BHI Weekly Newsletter Archives

The Indo US Bridging RARE Summit 2024 is set to be an unmissable event for those dedicated to advancing rare disease research and fostering global collaborations. Taking place from November 16-18, 2024, this second annual summit is hosted by the Indo US Organization for Rare Diseases (IndoUSrare) in partnership with AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi) and other key partners. The main venue is the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Campus, New Delhi, with an opening gala at the outdoor AIIMS Swimming Pool Venue on the evening of November 16th. Virtual participation will be available, offering opportunities for online networking, exhibits, and posters.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shuttle Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHPH) (“Shuttle Pharma”), a discovery and development stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on improving outcomes for cancer patients treated with radiation therapy (RT), announced today that the first three patients in its Phase 2 Clinical Trial of Ropidoxuridine for the treatment of patients with glioblastoma have been successfully dosed.

Ropidoxuridine (IPdR) is Shuttle Pharma’s lead candidate radiation sensitizer for use in combination with RT to treat brain tumors (glioblastoma), a deadly malignancy of the brain with no known cure. Shuttle has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA, providing potential marketing exclusivity upon first FDA approval for the disease.

Germantown, Maryland, and Venlo, the Netherlands, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the QIAstat-Dx Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel for clinical use.

This marks the fourth QIAstat-Dx syndromic test to receive U.S. regulatory clearance in 2024.

Meningitis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and encephalitis (inflammation within the brain) are medical emergencies that require immediate treatment. One in five cases of bacterial meningitis results in permanent complications, such as hearing loss, brain damage and seizures and without prompt treatment, about half of patients will die.

Baltimore, MD (October 24th, 2024) – Sonavex, Inc., a privately held medical device company with ultrasound technologies that deliver quantitative blood flow and other critical vascular data at the point of care, announced the closing of its $15 million Series A-2 financing. The round attracted several new institutional investors, strong participation from existing shareholders, and industry veterans in vascular and dialysis. New investors include Unorthodox Ventures, GenHenn Capital, JSTAR Capital, Oakwood Circle Ventures, Riptide Ventures and Partners Investment.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Rise Therapeutics announced today that it has received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at the National Institute of Health (NIH) to enable infrastructure improvement that will scale GMP production and accelerate quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC), significantly enhancing its biologics drug manufacturing capabilities. This Commercial Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program SBIR award will also support Phase 2 clinical GMP manufacturing to advance Rise Therapeutics’ R-3750 program currently completing a Phase 1 proof-of-concept clinical trial in patients suffering from ulcerative colitis.

FREDERICK, Md., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Theradaptive, a privately held, clinical stage biologics company developing protein therapeutics for spine, orthopedics, soft tissue repair and targeted immuno-oncology, announced today that OsteoAdapt™ SP  has received the Gold Level Award for Best Technology in Spine 2024 by Orthopedics This Week.

COLUMBIA, Md., (October 24, 2024) –– TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announces the “Breaking Barriers and Building Futures: The Evolution of Women Entrepreneurs in Maryland” session at the 10^th Entrepreneur Expo, taking place on December 4, 2024, at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel.

The dynamic growth of women-led entrepreneurship in Maryland will take center stage in this insightful panel discussion featuring Jasmine Clemons, director of the Maryland Board of Public Works, Danette Nguyen, managing director of the Maryland Women’s Business Center and Samantha Scott, PhD, CEO and founder of JuneBrain. The conversation will explore the unique challenges women face in today’s business landscape, with a particular focus on access to capital, scaling strategies and the support systems necessary for sustained success.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced the teams selected by its Sprint for Women’s Health to receive awards. The agency committed over $110 million to fund solutions for health conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women. This effort will advance the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research and help spur the type of innovation and private sector engagement long needed to improve women’s health.  

GERMANTOWN, Md., October 15, 2024 (Newswire.com) – Seraxis Inc., a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company, has received the FDA’s allowance of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a Phase I/II clinical study of its novel islet replacement therapy SR-02. SR-02 is the first reprogrammed stem cell-derived pancreatic product candidate allowed by the FDA for testing in humans as a potential functional cure for insulin-requiring diabetes.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced positive data from the Phase II fellow eye sub-study evaluating the subretinal delivery of ABBV-RGX-314 in patients with bilateral wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). The new data were presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting by Arshad Khanani, M.D., M.A., FASRS, Director of Clinical Research at Sierra Eye Associates, Reno, NV.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUPN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, today announced data from its exploratory open-label Phase 2a clinical study of SPN-820 in adults with major depressive disorder. The study examined the safety and tolerability of SPN-820 2400 mg given once every 3 days as an adjunctive treatment to the current baseline antidepressant therapy, as well as assessed the rapid onset of improvement in depressive symptoms. The analysis is based on 40 enrolled subjects, of which 38 completed the 10-day treatment period.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Six medical technology innovators focused on pediatric cardiology were selected to receive grants of $50,000 each in the “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!TM” competition in Toronto. The funds will help awardees bring their devices to the market and improve care for children with heart conditions.  

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Six medical technology innovators focused on pediatric cardiology were selected to receive grants of $50,000 each in the “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!TM” competition in Toronto. The funds will help awardees bring their devices to the market and improve care for children with heart conditions.  

By Rebecca Barnabi: Published date:October 14, 2024 –  Thought leaders from academia and medical practice explored how artificial intelligence can advance children’s health care at the second annual Children’s National Hospital-Virginia Tech Symposium on AI for Pediatric Health at the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C.

Rowland Illing, chief medical officer and director of international public sector health at Amazon Web Services (AWS), discussed the transformative impact of AI, machine learning and cloud technology.

This article originally appeared in the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation’s (AAMI) new Insights into Innovation series is authored by Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., P.M.P., vice president and chief innovation officer at Children’s National and principal investigator of SPARK Innovations in Pediatrics, the BARDA Accelerator Network Hub for Special Populations.

October 21, 2024- In the realm of public health and emergency preparedness, one of the most pressing challenges is ensuring that children and special populations are adequately protected. The ongoing global threats—whether pandemics, natural disasters, or acts of terrorism—have highlighted the vulnerability of these groups. Children in particular face unique physiological and developmental risks that necessitate specialized medical countermeasures (MCMs). Yet, the development of pediatric-specific MCMs has long been hindered by significant regulatory, ethical, and financial challenges.

Addressing these concerns, the SPARK Accelerator, led by Children’s National Hospital in partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), is poised to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures tailored to the pediatric population. With a consortium of partners, including BioHealth Innovation (BHI), CIMIT, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, and strategic industry players such as Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS, SPARK is creating a global hub that primarily focuses on innovations for children.

The tide has been rising in biotech investment in 2024—though it has not lifted all boats equally.

While the volume of investment improved in the first half of 2024, much of it went to a few “mega deals,” leaving many promising small biotechs still seeking funding, according to data presented during the Oct. 15 opening panel of the 2024 BIO Investor Forum in San Francisco, hosted by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Still, the situation is improving, according to panelists in the session, “Understanding the Fundraising Environment for Biotech Companies,” which was moderated by Jesse Essaff, Director, Life Science & Healthcare, Commercial Banking – HSBC Bank USA.

Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the eighth straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll list. The Honor Roll is a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide.

This year, U.S. News ended ordinal rankings on its Honor Roll. Instead of assigning a numerical rank from 1 to 10, all hospitals on the Honor Roll will be recognized as having attained the highest standards of care in the nation.

COLUMBIA, Md., (October 10, 2024) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $100,000 Pre-Seed Builder Fund investment in PerSoN, a company creating digital health solutions to support complex mental health conditions. Businesses receiving an investment from TEDCO’s Pre-Seed Builder Fund, housed under TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds, receive access to a variety of benefits designed to nurture business growth.

Italy, October 10th, 2024 – For the fourth consecutive year, PQE Group is among the winners in the 7th edition of the Best Managed Companies Award, which recognizes entrepreneurial excellence in Made in Italy. This award is promoted by Deloitte Private in collaboration with ELITE-Euronext Group, Piccola Industria Confindustria, and with the methodological and strategic support of ALTIS Graduate School of Sustainable Management at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.

Olivia Schwern – Associate @ J.P. Morgan | Life Sciences Private Capital

Our take from Q3, in short:

• Attracting new LP capital is still a feat. According to Carta, less than 10% of 2021 private funds have returned any capital to their LPs after three years, limiting allocators’ ability to assess new opportunities.
• Healthcare has been a consistent bright spot. Over 1-in-4 LP dollars deployed into VC in 2024 have gone into healthcare-focused funds – the highest share in over five years.
• This dynamic has led to a revival in deal activity. If the current pace holds, private healthcare companies will raise ~$70 billion in 2024, an impressive >40% pickup from last year.
• Valuations continued to find support. We still believe life sciences investors today are more likely to get into quality companies at attractive prices relative to recent years.
• Finally, the healthcare exit market is staging a comeback. Q3 saw 97 VC-backed companies exit – 18 via IPO, 79 via M&A.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ten medical technology innovators focused on pediatric cardiology have been selected to compete for $300,000 in grants in the “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!TM” competition on Oct. 14 in Toronto, Canada.  

The competition is presented by the Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation (APDI), a nonprofit consortium led by Children’s National Hospital and funded through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Additional Ventures, a nonprofit focused on accelerating research progress and improving clinical care for individuals born with single ventricle heart defects. Selected by an internal committee, ten finalists will compete for up to $50,000 each in grant funding and opportunities to access support services and technical expertise provided by APDI and Additional Ventures, including engineering, regulatory, reimbursement, clinical trials study design and data science services.  

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s R. Andrew Bauer and Fulton Bank’s Joe Durham will be the morning keynote at the upcoming premier event

COLUMBIA, Md., (October 3, 2024) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced the two morning keynote speakers for its Entrepreneur Expo – R. Andrew (“Andy”) Bauer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Joe Durham of Fulton Bank. The upcoming event will take place on December 4, 2024, at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel.

Oct 3, 2024 We asked CHATGPT what makes the Maryland Medtech ecosystem unique, and this is what they said (We love #3 and #4):

The Maryland MedTech ecosystem is unique for several reasons, particularly its rich blend of resources, institutions, and infrastructure that support innovation in medical technology. Here are some key features that make it stand out:

1.      Proximity to Leading Research Institutions

• • Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland are world-class research institutions that have robust medical and biomedical engineering programs. These universities foster cutting-edge research and serve as breeding grounds for MedTech innovation.

• • Maryland is also home to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s largest medical research agency, which provides funding, research collaborations, and access to critical expertise.

2.      Federal Agencies and Regulatory Bodies

• • The presence of FDA headquarters in Maryland gives local companies close access to regulatory experts. This is crucial for MedTech startups, as navigating the regulatory approval process is often one of the biggest challenges they face.
  • Other federal agencies like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and various defense agencies that have a stake in health technologies are also located nearby.

3.      Vibrant Start-up and Investment Scene

• • Maryland’s ecosystem has a growing number of incubators and accelerators focused on MedTech.  Notable ones include the LaunchPort Accelerator, which supports medical device startups by providing them with the resources to prototype, manufacture, and commercialize their innovations.
  • There is strong financial support from angel investors and venture capital firms specializing in healthcare technologies, creating opportunities for funding and scaling businesses.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., October 8, 2024 — AMPEL BioSolutions announced a precision medicine blood test that could save lives by predicting heart disease before it happens and providing decision support for prophylactic therapies.  Inflammatory and immune system abnormalities identified in the blood of individuals predisposed to heart disease by AMPEL two years ago were confirmed and extended in the peer-reviewed Cell iScience paper announced today. Examination of genes expressed in single cells isolated from atherosclerotic coronary artery plaques revealed biomarkers that can be measured by AMPEL’s CardioGENE^® blood test.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, September 23, 2024 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and Georgetown University’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) have entered into a strategic collaboration to accelerate the commercialization of innovative research and technologies developed by Georgetown University faculty, staff, and student entrepreneurs.

BHI and its experienced Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) and network of analysts will provide support, mentorship, and commercialization expertise to the recently launched Georgetown Tech Ventures (GTV). GTV is supported by the Build to Scale (B2S) program, which is led by the Economic Development Administration’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As part of this initiative, BHI will assist GTV in strengthening its entrepreneurial ecosystem by interacting with Georgetown’s faculty, staff, and student entrepreneurs and will leverage BHI’s extensive experience in commercialization and entrepreneurship to help GTV effectively manage the development and launch of innovative ventures. This effort will include conducting seminars, offering one-on-one mentorship, and leveraging BHI’s network to increase visibility for GTV’s programs. The collaboration will also help raise the profile of Georgetown’s innovation initiatives by tapping into significant events like the BioHealth Capital Region Forum and BHI’s various communication platforms such as weekly newsletters, blogs, and the BioTalk podcast.

BETHESDA, Md. and SINGAPORE, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — VerImmune Inc., (“VerImmune”), a venture-backed biotechnology company developing a groundbreaking Virus-inspired Particle (ViP™) platform technology, today announced the successful first closing of $4.5 million in its Pre-Series A financing round.

The financing was led by Beiley Biofund, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on cutting-edge technologies that address high unmet medical needs. New investors, including Dr. John Ballantyne, PhD, co-founder and former CSO at Aldevron, participated in the round, alongside returning investors Proxima Ventures, Mana Ventures, Gaingels, and others.

By Alan Kline – Senior Editor, Washington Business Journal – Sep 26, 2024 – Children’s National Hospital has landed another large gift from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this time to help support prenatal and neonatal care and research. 

The $35 million donation, announced Thursday, comes some five years after the UAE donated $30 million to help Children’s build its research and innovation campus at the former Walter Reed Medical Center and 15 years after it provided a gift of $150 million for construction of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, named for the UAE’s founding father.

The UAE’s support of Children’s National dates to the early 1990s, when the UAE opened a medical office in D.C. Since then, the partnership has yielded 82 U.S. patents and “countless medical breakthroughs for kids and their families,” Children’s National said in a news release. 

The UAE government also counts on Children’s National to provide care to dozens of Emirati families that travel to D.C. each year to access the hospital’s advanced services and treatments. 

The donation, among the largest in Children’s history, is biggest the hospital has received since Michelle Riley-Brown replaced Kurt Newman as president and CEO about 15 months ago. Just before Newman retired, an anonymous family donated $96 million to help fund research and treatments for pediatric brain tumors. 

“I am deeply grateful for the UAE’s most recent gift,” Riley-Brown said in a statement. “The contribution will positively impact children and families and support the teams of researchers and specialists who dedicate their lives to developing innovative medical care.”

Click here to read more.

At RESI Boston 2024, held on September 25th at the Westin Copley Place, Montgomery County-based biotechnology company miRecule, a client of BioHealth Innovation Inc. (BHI), showcased its groundbreaking RNA therapeutic programs. As part of Biotech Week Boston, RESI Boston provided a premier opportunity for miRecule to engage in in-person networking with potential investors and partners, followed by virtual partnering sessions on September 26-27. miRecule presented the innovative work stemming from its DREAmiR™ platform, which leverages genomic and patient outcome data to create highly personalized RNA therapies for cancer and muscular dystrophy.

EchoGuide is Sonavex’s pipeline product designed to improve cannulation for dialysis patients.

Baltimore, MD (September 25th, 2024) – Sonavex, Inc., a privately held medical device company with ultrasound technologies that deliver quantitative blood flow and other critical vascular data at the point of care, announced today that it was awarded a $2 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance EchoGuide^TM, Sonavex’s pipeline product designed to reduce cannulation injury for dialysis patients. The grant will support activities necessary to pursue regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and fund a clinical trial.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Georgiamune Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that the first participant has been dosed with GIM-407 in a first-in-human, phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers, which is the stepping stone of the clinical development plans to develop it for patients with autoimmune diseases. Based on novel biology, GIM-407 is the only selective T-regulatory cell activator of its kind in development. It is a small molecule that is administered orally marking the first autoimmune disease program for the company.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altimmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced completion of patient enrollment in IMPACT, its Phase 2b biopsy-driven trial evaluating pemvidutide in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and provided an update on additional development and regulatory initiatives related to pemvidutide.

Join us for our Fourth Annual IPWatchdog LIVE Conference

Bringing together the intellectual property community – from politicos, to business executives, to attorneys, and inventors, IPWatchdog LIVE gives everyone from all sides of the debate the opportunity to have a fulsome discussion of the most important issues facing the industry from their perspectives. With a focus on exceptional networking opportunities, and A+ content. Our philosophy has always been that “Content is King”, and that will show clearly at this Conference. With A+ speakers and top-level content, we will create a center of gravity to attract the IP community. Making networking a priority, we will have THREE (3) networking cocktail receptions, two breakfasts, two lunches, and 5 networking breaks, where attendees can and do mingle with numerous high-ranking in-house counsel (just look at our speaker list), current and former government officials, current and former Judges, top lobbyists, and Hill Staffers. #IPWLIVE2024

Morrisville, NC – September 25, 2024– BioBridges, a leading provider of people and technology solutions for the life sciences industry, announces the launch of a dedicated MedTech division. 

As the MedTech industry undergoes significant transformation, driven by advances in AI and shifting regulatory landscapes, BioBridges is poised to support companies navigating these changes. 

What’s happening? ARPA-H is launching the Emerging Health Innovators (EHI) Initiative to increase access to government research funding for early career researchers and community health innovators to address health care gaps in the U.S.

Why it matters? Early career researchers and community health innovators, including those from minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations, will now have more opportunities to pursue bold and technically risky R&D projects, but who have been unable to take these leaps using traditional funding opportunities.

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) is currently seeking Expert Volunteers from diverse professional backgrounds to contribute to its vital mission of safeguarding the quality of medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. For over 200 years, USP has maintained trust in healthcare products through rigorous standards, and now they are calling on scientists, healthcare professionals, regulatory experts, and academicians to join them for the 2025–2030 cycle.

Volunteering with USP offers a unique opportunity to work alongside global experts from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to help review and revise USP standards. These standards are essential for public health, legally recognized in the U.S., and used in over 150 countries. Volunteers will lend their expertise to address emerging health concerns, build awareness, and reduce the risk of substandard healthcare products. As a part of an Expert Committee, you’ll help shape global healthcare and contribute to ensuring that consumers worldwide have access to safe and reliable products.

With COVID-19 still spreading and mpox emerging as a public health emergency of international concern, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is upping preparations for future pandemics.

The Research and Development of Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies for Pandemic Preparedness network (ReVAMPP) will research pathogens that currently lack effective treatments and vaccines, with the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) committing up to $100 million per year to the effort so long as funds are available, the agency announced Sept. 13.

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, the need for robust pandemic preparedness is evident,” NIAID Director Jeanne M. Marrazzo, M.D., said in the release. “The ReVAMPP network will enable researchers to fill key knowledge gaps and identify strategies to develop safe and effective medical countermeasures for targeted virus families before the need becomes critical.”

WILMINGTON, Del., September 20, 2024 – FLUMIST® has been approved in the US as the only self-administered influenza vaccine. FLUMIST, a needle-free nasal spray, was approved to be self-administered by adults up to 49 years of age or administered by a parent/caregiver to individuals 2-17 years of age.1

The approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was based on a comprehensive submission, which included results from a usability study demonstrating that individuals over 18 years of age could self-administer or administer FLUMIST to eligible individuals 2-49 years of age.1

TOKYO, September 18, 2024 — Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, “Astellas”) today announced that DIGITIVA™, a non-invasive digital health solution for heart failure management, has been listed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). DIGITIVA is classified as a Class I Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and is exempt from 510(k) premarket submission*. DIGITIVA is the first digital health offering from Astellas in the U.S.

DIGITIVA is designed to place patients impacted by heart failure at the center of their care, allowing them to take a more active role in managing their health while working in partnership with their care team. DIGITIVA is comprised of three components: the CORE 500™ Digital Stethoscope developed by Eko Health Inc., a smartphone app designed for heart failure patients and built on the Welldoc, Inc. platform, bolstered by educational content from the American Heart Association, and a dedicated clinical review team. The DIGITIVA clinical review team triages patient data, including previously elusive biomarkers specific to heart failure, and notifies the patient’s treating physician when certain signals are present that may indicate the patient would benefit from intervention, with the goal of impacting clinical outcomes such as acute decompensation events and re-hospitalizations.

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Activation Capital proudly announces the launch of Start-the-Journey, a new BioHealth Pre-Accelerator designed to equip early-stage biotech and life science entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools to build successful startups. Powered by Fat Robin Consulting, this innovative program supports founders in the initial phases of their entrepreneurial journey, preparing them for more advanced initiatives like Activation Capital’s Frontier BioHealth, launched earlier this year to support scaling advanced-stage startups.

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission (MSCRC) announces the allocation of approximately $4.5 million in new grant awards to advance stem cell research and technology. These grants will drive innovative research with the potential to deliver life-saving treatments and transformative cures for patients with a variety of medical conditions.

This award has been awarded to 11 accomplished scientists from Maryland-based institutions and companies. The awardees include researchers from renowned academic institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and the University System of Maryland, as well as pioneering companies such as Therapative Inc. and Caleo Biotechnologies, Inc. Non-profit organizations, including Regenerative Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, LLC are also among the recipients. The grants will support critical research into treatments for brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, blindness, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and orthopedic conditions, among others.

Maryland-based business has the potential to reshape the ophthalmology and neurology sectors

COLUMBIA, Md., (September 10, 2024) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $200,000 Builder Fund investment in JuneBrain Inc., a biotechnology company. TEDCO’s Pre-Seed Builder Fund is part of TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds, which were created to engage and invest in economically underserved founders and communities.

“JuneBrain was originally started to creatively support patients and those who care for them,” said Dr. Samantha Scott, founder and CEO. “TEDCO’s continued investments in us have helped our goals and unique strategies come to fruition.”

COLLEGE PARK, Md., September 11, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing industry, and the University of Maryland (UMD), an international powerhouse in quantum research and applications, today announced an agreement to expand their partnership to provide state-of-the-art quantum computing access at the National Quantum Lab at Maryland (QLab). QLab provides UMD-affiliated students, faculty, researchers, staff and partners with an unprecedented opportunity to work closely with IonQ’s scientists and engineers as they gain experience with industry-leading trapped ion quantum computers.

QLab, a first-of-its-kind lab for quantum research and development, has supported multiple cohorts of undergraduate interns, multiple academic research projects, and multiple companies within UMD’s Quantum Startup Foundry and Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance. Workshops have also been held for government partners such as NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, as well as other events and tours for government and international visitors.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is accepting applications for its FY24 $50 million Build to Scale program to support organizations that strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems to support entrepreneurs as they build and scale technology-driven businesses—and the employees in the new, good jobs they create—to make and deliver new technology products and services. [Read Today’s Blog Post] 

Build to Scale (B2S) grants fund programs that support innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups transforming ideas into the critical, emerging technologies of the future.  

Emmes, part of Emmes Group, today announced they will provide a Clinical Coordinating Center for the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes, part of Emmes Group, a leading specialty tech-enabled global contract research organization (CRO), has been selected by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) NIDA [National Institute of Drug Abuse] to support their Clinical Trials Network (CTN) for a multi-task, IDIQ contract.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNAC) (the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering mRNA cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to Descartes-08 for the treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).

Descartes-08, Cartesian’s lead mRNA cell therapy candidate, is an autologous mRNA-engineered chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (mRNA CAR-T) product candidate targeting B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Descartes-08 is designed to be administered without preconditioning chemotherapy and does not use integrating vectors.

The Maryland Department of Commerce has officially opened the 2025 Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit (BIITC) program. Qualified Maryland Biotechnology Companies (QMBCs) can submit Form B applications starting on August 20, 2024, while investors can submit Form A applications starting September 3, 2024. The program offers income tax credits ranging from 33% to 75% of eligible investments, depending on the QMBC’s location and specific program qualifications.

Enhanced credits are available for investors in Opportunity Zones and RISE Zones, with higher tax credits based on eligibility. Registration for the investor queue opens on September 24, 2024, and applications are processed on a first-come basis, with limited funding available. Be sure to apply early through the Commerce online system to take advantage of these tax benefits. For more information, please visit the official BIITC program page.

The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is accepting applications for its FY24 $50 million Build to Scale program to support organizations that strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems to support entrepreneurs as they build and scale technology-driven businesses—and the employees in the new, good jobs they create—to make and deliver new technology products and services. [Read Today’s Blog Post] 

Build to Scale (B2S) grants fund programs that support innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups transforming ideas into the critical, emerging technologies of the future.  

Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) has proudly released its FY24 Annual Report, marking ten years of exceptional growth in innovation and entrepreneurship. The report highlights JHTV’s significant achievements, including a fourfold increase in venture investments and a tripling of annual licensing revenue. These accomplishments underscore JHTV’s critical role in translating groundbreaking research into impactful technologies.

The report also celebrates the establishment of the Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship, which continues to nurture student and community innovation at Johns Hopkins. In addition to these milestones, JHTV has spearheaded collaborations, secured substantial funding, and supported the growth of new startups, further solidifying its position as a leader in academic technology transfer.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNAC) (the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering mRNA cell therapy for autoimmune diseases, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its first-in-human Phase 1 trial of Descartes-15, the Company’s next-generation autologous anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) mRNA-engineered chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (mRNA CAR-T).

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a global company advancing protein-based vaccines with its Matrix-M™ adjuvant, today announced the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2024-2025 Formula) (NVX-CoV2705) has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 in individuals aged 12 and older. Novavax’s vaccine is included in the recommendations issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on June 27, 2024.