BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives

Over the past nine months, more than $7 billion in federal money has poured into the BioHealth Capital Region in support of therapies, diagnostics, and vaccines against COVID-19. In that short time, the region has shown its importance in halting the spread of the ongoing pandemic.

At the 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum, COVID-19 was a central focus of attendees and panelists. One panel, Strength of Our Region: Combating Infectious Diseases, included representatives from four companies in the region that provided an overview of the region’s role in combating the novel coronavirus as well as other infectious threats. Company representatives from Novavax, Emergent BioSolutions, BioFactura, and Aperiomics pointed to the work conducted by their organizations in COVID, as well as other infectious diseases, including Ebola, influenza, RSV, and SARS. The panel was moderated by Karen Smith, chief medical officer of Emergent BioSolutions, who said she was struck early on in the pandemic that companies in the BioHealth Capital region battling the pandemic are “all in the same storm, just in slightly different boats.” She said they are all trying to figure out a solution to this pandemic but in different manners due to their areas of expertise.

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The Glocal Innovation Life Sciences Meet-Up is run by the UK/Europe based #coffeebuddies online Thought-Leadership community. This is headed by Prof Tony Sedgwick and Graham Combe, and has an Agile Leaders Advisory Board of 18 life science innovation leaders and investors.

This Meet-Up has been inspired by huge advances in technology that allow us to connect, engage, inspire and entertain life science professionals from around the world. There are no boundaries for our abilities to connect and network with other global Thought-Leaders. We started with connecting our #coffeebuddies community with networks in Australia and NZ which is a phenomenal success. This event is the first in the series where we connect with the East Coast of the Americas.

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MADISON, Wis. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) and Thrive Earlier Detection Corp. (“Thrive”), a healthcare company dedicated to incorporating earlier cancer detection into routine medical care, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Exact Sciences will acquire Thrive for cash and stock consideration of up to $2.15 billion. The transaction was unanimously approved by both companies’ Boards of Directors and is anticipated to close during the first quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory approval and the satisfaction of other conditions.

Combining Thrive’s pioneering early-stage screening test, CancerSEEK, with Exact Sciences’ best-in-class scientific platform, clinical organization, and commercial infrastructure will establish Exact Sciences as a leading competitor in blood-based, multi-cancer screening. Thrive, with an early version of CancerSEEK, has conducted a first-of-its-kind 10,000-patient, prospective, interventional study in a real-world clinical setting. In this landmark study, using its mutation and protein biomarker approach, CancerSEEK achieved promising results detecting 10 different types of cancer, including seven with no recommended screening guidelines, with very few false positives. Bringing together highly complementary scientific approaches and the strengths of both organizations, Exact Sciences expects to develop a more accurate test and accelerate the widespread adoption of this potentially life-saving advancement.https://d-1827656436805240469.ampproject.net/2010132225002/frame.htmlAd

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the expansion of its Maryland campus to accommodate the company’s rapid growth as it works to develop its candidate vaccine against COVID-19 and advance its influenza vaccine for global markets. Novavax has secured two additional properties in Gaithersburg, Maryland to support the Company’s immediate need for additional laboratory and office space for manufacturing, R&D and business operations.

The Company currently has a large pivotal Phase 3 trial underway in the UK with another slated to begin in the United States and Mexico in November, as well as several Phase 2 trials ongoing and in the planning phases around the globe. Novavax has also created a global production network to enable manufacturing and rapid distribution across the U.S., Asia and Europe if and when its COVID-19 vaccine is approved for use. The Company also reported positive Phase 3 data for its influenza vaccine candidate, NanoFlu, earlier this year. Novavax has received $2 billion in funding for its COVID-19 vaccine efforts, including up to $1.6 billion from the U.S. government to help address the global pandemic and up to $388 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX), a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to improve lives through the curative potential of gene therapy based on its proprietary NAV® Technology Platform, today announced that it will receive a milestone payment of $80.0 million from Novartis AG based upon the achievement of $1.0 billion in cumulative net sales of Zolgensma. REGENXBIO expects to recognize this revenue in the third quarter of 2020.

“Zolgensma is a transformative, one-time gene therapy for the treatment of pediatric patients with SMA, a debilitating and potentially deadly disease, and the first approved gene therapy based on REGENXBIO’s NAV Technology. We believe that this achievement provides further validation of the broad potential of NAV Technology to improve the lives of patients in need,” said Kenneth T. Mills, President and Chief Executive Officer of REGENXBIO. “We are pleased to have contributed to a therapy that has impacted the lives of over 700 patients with SMA and their families around the world.”

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GAITHERSBURG, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Neuraly, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering disease-modifying agents for neurodegenerative disorders, today announced it has received clearance of an investigational new drug application (IND) to initiate a Phase 2B trial of NLY01 in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. NLY01 is also being evaluated in patients with Parkinson’s disease in a Phase 2 trial initiated in February 2020.

“Initiation of this Phase 2 study in Alzheimer’s disease represents an important milestone in the ongoing advancement of NLY01,” said Seulki Lee, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Neuraly. “Alzheimer’s has proven to be a particularly challenging disease to address therapeutically. We believe that targeting neuroinflammation via this novel mechanism of action represents a compelling pathway with the potential to be a disease-modifying agent for both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.”

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:REXN) (“Rexahn”) announced today that at its special meeting of stockholders held on November 2, 2020, Rexahn’s stockholders approved all of the proposals presented, including: (i) the issuance of shares of Rexahn common stock pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated June 17, 2020, as amended, by and among Rexahn, Razor Merger Sub, Inc. and Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. (“Ocuphire”) and the change of control of Rexahn resulting from the merger; (ii) a reverse stock split of Rexahn common stock, at a ratio of one new share for every 3 to 5 shares outstanding, with such final ratio to be approved by Rexahn’s board of directors; (iii) changing the name of Rexahn from “Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.” to “Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.”; (iv) the adoption of the Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan; and (v) the issuance of shares of Rexahn common stock upon the exercise of warrants to be issued in the pre-merger financing and the issuance of additional shares of Rexahn common stock that may be issued following the closing of the pre-merger financing.

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes today announced that the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce has selected Emmes as the recipient of its 2020 Corporate Achievement Award. Dr. Anne Lindblad, who recently retired as the company’s president and chief executive officer, accepted the award at a virtual event hosted by the chamber on October 29.

According to Lowell Yoder, chairman of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and M&T Bank’s group vice president for the Greater Washington Market, “Over the years, Emmes has set high standards for financial performance, sound management, and sustained growth – while contributing significantly to our community along the way.”

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Through a partnership with NIH, D.C. virtual reality startup Floreo is expanding from autism spectrum disorder to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Image: Floreo’s platform allows kids to practice skills such as pointing or eye contact, with a linked tablet for parents to follow along. COURTESY FLOREO

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Greater Baltimore is one of few regions ideally suited to pioneer the future of digital health, an industry that will revolutionize healthcare as we know it. Companies in Greater Baltimore benefit from a rich ecosystem of healthcare assets that collectively provide every component necessary for digital health innovation: transformative research, specialized business incubation, access to funding, a talented workforce, and easily-accessible local and federal clients. The growing list of successes among Greater Baltimore’s digital health companies and groundbreaking partnerships showcase tremendous potential for this industry to play a defining role in the Region and influence healthcare throughout the nation for decades to come. The pandemic has accelerated the development of digital health technologies.

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The U.S. Army will spend a combined $599 million to procure two leading COVID-19 candidates—AstraZeneca’s vaccine AZD1222, co-developed with the University of Oxford and a spinout company; and Eli Lilly’s neutralizing antibody bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555).

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) disclosed yesterday that the Army this week awarded firm-fixed-price contracts of $312.5 million with Lilly (W911QY-21-C-0016) on Tuesday, and more than $286.9 million with AstraZeneca (W15QKN-21-C-0003) on Wednesday. The contracts, awarded by U.S. Army Contracting Command, cover an unspecified quantity of bamlanivimab to be made at a Lilly production site in Indianapolis; and 200 million doses of AZD1222 to be produced at AstraZeneca sites in West Chester Township, OH, and Albuquerque, NM.

Image: Spc. Selena M. Castillo prepares to administer a flu vaccination on Fort Sill, Okla., Nov. 15, 2019. Spc. Castillo is a medic for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade. The U.S. Army will spend a combined $599 million to procure two leading COVID-19 candidates—AstraZenca’s vaccine AZD1222, co-developed with the University of Oxford and a spinout company; and Eli Lilly’s neutralizing antibody bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555). (Photo By: Army Sgt. Amanda Hunt, U.S. Department of Defense)

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Fina Biosolutions has been issued European patent No. 3099800, Expression and Purification of CRM Proteins and Related Proteins, and Protein Domains. The patent covers expression of the conjugate vaccine carrier protein CRM197 in our E. coli strain engineered to have an oxidative cytoplasm. FinaBio markets the E. coli expressed CRM197 under the name EcoCRM®.

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WAKEFIELD, Mass. and FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (“the Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, and George Mason University’s (Mason’s) National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID), today jointly announce completion of extensive laboratory testing supporting anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of Brilacidin, a defensin-mimetic drug candidate, which is being developed as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

Research findings are being submitted for peer-review publication. A preprint, available for download at the link below, is in the process of being posted to bioRxiv.org.

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Sep 05, 2020 (IssueWire via COMTEX) — San Diego, Sep 5, 2020 (Issuewire.com) – Jaan Biotherapeutics (“JBT”), announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R43HL154884. Under the Phase I grant, JBT intends to advance its lead cardiac muscle regeneration viral delivered drug, JBT-miR2 through preclinical testing in large animals. The first indication of JBT-miR2 is for the treatment of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), the single largest cause of death of both men and women in the Western World.

JBT-miR2 is a first in class viral delivered microRNA inhibitor that reprograms cardiac muscle cells to divide within the damaged heart, and repair the heart muscle after permanent heart muscle injury, for example following a heart attack.

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When all the votes are cast and counted in this year’s momentous November 3 election, the results will have deep and potentially long-lasting impacts on numerous areas of society, including science. President Donald Trump and his challenger, former vice president Joe Biden, have presented vastly different visions for handling crucial issues—ranging from the deadly coronavirus pandemic to the damaging impacts of climate change and immigration policies.

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Have you heard of a little thing called Covid-19? So has Big Pharma, and the race to develop a vaccine is on. It’s high-stakes geopolitical chess and every country and company involved badly wants to win, including Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca.

When Oxford’s Jenner Institute partnered with AstraZeneca on its vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, analysts scratched their heads. AstraZeneca is not a leader in vaccines, unlike its major UK competitor GlaxoSmithKline. It’s relatively small and has a tumultuous history. But if you look, the signs are there that AstraZeneca is building a blueprint to thrive as a 21st century pharma company.

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Three Emmes employees were among the co-authors of the recent report, “Safety and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 Vaccine in Older Adults.” The employees are Jim Albert, lead project manager; Dr. Mat Makowski, senior biostatistician; and Kaitlyn Cross, senior biostatistician.

In its role as the statistical and data collection and coordination center, Emmes managed development of the statistical analysis plan and performed all data analysis.

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ANNAPOLIS (WJZ) — A NIH initiative will fund a new Johns Hopkins center to research COVID-19 immunity as the pandemic continues to affect people of all ages.

The five-year grant will fund more than $2 million a year to the new Johns Hopkins Excellence in Pathogen to support the studies, to start immediately, the immune elements that determine whether people get mild or severe coronavirus after being exposed.

Image: https://baltimore.cbslocal.com – From Video

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Leverage the only verified source of angel investment data to anticipate future trends with the Angel Funders Report 2020!

The Angel Funders Report 2020 is the only source of verified data provided directly by active angel investing groups. The report is based on information collected from a variety of ACA member groups, including some of the most active investing communities. It analyzes angel capital investments made during 2019, and features profiles and insights from leading angel investors and startup company executives. The Angel Funders Report 2020 also includes initial perspectives regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the investing ecosystem.

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Scott Carmer, CEO of NexImmune, joins BioTalk to discuss his career in the BioHealth Capital Region, recent Milestones, and his Long-Term Vision for the company

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3kxdC3J, Google https://bit.ly/31FlUPB, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3kuVszD, or TuneIN https://bit.ly/2TqqD3f

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– Winning company has FDA cleared device to rapidly and objectively assess brain injury at point of care.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, October 26, 2020 – BrainScope, a medical neurotechnology company that is a pioneer in the use of A.I. and machine learning in the creation of biomarkers of brain injuries and disease was selected from five finalists as the company with the most commercial potential at the 5th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition. The Bethesda, Maryland based company is helping hospital Emergency Departments (EDs) objectively triage the almost five million patients that present each year with suspected mild traumatic brain injuries. BrainScope’s FDA-cleared decision support tool provides a rapid and accurate assessment of the likelihood of a brain bleed and a concussion, at the point of care.

BrainScope’s outstanding 99% sensitivity to a head CT scan is performed without the use of radiation, in a fraction of the time, and can improve ED efficiency and increase patient satisfaction. Clinical studies have demonstrated that when BrainScope is used in triage, hospitals can reduce the number of patients being sent for head CT by about a third. According to BrainScope CEO Susan Hertzberg, “We are honored to have been chosen from this exceptional group of companies and are very excited by the early reception we are receiving from the emergency medical community.  Now more than ever in this COVID-19 world, emergency departments need to have fast, accurate, objective tools to rapidly assess patient status and needed care.”

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After posting positive results from a midstage test for its RNAi candidate back in the spring, Sirnaomics has grabbed a $105 million series D round.

The cash boost, co-led by existing investor Rotating Boulder Fund, new investor Walvax Biotechnology Co. Ltd. and Sunshine Riverhead Capital, will go toward the biotech seeking to push deeper into the clinic and one day follow rival and RNA pioneer Alnylam to regulatory approval.

The $105 million will be put toward that R&D process for its RNAi therapeutics, which are on tap to treat a diverse range of diseases including cancers, fibrosis diseases, metabolic diseases and viral infections.

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What happens when you fund Black Founders? With $100K funding & support from Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, TruGenomix plans to further advance its efforts to bring earlier diagnosis & treatment for behavioral health disorders like PTSD to military, veterans, first responders, healthcare workers & trauma-exposed communities at large. This is why the initiative matters: https://goo.gle/2SqjS10

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Rockville, Md.—Autonomous Therapeutics, Inc. (ATI), a rapidly growing antivirals company, has chosen Montgomery County’s Rockville, Maryland, for its new headquarters. ATI chose to relocate from New York City to take advantage of Rockville’s proximity to leading U.S. researchers, regulators, and funders. Their new 17,700 SF home at 1530 E. Jefferson Street is also in an Opportunity Zone, which offers an advantage for the company in attracting future investment.

ATI is developing a suite of first-in-class “Therapeutic Interfering Particles” (TIPs) to prevent respiratory pandemics, including influenza and COVID-19. The company’s lead candidates include therapeutics that are designed to prevent infections by any coronavirus strain—from COVID-19 to the next pandemic. ATI has raised millions of dollars in capital from public and private partners to transition its antiviral candidates into first-in-human clinical trials.

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She said the Rockville research company is set to grow and details Covid’s larger impact on research.

Image: Dr. Christine Dingivan took over as president and CEO of Rockville contract research organization Emmes at the end of September. COURTESY EMMES

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It will support pediatric research at the health system.

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MARSEILLE, France, Oct. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: IPH – ISIN: FR0010331421; Nasdaq: IPHA) (“Innate” or the “Company”) today announced that AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) has dosed the first patient in its Phase 3 clinical trial, INTERLINK-1, evaluating monalizumab in combination with cetuximab in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN) who have been previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and PD-(L)1 inhibitors (“IO-pretreated”). Monalizumab, Innate’s lead partnered asset, is a potentially first-in-class immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting NKG2A receptors expressed on tumor infiltrating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and NK cells.

Dosing of the first patient in this trial has triggered a $50 million milestone payment from AstraZeneca to Innate.

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What is BARDA Industry Day?

BARDA Industry Day is the annual meeting held to increase potential partner’s awareness of U.S. Government medical countermeasure priorities, interact with BARDA and ASPR staff, and network with public and private sector colleagues working in the Health Security space. This year, BARDA Industry Day 2020 will be virtual and will feature one day of exciting speakers, breakout sessions, and valuable networking opportunities!

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The biotech behind AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford’s late-stage pandemic vaccine has hired Margaret (Meg) Marshall, M.D., as its new chief medical officer.

Marshall joined as a consultant to Oxford spinout Vaccitech in the summer, but she now jumps on board full time. This comes two months after it nabbed U.K. government funding for a COVID-19 vaccine it thinks can improve on first-generation prospects, including the AstraZeneca vaccine it helped develop.

Image: Vaccitech’s headquarters in Oxford, England (Jun via Flickr/CC-by-SA 2.0)

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The startup is now looking for a lead investor for its Series A round to fund the company’s go-to market roadmap.

Image: Sam Owen is founder and CEO of D.C.-based Otolith Labs ALEXANDRA WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY

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America’s long-term economic growth demands a stepped-up commitment to promoting the innovation impact of the nation’s top-tier universities and other research institutions.

For research institutions themselves, this commitment means prioritizing research, empowering great researchers, building efficient and outcomes-focused technology transfer operations, instilling cultures of innovation and entrepreneurship, and engaging with surrounding business and innovation communities. For America as a whole, it means funding more research resources and paying more attention to the worldwide competition for human talent, including high-skilled immigrants.

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By Brian Darmody 

Seventy-five years ago, Vannevar Bush, an electrical engineer who directed government research during the Second World War, authored Science—The Endless Frontier. His report called for a centralized approach to government research, which led to the creation of the National Science Foundation in 1950 and is credited as a path breaking roadmap for US science policy.  

Over the next 75 years, the federal government invested billions of dollars of research, creating the world’s leading research universities, while places like Stanford University and state of North Carolina launched research parks; tech transfer programs stimulated by the Bayh-Dole Act flourished; and reforms in SEC regulations created the venture capital sector. 

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A few months ago, we all woke up to a new reality as COVID-19 changed everything. Personally, I shut down one of my startups while one of my portfolio’s startups boomed and a close friend — who had closed a large Series B in January — fired a third of her employees.

Then I saw community members rise to the occasion, taking action to help others, and governments acting faster than ever to enact bold and effective policy. Clearly, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. It’s in our hands as a global community to shape how this will play out.

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In this issue, we discuss how real-world evidence can be an important component of satisfying drug approval and post-approval study requirements and also, can provide other tangible advantages to drug sponsors. We also look at COVID-19’s impact on Medicare telehealth. Other articles include: the next installment in the series of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) for entrepreneurs; the Bayh-Dole Act turns 40; and the lack of public guidance available regarding COVID-19 related apps.

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Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have done an excellent job creating outsized wealth for their investors over the years. From 1972 through the end of last year, REITs generated an average annual total return of 13.3%, which outperformed the S&P 500’s 12.1% total return. Those higher long-term returns mean REITs have turned small initial investments into big-time paydays at a faster pace than the S&P 500.

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Johns Hopkins moved up a spot to No. 10 in the annual U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Rankings released today, a year after moving up to No. 11 from No. 12 in the 2020 rankings.

Johns Hopkins also ranks among the top 10 universities in the world in 15 subject areas and among the top 20 in 19 subject areas. Ten new subject area rankings were added to the list this year, bringing the total to 38.

Image: https://hub.jhu.edu

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New Enterprise Associates Inc., one of the world’s largest venture capital firms, is in talks to sell a minority stake in itself, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The Silicon Valley firm has held discussions with several potential investors, said the people, who requested anonymity because the talks are private. No deal has been reached, and it’s possible one won’t materialize. Representatives for NEA didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Image: NEA’s Scott Sandell Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

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In a long-awaited meeting on America’s crash program to deliver vaccines against the Covid-19 coronavirus, leaders of the program reviewed the measures they have taken to assure the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration convened a panel of independent vaccine experts to ask questions during the Thursday online session. The meeting was designed to reassure the public on the integrity and transparency of the FDA’s vaccine oversight, as the agency has wrestled with political pressure and pockets of public vaccine hesitancy.

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Introduction

The UK formally left the EU on 31st January 2020 and the transition period, as set out in the withdrawal agreement, will come to an end on 31st December 2020. During this transition period the UK has continued to remain under EU pharmaceutical law.

From 1st January 2021 the UK will be able to adopt an independent regulatory framework with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) positioned as the stand-alone regulator for medicines and medical devices.

Negotiations between the EU and UK are still ongoing to define the future relationship and with only a matter of months left before the end of the transition period there has been no formal agreement. For the pharmaceutical industry this presents numerous challenges as companies prepare to continue supply of medicines that comply with new legislation. The preferred outcome for many within the industry will be to implement a mutual recognition agreement for areas such as GMP certification, batch testing, etc. between the UK and EU. It is unclear at this stage if an encompassing mutual recognition agreement is achievable so all involved parties should be preparing for a ‘no deal’ scenario and review existing guidance to understand risk exposure and mitigating actions.

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Last week, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced a seven-year award of $87 million for a new Manufacturing USA institute: BioMADE. The BioIndustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (BioMADE) institute joins a network of 8 other DOD institutes, making for a total of 16 institutes supported across the federal government in the Manufacturing USA program. ASME has been a long-time supporter and advocate of the Manufacturing USA program.

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Different geographies and jurisdictions play different roles in the global economy. Some specialize in what economists call “seedbed” functions—generating new products and firms, often through cutting-edge innovation. Others specialize in corporate functions by offering attractive environments for company headquarters or other management activities. Still others specialize in more routine production functions for goods or services, handling aspects of the work that involve less innovation and have lower skill requirements. Finally, some regions specialize in resource production tied to geographical endowments, such as minerals, arable land, or lumber.

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BLUEPRINT FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY BEYOND THE TRIANGLE: Most experts agree Raleigh and Durham are well positioned for a strong recovery from the pandemic, but what about the areas well beyond the Triangle’s core?

A new report released Wednesday from RTI International is meant to address that very question. The Innovation Corridor Blueprintincludes 12 areas of focus for leaders and stakeholders to tackle in a 100-mile radius around the Triangle. Topics range from digital infrastructure and affordable housing to biohealth technology and addressing systemic racism.

Image: An illustration of the Raleigh-Durham skylines. SEANPAVONEPHOTO

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Recordings of Keynotes, Panels and the Fireside Chat Available Online

The 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) Forum like many events in 2020, went virtual this year with over 1,200 online registrants and 59 speakers coming together. The Forum, which has been held at AstraZeneca (Formerly MedImmune) since 2014 in Gaithersburg, MD, brought together the BioHealth Industry with a full slate featuring leaders of industry, academia, and government. The common message throughout the entire agenda was how this region has continued to operate and innovate while working to help the world solve the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The 2020 Crab Trap Competition, typically held during the Forum, will take place at Noon on October 21st. The Crab Trap focuses on companies in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, healthcare services, e-health, mobile health, electronic medical records, health informatics, and BioHealth cyber security. This years’ finalists include BrainScope, CARRTECH, Creative Bio-Peptides, innara HEALTH, and KaloCyte.

The entire 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region is currently available by visiting https://eventmobi.com/biohealth2020.

NOTE: If you haven’t already registered, please enter your information for immediate access. Click on the “Agenda” line to browser all the videos now available.

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The Sixth Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum brought together industry leaders from across the region who discussed the accomplishments and strengths of the region as its member companies continue to innovate new therapies and medicines in one of the strongest bio-hub regions in the United States.

The forum, which drew more than 1,100 registrants and included 59 world-class speakers and panelists, had a different look this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of gathering together in the heart of the BioHealth Capital Region at AstraZeneca’s Gaithersburg facility, the forum was held virtually. The event offered multiple panels and keynotes that highlighted advancements made in the region across several areas, including cell and gene therapies, the use of artificial intelligence and the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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New Members Continue BHI’s Commitment and Mission in the BioHealth Capital Region

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, October 20, 2020 – The Board of Directors of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) unanimously approved the appointments of three new board members, Sally Allain, Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, Joseph F. Sanchez, PhD, Director, Science Engagement, R&D North America, AstraZeneca, and Robert Silverman, Chief Business Officer, Alloy Therapeutics, Inc. BHI’s leadership also thanked outgoing Board of Director member Tracey Vetterick, formally of AstraZeneca for her contributions to the organization and support of many years.

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Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich joins BioTalk to discuss his Career Path, the BioHealth Industry and plans to support the Industry in MoCo.

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/37dYS5Z, Google https://bit.ly/2IC4eOp, Spotify https://spoti.fi/2IDpN11, TuneIn https://bit.ly/31cjHuZ, and YouTube (Audio) https://bit.ly/31bsiho.

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BARDA Director of the DRIVe Catalyst Office, Justin Yang, Joins BioTalk to share how BARDA collaborates with the BioHealth Industry, partners with Incubators, and helps fund innovation.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3dqDyLH, Google https://bit.ly/3jZyeRU, Spotify https://spoti.fi/34YL9xg, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3k1uM9x.

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Maryland is on pace to see its second-largest funding year ever.

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The U.S. government is providing roughly $486 million to AstraZeneca to accelerate the Big Pharma company’s experimental Covid-19 therapy.

The funds will be used to advance AstraZeneca’s antibody combination, AZD7442, into two phase-III clinical trials. The last-stage studies, expected to begin later this month or early next month, will involve more than 6,000 study participants at sites in and outside the United States. (Phase-III clinical trials are typically the last hurdle a pharmaceutical company must successfully clear before seeking approval for a new drug candidate.)

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Adaptive Phage Therapeutics can take its therapy for superbugs to human trials.

Image: Dr. Carl Merril, third from right, with his son Greg, CEO and co-founder of Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, and other members of the team. ADAPTIVE PHAGE THERAPEUTICS INC.

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She aims to have a big presence in the local business community.

Image: Paula Sorrell is the new associate vice president of innovation and economic development at George Mason University. GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

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What is MedTech Color?

MedTech Color is a non-profit organization focused on ensuring people of color enter, remain, and flourish in the medtech industry. There is immense untapped potential from people of color, and we’re committed to providing and promoting opportunities for them to make a meaningful contribution to the industry.

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JOHN WHYTE: You’re watching “Coronavirus in Context.” I’m Dr. John Whyte, chief medical officer at WebMD. Today I’m joined by Dr. Stephen Hahn. He’s the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Hahn, thanks for joining me.

STEPHEN M HAHN: John, thank you. Really appreciate the opportunity, and it’s great to be part of this webcast.

Image: Stephen M. Hahn M.D.

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VC investment dollars hit a seven-quarter high in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2020: A total of $36.5 billion was invested in U.S. tech and healthcare companies, according to data from the MoneyTree Report by PwC/CB Insights. That’s up 30% from the second quarter. The total number of deals rose to 1,461 investments in companies, up 1% over the prior quarter.

It’s the second straight quarter of growth, indicating that a slowdown toward the end of March as the pandemic set in didn’t become the norm.

“Things are still going gangbusters,” said Brad Phillips, a director in PwC’s Emerging Company Services practice. “It’s been a relief for a lot of people that were in the market and just didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Image: Whitebox’s Baltimore team inside its Curtis Bay HQ. (Courtesy photo)

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“5 Questions With…” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated. This edition features 5 Questions Martha Schoonmaker, Executive Director, Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC).

Martha Schoonmaker is the first Executive Director for the PIC MC Foundation, the entity that develops, manages, and markets the Germantown campus on behalf of Montgomery College for company locations. PIC MC is an integrated academic, business, and research campus and is the only community college with a hospital, Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, located as the anchor resident partner.

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Mac Conwell hopes to raise an initial fund worth about $10 million for his new investment firm RareBreed Ventures.

Image: McKeever “Mac” Conwell, a local entrepreneur and investor, has launched his own venture fund called RareBreed Ventures. KAITLIN NEWMAN FOR BBJ

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This event is free for biotech leaders is presented by BioHealth Innovation, VirginiaBio, Children’s National Health System, Deloitte, JLABS @ Washington D.C., Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Quality Biologics, George Mason University, University System of Maryland and AstraZeneca. Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. Please join us for our Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

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PALO ALTO — A big Southern California real estate and investment firm has gobbled up its latest in a string of Palo Alto office property purchases, a deal that extends a buying spree in the Silicon Valley tech hub that now tops $850 million.

Alexandria Real Estate, acting through an affiliate, has bought two Palo Alto office buildings on Hillview Avenue near Arastradero Road, acquiring a site that’s in the famed Stanford Research Park.

The deal suggests investors still seek to collect commercial properties in choice and prestigious locations despite the economic uncertainties that the coronavirus has triggered.

Image: https://www.mercurynews.com

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Thank you for your interest in the 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum on Monday, October 19, 2020 that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are thrilled to welcome executive-level biohealth industry leaders from across the country and overseas. To make the best use of your time and enable you to network with our 1000+ registrants and learn from the 58+ industry speakers, please use the instructions below to join our virtual event platform, https://eventmobi.com/biohealth2020

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October 14, 2020 – Johnson & Johnson Innovation announced today at the virtual 2020 HLTH conference the awardees for the JLABS @ Washington, DC Children’s, Maternal Health, and Diversity in Innovation QuickFire Challenges, which respectively aimed to catalyze pediatric innovation, improve maternal health in the United States, and support diverse innovators. These challenges embody Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s commitment to catalyzing potential solutions to today’s greatest healthcare challenges.

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At BioBuzz, we’re dedicated to bringing you interesting and important stories that emerge from the thriving life sciences ecosystem that is the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR).

The heart of the BHCR biohealth cluster is Maryland, with its vast network of government research agencies, the strong university system, and a deep network of established, emerging, and startup life science companies across a wide range of fields, including cell and gene therapy, advanced biomanufacturing, phage therapy, medical devices and more traditional biotech and pharma organizations. That’s not even to mention the remarkable efforts of myriad Maryland vaccine companies to develop the first approved, safe, and efficacious SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

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Emmes today announced that it was selected as one of the best places to work in the greater Washington area. The Washington Post’s 2020 Top Workplaces list ranked private, public, nonprofit and government agencies based on the highest engagement ratings from their employees. The Washington Post partnered with employee research and consulting firm Energage, and the process is based on a scientific survey of employees who rate their workplace culture.

The Post’s annual survey honored 200 organizations as Top Workplaces. Emmes was selected in the large company category, which included organizations with between 500 and 999 employees. More than 3,600 area companies were invited to have their employees take the survey.

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If you’re located in New York City or the Silicon Valley, venture capital firms are abundant and well covered by the media — you can’t escape them. But entrepreneurs in the Baltimore-D.C. region don’t need to go so far to find a firm that could propel their startup to growth.

The local venture capital community is robust, with dozens of firms that invest in all sorts of industries, from healthcare to fintech to cybersecurity. And it’s part of the reason that in 2016, approximately $1.09 billion was invested in local high-tech startups by VC firms, placing the region in the top 10 funded clusters in the U.S.

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To meet the Trump Administration’s Operation Warp Speed goals, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) today announced an agreement with AstraZeneca for late-stage development and large-scale manufacturing of the company’s COVID-19 investigational product AZD7442, a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies, that may help treat or prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

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Not every research project succeeds. And not every company survives. However, the ones that align with the culture of winning and sign up and adopt the community charter are opting in for a much higher chance of disrupting their industry and changing the rules of the game.

So, you are probably thinking it’s not important, right?

But it is… At the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, we have the unique ability to witness effective project teams daily. With over 200 companies creating breakthroughs from nanomaterials to self-driving vehicles, we have a ready-made ‘team laboratory’ to understand what works and how to scale.

Image: Brett Malone, Ph.D., President & CEO Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center

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Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC)  President and CEO  Benjamin Wu Chats with Rich Bendis on BioTalk.

Listen now Apple https://apple.co/2SJB2a5, Google https://bit.ly/2SMLbmd, Spotify https://spoti.fi/34SWcrI, https://bit.ly/2SMde5j, and YouTube Audio https://bit.ly/2GSHXeu

As the President and Chief Executive Officer of MCEDC, Ben Wu leads the public-private economic development of Maryland’s largest jurisdiction which comprises 25% of the state’s economy with a GDP greater than 13 states. A Montgomery County native, Ben is an accomplished executive with over three decades of professional experience leading operations at the highest levels of our nation and state.

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Join fellow biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of more than 55 BioHealth Capital Region industry leaders to this virtual event!

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When Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan visited Novavax recently, President and CEO Stanley C. Erck shared some welcome news for the governor publicly: Novavax had more than doubled its workforce so far this year, adding 116 people to the 100 that it employed at the start of 2020.

“The plan is to double that again, to add another 200 in the coming six months just in the U.S.,” Erck said, part of an expansion plan by Novavax to grow its workforce to 1,000 people worldwide. Novavax recently expanded into a third building at its Gaithersburg, MD, headquarters, and is also in talks for an additional 200,000 square feet of lab space locally.

Image: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (2d from left) chats with Gale Smith, PhD, Novavax Discovery and Preclinical Research and Chief Scientist, during a tour of the company’s Gaithersburg, MD, facilities. (Office of Governor Larry Hogan)

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GAITHERSBURG, MD — October 6, 2020 – NexImmune, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a portfolio of unique non-genetically-engineered T cell immunotherapies, announced today that it has dosed the first patient in its Phase 1/2 clinical trial for NEXI-002. NEXI-002 is a patient-derived cellular product that contains populations of naturally-occurring CD8+ T cells directed against several multiple myeloma (MM)-specific antigen targets. It is the second clinical product NexImmune has generated with its AIM nanoparticle technology.

“While the primary objective in this trial with NEXI-002 is to demonstrate safety and tolerability, we also hope to see initial signs of immunological and clinical activity,” said Han Myint, MD, Chief Medical Officer at NexImmune. “The AIM technology gives us the unique ability to direct populations of natural T cells against a powerful combination of cell surface and endogenous anti-tumor targets specific to multiple myeloma. We believe this approach has potential to address primary tumor escape mechanisms, and provide deep and durable clinical responses.”

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ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 5, 2020– GlycoMimetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLYC) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Company a Rare Pediatric Disease designation for rivipansel for the treatment of sickle cell disease in patients 18 years old and younger. This designation recognizes the significant needs in pediatric patients.

“The FDA’s designation recognizes the morbidity and mortality burdens of sickle cell disease as well as its significant impact during childhood with life-long implications. With this designation, the agency acknowledges the urgent need for improved treatment of children living with sickle cell disease,” stated Helen Thackray, Chief Medical Officer of GlycoMimetics.

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Our allergy assets remain an underpinning of Immunomic Therapeutics’ success, and have enabled our pivot to focus on oncology.

In addition to our canine atopic dermatitis vaccine concept, our vaccines using ITI’s lysosomal targeting technology have already been tested in several clinical studies in both allergy and oncology.

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Catalio’s portfolio includes many notable local biotech companies, including Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc. and Thrive Earlier Detection Corp.

Image: George Petrocheilos (right) and R. Jacob Vogelstein are the managing partners of venture investment fund Catalio Capital Management LP. MARK DENNIS – https://www.bizjournals.com

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QIAGEN N.V. (Venlo, Netherlands) plans to launch a novel straightforward approach to viral RNA epidemiology that will significantly simplify and accelerate PCR analysis and remove key testing bottlenecks for SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses.

QIAGEN’s innovative QIAprep& Viral RNA UM Kit combines a liquid-based sample preparation step completed in only two minutes with real-time PCR detection in a streamlined workflow that can be automated with standard lab equipment for any throughput, any assay and any reaction need from single to multiplex testing. The kit, which uses the most common transport media such as Universal Transport Media (UTMTM) as the starting material, includes both sample extraction components and optimized PCR reagents for only one procedure.

Image: QIAprep& Viral RNA UM Kit (Photo courtesy of QIAGEN N.V.)

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Across the world in 2019, UNICEF reports that over 2.4 million infants died in their first month of life, the vast majority in the developing world. 

The situation in sub-Saharan Africa is particularly dire: an infant born in that region is 10 times more likely to die during its first month of life than a child born in a high-income country. Most of these deaths are preventable. 

It was statistics like these that inspired biomedical engineers Sona Shah and Teresa Cauvel to found Neopenda in 2015.

Neopenda, a Cisco social entrepreneurship prize winner, is a social enterprise that develops innovative technologies for health systems in underserved populations. 

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Children’s National Hospital has received 2020 Digital Health Most Wired recognition by The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) as a certified level eight. The CHIME Digital Health Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively health care organizations apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities.

“Children’s National is honored to receive the Most Wired recognition for our inpatient and ambulatory venues,” said Matt MacVey, vice president and chief information officer at Children’s National. “We have made substantial investments in technology in support of our mission to provide a high-quality experience and optimal health outcomes for children regionally, nationally and internationally.”

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In the early days of managing the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard, experts at the university and those at Esri, the company providing the mapping software for the real-time pandemic tracker, had a friendly rivalry.

“They would tell us, ‘Oh, your COVID map is big, but not as big as our Pokémon Go map,’ which was their most in demand,” says Reina Murray, an application administrator at JHU’s Sheridan Libraries.

By March, the volume of web traffic to the Hopkins map effectively shut down that conversation—the Hopkins dashboard now holds the record as Esri’s highest-used service of all time, drawing hundreds of millions of feature requests every day. At a peak in March, the dashboard saw 4.56 billion feature requests.

Image: https://hub.jhu.edu/

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Maryland universities are home to lots of cyber researchers and technologists working on new ways to secure our increasingly technology-reliant society. Those higher education institutions are also home to graduate students looking for an entrepreneurial leap.

A new program is looking to connect the two, and form new startups in the process.

The Maryland New Venture Fellowship for Cybersecurity, created by University of Maryland, Baltimore County incubator bwtech@UMBC and the University System of Maryland, is launching this fall to support 10 early-stage teams. The program was recently awarded $594,000 in federal funds from the Economic Development Administration of the United States Department of Commerce. With matching funds from Baltimore County, the total funding reaches about $1.3 million.

Image: Welcome to bwtech@UMBC. – Courtesy Photo

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You are invited to continue strengthening the Québec-Maryland collaboration!

Objectives of this webinar

• Highlight the signing of the cooperation agreement between Québec and Maryland in the field of life sciences and public health and launch the work of the advisory committee.
• Share the government’s vision for life sciences and public health, particularly in the context of a health emergency.
• Create links, strengthen cooperation and mutually inspire each other with the most innovative expertise and initiatives aimed at establishing joint alliances in a sector of excellence.

Introductory remarks

Québec Delegate General in New York, Catherine Loubier

Schedule

The importance of the life sciences sector for Québec and the State of Maryland

Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, and Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration, Nadine Girault

Secretary of Commerce for the State of Maryland, Kelly Schulz

Québec-Maryland collaboration agreement in life sciences and public health

Montréal’s life sciences ecosystem

CEO of Montréal In Vivo, Frank Béraud

Québec City’s life sciences ecosystem

CEO of Québec International, Carl Viel

Maryland’s life sciences and public health ecosystem

Director of BioHealth and Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce, Ulyana Desiderio

Q&A with the panelists

Register here

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ozdJpKpXSMC9n0Esrqo-rA

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All the fundamentals are aligning for the life sciences industry, as Covid-19 accelerates already growing demand for real estate in the sector.

Rents are rising for lab space, vacancies are plunging and research and development, and employment and new development are expanding further, thanks to strong venture capital investment.

In the top life sciences markets there’s currently about 13.9 million square feet of space under construction, but active tenant demand is outpacing that, running at about 14.7 million square feet, according to a new report from CBRE. Lab-space vacancy is historically low at less than 8% percent in most top life sciences markets, pushing rents higher.

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08 October 2020

Germantown, MD, USA (October 08, 2020) – Amarex Clinical Research, LLC, an NSF International company client, Amytrx Therapeutics (“Amytrx”), recently initiated clinical testing of their anti-inflammatory therapeutic product AMTX-100 for dermatological diseases and conditions with the enrollment of patients in a first-in-man Phase 1/2b study for treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. Amarex wrote and submitted the IND application for Amytrx and is now managing the clinical trial.

Preclinical safety studies in the IND cover several other inflammatory skin conditions including psoriasis, rosacea, acne, herpes type 1 and 2, and shingles.

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IMN’s Virtual Investors’ Conference on BioHealth, taking place November 18, will provide a platform to understand the intersection of securitization across the biotech and healthcare sector, helping educate investors, borrowers and industry participants on the hottest new asset class in equity capital markets. This one-day virtual conference will focus on both on European and U.S. opportunities and challenges, as regulatory challenges will be forefront on both sides of the globe. 

BioHealth issuance in 2020 has now surpassed $60 billion globally, spurring this asset class to become the second most popular equity capital markets sector, with momentum driven by huge secondary moves and companies benefitting from a greater focus on healthcare investing that Covid-19 has generated.  

Join this must-attend gathering to engage with hedge funds, institutional investors, and more, to discover exciting new investment opportunities as this sector expands to comply with policy, market demand and changing consumer needs.

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American Gene Technologies International Inc. (AGT) CEO and Founder, Jeff Galvin returns to update us of their Phase 1 Clinical Trial of their lead #HIV Program, their expansion in a new facility, and what’s next!

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/2Gi2GIF, Google https://bit.ly/2GizVvu, Spotify https://spoti.fi/2GxROGd, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3l9HK56.

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The BioHealth Capital Region was represented for the first time at the FRAXA Biotech Games and took home FOURTH PLACE! This national competition is hosted annually by the FRAXA Research Foundation to raise funds and awareness for Fragile X research. Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disabilities. The BioHealth Capital Region was represented by BioHealth Innovation team members Ashwin Kulkarni, Rini Pek, Salman Hasan, and Delphine Lissa. BHI’s CEO Rich Bendis proudly stated “The BioHealth Capital Region cluster ranks 4th in Genetic Engineering News and now in the FRAXA games thanks to our crack team of analysts. Going forward, we’re looking to move up in both ranking!.”

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Join fellow biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers to this virtual event!

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The BioHealth Capital Region Investor Forum is going Virtual on October 20th and 21st. Contact BHI at BHI@BioHealthInnovation.org to apply to be a Company or Investor at this invite-only event.

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Are you and early stage company with innovative biohealth technology? Have you considered non-dilutive funding to advance your technology? Learn more about whether or not federal or state non-dilutive funding makes sense for you. Discuss potential strategies for success. Sign up for a free 1:1 advice and feedback regarding non-dilutive funding strategy and applications with BHI staff who have helped companies secured SBIR, STTR and other awards—at twice the national average win rate.   This program is open to anyone, though scheduling priority is given to Montgomery County companies, courtesy support from MCEDC.

Click here to schedule a time.

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The Silver Spring company first filed in mid-September to trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

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One of Kansas City’s most under the radar startups is scaling up amid COVID-19 — thanks in part to a share of $250 thousand in non-dilutive funding from a Los Angeles-based accelerator and FDA sponsored pediatric device consortia.

“When COVID hit, one of the things I took from that was, ‘When you’re not selling, your process better be impeccable,’” said Chris Mathia, CEO of Innara Health, the healthtech startup behind the NTrainer — the only FDA approved solution for improving oral coordination in premature babies. 

Image: Chris Mathia, Innara Health

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI) announces six awardees chosen in its annual “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!” competition to share in $250,000 in grants funded by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support the advancement of pediatric medical devices. The competition, powered by NCC-PDI partner MedTech Innovator, focused on cardiovascular, NICU, and orthopaedic and spine devices, which are areas of critical need where innovation can significantly improve children’s healthcare. The virtual event aired today as part of the 8th Annual Pediatric Device Innovation Symposium presented by Children’s National Hospital in conjunction with The MedTech Conference, powered by AdvaMed.

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The vaccine-related activity is creating more demand for lab space in an already tight market, further reducing vacancy rates and driving up rents. This dynamic is leading developers to consider breaking ground on spec and converting vacant office buildings to lab space, multiple experts said Thursday on Bisnow’s Life Science Surge webinar.

Image: Courtesy of HFF The GSK Global Vaccine Center in Rockville

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The state of Maryland is the global epicenter of vaccine research and development. This has never been more evident than right now as scores of Maryland companies have risen to the global challenge of developing the first approved vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.

We’ve written extensively about the region’s push to develop a viable, effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine. Companies like Novavax, Emergent BioSolutions and Altimmune are on the leading edge with some of the most promising COVID-19 Vaccine candidates progressing through clinicals. While Maryland as a global vaccine R&D juggernaut might be news to those outside of the region, Maryland’s life science ecosystem has been a leading vaccine R&D hub for years.

Image: https://biobuzz-io.cdn.ampproject.org

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“5 Questions With…” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated. This edition features 5 Questions with Amy Adams, Executive Director of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation at George Mason University.

As Executive Director of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation at George Mason University, Amy Adams is responsible for nurturing and advancing biohealth research and innovation interests of more than 250 faculty and thousands of students who represent a broad range of academic disciplines. Her role includes fostering partnerships with industry, healthcare, government, and academic partners.

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Drug- and vaccine-based methods of attacking the SARS-CoV-2 virus rely on chemical properties to identify the virus (for example surface antigens). These chemical properties can change when the virus mutates, rendering those therapies ineffective. An alternative method for identifying the virus would be to use the physical properties (size, shape, rigidity) of the viral capsule (capsid). These capsid properties make the virus easy to recognize with a microscope. Without an intact capsid, the virus cannot survive in the body. Shape Theranostics is trying to use microscopic iron devices that will take advantage of the unique physical properties of the viral capsid to identify and inactivate the virus.

In a newly published work supported by the U.S. National Institute for Aging, Shape Theranostics scientists (working with investigators at Georgetown University) showed that the micro-devices can change MRI signals in a way that depends on viral load. These signals enabled quantitative measurement of the SARS-CoV-2 in physiological solutions. The amount of iron in these investigational products would be less than for off-the-shelf oral iron supplements. Initial preclinical studies demonstrated no toxicity from the micro-devices. The publication (IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology) can be downloaded from www.ShapeTheranostics.com.

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has selected 19 small businesses to develop new technologies through grants totaling over $4.4 million in value. The awardees will address various technology needs under phases one and two of the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, NIST said Thursday.

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DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR) announced today that it was awarded a $36m one-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) for enterprise data integration and data management to support the NCATS Secure Scientific Platforms Environment.

Palantir’s Foundry software will be provided in various configurations to the NCATS Secure Scientific Platforms Environment, which supports several critical health missions through the integration, management, security, and analysis of any kind of scientific data, and provides controlled access to internal and external collaborators.

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PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT and the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, technology and agtech campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, today announced that it has been recognized by the Center for Active Design (CfAD), the operator of Fitwel®, as the first-ever company to achieve a Fitwel Viral Response Certification with Distinction, the highest certification level within the Fitwel Viral Response module. Alexandria’s comprehensive and industry-leading COVID-19 prevention guidelines and practices, which expand upon its existing rigorous health and safety standards for its tenants, employees, visitors, service providers and key industry stakeholders, contributed to this highly impactful and tremendous accomplishment.

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BALTIMORE — Johns Hopkins University is getting a $1.44 million federal grant to study potential COVID-19 testing gaps and disparities for transgender persons.

The grant is from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The COVID, transgender research funding was announced by U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes and Kweisi Mfume. They are all Maryland Democrats.

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Baltimore, Md. (Sept. 30, 2020)—The Maryland Momentum Fund has invested $300,000 in Rockville-based N5 Sensors Inc., a company developing smart, microscale, wearable sensors to detect gas, chemicals and additional environmental conditions for a variety of applications, fund officials announced today.

The investment completes a financing round of more than $1 million for the company and includes funding from Blu Venture Investors.

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Whether it’s “Mom and Pop” retail storefronts, family-run services companies or life science companies developing innovative, life saving products, family owned-and-operated businesses are the lifeblood of the global economy.

According to Cornell University’s SC Johnson School of Business, “There are 5.5 million family businesses in the US. (FEUSA, 2011) Family-owned businesses contribute 57% of the U.S. GDP (that’s $8.3 trillion), employ 63% of the workforce (FEUSA, 2011), and are responsible for 78% of all new job creation. (Astrachan & Shanker, 2003) 35% of Fortune 500 companies are family-controlled. (Businessweek.com, 2006).”

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Marylad biomanufacturing companies can receive up to $20,000 in free energy engineering services, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a result while increasing productivity and workplace safety and comfort. These services are provided thru a grant program managed by the Maryland Regional Manufacturing Institute’s (RMI) Energy Edge Program. Companies should email Stacey@RMIofMaryland.com for an application and more information.

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The power of nurse-led innovation and know-how is more critical than ever when developing potential solutions amid a global crisis. With extensive patient experience, nurses’ ideas have the potential to profoundly improve human health.

Time is running out for nurses to submit ideas that aim to profoundly transform COVID-19 patient care in the Johnson & Johnson Nurses Innovate QuickFire Challenge: COVID-19 Patient Care in partnership with the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) and the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, & Leaders (SONSIEL).

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Johns Hopkins has consolidated the university’s job and internship postings onto a single website, SMILE, a new platform for finding remote and in-person experiential learning opportunities across all JHU divisions.

All positions posted on SMILE are non-credit bearing, compensated via JHU payroll, and part time. Students will continue to use the existing Handshake platform for off-campus internships and full-time positions.

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Charlottesville-based AMPEL BioSolutions currently has an opening in its rigorous two-year postdoctoral program that trains PhD to be competitive applicants for Scientist positions in Pharma/Biotech, the NIH and universities. PostDoc positions are located in: Systems Immunology, Bioinformatics, Machine Learning or a combination of these fields. Publication and grant writing are essential components of the training period. AMPEL has a hybrid environment of remote and in-office personnel. High-caliber work suitable for presentation at scientific meetings and/or publication in the peer-reviewed literature is expected. Successful applicants will possess excellent organizational skills, the ability to think critically, prowess in written and oral communication, and the initiative to work proactively in a collaborative environment. The company has successfully implemented this program during the past few years with several postdocs successfully gaining industry and publication experience. Please send your send CV, 3 references, research interests & relevant skills/experience to the COO at AMPEL.

Visit the Ample Biosolutions Website.

Download the PDF

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This invitation-only event is free for executive level biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers to this virtual event!

*Please note that attendees’ name might be recorded if participating in the chat function during the event.

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John Trizzino, Novavax Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer Joins BioTalk to Discuss the Company’s History, COVID-19 Vaccine Development, and Collaboration in the BioHealth Capital Region

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/2EJ4ucS, Google https://bit.ly/36eBQLS, Spotify, https://spoti.fi/2HDE9hr, TuneIn https://bit.ly/3kS20Z1, and Youtube (audio) https://bit.ly/3kYlHyb.

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The BioHealth Capital Region Investor Forum is going Virtual on October 20th and 21st. To apply as an investor seeking biohealth opportunities, or as a biohealth company seeking to have your opportunity reviewed by investors, email BHI@BioHealthInnovation.org with Investment Conference in the subject line.

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