The 2025 BIO International Convention brought together over 20,000 life sciences leaders from across the globe. BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), led by Founder, President, and CEO Rich Bendis, was proud to represent both the organization and the broader BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) during this year’s gathering in Boston.

As one of the most wide-ranging events in the biotech industry, BIO 2025 served as a platform to showcase the BioHealth Capital Region’s unique strengths. The region, encompassing Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, presented a united front of innovation and economic vitality. Maryland and Virginia each hosted pavilions that attracted strong traffic and engagement, while the District’s leadership was prominently involved in cross-jurisdiction conversations.

“There was a great deal of interaction between the members of the BHCR during the Convention and it culminated with the First Annual BHCR Breakfast on Wednesday the 18th,” said Bendis. “Virginia also had their own breakfast on Tuesday the 17th and Maryland had a well-attended evening reception that same day. These events made it clear just how committed the region is to growing together.”

The BioHealth Capital Region BIO Breakfast, hosted at Maryland Tech Council Member, Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The breakfast brought together stakeholders from all three jurisdictions, reaffirming a shared commitment to growing the region’s life sciences economy. The breakfast was headlined by a panel discussion including Harry Coker, Jr, Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce; Derek Ford, President & CEO, Washington DC Economic Partnership; Rachel Rath, Head of JLABs @ Washington D.C., and Joe Benevento, CEO, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. BHI’s Rich Bendis served as the moderator for this panel.

In this episode of BioTalk, Lara Mangravite, PhD, Executive Director of Digitalis Commons, joins the conversation to explore how scientific research is shifting in the U.S., from centralized, institutional models to a more decentralized, innovation-driven landscape. She shares the mission of Digitalis Commons and explains how the organization is working at the intersection of technology, research, and public good to address systemic barriers in health and healthcare. Drawing from her recent article, "Notes on Catalyzing Health," Lara discusses the growing role of independent research institutions, the challenges of fragmentation, and why this moment calls for new leadership models and public-interest partnerships that can drive coordinated, high-impact solutions.

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BioHealth Capital Region Week returns for its 11th year, and registration is now officially open. Scheduled for September 23–25, 2025, this annual gathering will once again take place at US Pharmacopeia (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, bringing together leaders from across the biohealth ecosystem for three days of innovation, connection, and forward-thinking dialogue.

This year’s theme—“Where Human and Artificial Intelligence Converge in the BioHealth Industry”—will guide Forum discussions as experts from across industry, government, and academia explore how AI is reshaping drug development, diagnostics, health data, and the future of care delivery.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available at multiple levels, including standard, lunch, networking reception, VIP dinner, and display table options. Sponsors receive prominent visibility throughout the event and exclusive access to the region’s top biohealth leaders.

BOSTON, MA – This week, Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna K. Miller led a Maryland delegation to the BIO International Convention in Boston, Massachusetts where she and members of the Department of Commerce promoted Maryland as a national hub for life sciences. 

The BIO International Convention is the world’s largest biotech industry event, bringing together leaders from more than 60 countries across the global biotechnology ecosystem—including biopharma companies, academic institutions, startups, investors, and government officials—to share insights, build partnerships, and showcase innovation. 

Maryland was among the most well-represented states at the convention as Lt. Governor Miller and Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, Jr. were joined by County Executives Marc Elrich and Jessica Fitzwater, Maryland Tech Council CEO Kelly Schulz, a delegation of 15 Maryland-based life sciences startup companies, and several other public and private sector leaders. 

“Maryland is America’s biotech frontier,” said Lt. Governor Miller. “This week we were proud to showcase why 5,000 life science companies call our state home and why Maryland is a place where potential meets performance, and innovation meets mission. With one of the most robust pipelines for STEM talent in the country and unmatched assets like our universities and life sciences sector, we’re not just keeping pace, we’re setting the standard.” 

COLUMBIA, Md., (June 17, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $500,000 dual investment in Astek Diagnostics, a biomedical company. This investment came from both the Pre-Seed Builder Fund, part of TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds, which supports Maryland’s underrepresented startup communities, and the Venture Funds, dedicated to funding and growing the next generation of early-stage businesses in the state.

Astek Diagnostics, based in Baltimore, Md., is a medical technology company working to transform infectious disease management through its Jiddu™ Platform—a diagnostic system that aims to deliver antibiotic susceptibility results in under one hour. Designed to support faster, more targeted treatment decisions, the platform addresses infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), sepsis and wound infections. Unlike traditional culture-based methods, which take 48 to 72 hours, Astek’s phenotypic approach aims to provide results at the point of care, hopefully reducing wait times without compromising precision.

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Infinity Bio, a biotechnology company pioneering technologies to map immune responses at scale, today announced the successful closing of an $8 million Series A financing round. The round was led by Illumina Ventures, with participation from PTX Capital, Blackbird BioVentures, and Propel Baltimore Fund.

As part of the strategic plan to broaden its suite of service offerings, Infinity Bio has acquired the assets of Serimmune, Inc., which was founded in 2014 to provide unbiased antibody reactome services. New MIPSA™ service offerings, including EnviroSIGHT™, are also expected to launch in the second half of 2025.

Infinity Bio will use the proceeds to expand its commercial footprint, accelerate development of its proprietary MIPSA™ platform, and launch new immune profiling services. The platform enables unbiased, high-resolution analysis of the antibody reactome, an emerging field critical to understanding immune responses in health and disease.