News Archive

It’s not an understatement to say that the entire nation’s hopes are focused on what’s happening in a Maryland laboratory – step one in manufacturing a potential coronavirus vaccine.

Sean Kirk, executive vice president of Emergent BioSolutions, explained to correspondent Martha Teichner how a bioreactor is used to create the ingredients needed in the development and testing of a vaccine for clinical trials already underway in Australia. “This is where it begins, to produce the hundreds of millions of doses,” he said. 

Image: https://www.cbsnews.com

The World Health Organization said on Friday that AstraZeneca’s experimental Covid-19 vaccine is the world’s leading candidate and reached the final stage in terms of development, Reuters reported.

AstraZeneca, a potential vaccine for coronavirus which is being developed by the researchers at the University of Oxford, has entered in large-scale, mid-stage human trials of the vaccine. This week, AstraZeneca signed its tenth supply-and-manufacturing deal.

Image: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com

It has been a tumultuous 2020 for venture capital and mergers and acquisitions due to the market uncertainty sparked by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Companies seeking acquisitions and venture capital firms alike continue to find their footing, as do the life science companies progressing toward important milestones during a global public health crisis.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

Cell and gene therapy has evolved into one of the biopharma industry’s hottest markets, with a major splash of investment and a run of approvals anticipated in the coming years. To meet what’s likely to be massive demand for manufacturing capacity, industry experts are calling for “forward-looking” investments—but as one pointed out, those checks aren’t easy to write.

Image: As many as 10 to 20 new cell and gene therapies could be approved each year through 2025. (Gilead)

GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the appointment of Ben Machielse as Executive Vice President, CMC, with responsibility for overseeing Novavax’ manufacturing, process technology, quality and regulatory functions. The Company also announced several leadership promotions:

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MedTech Innovator, the premier nonprofit accelerator in the medical technology industry, today announced the 50 companies selected to participate in the organization’s flagship four-month Showcase and Accelerator program, featuring the industry’s most transformative device, diagnostic, and digital health technologies from around the globe. These up and coming startups will receive unparalleled visibility and access to leading manufacturers, providers, investors, and other industry stakeholders. As part of its Accelerator program, MedTech Innovator will award up to $500,000 in cash and in-kind prizes during its final competition at The MedTech Conference, powered by AdvaMed.

Charles Andres, Ph.D., RAC, Associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, and Christian Barrow, Executive Director, Life Sciences Banking at JP Morgan, join Rich Bendis for a Virtual BioTalk

Charles Andres, Ph.D., RAC, is an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He focuses on patent prosecution, strategic patent counseling, IP due diligence, drug and medical device FDA regulatory counseling, invalidity and non-infringement opinions, life-cycle management, Supreme Court and Federal Circuit amicus briefs, and related business matters.

The Life Science Network’s Digital Redefining Early State Investments (RESI)  took place online June 8-10, 2020, and featured some of the most knowledgeable voices from the BioHealth Capital Region. The region was well represented across four panels titled:

• Collaborating for Growth in the BioHealth Capital Region
• International BioHealth Companies Entering the U.S. Market
• Advancing Your Technology Through Non-Diluted Grants
• Raising Early State Capital in Difficult Times

MIAMI, June 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Esteemed lawyer, author, and entrepreneur, Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D., found a thoughtful and practical way to thank her employees at United Therapeutics, who have been going above and beyond during this time of the coronavirus crisis. The team at United Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, has always been dedicated to working hard on life-saving biotech innovations. During the global coronavirus pandemic, United Therapeutics has recognized the dire need to develop treatments for COVID-19 patients and has responded quickly by initiating three projects intended to help with COVID-19, including an artificial lung technology that could help avoid the need for the use of ventilators.

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

GERMANTOWN, Md., June 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Precigen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of innovative gene and cell therapies to improve the lives of patients, today announced preclinical data for its innovative investigational PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T® in patients with advanced, recurrent platinum resistant ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer has been published as an e-poster and accompanying audio presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Annual Meeting II. The e-poster presentation titled PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T: Multigenic CAR-T Cells Generated Using Non-viral Gene Delivery and Rapid Manufacturing Process for the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer (Abstract 6593) is part of the Immunology/Adoptive Cell Therapy session and is accessible on the AACR e-poster website.