has fallen so low that life sciences companies often can’t find space that meets their time-sensitive needs, experts say, leading them to look to other markets.

Image: Courtesy of Matan Cos. A rendering of one of Matan Cos.’ Progress Labs buildings on the I-270 corridor.

Read More




A new quantum computing hub is growing in Greater Washington — and could reap serious rewards – Washington Business Journal

In 1976, an Atari engineer named Ron Wayne took a 10% ownership stake in a new technology startup created by a pair of fellow co-workers, meant to serve as the tiebreaker in the ambitious triumvirate.

The enterprise showed early potential, but Wayne became concerned that should the young venture flounder, he would be personally liable for the company’s debts as well. So, he cashed out his 10% stake for $2,300.

Read More




Baltimore’s Port Covington Project Looks To Life Sciences

A Maryland mega-development, initially pitched as a home for Under Armour, may now become a biotech cluster, according to developers.

The $5.5B Port Covington development on Baltimore’s waterfront has had several iterations; home to the athletic clothing firm, a cybersecurity center and then a development on pause during the coronavirus pandemic. But in an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Steven Siegel, a partner with Weller Development Co., suggested life sciences may be part of the company’s focus going forward.

Image: Courtesy of Weller Development Co. – A previous rendering of Port Covington; developers now see a future in constructing a life sciences hub.

Read More




NIH needs additional EIR’s for SEED ….. Apply now

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), is a Montgomery County innovation intermediary that translates market-relevant research into commercial success by bringing together management, funding, and markets. BHI is seeking two experienced life science professionals with product development and investment experience to join the BHI team to serve as a part-time Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

These positions will report to and work closely with our lead at the NIH Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) Office to support academic and small business innovators in their efforts to validate the potential health impacts of promising scientific discoveries and advance them into healthcare products that improve patient care and enhance health.

Click here to download the full job description.

Read More




Connected DMV Released First Cross-Sector Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) 1.0 Report”

June 3, 2021 (Washington, D.C.)— The once-in-a-generation pandemic highlighted both the region’s continued lag in economic competitiveness and the absence of a cohesive and coordinated economic development strategy. The Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) initiative, launched by Connected DMV, has released the first regional cross-sector blueprint to advance economic opportunity and social equity in Greater Washington, the culmination of a year of work by the REDS Steering Committee.

Image: https://www.connecteddmv.org

Read More




News Release from HHS.gov: HHS Launches First Venture Capital Partnership to Develop Transformative Technologies to Combat Future Pandemics, Other Health Emergencies

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today unveiled a new type of public-private partnership that enables investments using venture capital practices. Through the BARDA Ventures program, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, is launching a partnership with the nonprofit organization Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC) to accelerate development and commercialization of technologies and medical products needed to respond to or prevent public health emergencies, such as pandemics, and other health security threats.

Read More




BHI EIR Feedback Day July 21st. Register Now!

Are you a biohealth start-up in Maryland, DC or Virginia seeking feedback on your biohealth business idea, pitch deck, or commercialization plan? Schedule your feedback session with BHI EIRs on one of the following dates. Pre-registration is required; Sign up here tinyurl.com/EIRfeedback

For questions/more information, contact BHI.

 

Read More





The History and Growth of Research Institutions, with Special Guest Brian Darmody from the Association of University Research Parks | Insights | Ballard Spahr

This episode is the first of a new podcast series, where we will visit with different leaders striving to grow economic development in their areas or regions of interest. We will be discussing new initiatives, new models, the interest and investment in Technology Parks, Incubators and Accelerators as well as other creative economic development platforms being implemented throughout the country within public and private initiatives.

 

Read More




Port Covington developers look to create nationally known biotech hub in South Baltimore – Baltimore Sun

As the first buildings at Port Covington begin to rise, the project’s developers have a vision for the mini-city sprouting on a South Baltimore peninsula as the nation’s next big biotech hub.

The waterfront neighborhood of apartments, offices, stores and parks now under construction could rival life sciences cores such as Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Mission Bay in San Francisco, members of the development team say.

Read More




The D.C. region needs to repair a lack of trust to work together on economic development, a Connected DMV report argues – Washington Business Journal

The entire D.C. region is poised to work together on economic development efforts to reverse its widening gap between the rich and the poor, according to a group of government, business and academic leaders — but the hard part will be actually making all of the region’s localities play nice together.

Connected DMV, an organization of public and private sector officials assembled as the Covid-19 crisis unfolded, is out with its first stab at crafting a “regional economic development strategy,” released first to the Washington Business Journal on Thursday. As helmed by Fairfax County economic development head Victor Hoskins, the report makes some familiar arguments about the need for regional collaboration and lays out some discrete areas where officials can actually work together.

Image: Fairfax County Economic Development Authority CEO Victor Hoskins is leading Connected DMV’s efforts to build regional cooperation. JOANNE S. LAWTON

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Washington DC Health Innovation QuickFire Challenge – Challenge | JLABS

In diverse cities like the District of Columbia, health inequities are driven by systemic racial and socioeconomic disparities.[1] Underserved communities, including neighborhoods where most residents are people of color or where income disparities exist, are unjustly burdened with disproportionate comorbidities, negative health outcomes and obstacles to accessing care. [2]

According to a recent Health Equity Report by the District of Columbia Department of Health, the District’s mortality rate caused by leading diseases such as chronic heart disease, cancer, and diabetes outranked the United States’ rate in 2015.[3] These rates were even higher in the District’s Black and Hispanic residents compared to its White residents.[2]

 

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Baltimore’s startup community has a model. Now it needs to scale – Technical.ly Baltimore

Startups can’t stay in the early stage forever. While a young company can benefit from the early momentum of pitch wins and resources found in a community, it eventually must figure out its business model, and ultimately scale.

Hearing leading local investors describe Baltimore’s startup community at a Baltimore Innovation Week 2021 panel discussion dubbed “Strengthening Baltimore as a Hub for Innovation,” this reporter was left with the impression that the ecosystem as a whole feels a bit like a startup.

Image: Photo by Flicker user Phil! Gold

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5 ways Maryland excels in unmanned and autonomous systems | Maryland Business News

With dedicated facilities, a collaborative environment, and a talented workforce, Maryland is on the leading edge of a robust and rapidly growing unmanned vehicle community, which also includes robotics. Keep reading to see five ways Maryland excels in unmanned and autonomous systems.

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How One Biotech Company Narrowed the Gender Gap in Its Top Ranks

In 2007, there were five times as many men as women in officer roles at Genentech, and female directors (the level preceding officers) were leaving at twice the rate as their male counterparts. To achieve equitable representation among men and women in leadership positions and stem the flow of departing talent, we rethought and revised our recruiting, professional development, and succession planning processes. Today, because of those efforts and a top-down commitment to change, men and women are nearly equally represented among our overall employee population and in officer and director roles.

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