News

At RESI Boston 2024, held on September 25th at the Westin Copley Place, Montgomery County-based biotechnology company miRecule, a client of BioHealth Innovation Inc. (BHI), showcased its groundbreaking RNA therapeutic programs. As part of Biotech Week Boston, RESI Boston provided a premier opportunity for miRecule to engage in in-person networking with potential investors and partners, followed by virtual partnering sessions on September 26-27. miRecule presented the innovative work stemming from its DREAmiR™ platform, which leverages genomic and patient outcome data to create highly personalized RNA therapies for cancer and muscular dystrophy.

EchoGuide is Sonavex’s pipeline product designed to improve cannulation for dialysis patients.

Baltimore, MD (September 25th, 2024) – Sonavex, Inc., a privately held medical device company with ultrasound technologies that deliver quantitative blood flow and other critical vascular data at the point of care, announced today that it was awarded a $2 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance EchoGuide^TM, Sonavex’s pipeline product designed to reduce cannulation injury for dialysis patients. The grant will support activities necessary to pursue regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and fund a clinical trial.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Georgiamune Inc., a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that the first participant has been dosed with GIM-407 in a first-in-human, phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers, which is the stepping stone of the clinical development plans to develop it for patients with autoimmune diseases. Based on novel biology, GIM-407 is the only selective T-regulatory cell activator of its kind in development. It is a small molecule that is administered orally marking the first autoimmune disease program for the company.

The BioHealth Capital Region Forum had the honor of hosting Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who addressed attendees at the 10th Annual event held at the US Pharmacopeia (USP) in Rockville. Prior to his speech, Governor Moore met with a select group of local leaders and industry experts, including Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Rich Bendis, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc., Ronald T. Piervincenzi, Ph.D., CEO of USP, Peter S. Briskman, Executive Managing Director of Brokerage at JLL and others.

Governor Moore’s attendance underscored the strategic importance of the biohealth industry to Maryland’s economy. His participation signified the state’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of biotech innovation, supporting the growth of life sciences companies, and fostering partnerships between government, industry, and academia. By engaging directly with industry leaders, Moore highlighted Maryland’s pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare and biotech.

The 10th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum has once again brought together some of the most influential leaders and innovators in the biohealth industry. This year’s Forum features a stellar lineup of returning presenters and keynotes, each contributing unique insights into the state of the biohealth sector, both locally and nationally. Here’s a look at some of the standout sessions from this year’s event.

“The caliber of speakers at this year’s BioHealth Capital Region Forum was truly exceptional. From industry veterans to emerging leaders, the insights shared reflected the depth of expertise and innovation driving the growth of our biohealth ecosystem. We were honored to host such influential voices who are shaping the future of healthcare and biotechnology, and their contributions made this year’s event one of the most impactful yet,” said Rich Bendis, President and CEO of BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

The commercialization and technology transfer arm of the storied Baltimore university is helping to foster the region’s burgeoning tech scene.

BY Steven Melendez

During the opening day of the BioHealth Capital Region Forum at US Pharmacopeia in Rockville on September 17^th, 2024, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin was awarded the 2024 Governor of the Year by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). This prestigious award recognizes governors who have demonstrated strong leadership and commitment to advancing biotechnology in their states.

Governor Youngkin, who has been instrumental in driving economic development across Virginia, spoke about the Commonwealth’s expanding role in the life sciences sector. “Investing in biotechnology is investing in Virginia’s future,” he remarked, highlighting the importance of Virginia’s research triangle and ongoing efforts to foster innovation. Under his leadership, Virginia has secured nearly $71 billion in capital investments, transforming the state into a significant hub for biotechnology and other industries.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich helped kick off the 10th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum once again this year, reinforcing the county’s pivotal role as the epicenter of the BioHealth Capital Region. In his opening remarks, Elrich highlighted the county’s vast biohealth assets, including NIH, NIST, FDA, USP, and a thriving network of innovative companies. He also emphasized that this significant event has been proudly hosted in Montgomery County for the past decade.

Throughout his speech, Elrich reiterated Montgomery County’s commitment to fostering growth and innovation in the biohealth sector. He spoke on the importance of collaboration between government, industry, and academia to drive advancements that will benefit the region and have a global impact on healthcare and biotechnology.

Network will analyze and improve how genomic information is integrated into patient care.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is awarding $5.4 million in first-year funding to establish a new program that supports the integration of genomics into learning health systems.

Present in many hospitals across the United States, learning health systems are a type of clinical practice that bridges research and patient care. These systems use a variety of methods to continually analyze patient data. Clinicians then use the results of those analyses to refine practices and improve future care.

The new Genomics-enabled Learning Health System (gLHS) Network aims to identify and advance approaches for integrating genomic information into existing learning health systems. As genomic testing becomes increasingly common, more and more genomic data are available in clinical settings, and learning health systems present an opportunity to translate this evidence quickly and directly into improvements in medical care.

BETHESDA, Md. and SINGAPORE, Sept. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — VerImmune Inc., (“VerImmune”), a venture-backed biotechnology company developing a groundbreaking Virus-inspired Particle (ViP™) platform technology, today announced the successful first closing of $4.5 million in its Pre-Series A financing round.

The financing was led by Beiley Biofund, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on cutting-edge technologies that address high unmet medical needs. New investors, including Dr. John Ballantyne, PhD, co-founder and former CSO at Aldevron, participated in the round, alongside returning investors Proxima Ventures, Mana Ventures, Gaingels, and others.