Biohealth Innovation - 369th Edition

BioHealth Innovation

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September 4, 2019

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MedImmune spinout Viela Bio files for IPO on Nasdaq - Washington Business Journal

The company hasn't yet disclosed its share price or date for an initial public offering.

Emergent BioSolutions Awarded 10-Year HHS Contract to Deliver ACAM2000®, (Smallpox (Vaccinia) Vaccine, Live) Into the Strategic National Stockpile NYSE:EBS

In support of the U.S. government’s policy to maintain a stockpile to be able to protect every American from smallpox, Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced a contract award by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) valued at approximately $2 billion over 10 years for the continued supply of ACAM2000®, (Smallpox (Vaccinia) Vaccine, Live) into the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The actual number of ACAM2000 doses to be procured is dependent on certain timing and tiered-pricing terms that are subject to the discretion of ASPR. ACAM2000 vaccine is the only vaccine licensed by the

NIH Awards Sonavex, Inc. $3 Million Grant to Pursue New Vascular Surgery Applications for EchoMark® & EchoSure®

Sonavex, Inc., a privately held medical device company focused on empowered patient care, announced that it received a $3 million Phase IIB Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health to use its EchoMark & EchoSure devices to support arteriovenous (AV) fistula maturation and long-term viability. The award provides capital for prospective clinical studies and continued research and development efforts.

Vaccitech Appoints Bill Enright as New Chief Executive Officer

Vaccitech, a clinical-stage T cell immunotherapy company developing products to treat and prevent cancer and infectious diseases (ID), announced today that it has appointed Bill Enright as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Enright succeeds Tom Evans, MD who will make a planned transition to the role of Vaccitech’s Chief Scientific Officer.

FDA gives fast track status to AstraZeneca's diabetes drug Farxiga

AstraZeneca Plc said on Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted fast track status for the development of its diabetes drug Farxiga to prevent heart and kidney failure in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Fulton Bank launches life sciences and technology division - Baltimore Business Journal

Access to capital is often considered primary challenge preventing Maryland from being the top-ranked state for biotech.

Children’s National Health System-HSC Health Care System merger gets regulatory approval - Washington Business Journal

The agreement is intended to create a system for children with rare and complex health conditions.

TEDCO's Maryland Innovation Initiative is leading innovation to market!

Good job Arti Santhanam, John Gustin and Silvia Goncalves!

Viela Bio Announces U.S. FDA Accepts for Review Inebilizumab Biologics License Application for Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder | Business Wire

Viela Bio today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review its Biologics License Application (BLA) for inebilizumab, an investigational anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) — a rare autoimmune disease characterized by unpredictable attacks that often lead to severe, irreparable disability including blindness and paralysis.

The Art of the #SBIR/ #STTR Deal - TEDCO's Entrepreneur Expo – October 29,2019

Oct 29: The Art of the #SBIR/ #STTR Deal: Best Practices in Improving Your Proposal with Olessia Smotrova, CF.APMP Fellow, Richard Bendis, Brittany Sickler, and Brandon Mason (https://expo.tedco.md)

Maryland Industrial Partnerships funds available | Business | times-news.com

The Maryland Industrial Partnerships program and the Maryland Technology Development Corp. will jointly host a free briefing about how faculty and local businesses can participate in funding programs at Frostburg State University on Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. in the Harold J. Cordts Physical Education Center Hall of Fame Room.

NSF Awards $1M Grant to UMD Researchers | Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices

A University of Maryland (UMD) team has been awarded a $1 million grant by the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems (NCS) program to investigate the complex effects of intestinal serotonin on both gut and brain health. The project, “Developing engineering solutions to investigate microbiome-to-neuron communication,” aims to provide a more realistic picture of the complex gut-microbiome-brain axis system (GMBA).

Healthcare startup Gemstone Biotherapeutics gets Maryland Momentum Fund investment - Technical.ly Baltimore

Baltimore-based Gemstone Therapeutics has received $250,000 in a new investment from the Maryland Momentum Fund.

The investment from the fund, which was created by the University System of Maryland to support startups created by students, faculty, alums and other affiliates, is part of a new funding round for Gemstone, according to the fund.

Congrats to Nick Culbertson of Protenus, a BHI portfolio company, and all the other honorees - Baltimore Business Journal

These are the Baltimore Business Journal's 2019 40 Under 40 honorees

This group of young professionals was chosen from a pool of nearly 500 nominations.

Meet with $3.5 Billion in Innovation Funding - Register Today for the SBIR/STTR Program

OCTOBER 8-10, 2019 | NATIONAL HARBOR, MD

DELIVERING INNOVATION ACCELERATING COMMERCIALIZATION

Join leadership from America's seed fund, representing over $3.5B of early-state, high-risk technology funding for small business.

Johns Hopkins is launching an accelerator for student startups - Technical.ly Baltimore

As students are returning for the semester at Johns Hopkins University, a new accelerator is launching for those who are forming new ventures.

These Female Executives Set the Standard of Excellence in the Biohealth Capital Region · BioBuzz

Liftstream, a U.K.-based executive recruiting firm, released an oft referenced report called “A Public Reality for Women in Biotech Boardrooms” in 2016. Lifstream’s research found that only 7 to 9 percent of biotech CEOs were women, less than 11 percent of board seats were held by females and 98 percent of board chair positions were held by men. The report surveyed 177 publicly-listed biotechs that went through the IPO process from 2012 to 2015.

4 Reasons to Attend Nation’s Leading Pediatric Innovation Symposium - MedCity News

For the third consecutive year, Children’s National Health System is co-locating its annual Symposium with The MedTech Conference, powered by AdvaMed. If you are interested in advancing innovation in pediatrics and exploring solutions to the challenges associated with device trials, we hope that you will join key industry stakeholders at the 7th Annual Pediatric Device Innovation Symposium on Sept. 22 in Boston, one day before The MedTech Conference.

Why Greater Boston’s life sciences cluster consistently ranks No. 1 - Boston Business Journal

In the past several years, Greater Boston has cemented itself as the global epicenter of life sciences research. According to JLL’s Life Sciences Outlook report, the region consistently ranks in the top tier of U.S. life sciences clusters, with only San Francisco as its main adversary.

Mix In The District - JLABS @ Washington DC

Calling all entrepreneurs and Innovators in the DMV area… Have you heard? JLABS @ Washington DC is coming to the District! In anticipation of our upcoming launch we are hosting a community mixer. This is a wonderful opportunity for those looking to expand your network, connect with other entrepreneurs, VCs, academics and industry leaders. You’ll get an chance to meet the local JLABS Team, learn about future programming and how to become a resident.

7 key quotes about hospital innovation

Here are seven pieces of wisdom and advice about the role of innovation in healthcare that executives from hospitals and health systems across the country shared with Becker's Hospital Review in August:

Scott Frederick, former NEA exec, heads to Sands Capital - Washington Business Journal

The move comes as Sands continues to expand its investing approach.

Taiho Pharmaceutical Invests in New Venture Capital Fund

Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (HQ: Tokyo, President and Representative Director: Masayuki Kobayashi) announced on August 29 that the company has entered into an agreement to invest up to US$30 million in Remiges Biopharma Fund II, LP a biopharma venture capital fund formed by Remiges Ventures, Inc. Taiho Pharmaceutical invested the same amount in the Remiges BioPharma Fund I established in 2014.

Atlas Research Releases Yearly Health Care Innovation Impact Report | WashingtonExec

Atlas Research released its “Impact Through Innovation” report highlighting how it has helped government improve health care and address urgent health challenges through new technology, agile innovation and evidence-based solutions.

SBIR Road Tour 2019 Tickets, Fri, Sep 20, 2019 at 8:00 AM

America's Seed Fund (the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs) annually provides approximately over $3 billion in non-dilutive early-stage technology funding. The SBIR Road Tour is an opportunity for tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers to learn how to access this funding, meet one-on-one with decision makers, and connect with local state innovation ecosystem members. This one-day event will provide attendees, including women and minority entrepreneurs, the opportunity to engage with representatives from various SBIR/STTR agencies.

If you’re an innovator, entrepreneur, researcher, or small technology firm, don’t miss this opportunity!

Why Charities Are Launching For-Profit Businesses

Kenton Lee was traveling through Nairobi when he had, as he says jokingly, “the only idea I’ve ever had.” He saw an orphan girl’s shoes that were way too small; someone had cut off the front so her toes could stick through. “Right there, I thought, Wouldn’t it be nice if there were shoes that could grow?” Then he went home to Boise, Idaho, developed a shoe that expands five sizes, and founded the nonprofit Because International -- which today, 12 years later, has distributed more than 250,000 pairs worldwide.

Congratulations to Executive Director of Research and Innovation Pothik Chatterjee who was recently recognized as one of the Baltimore Business Journal's 40 Under 40!

This group of young professionals was chosen from a pool of nearly 500 nominations.

Johns Hopkins Ranked 24th Best University in the World

This year's QS World University Ranking results have been released, and Johns Hopkins University earned spots as the 12th best in the United States and 24th overall in the world.