News Archive

The recent BIO International Convention not only brought showcasing opportunities for the state and its unparalleled life sciences assets, but also several exciting announcements from Maryland-based companies.

Horizon Therapeutics, a global biotech business focused on addressing autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, is working on quadrupling its space in Montgomery County. The company currently has a new state-of-the-art lab under construction with completion planned for 2024. Horizon anticipates doubling its employees in Maryland, with room in the new facility for more than 200 scientists.

The TABA Needs Assessment Report provides a third party, unbiased assessment of a Phase I project’s progress in technical and business areas that are critical to success in the competitive healthcare marketplace. There is no cost for this report and the time commitment for participation is minimal.

The Needs Assessment Report helps companies strategize for the project’s next steps. It analyzes the current state of your Phase I project and identifies strengths and weaknesses across four categories.

A new international partnership has formed between the state of Maryland and the Republic of Ireland.

As a result of Governor Hogan’s trade mission to France and Ireland, Maryland and the Guinness Enterprise Centre are teaming up to provide business assistance and expansion opportunities to companies at home and abroad. The partnership will also focus on academics and networking opportunities between the regions, by connecting local talent at universities to work directly with innovative start-ups.

Crab Trap 2022 applications are being accepted through August 31st! Entrepreneurs with innovative diagnostics, medical devices, therapeutics, or other transformative health solutions are invited to apply to the 7th annual BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap pitch competition. Finalists for the 2022 Crab Trap competition will pitch IN PERSON on September 21st as part of the BioHealth Capital Region Investor Conference. The winning teams will receive cash prizes from our sponsors.

Applications are due by 5pm on Wednesday, August 31st.
Crab Trap finalists will be notified the week of 9/5/22. Mandatory virtual pitch coaching for all finalists will take place the week of 9/12/22.

At his State of the Union speech in March, President Joe Biden urged Congress to fund a new federal agency that would “supercharge” breakthrough medical research and “end cancer as we know it.”

Congress responded two weeks later by approving $1 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H, which will tackle projects that are seen as too costly, risky or time-intensive for the private sector and traditional public research.

In Maryland, research institutions, labs, pharmaceutical companies and biotech startups have long had a close, symbiotic relationship with the numerous federal health agencies already located here, but federal leaders and lawmakers think it might be time now for some distance.

Image: President Joe Biden speaks with researchers and patients about ARPA-H, a new health research agency that seeks to accelerate progress on curing cancer and other health innovations, on March 18 in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

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

“The addition of TEMBEXA to Emergent’s portfolio of medical countermeasures builds upon our core capabilities and leverages our long and successful history partnering with the U.S. government to address dangerous public health threats,” said Robert G. Kramer, president and CEO of Emergent. “It exemplifies our thoughtful M&A strategy as part of our 2024 growth plan and positions us better to deliver value for our shareholders.”

GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted for review the Biologics License Application (BLA) for AV7909 (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, Adjuvanted). AV7909 is the company’s new anthrax vaccine candidate evaluated for post-exposure prophylaxis of disease following suspected or confirmed exposure to Bacillus anthracis in persons 18 through 65 years of age when administered in conjunction with recommended antibacterial drugs. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date for a decision by the FDA is in April 2023.

“Over the last 20 years, Emergent has partnered with the U.S. government to lead this program from early- to advanced-stage development,” said Kelly Warfield, senior vice president research and development at Emergent BioSolutions. “As we progress toward licensure of AV7909, which is designed to follow a two-dose immunization schedule and to elicit a faster immune response, we redouble our efforts to support the government’s overall preparedness and response strategy for large-scale emergencies involving anthrax and other threats to public health.”

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research, investing more than $30 billion in taxpayer dollars. However, what is little known about the agency is that its technologies are available for licensing and collaboration, according to Michael Salgaller, PhD, supervisor of the technology analysis and marketing unit at the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Technology Transfer Center.