News Archive

Cerecor Inc. (NASDAQ: CERC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatments to make a difference in the lives of patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, today announced topline clinical results from a small, proof-of-concept clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (“NIMH”) of the National Institutes of Health. This was a Phase 2 trial of CERC-501, a potent and selective oral kappa opioid receptor (“KOR”) antagonist, in treatment resistant depression (“TRD”) conducted under the leadership of Dr. Maurizio Fava of Massachusetts General Hospital (“MGH”).

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to march in Washington, DC, to celebrate and defend science—at a time when many believe that science does, in fact, need defending. President Trump’s budget proposal cuts 31 percent from the Environmental Protection Agency, slashes the Department of Energy’s basic science research program, and zeroes out a program that supports early-stage research into technologies that can reduce our national dependence on fossil fuels. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which spends $32 billion a year on biomedical research — most of which is undertaken in labs at universities and medical schools across the nation — would see a 20 percent cut, bringing the agency’s budget to its lowest level in 15 years. Beyond science, the president’s proposed budget also eliminates the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

VLP Therapeutics, LLC. (“VLP”), a biotechnology company focusing on the research and development of therapeutic and preventative vaccines and antibody agents, today announced that it successfully received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the composition of matter patent to cover immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1/PD-L2 inserted alphavirus VLP. The patent will be issued on May 2nd. The patent protects key composition of matter of VLP’s proprietary i-α virus like particles platform technology, and the pharmaceutical composition and vaccine for use in the treatment of cancer. Utilizing the platform technology covered by this patent and other patent estates, VLP is currently focused on developing preventative and therapeutic cancer vaccines as well as next generation of targeted antibody agents.

Silver Spring-based United Therapeutics Corp. has been clear about its ambitions to build an unlimited supply of certain transplantable organs.

Now, founder Martine Rothblatt said the company’s new multiyear collaboration with a 3-D bioprinting company, announced Wednesday, takes it a big step toward that goal.

The region has seen serious spikes in venture capital funding in the last decade — and more of our local firms are benefiting.

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: RGRX) (“the Company” or “RegeneRx”), a clinical-stage drug development company focused on tissue protection, repair and regeneration, today announced that its licensee for RGN-137, GtreeBNT Co., Ltd., received a positive response from the U.S. FDA for its Phase 3 clinical trial design for RGN-137 to treat epidermolysis bullosa (“EB”). RGN-137 is a dermal wound healing gel that incorporates Thymosin beta 4 (“Tβ4”) as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. GtreeBNT is planning to enter into the Phase 3 trial in the U.S. during the third quarter of 2017. 

PGDx launched in 2010 to bring innovative genetic analyses to cancer researchers, physicians and patients. PGDx uses cutting-edge next-generation sequencing and analysis techniques to identify mutations in patients’ tumors and facilitate the development of personalized treatment plans as well as novel basic science discoveries. In addition, PGDx has developed exciting liquid biopsy technology that uses patient-specific tumor alterations to create a simple blood test that will enable non-invasive tumor detection and monitoring. PGDx is composed of talented individuals with a variety of scientific backgrounds that are dedicated to advancing medicine through genomic technologies.

When California voters approved US$3 billion in funding for stem-cell research in 2004, biologists flocked to the state, and citizens dreamed of cures for Parkinson’s disease and spinal-cord injuries. Now, the pot of money — one of the biggest state investments in science — is running dry before treatments have emerged, raising questions about whether Californians will pour billions more into stem-cell research.

The lupus treatment landscape could soon welcome an entrant if a first-in-class anti-interferon monoclonal antibody (mAb) continues to hit clinical-trial targets. AstraZeneca and its biologics R&D branch, MedImmune, are developing anifrolumab, an investigational monoclonal antibody that blocks type 1 interferons to treat moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The Johns Hopkins University announced today the opening of its state-of-the-art innovation hub, FastForward 1812. The 23,000-square-foot space near Johns Hopkins’ flagship hospital and schools of medicine, public health and nursing provides Baltimore’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem and area startups sought-after office, co-working and wet lab space to accommodate a variety of startups.