Published: 10/10/2023
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today visited the University of Maryland BioPark for a discussion and tour focused on biotechnology, innovation and economic development. Governor Moore was joined by University of Maryland Baltimore President Bruce E. Jarrell, M.D., F.A.C.S.; Biotechnology Innovation Organization Chief Executive Officer Rachel King; and numerous biotech and life sciences industry leaders to discuss opportunities for collaboration and promoting the innovation economy in Maryland.
“BioPark isn’t just a hub for discovering new, breakthrough treatments and cures–it’s also a key piece of our state’s economic engine,” said Gov. Moore. “The biotech industry contributes $20 billion to our state’s economy each year, and average annual life sciences incomes are significantly higher than other industries in Maryland. The biotech sector is going to create jobs, drive growth, and build an economy fit for the 21st century.”
With an increasing number of U.S. biopharmaceutical firms feeling the financial constraints imposed by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and subsequently shutting down or suspending their research programs in the rare disease domain, hundreds of millions of patients in both the U.S. and India face the grim prospect of not receiving a breakthrough treatment for their condition within their lifetimes. IndoUSrare, a US-based nonprofit committed to stanching rare diseases, launches the inaugural Bridging RARE conference to forge a path for affordable clinical innovation via strengthened Indo-US collaborations and more inclusive clinical trials for minimizing the devastating health consequences arising from this policy shift.
(HERNDON, Va.) October 10, 2023: Rare diseases, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), refer to some 10,867 medically significant conditions, each with a prevalence of one or less per 1,000 individuals. With only about 8% of them being treatable,1 rare diseases include congenital malformations, autoimmune disorders, lysosomal storage disorders, thalassemia, muscular dystrophies, and infrequent forms of cancer and infections. Despite substantial progress during the 40 years since the enactment of the Orphan Drug Act of 1983, which incentivized the U.S. private sector to develop 1,100 FDA-approved orphan treatments,2 the global thrust against rare diseases is on the verge of losing steam.
VaxTRIALS Adds a New Latin America Base and Greater Vaccine Research Depth
Rockville, MD, October 5, 2023 – Emmes, a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, today announced the acquisition of VaxTRIALS. Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, VaxTRIALS’ 160+ staff members manage and monitor vaccine clinical trial activities throughout Latin America.
“Today’s clinical trials are both more complex and more global in nature than ever before,” said Emmes Executive Chairman Sastry Chilukuri. “Combining VaxTRIALS’ depth of expertise in Latin America and Emmes’ strengths, particularly in technology, biostatistics and data management, will give clients an unmatched partnership experience in conducting their clinical trials.”
Imagine a world where unhealthy organs are replaced with transplants constructed with a 3D printer using the patient’s own cells. No more agonizing waits and desperate searches for a suitable donor organ, and, because the printed organs use cells from the patients themselves, no more fear of organ rejection. It might sound like science fiction set in the far off future, but thanks to the pioneering work of United Therapeutics , it may become a reality a lot sooner than you think, and it’s happening here in Maryland.
Co-headquartered in Silver Spring, United Therapeutics was founded in 1996 by Dr. Martine Rothblatt, a mom who wanted to save her 7 year-old daughter Jenesis who’d been diagnosed with a rare and serious disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension. Twenty seven years later, Jenesis has defied the odds and works at the company her mother founded to save her life.
Alex Philippidis, Senior Business Editor of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, for the 4th consecutive year, attended the 9th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum, presenting his expert insights into the “Top 10 U.S. BioPharma Clusters, 2023,” providing a detailed analysis and overview of the current state and future prospects of the BioPharma industry.
In his presentation, Alex highlighted the following:
Technological Innovations in BioPharma: Highlighting the increasing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in BioPharma, Alex explored how these technological advancements are critically shaping research, development, and operational processes within the sector.
In the 9th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum, Pete Briskman, Executive Managing Director and Co-Lead for the Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences Practice, offered a thorough update on the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) and its significant strides in the life sciences sector.
BHCR’s Noteworthy Achievements:
- Securing the #3 rank among Life Science Clusters.
- Leading the nation in the number of biotechnology patents.
- Holding a prominent third position in total NIH grant funding.
- Establishing itself robustly as the third-largest science cluster.
Advances Amgen’s Mission to Serve Patients With First-in-Class Rare Disease Medicines
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Oct. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics plc for $116.50 per share in cash, representing a transaction equity value of approximately $27.8 billion.
“Today marks an exciting milestone as we welcome Horizon employees to Amgen and begin working together to serve even more patients around the world suffering from serious illnesses,” said Robert A. Bradway, Amgen’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We have strong momentum in our core business and the addition of Horizon will further position Amgen as a leader across a broader range of diseases.”
In a year that underscored “Global Breakthroughs for a Healthier Future,” Rich Bendis, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation Inc (BHI), extended a heartfelt welcome to attendees, marking the 9th consecutive year of the Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum.
Take a moment to reflect on Rich’s thorough review of the region’s transformative journey from its inception to its present-day stature, proudly holding a #3 ranking in the GEN Top 10 BioPharma Clusters in the United States. This achievement is a testament to its prowess in NIH Funding, Venture Capital Funding, Patents, Lab Space, and Jobs.
Rich highlighted the global impact of the term “BioHealth,” which has become more woven into the fabric of health discussions and innovations over nearly a decade.
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, October 5, 2023 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is proud to announce a pivotal agreement with the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to provide Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) in support of ARPA-H’s mission. This collaboration aims to bolster the development and commercialization of transformative health solutions.
Under the agreement, BHI’s EIRs will offer strategic guidance to ARPA-H Program Managers (PMs) in areas including technology development, intellectual property, and small business needs. They will assist in the development and execution of programs, evaluate partnership opportunities with government biomedical and health research agencies, and leverage industry associations to support funded performers.
First small molecule allosteric binder discovered with Gain’s computational drug discovery platform enters clinical development
BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gain Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GANX) (“Gain”, or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leading the discovery and development of the next generation of allosteric small molecule therapies, today announced dosing of the first two subjects in a Phase 1 clinical trial of GT-02287, Gain’s lead drug candidate for the treatment of GBA1 Parkinson’s disease. The Company expects to complete this trial in the first half of 2024.
“Initiating first-in-human dosing with GT-02287 is an important milestone for Gain as we enter a new era as a clinical-stage company,” said Matthias Alder, Chief Executive Officer of Gain Therapeutics. “I am very proud of the work accomplished by the entire Gain team to get us to this stage today, and we are eager to advance our understanding of the safety, tolerability and effect of GT-02287 in humans. This represents another major step forward toward providing a treatment for Parkinson’s patients and their families impacted by this devastating disease.”