487th Edition, December 21, 2021

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December 21, 2021

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WBJ: Exclusive: D.C. startup and Crab Trap winner Nanochon raises millions to upend knee-replacement surgeries

D.C.’s Nanochon LLC just got a step closer in its quest to get a 3D-printed implant to market — thanks to $2 million in fresh funding and the potential to raise more.

The company’s seed round, led by University of Virginia Licensing & Ventures Group’s seed fund, closed at $2 million in September, Nanochon co-founder and CEO Ben Holmes said in an interview. And it’s oversubscribed, now in the process of raising more before a second close.

Ellume COVID-19 Home Test to Allow Users to Send Results Directly to Healthcare Providers

FREDERICK, Md. and BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In anticipation of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) granting emergency use authorization to two new antiviral treatments for COVID-19, digital diagnostics company Ellume today announced that its COVID-19 Home Test (ECHT) will soon allow users to connect directly with telemedicine providers, which builds on the test's existing capability to share their result directly to healthcare providers. This direct, digital connection to telemedicine providers, currently in development, will help ensure patients have quick access to the new antiviral treatments, which typically must be taken shortly after infection to be most effective.

Emergent BioSolutions Announces Initiation of Phase 1 Study Evaluating Its Universal Influenza Vaccine Candidate

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced the first participant dosed in its phase 1 study, EBS-UFV-001, evaluating the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the company’s investigational universal influenza vaccine candidate. This current version of Emergent’s universal influenza vaccine candidate contains multiple components intended to induce broad and supra-seasonal immunity against influenza A viruses.

“Emergent remains focused on investing in our diverse portfolio of R&D programs targeting infectious disease and other public health threats,” said Kelly Warfield, Ph.D., senior vice president, research and development at Emergent BioSolutions. “Initiating this phase 1 study demonstrates our commitment to advancing our pipeline and our research and development team’s scientific prowess to adopt an innovative technology and investigate a potential vaccine candidate for a disease that affects millions every year.”

BHI Recruiting a Senior Analyst, Immediate Opening.

OVERVIEW

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), is a Montgomery County innovation intermediary which translates market-relevant research into commercial success by bringing together management, funding, and markets. BHI is seeking a life sciences professional with consulting, market research and/or portfolio management experience to join the BHI's team and serve as a Senior Analyst, Ph.D. to manage and support the Analyst team through training and front facing of potential start-up CEOs and Companies.

POSITION DESCRIPTION – Senior Analyst, Ph.D.

The Senior Analyst will manage the analysts and provide project support and guidance to the team as well as to new entrepreneurs on projects including SBIR Grants, corporate and private investments. This will entail market, technology, regulatory and other business intelligence research to support BHI consulting, coaching of companies and the Analyst team profit center. This is a hands-on leadership position.

Download the Full Job Description.

Montgomery County Racing To Keep Pace With Booming Life Sciences Market

Maryland's Interstate 270 corridor has been a burgeoning life sciences hub for several years, but with the federal government pumping billions into the region during the coronavirus pandemic and more established research tenants beginning to reach maturity, the D.C.-Baltimore region has rocketed to become the third-fastest-growing life sciences market in the country, according to a recent CBRE report.

Image: Bisnow/Jacob Wallace Equilibrium's Jason Rifkin, Scheer Partners' Matthew Brady, the Montgomery County Planning Board's Tina Patterson, GlenLine Investments' Scott Nudelman and JLL Mid-Atlantic's Peter Briskman

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Found to be Safe and Effective in Phase 3 Trial Conducted by UM School of Medicine Researchers

Research Shows Vaccine Has 90 Percent Efficacy at Preventing Infections; Moderate to Severe Disease Occurred Only in Placebo Recipients

An investigational COVID-19 vaccine made by Novavax was found to be 90 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 illness, according to results from a Phase 3 clinical trial published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health served as one of the trial sites, and Karen Kotloff, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at UMSOM, served as Co-Chair for the trial protocol.

Zalgen Relocates Headquarters to Life Sciences Epicenter in Frederick, Maryland

Frederick, MD, December 16, 2021 – One of the leading biotechnology and diagnostics companies in the field of neglected viral diseases with pandemic potential now calls a prime biotechnology and life sciences community its home, as Zalgen Labs LLC today announced its headquarters has relocated to Frederick, Maryland.

Preparedness is Zalgen’s mantra. Founded on the concept of developing solutions to emerging viral threats in neglected regions of the world, Zalgen is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in developing and deploying medical countermeasures against neglected tropical diseases. The company is currently supplying antibody testing kits to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) for the largest ever Lassa Fever study in West Africa.

VT Corporate Research Center Receives GO Virginia Grant to Expand Lab Facilities and Resources | VT Corporate Research Center

New collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Innovation announced with the aim to accelerate life science sector growth in the New River and Roanoke Valleys by providing access to expert mentors, programming, and commercialization resources for startup companies

Image: https://www.vtcrc.com

Senior Operations Manager, JLABS @ Washington, DC in Washington, District of Columbia | Non Operating Companies

Johnson & Johnson Innovation is recruiting a Senior Operations Manager, JLABS @ Washington, DC to be located in Washington, DC. The goal of Johnson & Johnson Innovation is to advance transformative healthcare solutions that improve the lives of people around the world and, in so doing, to deliver value to Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”). JJI accomplishes this by catalyzing new science and technology through collaboration and exchange of ideas. This growing team is looking for a colleague inspired to help build and innovate new ways of fostering a productive life-science ecosystem.

$1.1M Grant from GO Virginia Coalition Advancing Biotech at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (VTCRC)

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – “Just watch, we’ve got some great things coming,” Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center President and CEO, Brett Malone said as he closed the gathering on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 50 Leaders and residents from the Roanoke Valley and New River Valley gathered as the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center announced a new “GO Virginia” Grant, that will help advance life science research across the region. The grant is for $599,000 and will cover the majority of the $1.1 million project, with partners helping to cover the rest.

Meet Your 2021 BioBuzz Award Winners · BioBuzz

Last year we had nearly 2,000 votes for our inaugural 2020 awards – this year we not only surpassed that number but smashed it with over 4,500 votes total. The outpouring of support across networks and social media was truly incredible and is a testament to the strength of our community in the Biohealth Capital Region. From all of us at BioBuzz, thank you for being such an important part of our regional community.

The award categories include:

And now, cue the drumroll – here are your 2021 BioBuzz Award winners! Congrats to all of this year’s winners as well as our amazing finalists and nominees.

How Quantum Computing Will Change Everything (with Chad Rigetti

Quantum computing won’t be an incremental improvement – it will be a step-change in the power of the technology that underpins a huge part of our economy. Exponentially faster computing won’t just help us solve problems more quickly, but it will also allow us to tackle problems that have been impossible to answer and find answers to questions we did not know to ask.

$1B Build Back Better Regional Challenge Finalists | U.S. Economic Development Administration

The $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge is the marquee of EDA’s American Rescue Plan programs that aims to boost economic recovery from the pandemic and rebuild American communities, including those grappling with decades of disinvestment.

The Challenge provides transformational investments to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters across the country, all while embracing equitable economic growth, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. global competitiveness. As part of the $300 million Coal Communities Commitment, EDA will allocate at least $100 million of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge funding to support coal communities.

Vaccitech acquires Avidea Technologies to expand product

OXFORD, United Kingdom, and BALTIMORE, Dec. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vaccitech plc (NASDAQ: VACC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel immunotherapies and vaccines, today announced that it has acquired US-based Avidea Technologies, Inc. (“Avidea”).

The consideration to Avidea’s existing shareholders is $40 million (comprised of approximately $12.5 million in cash and $27.5 million in Vaccitech American Depository Shares) in addition to potential future payments that are conditioned upon the achievement of certain development milestones.

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