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276th Edition – October 24, 2017

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October 24, 2017



AGT Builds Montgomery County Gene & Cell Therapy Momentum – American Gene Technologies

American Gene Technologies (AGT), a private Maryland biotechnology company developing cures and treatments for Infectious diseases, cancers and monogenic disorders hosted a ribbon cutting October 23, 2017 celebrating the grand opening of its new 24,000 sq. ft. laboratory and offices. From its new location, AGT will begin clinical trials for its HIV Functional Cure therapeutic in the next six months.

The new AGT expansion will allow for acceleration of gene and cell therapeutic development laboratories supporting the HIV Functional Cure project that is expected to enter the clinic early next year, as well as to sustain the momentum of phenylketonuria and immuno-oncology therapeutics anticipated for clinical activities in late 2019. These early-stage programs represent substantial assets backed by an impressive IP portfolio. The new offices will support the company’s expected growth through early 2020.

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TEDCO Selects Finalists for Incubation Challenge at 7th Annual Entrepreneur Expo – citybizlist

TEDCO today announced six finalists for its first-ever Incubator Challenge, a competition created to identify and reward the best ideas for supporting and growing technology companies in Maryland. The finalists will share their ideas with attendees of the 7th Annual Entrepreneur Expo and Stem Cell Symposium on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the Hilton Baltimore.

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FDA Approves GSK’s Shingles Vaccine with Agenus’ QS-21 Stimulon® Adjuvant | Markets Insider

Agenus Inc. (NASDAQ: AGEN), an immuno-oncology company with a pipeline of immune checkpoint antibodies and cancer vaccines, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted marketing authorization to GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) herpes zoster vaccine, SHINGRIX, containing Agenus’ proprietary immune adjuvant QS-21 Stimulon®. SHINGRIX is indicated for prevention of herpes zoster (also known as shingles) in adults aged 50 years and older. The addition of QS-21 Stimulon helps improve the vaccine’s effectiveness by boosting immune response in older adults who often experience age-related decline in immunity.

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United Therapeutics Announces FDA Approval Of Third Generation Nebulizer For The Tyvaso® Inhalation

United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ: UTHR) today announced approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a new inhalation device, called the TD-300/A, for use with Tyvaso® (treprostinil) Inhalation Solution (Tyvaso).

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It’s official: AstraZeneca and MedImmune ranked a top place for scientists to work by Science

AstraZeneca and MedImmune, our global biologics research and development arm, have been voted one of the top science employers worldwide, in the prestigious Science 2017 Top Employers Survey1.

Our key strengths, as highlighted by survey participants, focused on our aspirational work culture, our dynamic and intellectually challenging environment, and our commitment to collaboration, which our scientists enjoy at research centres across the globe.

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Richard Bendis a Maryland Innovator of the Year – Maryland Daily Record

In 2010, an industry-led task force created in Montgomery County partnered with members of regional academia, government and other nonprofits to create an entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem that wasn’t being filled.

BioHealth Innovation Inc. (BHI), which was founded in 2012 by Richard Bendis in Rockville, Md., is designed to help bio-health companies grow, identify commercially relevant science, create new businesses and attract equity funding to the region. Bendis, who is also the president and CEO, has overseen the organization’s creation of unique programming for entrepreneurs at the National Institutes of Health, the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University.

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UM BioPark Named Outstanding Research Park of 2017 – University of Maryland, Baltimore

The University of Maryland BioPark was honored as the Outstanding Research Park of 2017 at the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) International Conference in Huntsville, Ala., on Oct. 11.

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OpGen Awarded CDC Contract to Develop Clinical Support Tools for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Control

OpGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPGN) today announced that it has been awarded a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop smartphone-based clinical decision support solutions for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and infection control in low- and middle-income countries. The one-year $860,000 award began September 30, 2017 and funds development and evaluation of cloud-based mobile software. OpGen will work with partners Teqqa, LLC and Universidad El Bosque (UEB) of Bogota, Colombia led by Maria Virginia Villegas, M.D., M.Sc.

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Ruppersberger Calls BioPark ‘Formula That Works’ – University of Maryland, Baltimore

Since the launch of the BioPark Initiative in 2003, the BioPark has grown to include nearly three dozen companies with more than 1,000 employees. Looking out a fifth-floor window of BioPark Building One, BioPark Senior Vice President Jane Shaab pointed out other BioPark facilities, such as the Maryland Proton Treatment Center, the Maryland Forensic Medical Center, the newly added Lion Brothers Building, and the construction site where work has begun on BioPark Building Three, a facility that will double the number of BioPark employees.

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Intrexon inks $100M funding deal with billionaire founder Randal Kirk – Washington Business Journal

Germantown-based bioengineering company Intrexon Corp. will have access to up to $100 million of new capital through a deal with an affiliate company controlled by its founder and chairman, Randal “RJ” Kirk.

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Hogan says Elon Musk’s Boring Company can start digging hyperloop tunnels in Maryland – Technical.ly Baltimore

Gov. Larry Hogan is supporting Elon Musk and his desire to bring an undergrond hyperloop to the East Coast, and it seems like a bit of the Tesla founder’s social media strategy has rubbed off on the Maryland Republican.

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Inova Health System names Rick Gordon its new director of its personalized medicine accelerator – Washington Business Journal

Inova Health System is bringing Northern Virginia tech investor Rick Gordon into the fold.

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1313 Innovation’s co-working partner combines with Washington, DC’s 1776 – Delaware Business Now

The operating partner for 1313 Innovation’s co-working space in Wilmington is merging with a Washington, DC organization.

1313 operates from the Hercules Plaza building in downtown Wilmington, with Benjamin’s desk serving as its partner.

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The Kauffman Index – Kauffman.org

The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurship series offers in-depth measures of the people and businesses that contribute to America’s overall economic dynamism.

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Join CEO Tami Howie for a fireside chat with Lyft – TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo & Stem Cell Symposium 2017

Join Maryland Tech Council CEO, Tami Howie, at the 7th Annual TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo on October 25, 2017 for a fireside chat with Mike Heslin, the Baltimore Market Manager for Lyft from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM in Room Key 12.

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Science in the City – UM BioPark – OCTOBER 26, 2017

OCTOBER 26, 2017

Host: UM BioPark & Wexford Science + Technology

Location: UM BioPark Life Sciences Conference Centeer 801 W. Baltimore Street Baltimore Maryland 21201

Time: 5:00pm to 6:30pm

Please join the BioPark’s Monthly Networking Event. Mingle with BioPark tenants, and UMB faculty and staff.

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Superstar Effect: Venture Capital Investments – Newgeography.com

This is the latest in my “superstar effect” series. Richard Florida posted an interesting analysis of venture capital investments over at City Lab.

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Biotech builder Cydan gets cash injection for genetic disorders – FierceBiotech

Drug accelerator Cydan has gained a $34 million injection as it eyes deeper inroads into rare diseases for its second fund.

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Illumina Ventures Closes First Venture Capital Fund, at $230M

Illumina Ventures, a San Francisco-based early-stage venture capital firm, closed its maiden fund, at $230m.

Launched with an initial $100m investment from Illumina, Illumina Ventures has then been supported by a mix of corporate, institutional, sovereign, and individual investors.

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Big data to lead Korea’s future biohealth sector

South Korea must swiftly work to build up a strong medical big data system as it will form the backbone of future medicine led by personalized and predictive health care, biohealth experts in Seoul said Monday.

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Innovative pharma contracts: When do value-based arrangements work? – McKinsey & Company

Many are exploring alternatives to traditional ‘per pill’ arrangements underlying reimbursement. This holds implications for pharma manufacturers.

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F.D.A. Approves Second Gene-Altering Treatment for Cancer – The New York Times

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the second in a radically new class of treatments that genetically reboot a patient’s own immune cells to kill cancer.

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