BHI Weekly News Archives

This invitation-only event is free for executive level biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers to this virtual event!

*Please note that attendees’ name might be recorded if participating in the chat function during the event.

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John Trizzino, Novavax Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer Joins BioTalk to Discuss the Company’s History, COVID-19 Vaccine Development, and Collaboration in the BioHealth Capital Region

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/2EJ4ucS, Google https://bit.ly/36eBQLS, Spotify, https://spoti.fi/2HDE9hr, TuneIn https://bit.ly/3kS20Z1, and Youtube (audio) https://bit.ly/3kYlHyb.

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The BioHealth Capital Region Investor Forum is going Virtual on October 20th and 21st. To apply as an investor seeking biohealth opportunities, or as a biohealth company seeking to have your opportunity reviewed by investors, email BHI@BioHealthInnovation.org with Investment Conference in the subject line.

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First awarded in 2016, the International Biomedical Research Alliance’s Innovation Award recognizes novel solutions in biology or medicine and acknowledges discoveries of unusual importance, application, or magnitude that make use of new or unusual methods, paradigms, or approaches to solve important problems in biology or medicine. This year, the Innovation Award was graciously sponsored by BioHealth Innovation Inc. and presented to Michael Metrick. A graduate of James Madison University, Michael is working toward completion of his PhD in the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. The Scholars Program is a novel, dual-mentored, and international collaboration between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, respectively, in the United Kingdom.  The Scholars Program’s elite students conduct their own biomedical research project in an average completion time of 4.2 years.  Michael is in the MD/PhD track and his MD is in progress at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Michael is mentored by Prof. Byron Caughey at the NIH’s National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, Montana and Prof. Michele Vendruscolo at the University of Cambridge.

Image: Michael Metrick

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CoSolve is a new global, virtual, Open Innovation challenge at AstraZeneca, seeking to find new collaborators – those with the boldest innovations and solutions that will help us create the next wave of medicines to help transform patients’ lives.

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes today announced that Dr. Christine Dingivan has joined the company as its new president and chief executive officer.  She is succeeding Dr. Anne Lindblad, who is retiring after 38 years at the company.  Dr. Dingivan will be Emmes’ fourth chief executive since the company was founded in 1977.

Image: https://www.biospace.com

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Her entrance comes just as Montgomery County leaders are examining what role USG can play in bringing in more business.

Image: Anne Khademian starts as the executive director of the Universities at Shady Grove in October. THE UNIVERSITIES AT SHADY GROVE

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ROCKVILLE, Md. — A broad range of 49 Montgomery County, Maryland companies made the list in this year’s annual Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing privately-owned companies in the United States. The recognized companies span industries that include software, IT system development, health, biotech, consumer products, advertising & marketing, construction, government services and financial services.

Among the Montgomery County companies, there is a prevalence in software, healthcare/bio and government services—a natural fit with access to one of the country’s most highly educated workforces and local proximity to world-class federal research institutions in science, health, medicine and cybersecurity such as NIST, NIH, FDA and NCCOE.

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a late stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced that it has initiated its first Phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2373, Novavax’ COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The trial is being conducted in the United Kingdom (UK), in partnership with the UK Government’s Vaccines Taskforce, and is expected to enroll and immunize up to 10,000 individuals between 18-84 (inclusive) years of age, with and without relevant comorbidities, over the next four to six weeks.

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A one day symposium bringing together investigators, researchers, and clinicians from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Children’s National Hospital as well as other interested participants from outside institutions, to discuss the creation, progress, and evolution of this first-of-its-kind collaboration between the NIAID at the National Institutes of Health and Children’s National, a pediatric academic medical center. This year, the event will highlight the current COVID-19 and MIS-C pandemic, with a specific focus on the pediatric population. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID, will provide an overview on the infectious disease, and leading experts from Children’s National, NIAID, and other institutions will share the novel research and science being done to address this worldwide issue.

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Today’s IPO for Graybug Vision Inc. (NASDAQ: GRAY) opened for trading at $19 after pricing 5,625,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $16.00 per share.

In addition, Graybug has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 843,750 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions

SVB Leerink and Piper Sandler are acting as joint bookrunning managers for the offering. Needham & Company and Wedbush PacGrow are acting as passive bookrunners for the offering.

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Unlike some other manufacturers, Samsung Biologics has enjoyed a revenue boost from the novel coronavirus pandemic, and it’s accelerating its expansion plans to match. With a $2 billion “super plant” in the offing, Samsung now has a new Big Pharma supply deal in place to keep driving growth.

AstraZeneca tapped Samsung Biologics for a $331 million supply pact to produce bulk drug substance and “drug product to support AstraZeneca’s biologics therapeutics” at the CMO’s Plant 3 facility in Incheon, South Korea, the partners said Tuesday.

Image: Samsung Biologics’ expansion plans include a $2 billion “super plant” at the CMO’s Incheon complex. (Samsung)

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The George Washington University (GW) Technology Commercialization Office is pleased to host the inaugural DC Startup Showcase.

DC Startup Showcase will present companies developing disruptive healthcare innovations.

Log on to our live YouTube channel to see pitches from entrepreneurs seeking funding to bring the fruits of high-impact research to market.

Then join our Zoom rooms to follow up with specific startups, ask questions of our legal sponsors, and/or mix and mingle with DC’s best entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders.

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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — TIME recently named a Johns Hopkins University professor to its 2020 list of the 100 most influential people in the world for developing a free and open website for the public to track the COVID-19 pandemic in near-real-time.

Lauren Gardner, a civil and systems engineering professor in the Whiting School of Engineering, led the team that built the COVID-19 Dashboard in late January.

Image: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

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GREENVILLE, S.C. – Allen Burgenson had a job, his father explained as they stood on the sand.

This was Allen’s first fishing trip, but he wasn’t going to take anything from the bay. He was to return the water’s gifts to the deep, where they’d belonged for hundreds of millions of years.

If he spotted a horseshoe crab on its back, his father said as he held Allen’s hand, that meant it was in trouble and needed Allen’s help to get home. Allen just had to flip it over. Its 10 legs could make it the rest of the way back to the crashing waves.

Image: https://www.usatoday.com

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A new federal fiscal year (FY) begins October 1, but lawmakers at deadline haven’t even agreed on stopgap funding needed to keep Washington fully functioning next month, let alone come to terms on a new budget for FY 2021.

As a result, nobody yet knows how much funding the NIH will have net fiscal year. President Donald Trump began the budget process in February, weeks before COVID-19 led to shutdowns nationwide, by proposing a record $4.9 trillion spending plan that would have cut the NIH’s budget by 7%, from $41.7 billion to $38.4 billion.

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Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020

Earlier this year, the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced a four-year contract worth $354 million for Richmond-based Phlow Corp. to manufacture medication components and drugs in the United States that could treat COVID-19 and other diseases.

If extended to the maximum 10 years, the contract could be worth $812 million. Phlow is a new company, co-founded and formally launched this year by Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering professor and alumnus B. Frank Gupton, Ph.D., and three-time VCU alumnus Eric S. Edwards. Edwards earned his B.S. in biology from the College of Humanities andSciences in 2002, his Ph.D. from the School of Pharmacy in 2011 and his M.D. from the School of Medicine in 2013.

Image: Phlow co-founder Eric Edwards, an alumnus of VCU’s College of Humanities and Sciences, School of Pharmacy and School of Medicine, speaks at a School of Pharmacy Graduate Advisory Board meeting in 2019. (Danny Tiet, School of Pharmacy)

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Why We Vaccinate, Inc., a 501(3)(c) educational organization dedicated to provide a credible and trusted source for honest and factual information on vaccines, their efficacy, safety and importance to public health, announced today the appointment of eight new board members. These additions to the organization’s leadership further its efforts to develop educational programs and facts-based messages. Our goals are to put forward information on the science and safety of vaccines, educating the population on the value of all vaccines and immunization programs.

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GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Governor Larry Hogan on Thursday visited a Gaithersburg laboratory, that’s in the process of developing a possible COVID-19 vaccine.

Novavax Inc., was awarded $1.6 billion through the Federal Government’s Operation Warp Speed to produce large-scale manufacturing, and delivery of 100 million vaccine doses as early as late 2020.

The company is just one of several in Montgomery County and Baltimore, helping to find a vaccine.

Image: Photo by: Gov. Hogan’s Office Gov. Hogan visits Novavax Inc.

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In an effort to improve communication among children, hard-of-hearing, and Deaf individuals, ClearMask is working to provide accessibility to everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ClearMask teamed up with Montgomery County-based business Xometry, the largest on-demand manufacturing platform, to produce the PPE design for its fully transparent surgical mask. Xometry has one of the largest 3D printing plants in the Mid Atlantic region.

Image: https://open.maryland.gov

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I am writing to share the exciting news that the Foundation for the NIH has just launched a dynamic new website to salute the incredible accomplishments of the recipients of 2020 FNIH honors:

• Dr. Aviv Regev, winner of the Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences

• Dr. Anthony Fauci, winner of the Charles A. Sanders, M.D., Partnership Award

• Dr. Michael Wilson, winner of Trailblazer Prize for Clinician-Scientists

The new site features in-depth interviews, engaging interactive content, and more in a celebration of scientific achievement. To check out the site, visit awards.fnih.org.

We think your community will be interested in learning more about the FNIH prizes and these esteemed recipients! We are hoping that you might be willing to share the site.

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Cellphire, the global leader in long-term stabilization and storage of platelets, is proud to announce that the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) has awarded Cellphire President G. Michael Fitzpatrick, PhD, with the 2020 ASBP Lifetime Achievement Award for his service and significant contributions to ASBP and the warfighter.

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CRCHD seeks motivated scientists to serve as Program Directors in its Diversity Training Branch (DTB) and Integrated Networks Branch (INB). These Program Directors will manage and develop a portfolio of innovative grant-supported diversity training (DTB) and network-based initiatives (INB), and identify scientific opportunities to generate new knowledge supporting the NCI mission. The successful candidates will hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree.

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HOUSTON, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of specialty polymers and high-value biobased products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, is seeking regulatory approval for BIAXAM, a novel sulfonated polymer technology with long-lasting self-disinfecting properties that has been demonstrated in studies to quickly inactivate up to 99.99% of SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19) and other microbes.

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Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/2RMiuoY, Google https://bit.ly/3iUXZCw, Spotify https://spoti.fi/32R5ll4, TuneIn https://bit.ly/33QE1m0, YouTube (Audio) https://bit.ly/367Ux47.

Dr. Mossman obtained her Ph.D. in herpes virology from the University of Liverpool, UK. Thereafter she conducted two postdoctoral fellowships in HIV vaccine research in the USA, first at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, and then at the University of Washington, Seattle. She spent 8 years within Corixa Corporation, a biotechnology company focusing on developing novel approaches to vaccines, including adjuvants, delivery strategies, and proprietary antigen candidates for infectious disease and cancer vaccines.  She joined GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines in 2006 and spent 10 years in Rixensart Belgium in the early development of infectious disease vaccines. More recently, she relocated to Maryland as part of the founding leadership team for the USA R&D headquarters for GSK Vaccines in Rockville, where she was initially heading up the Discovery effort. She is now Head of the Rockville R&D site and oversees a portfolio of vaccine candidates at all stages of development as well as driving key vaccine technologies, including mRNA and Adenovirus platforms. 

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Don’t miss your chance to be named the BioHealth Startup with the Most Commercial Potential at the BHCR Forum, win $10,000 and more!

Applications due: 9/30

Finalists notified by: 10/2

Mandatory presenter coaching for finalists: 10/7

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This invitation-only event is free for executive level biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers to this virtual event!

*Please note that attendees’ name might be recorded if participating in the chat function during the event.

Read More

HOUSTON, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of specialty polymers and high-value biobased products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, is seeking regulatory approval for BIAXAM, a novel sulfonated polymer technology with long-lasting self-disinfecting properties that has been demonstrated in studies to quickly inactivate up to 99.99% of SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19) and other microbes.

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Emergent BioSolutions will further strengthen its contract development and manufacturing capabilities by expanding into viral vector and gene therapy by investing $75 million in its Canton facility.

The facility is focused on the development and manufacturing of drug substances for live viral vaccines, including the company’s smallpox vaccine.

“Emergent’s expansion into advanced therapy CDMO services is based on our biologics expertise and a strong understanding of our customers’ current and future needs,” said Sean Kirk, executive vice president, manufacturing and technical operations at Emergent BioSolutions. “We are investing in our people, plants and products to meet the growing demand for precision treatments and to help get these therapies to patients.”

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Qiagen signed up to distribute the mid- and high-throughput versions of NeuMoDx’s PCR automation systems in major markets outside the U.S. in 2018. The agreement saw Qiagen take a 20% stake in its new partner and secure an option to buy the remaining 80% for $234 million, plus adjustments for cash, indebtedness and transaction costs. Since then, Qiagen and NeuMoDx have worked to expand the test menu, most recently in response to COVID-19.

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BioHealthInnovation invites you to join over 120 leading VCs, Corp VCs, Angel Investors and over 100Top Innovators online at Venture Summit Virtual Connect being held on November 17th – 19 th 2020.One-on-One (zoom) investor meetings, 2 days of content including timely panel discussions, workshopsand an inspiring keynotes. Register now to confirm your spot: https://bit.ly/2DMyzYx & get an extra20% off the Early Bird Rates with Discount Code: BIOHEALTHVIP .

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Bio and Pharma Manufacturing Renaissance

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Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (Aurinia) is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company (Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:AUP); NASDAQ (NASDAQ:AUPH) focused on commercializing therapies for rare autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, the company announced in March 2020 that it had established its U.S. commercial center of operations in Rockville, Maryland, which is actively staffing up with key personnel. Among the key leaders, Aurinia attracted were two veteran industry executives with deep ties to the region: former top MedImmune executives Peter Greenleaf and Max Donley are the company’s CEO and EVP, Internal Operations and Strategy, respectively. They both joined Aurinia’s leadership team in 2019

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Graybug Vision, an Ocular disease biotech, filed with the SEC on September 4, 2020 for an $86 million IPO on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol GRAY. SVB Leerink, Piper Sandler, Needham & Co. and Wedbush PacGrow are the joint underwriters on the offering, for which pricing terms were not disclosed.

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BALTIMORE, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — GlycoT Therapeutics LLC, a UM Ventures start-up company based on intellectual property (IP) developed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), has executed a sublicense agreement for its glycoengineering technology with Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (Daiichi Sankyo; www.daiichisankyo.com). The agreement grants Daiichi Sankyo worldwide and non-exclusive rights to IP that GlycoT currently licenses from UMB and UMCP, and includes an undisclosed upfront payment, annual fees, and adequate royalties of sales to GlycoT.

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Doylestown PA, USA and Abingdon, Oxon, UK, 15 September 2020 – Emergex Vaccines Holding Limited (‘Emergex’), a company tackling major global infectious disease threats through the development of synthetic ‘set point’ vaccines which prime the T-Cell immune response, today announces the determination of a Class I MHC expression library, or ligandome, for SARS-Cov-2 infected cells, in collaboration with George Mason University (‘GMU’), National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, Virginia, USA.

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BRUSSELS/PARIS (Reuters) – The European Union has agreed to buy a potential COVID-19 vaccine from Sanofi SASY.PA and GSK GSK.L in its second such deal to secure supplies, as a deadline for joining the World Health Organization’s (WHO) vaccine purchase programme looms.

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ZURICH (Reuters) – Drugmaker Roche on Friday said it had received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a test to quickly detect whether a patient has SARS-CoV-2 or one of two forms of influenza

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Maryland is the epicenter of biotech and life science innovation in the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR). The state is home to a burgeoning life science ecosystem, including a rapidly growing cell and gene therapy industry, a robust and growing advanced biomanufacturing environment, and a deep network of leading research universities and critical government life science research entities.

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“5 Questions With……” is a weekly BioBuzz series where we reach out to interesting people in the BioHealth Capital Region to share a little about themselves, their work, and maybe something completely unrelated. This edition features 5 Questions with Tammi Thomas, Vice President, Marketing & Communications at TEDCO.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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TENANT AMENITIES • Up to 21,400 RSF of office/lab suite available

• Divisible to 9,529 RSF and 11,871 RSF

• Conveniently located between Route 28 and Route 355 in Rockville, MD

• Proximate to other life science companies

• The proposed plans (attached) include heavily improved laboratory space • Emergency back-up power

• Ample surface parking

• Close proximity to Rockville Town Square, containing restaurants, retail, and more

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SR One, a venture capital firm focused on the biotech space, is looking to raised up to $400m for its new fund.

The firm has yet to register any capital for SR One Capital Fund I, according to the latest US Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

It is unclear whether the $400m figure on the document is just a target or will also be a hardcap for the fundraise.

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Interactive remarks with the world’s top leaders in innovation and inspiration Plan for up-to-the-moment discussions on global issues including projected outcomes from the U.S. 2020 Presidential election.

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Don’t miss your change to be named the BioHealth Startup with the Most Commectial Potential at the BHCR Forum, win $10,000 and more!

Applications due: 9/24

Finalists notified by: 10/2

Mandatory presenter coaching for finalists: 10/7

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A special BioTalk with former Crab Trap winners from the BioHealth Capital Region Forum. David Narrow, CEO of Sonavex, Bruce Lichorowic, President & CEO, Dave Saunders, CTO & Co-Founder of Galen Robotics, and Vijay Ravindran, Co-Founder & CEO of Floreo, Inc. give updates on their companies since winning the Crab Trap competition in previous years.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/3iHuNPv, Google https://bit.ly/2DXClOI, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3bXhgAx, TuneIn https://bit.ly/3iuENvc, or YouTube Audio https://bit.ly/33smGzz

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Are you and early stage company with innovative biohealth technology? Have you considered non-dilutive funding to advance your technology? Learn more about whether or not federal or state non-dilutive funding makes sense for you. Discuss potential strategies for success. Sign up for a free 1:1 advice and feedback regarding non-dilutive funding strategy and applications with BHI staff who have helped companies secured SBIR, STTR and other awards—at twice the national average win rate. This program is open to anyone, though scheduling priority is given to Montgomery County companies, courtesy support from MCEDC.

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A 2016 decision to link the research labs at the University of Maryland College Park with those at the University of Maryland at Baltimore is paying dividends in the competition for federal COVID-19 research dollars, a top education official told a science advisory panel on Wednesday.

The decision was a spinoff of the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership Act, said Laurie Ellen Locasio, vice president for research at the two institutions.

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Are you a start-up in Maryland, DC or Virginia seeking feedback on your biohealth business idea, pitch deck, or commercialization plan? Schedule your complimentary virtual feedback session with BHI Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and Analysts on one of the following dates: 8/26. (45 minute blocks of time beginning at 9:00 in the morning. Pre-registration is required; sign up www.tinyurl.com/EIRFeedback. For questions/more information, contact BHI

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Governor Larry Hogan today announced the acquisition of 250,000 rapid point-of-care antigen tests, which will be deployed to nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and correctional and juvenile detention centers across the state. The purchase makes Maryland, the founding member of the bipartisan interstate testing compact with the Rockefeller Foundation, the first state in the compact to move forward with an order for rapid antigen tests.

Image: https://www.thebaynet.com

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Seoul Office Will Be Opening to Develop Immunomic Therapeutics Investigational Cell Therapy for Brain Cancer

September 10, 2020 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time SEOUL–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., (“ITI”), a privately-held clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the study of nucleic acid immunotherapy platforms, originating in the United States recently opened its first office in South Korea. This continues to build on ITI’s overall strategy to be the partner-of-choice for innovative biotechnology companies in emerging centers of excellence worldwide.

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The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) announced in July 2020 that it had completed the executive search for a new leader with the hiring of Troy LeMaile-Stovall, a seasoned leader with deep ties to the BioHealth Capital Region (BCHR).

LeMaile-Stovall just recently officially took the helm of TEDCO and we thought it a great time to catch up with him for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation about his background and vision for TEDCO and the BHCR biotech and life science ecosystem.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

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Richmond, VA, Sept. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) Board of Directors today announced Bob Stolle as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer and President of CIT. Stolle previously served as CIT’s Senior Vice President of Policy and Regional Initiatives as well as the head of CIT’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Division.

“Virginia’s entrepreneurship community has grown tremendously during Ed Albrigo’s tenure at CIT, and we are grateful for his dedicated service to our Commonwealth,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “I am pleased to welcome Bob Stolle to lead the agency and its efforts to advance our innovation economy.”

Image: The Center for Innovative Technology Announces Bob Stolle as Chief Executive Officer and President – https://www.globenewswire.com

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This invitation-only event is free for executive level biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers to this virtual event!

*Please note that attendees’ name might be recorded if participating in the chat function during the event.

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We’re dedicated to helping cutting-edge innovators and leading investors connect. VSVC3 will be an engaging and immersive [live] interactive virtual summit providing startups the opportunity to gain the visibility they need and investors access to vetted deal flow.

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TED Talks began in 1984 as a conference originating in Silicon Valley where powerful voices in Technology, Entertainment, and Design came together to spread potent ideas with broad relevance. Today there are thousands of talks of 18 minutes or less, in more than 100 languages, covering topics ranging from science to global issues. Despite this diversity, all TED talks share a devotion to Ideas Worth Spreading.

Image: https://www.americangene.com

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The morning after the world learned that a closely watched clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine had been halted last week over safety concerns, the company’s chief executive disclosed that a person given the vaccine had experienced serious neurological symptoms.

Image: Pascal Soriot, chief executive of the drug company AstraZeneca, in Washington in February.Credit…Erin Schaff/The New York Times

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The cleverest of enemies thrive on surprise attacks. Viruses—and coronaviruses in particular—know this well. Remaining hidden in animal hosts for decades, they mutate steadily, sometimes serendipitously morphing into more effective and efficient infectious agents. When a strain with just the right combination of genetic codes that spell trouble for people makes the leap from animal to human, the ambush begins.

Image: Illustration by Peter Greenwood for TIME – https://time.com

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The National Institutes of Health today announced $129.3 million in scale-up and manufacturing support for a new set of COVID-19 testing technologies as part of its Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative. NIH is awarding contracts to nine companies for technologies that include portable point-of-care tests for immediate results and high-throughput laboratories that can return results within 24 hours. These tests add to initial awards made to seven companies on July 31, 2020.

Image: MatMaCorp’s Solas 8 portable detection system for SARS-CoV-2 is designed to improve on-site testing capabilities of CLIA labs in rural communities.MatMaCorp

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Virginia Tech’s research expenditures are up, in addition to an increase in sponsored awards by 15 percent, building upon the last fiscal year’s expenditure total of $542 million, despite the impact of COVID-19 felt nationally by higher education institutes, according to preliminary fiscal year end reports.

Image: Researchers Nisha Duggal (left) and James Weger-Lucarelli from the Fralin Life Sciences Institute and Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine are establishing a reverse genetics system for SARS-CoV-2 that will serve as the basis for vaccine design. Photo: Ray Meese, Virginia Tech. – https://theroanokestar.com

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Pasadena, California-based Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. is planning a six-story, 169,812 sq. ft. lab and office building in Port Covington. The project is a collaboration between Alexandria and The Port Covington Development Team.

This building is proposed for lot E8 on the Chapter 1B Master Plan of the Port Covington project. This lot fronts a newly-aligned Cromwell St. and is adjacent to the northeast of the Rye Street Market complex. Rye Street Market is three connected buildings that make up 275,000 sq. ft. with 185,000 sq. ft. of office space, a 13,000 sq. ft. open-air market and food hall, 50,000 sq. ft. of pedestrian-oriented retail, a 12,000 sq. ft. meeting facility, and a 15,000 sq. ft. rooftop event space.

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2020 has shown us the demands that are made on tech to keep our society running. Whether it’s teams pivoting from in-office meetings to 100+ person Zoom chats or state governments having trouble processing unemployment because of overloaded systems, good tech, especially good civic tech is needed now more than ever.

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Baltimore, Md. (Sept. 15, 2020) – Dr. Anne Khademian, a Presidential Fellow and professor at Virginia Tech, has been appointed executive director of the Universities at Shady Grove, the University System of Maryland (USM) regional higher education center offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs from nine USM institutions at its campus in Rockville, Md.

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Sally Allain, MSc., MBA, Head of JLABS @ Washington, D.C. joins Rich Bendis on BioTalk to discuss her career, the decision to open a BioHealth Capital Region location, and their new BLUE KNIGHT™ collaboration.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/35ivWc3, Google https://bit.ly/3k0vOlA, Spotify https://spoti.fi/2R84fuh, TuneIn https://bit.ly/2F0a0rN, and YouTube Audio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHvb42ohtc.

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WASHINGTON — A group of prominent biotech CEOs are calling on their peers and the federal government to hold themselves to the highest standards when it comes to developing and reviewing Covid-19 treatments.

Among their demands: That biotech companies don’t simply release clinical trial data in press releases, and that federal regulators make it clear to the public that any vaccines or treatments will be approved strictly based on science.

Image: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell (purple) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. NIAID

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PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Alexandria Venture Investments, the strategic venture capital platform of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), an urban office REIT and the first, longest-tenured and pioneering owner, operator and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, technology and agtech campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, was recognized by Silicon Valley Bank in its “Mid-Year 2020 Healthcare Investments and Exits Report” as the #1 most active biopharma investor by new deal volume from 2019 to 1H20. As a testament to Alexandria’s position at the heart of the life science ecosystem, this marks the third consecutive year the company’s venture capital platform has earned this distinguished and impactful recognition. Since its founding in 1996, Alexandria Venture Investments has strategically invested in some of the most disruptive and promising seed-, early- and growth-stage technologies and companies, and it stands today as an integral component of the company’s uniquely differentiated and multifaceted business strategy.

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The 170,000-square-foot building would be located near Rye Street Tavern.

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Are you seeking an opportunity to engage your firm in a fun community-building activity?  Register one or more teams for the FRAXA Biotech Games.  The BioHealth Capital Region has been challenged by other clusters to demonstrate the greatest knowledge of biotech trivia. Proceeds benefit FRAXA Research Foundation, supporting Fragile X research projects at institutions around the world, including MIT, Harvard, Stanford and UCSD. Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disabilities.  BioHealth Innovation (BHI) is hosting the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC, and Virginia)’s participation in this exciting new event.   

Register one team or multiple teams this month to compete for the Cup in September!

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Pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) on Thursday started a clinical trial for their jointly developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

A total of 440 healthy adults are being enrolled in the trial across 11 investigational sites in the US, the two drugmakers said.

The vaccine candidate uses the same recombinant protein-based technology as one of Sanofi’s seasonal influenza vaccines with GSK’s pandemic adjuvant technology.

The Phase 1/2 clinical trial is a randomised, double blind and placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immune response of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

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AstraZeneca said today it has launched a 30,000-patient Phase III trial in the U.S. of AZD1222, the COVID-19 vaccine it is co-developing with the University of Oxford and a spinout—a study that will account for most of the 50,000 participants on which the company intends to assess the vaccine.

The Phase III D8110C00001 trial (NCT04516746) is intended to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of AZD1222 (formerly ChadOx1 nCoV-19) for the prevention of COVID-19. Participants will be randomized to receive two doses of either AZD1222 or a saline control, four weeks apart, with twice as many participants receiving the potential vaccine than the saline control.

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WASHINGTON, D.C., August 27, 2020 – Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC today announced the first companies to be part of its medical countermeasure innovation collaboration called Blue Knight, a joint initiative dedicated to anticipating potential health security threats, activating the global innovation community, and amplifying scientific and technological advancements with the aim to prepare for and respond to our rapidly evolving global health environment. Blue Knight has been developed in collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a component of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS (JLABS), a global network of life science incubators empowering and enabling innovators to deliver potential life-enhancing health and wellness solutions to people around the globe.

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MANASSAS, Va. — September 2, 2020 — Ceres Nanosciences, a privately held company that makes innovative products to improve diagnostic testing, announced it has been awarded a contract from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADxSM) initiative. The contract, for $6.5 million, will support an expansion to increase the manufacturing capacity of Ceres’ Nanotrap® Virus Particles for COVID-19 tests.

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Gaithersburg, MD, September 1, 2020 – Cartesian Therapeutics, a fully integrated, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell and gene therapies for cancer, autoimmune diseases and respiratory diseases, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its lead RNA-engineered mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, Descartes-30, in patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS, including that caused by COVID-19. Based upon the company’s research and analysis, this program is understood to be the first RNA-engineered cell therapy to enter clinical development for ARDS and COVID-19. It is also the first cell therapy to specifically degrade NETs, webs of extracellular DNA and histones that entrap inflammatory cells, block alveoli and vessels, and drive the pathogenesis of ARDS and COVID-19.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Sept. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — MicroGEM today announced it has been awarded up to $40.9 million by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADxSM) initiative to expedite the launch of the company’s molecular diagnostic test that provides rapid, sensitive and specific identification of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza types A and B at the point-of-need.

MicroGEM’s COVID-19 saliva test provides laboratory-quality results in 15 minutes, allowing non-medical personnel to obtain rapid, on-site detection of COVID-19 without a laboratory. The system detects SARS-CoV-2 in saliva, simultaneously with influenza types A and B, using real-time reverse transcriptase RT-PCR. Based on patented enzymatic RNA extraction technology, the system is a simple approach to quickly detecting and managing infectious disease.

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HIV therapies, typically cocktails of antiviral drugs, have proven to be very successful in controlling HIV/AIDS. However, they are not a “cure,” which is a very lofty goal. American Gene Technologies (AGT), based in Rockville, Maryland, received the go-ahead from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a Phase I clinical trial of AGT103-T, a gene therapy, to eliminate HIV from infected individuals.

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced that it is teaming up with the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA) to highlight the importance of potentially lifesaving overdose reversal medicines on International Overdose Awareness Day 2020. International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held on August 31 each year that aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths. Emergent, in collaboration with these teams and MAPDA, will address the importance of accessing overdose reversal medicines through special announcements, videos, and stadium presentations.

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As the world scrambles to develop diagnostics, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, one big question looms: How will we face the next pandemic? Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) are teaming up once again to answer that.

Through a joint effort dubbed Blue Knight, the duo aims to boost innovation and “amplify” scientific and technological advancements to prepare for potential health threats—starting with COVID-19. They’ve picked seven startups from J&J’s global JLABS network to participate. The startups will receive up to $500,000 in support, as well as mentorship from BARDA and J&J to help them navigate R&D challenges and regulatory pathways and get medicines and tools to patients and healthcare workers as soon as possible.

Image: Startups chosen for the program may participate at JLABS locations in Washington, D.C., New York, San Diego or Toronto. If they don’t need a physical location or lab space, they may participate virtually. (Johnson & Johnson)

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Microbiology Team Leader – https://jobs.gsk.com/en-gb/jobs/241125?lang=it-it (we also have a video of the line manager talking about the role, if you can add it to the newsletter)

New Product Development Director – Voltaren – https://jobs.gsk.com/en-gb/jobs/251039?lang=en-us&previousLocale=en-GB (we also have a line manager’s video)

Senior Process Engineer – https://jobs.gsk.com/en-gb/jobs/258078?lang=en-us&previousLocale=en-GB

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Vaccitech Ltd, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies to treat and prevent infectious diseases and cancer, announces that the development of AstraZeneca’s AZD1222 vaccine has expanded into a Phase III clinical trial in the US to assess its safety, efficacy and immunogenicity. AZD1222 was co-invented by Vaccitech and Oxford University’s Jenner Institute.

The US Phase III trial, called D8110C00001, is funded by the Biomedical Advanced Development Authority (BARDA), part of the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and led by AstraZeneca. The NIAID-supported COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN) will participate in the trial.

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Advances in science and technology can drive the next generation of skincare innovations. Today, cutting edge dermatological research and technologies hold the potential to revolutionize pore minimizing and anti-aging solutions.

To that end, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., and Alibaba’s TMALL announce the Skincare of the Future QuickFire Challenge, calling on innovators to submit products, services and technologies aiming to help consumers tackle the world’s toughest skincare challenges, with a specific focus on pore minimizing and anti-aging solution.

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TruGenomix recently announced $1.8 million in financing in a seed round led by Sanford Health. The startup, a graduate of the Illumina Accelerator program and a Veteran Founder Initiative company, also announced matching funding from Viking Global, a partner of the Illumina Accelerator.

As a veteran-owned business, TruGenomix’s founding mission of improving the lives of U.S. military service members and veterans remains at its roots. With a vision of bringing behavioral health into the 21st century, TruGenomix is advancing the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through leveraging genomic and machine learning technologies.

Image: https://fi.co

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ROCKVILLE, Md. — Recognizing the benefits of proximity to leading U.S. researchers, regulators and advocacy groups, Nobelpharma America, LLC has chosen Montgomery County, Maryland as the location for its first overseas subsidiary of Nobelpharma Co. Ltd., a company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Nobelpharma’s company mission is to contribute to society by providing critical but neglected pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Nobelpharma meets an essential patient need: it develops curative drugs and medical devices for diseases that often go overlooked because of the small number of patients. Examples include patients suffering from tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

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Don’t miss your change to be named the BioHealth Startup with the Most Commectial Potential at the BHCR Forum, win $10,000 and more!

Applications due: 9/24

Finalists notified by: 10/2

Mandatory presenter coaching for finalists: 10/7

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Vaccitech officials say the company received a U.K. government grant to support research with its next-generation technology platform to protect against COVID-19. The grant is part of the UKRI-NIHR COVID-19 rapid response rolling call for proposals with potential to deliver public health impacts within 12 months.

Preclinical data indicate Vaccitech’s new platform induces antibody and cell-mediated immune responses when compared with the adenoviral platforms currently in vaccine trials for COVID-19, according to Bill Enright, Vaccitech CEO. The preclinical data informed the decision of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and other funders, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to support Vaccitech’s research efforts, he added.

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes today announced that Jonathan DeCarlo has been promoted to chief financial officer. DeCarlo, who has served as vice president and controller, is replacing Brian Hochheimer, who is retiring after 15 years at Emmes.

Dr. Anne Lindblad, president and chief executive officer, said, “Jon has been a key player in Emmes’ growth and success. His technical skills, high levels of integrity and honesty, and vision, have earned the trust and respect from all those with whom he works. We are thrilled to have him as our new chief financial officer. I am extremely confident Emmes will be in excellent hands under Jon’s leadership.”

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ROCKVILLE, Md. & SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc., (“ITI”), a privately-held clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the study of nucleic acid immunotherapy platforms, announced today that results from multiple ATTAC clinical studies of dendritic cell vaccines have been published online by American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in an article titled, “Once, Twice, Three Times a Finding: Reproducibility of Dendritic Cell Vaccine Trials Targeting Cytomegalovirus in Glioblastoma.”

ITI is developing several dendritic cell vaccines for the treatment of cancer, including ITI-1000 for glioblastoma (GBM), with leaders in cancer immunotherapy for brain tumors, John Sampson, M.D., Ph.D. from Duke University and Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D. from the University of Florida. ITI’s dendritic cell vaccine is designed to target the pp65 viral antigen of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) that is expressed in GBM, but not in normal brain cells.

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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — As the fall semester begins, Johns Hopkins University wants to make sure its students are protected.

They are giving out wellness kits to undergraduates to help protect both students and the nearby community.

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Are you seeking an opportunity to engage your firm in a fun community-building activity?  Register one or more teams for the FRAXA Biotech Games.  The BioHealth Capital Region has been challenged by other clusters to demonstrate the greatest knowledge of biotech trivia. Proceeds benefit FRAXA Research Foundation, supporting Fragile X research projects at institutions around the world, including MIT, Harvard, Stanford and UCSD. Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disabilities.  BioHealth Innovation (BHI) is hosting the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC, and Virginia)’s participation in this exciting new event.   

Register one team or multiple teams this month to compete for the Cup in September!

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Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (EAGB), President and CEO, Michele L. Whelley, joins BioTalk to discuss her career, the economic development environment in Baltimore, and how to create a greater sense of partnership between perceived competing regions.

Listen now via Apple https://apple.co/2DikZfg, Google https://bit.ly/2Exq5oD , Spotify https://spoti.fi/31GmIUV, TuneIn https://bit.ly/32FjGQ5, and YouTube Audio https://bit.ly/31IwGFl.

Michele L. Whelley, President & CEO, is an economic development professional who is well-known throughout the region’s business community, Whelley brings new energy and focus to marketing the region, ensuring that EAGB will continue to strengthen its marketing platform as a critical component of fostering and supporting a vibrant and growing economy throughout the Greater Baltimore region.   

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Don’t miss your chance to be named the BioHealth Startup with the Most Commercial Potential at the BHCR Forum, win $10,000 and more!

CONSIDERATIONS:

• Technical Feasibility and IP
• Commercialization and Marketing Strategy
• Leadership Team and Collaborations
• Funding to Date and Financial Projections

CRITERIA:

• Demonstrated Proof of Concept/MVP
• Have received funding (dilutive/nondilutive)
• Understand regulatory and reimbursement hurdles
• A clear path to market and scalable

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

Sonavex

LifeSprout

Galen Robotics

Floreo

Applications due: 9/15

Finalists notified by: 10/2

Mandatory presenter coaching for finalists: 10/7

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CAMBRIDGE, Md. and LONDON, Aug. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OS Therapies, and late-stage clinical research biotechnology company focused on Osteosarcoma and other solid tumors today announced the co-exclusive licensing of BlinkBio’s novel Si-Linker and Cassette Payload technologies, and exclusive licensing of the BlinkBio technology to target Folate Receptor Alpha (FRα) for tumors and other targeted diseases.

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a late stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced it has reached an agreement in principle with the Government of Canada to supply up to 76 million doses of NVX-CoV2373, Novavax’ COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are pleased to work with the Canadian government on supply of our COVID-19 vaccine, an essential step to ensure broad access of our vaccine candidate,” said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax. “We are moving forward with clinical development of NVX-CoV2373 with a strong sense of urgency in our quest to deliver a vaccine to protect the world.”

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arcellx today announced the award of an EvansMDS Discovery Research Grant to Johns Hopkins University to support development of an Arcellx ARC-sparX therapy in the treatment of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The collaborative effort, led by Amy E. DeZern, M.D., at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, aims to advance development of ACLX-002, an immune cell therapy candidate directed at the therapeutic target CD123. The collaboration includes research to be conducted by Craig Jordan, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and materials and expertise to be contributed by Arcellx.

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ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX), a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to improve lives through the curative potential of gene therapy based on its proprietary NAV® Technology Platform, today announced the clearance of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate the suprachoroidal delivery of RGX-314 in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). The IND is active, and REGENXBIO plans to begin dosing patients in a Phase II trial, ALTITUDE, in the second half of 2020.

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(Reuters) – Catalent Inc said on Monday its Maryland facility would make the drug substance used in the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford, starting “late in the third quarter” this year.

The New Jersey-based company said the drug substance will be made at its commercial gene therapy manufacturing facility in Harmans.

Catalent would supply the so-called viral vector, which is a genetically modified harmless virus designed to trick the human body into producing certain parts of the coronavirus. These proteins, in turn, prompt the immune system to develop an arsenal for any real COVID-19 infections.

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A huge portion of a campus in Research Triangle Park has been sold in a deal that tops $590 million.

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Qiagen has announced plans to launch a new digital test for COVID-19 antibodies that can run multiple samples at once on a small portable device and deliver results in about 10 minutes.

With a small digital hub and interchangeable testing stick system, the eHub was developed for use against the novel coronavirus in collaboration with Australian diagnostic developer Ellume. The device can process up to eight samples simultaneously, or up to 32 tests per hour, to detect the presence of IgA, IgM or IgG antibodies in plasma or serum.

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GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced today that the company’s board of directors appointed Marvin L. White as a Class II director to serve on the board effective October 1, 2020, with an initial term expiring at the 2023 annual meeting of stockholders. Mr. White was also appointed as a member of both the Scientific Review Committee and Strategic Operations Committee of the board.

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SOMERSET, N.J. – Aug 24, 2020 — Catalent, Inc. (NYSE: CTLT), the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development, and manufacturing solutions for drugs, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and consumer health products, today announced that Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy will provide drug substance manufacturing to AstraZeneca for the University of Oxford’s adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, at Catalent’s commercial gene therapy manufacturing facility located in Harmans, Maryland.

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Imagine being able to use science to choose the right music for an advertising campaign or being able to order food and groceries on a military base from a veteran-owned small business.

Hampton Roads startups are bringing these ideas and more to this year’s 757 Accelerate program. In the midst of a global pandemic, the region’s startup accelerator is moving its entire program online and implementing a new abridged program for three more area startups.

Image: From left, Secret Chord Laboratories founders Scott Miles, David Rosen and Robert Abelow will be participating in the third 757 Accelerate startup program. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the program will be switching to operating virtually this year. (Courtesy photo)

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Coronavirus made 2020 the year of the pivot.

But the D.C.-area ventures having real, direct impact on the Covid-19 crisis have done more than tweak their business models; they’re innovating, persevering and committing to getting us through the pandemic in one piece.

They’re laying groundwork and executing on plans to tackle the disease. They’re developing resources and launching initiatives to serve our communities, as we grapple with dangerous and disruptive ripple effects born from the public health emergency. They’re conducting research, donating dollars and delivering on their promises, all with one goal: to push through this period and make life easier in the interim, and thereafter.

Image: Coronavirus has challenged the region’s businesses to step up. fpm – https://www.bizjournals.com

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In an interview, Peter Meath, J.P. Morgan’s co-head of Healthcare and Life Sciences, Middle Market Banking & Specialized Industries, says the Covid-19 pandemic has cast a bright light on the life sciences industry with startups raising venture funding at record levels as the virus has transformed the way people usually do business in the sector.

Image: Peter Meath – https://medcitynews.com

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Humans are not the only species facing a potential threat from SARS-CoV-2, according to the results of a study by an international scientific team headed by researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). Using genomic analysis to compare the amino acids of a key part of the ACE2 protein that is used by SARS-CoV-2 to gain entry into human cells, with those of the ACE2 protein in more than 400 other animals, the team found it feasible that many different species, including some, like the Western lowland gorilla, which are highly endangered, could potentially be infected by the virus.

Image: Western lowland gorilla (Trisha Shears/FreeImages)

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The United States aims to invest $765 million over the next 5 years in a dozen scientific centers dedicated to the study of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information science (QIS), such as quantum computing, the White House announced today. Numerous private tech companies such as IBM, Google, and Intel will also contribute to the twin pushes, which call for a total of more than $1 billion in research investment.

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The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the largest early stage life sciences investors, and funds over $1B in awards each year through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programmes, according to NIH representatives who spoke at the “Key Role of NIH in the Product Development Pipeline” panel session at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) Digital International Convention on 9 June.

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OxiWear’s own founder is a user herself of its oxygen monitor for patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.

Image: Shavini Fernando is founder and CEO of OxiWear. LESLIE E. KOSSOFF/GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

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This invitation-only event is free for executive level biotech leaders and is presented by the Association of University Research Parks, AstraZeneca, BioHealth Innovation, Children’s National Health System, Emergent BioSolutions, George Mason University, J.P. Morgan, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Department of Commerce, Virginia Bio, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC set the bar high for biotech innovation. So please join us for our 6th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum that will highlight the accomplishments of today and chart our successes of tomorrow.

We are excited to bring you an exceptional line up of speakers to this virtual event!

*Please note that attendees’ name might be recorded if participating in the chat function during the event.

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Don’t miss your change to be named the BioHealth Startup with the Most Commectial Potential at the BHCR Forum, win $10,000 and more!

Applications due: 9/15

Finalists notified by: 10/2

Mandatory presenter coaching for finalists: 10/7

Read More

Are you seeking an opportunity to engage your firm in a fun community-building activity?  Register one or more teams for the FRAXA Biotech Games.  The BioHealth Capital Region has been challenged by other clusters to demonstrate the greatest knowledge of biotech trivia. Proceeds benefit FRAXA Research Foundation, supporting Fragile X research projects at institutions around the world, including MIT, Harvard, Stanford and UCSD. Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disabilities.  BioHealth Innovation (BHI) is hosting the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC, and Virginia)’s participation in this exciting new event.   

Register one team or multiple teams this month to compete for the Cup in September!

Read More