Innovation and creation are at the heart of the biotech industry and close to the heart of international business development consultant Richard A. Bendis.

Bendis, 65, has devoted almost 40 years to helping enterprises grow, in both the public and private sector.

Most recently, Bendis was named CEO of the new regional effort to foster commercialization of federal and university laboratory innovations and increase access to early-stage funding for biotechs. BioHealth Innovation of Rockville is a nonprofit private-public partnership that leverages the resources of several biotechs and research institutions, including the University System of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region.

Maryland-based BioHealth Innovation Inc. announced today that its board of directors has named former Interim CEO Richard Bendis the organization's first president and chief executive officer.

Bendis (pictured here) serves as a venture capital investment manager with NEST-TN LLC, a Nashville-based VC fund that the state has certified as a TNInvestco fund.

A Montgomery County Council committee recommended on Monday to contribute $250,000 this fiscal year to a public-private partnership — BioHealth Innovation — that is trying to boost the life sciences industry.

The county’s biosciences task force recommended forming the local nonprofit public-private partnership, among other suggestions, three years ago. Besides the $250,000 supplemental increase by the county in fiscal 2012, the partnership seeks $1.25 million from the county during the following three fiscal years.

The expenditure still needs the approval of the full council — which could come as soon as next week — after the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee lent its approval.

The arduous task of converting laboratory research into a promising startup biotechnology company has many laborers. And a fledgling group out of Montgomery County wants to add private-sector employers’ names to the list.

As the Business Journal’s Scott Dance reported last week, BioHealth Innovation Inc. wants to recruit private businesses to help biotech entrepreneurs take the science out of a university lab and into an office park. The tactic, the group’s leaders say, has worked elsewhere, and already, BioHealth Innovation has the backing of such venerable biotechs as Human Genome Sciences and MedImmune.

A Montgomery County nonprofit is planning to extend to Baltimore its mission of translating laboratory research into startup companies.

Where it differs from previous efforts is its plan to get its drive from the private sector, rather than from government or universities. Organizers of Rockville-based BioHealth Innovation Inc. want to help entrepreneurs root out business ideas in federal and university labs, help fund those ventures and build an accelerator in which they can grow in response to market demand.

A Montgomery County-based nonprofit is planning to extend to Baltimore its mission of translating laboratory research into startup companies.

Where it differs from previous efforts is that it plans to get its drive from the private sector, rather than from government or universities. Organizers of BioHealth Innovation Inc. have plans for entrepreneurs to root out business ideas in federal and university labs and build an accelerator in which they can grow in response to market demand.

Montgomery County, Human Genome Sciences Inc., MedImmune, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland and Adventist HealthCare are all putting up funding for a regional biotech partnership — the most concrete step yet in a long-deferred mission to connect the region’s life sciences sector to itself.

Officials have been quietly laying the groundwork for BioHealth Innovation Inc. (BHI) since 2009, although its goals are far older. The regional nonprofit is envisioned as a sort of intermediary between biotech, academia, government and investors — with the hopes of multiplying life sciences investment, commercializing more scientific discoveries, and linking scientific and business talent, among other goals.

Among the plans for BHI's first five years: increasing the region's bio investment to $150 million annually.

TaiRx, Inc and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today the formation of TaiRx US, a new joint venture.  The mission of the new company is to develop therapeutics and precision medicine diagnostics focused on the Nodal protein, a critical mediator of aggressive cancer progression and treatment resistance.

TaiRx, Inc and BHI have formed TaiRx US, which will be based in Rockville (Montgomery County), Maryland, to develop and commercialize a unique monoclonal antibody with the potential to reverse drug resistance in various tumor types. The company is also working to develop a companion diagnostic to accurately identify those patients who can best benefit from the therapy.

MedImmune Sr. Director, Partnering & Strategy filling role previously held by Emergent BioSolutions CEO, Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved the appointment of MedImmune Sr. Director, Partnering & Strategy, Jarrod Borkat as new Vice Chairman. MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, is a Founding Partner of BHI and continues to be a leader in building the BioHealth Capital Region. BHI would like to thank Emergent BioSolutions CEO, Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi, for his service as Vice Chairman. He will remain as a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Abdun-Nabi also previously served as chairman of the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board (LSAB) and currently serves on Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s Excel Board.

Company’s announcement latest in recent trend of significant investment in Montgomery County biohealth companies.

BeneVir Biopharm, Inc. (BeneVir), a privately-held Montgomery County biotech company, has entered into an agreement under which it will be acquired by Janssen Biotech, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company for up to $1.04 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Janssen will make an upfront cash payment of $140 million at closing of the transaction, plus additional contingent payments of up to $900 million based on achievement of certain predetermined milestones. BeneVir was a client of BioHealth Innovation (BHI) from 2013 until its Series A investment in 2014.

– Winner to be announced during 2018 BioHealth Capital Region Forum –

Five companies have been selected to present to a panel of investor judges and an audience of industry leaders during the 2018 BioHealth Capital Region Forum, April 23-24, at the MedImmune campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Founded by BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and MedImmune in 2016, the annual Crab Trap Competition highlights companies from throughout the region in varied stages of business development and industry sectors.  Open to applicants from Maryland, DC and Virginia, previous winners are Johns Hopkins University spinouts: LifeSprout (2017) developing the next-generation of synthetic soft tissue substitutes for aesthetic and reconstructive medicine, and Sonavex (2016), developer of a pipeline of novel ultrasound solutions to visualize and quantify critical clinical data for improved outcomes and reduced costs in new surgical applications.  The 3rd Annual Crab Trap Competition is sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. The grand prize includes $10,000, incubation space in either Montgomery County, MD or Prince William County, VA, and business mentoring.

Ashish K. Kulkami, PhD of Avantor, Anne S. Lindblad, PhD of The Emmes Corporation, and Kurt Newman, MD of Children’s National Health System, Join BHI’s Board

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved the appointments of three new board members, Ashish K. Kulkarni, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Avantor, Anne S. Lindblad, PhD, President and CEO, The Emmes Corporation, and Kurt Newman, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Children’s National Health System.

“I am honored to welcome our new members to the board,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “Ashish, Anne, and Kurt bring years of biohealth experience and fresh perspectives to our board.”

Ashish K. Kulkarni, Ph.D., has been Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Avantor since 2016. Dr. Kulkarni has extensive experience serving as Chief Technology Officer for other large global companies. Prior to joining Avantor, Dr. Kulkarni acted as Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Celanese Corporation, from 2012 to 2016, and Vice President of Research and Development for the Advanced Engineering Materials and Emulsions business units, from 2010 to 2012. Dr. Kulkarni also previously acted as Vice President of Global Engineering, Building Systems and Services division of United Technologies Corporation, from 2007 to 2010. In addition, Dr. Kulkarni served in various leadership roles with American Standard. He started his career with General Electric Company on their Technical Leadership Program (TLP).

GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, October 30, 2017 – Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc. (APT) a clinical-stage company founded to provide an effective therapeutic response to the global rise of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria, announced the opening of their state-of-the-art BSL2 labs and phage manufacturing facilities designed to FDA GMP ICH Q7A and ISO Class 5 standards. The 7,200-square foot facility is strategically located in Gaithersburg, Maryland – within 25 miles of FDA, BDRD, NMRC, Walter Reed Military Hospital, Johns Hopkins, and NIH. APT’s facilities are unique as they were designed from the ground up specifically for manufacturing patient specific therapeutic phage products. In 2016, APT entered into a collaborative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) and has negotiated worldwide exclusive rights to NMRC’s innovative system for phage/pathogen rapid matching (patents pending), as well as proprietary datasets, and PhageBank®.

Rockville, Maryland - October 2017—BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) was founded in 2012 to accelerate technology transfer and commercialization opportunities in Montgomery County, Maryland. Since that time, BHI has expanded its scope to include similar activity in the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC, and Virginia). This region—and Montgomer County in particular— is unique in terms of the government, academic and industry assets comprising its biohealth industry sector. Montgomery Coun- ty is home to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and local campuses of Johns Hopkins University and the University System of Maryland. The County has one of the largest clusters of biohealth companies in the United States.

Caption: Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett (center) flanked by Montgomery County Assistance Chief Administrative Officer Lily Qi, BHI President and CEO Rich Bendis, KIC Director General Dr. Myun Han, BHI Managing Director, Judy Costello and six entrepreneurs participating in KIC-BHI partnership.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, September 6, 2017 – BioHealth Innovation Inc., (BHI) President and CEO Richard Bendis has been named one of The Daily Record’s 2017 Innovators of the Year. Mr. Bendis is one of 26 individuals and companies who have created new products, services or programs that have had a positive effect on business, industry or the community.

“I am grateful to be chosen as an Innovator of the Year by The Daily Record,” said Mr. Bendis. “The Biohealth Innovation team, along with our partners throughout and beyond the BioHealth Capital Region, all deserve a piece of this honor.”

The 2017 Innovator of the Year awards will be presented Oct. 18th at a reception/dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. at the American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway in Baltimore. Winners will be profiled in a special magazine that will be inserted into the Oct. 19th issue of The Daily Record and available online at www.TheDailyRecord.com.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. Partner Company Developing Novel Non-Viral Gene Therapies for Treatment of Vascular Diseases.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, July 25, 2017 – Artgen, Inc. is pleased to expand its collaboration with the University of Maryland, Baltimore to advance its preclinical program for ART-101 under the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program. The proposal for "Novel targeted imaging applications for PAD" will be supported by a matching contribution from Artgen under the terms of the MIPS award guidelines.
"It has been a very positive experience to partner with Artgen, Inc. and University of Maryland, Baltimore. This initiative supports the overall mission of BHI to advance and foster innovation and company startups within the Maryland region." said Rich Bendis, BHI President & CEO. "Companies like Artgen are building the next generation of the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR), and we're looking forward to supporting their continued success."

MIPS promotes the development and commercialization of products and processes through industry/university research partnerships. MIPS provides matching funds to help Maryland companies pay for the university research. Projects are initiated by the companies to meet their own research and development goals.

About Artgen, Inc.
Incorporated in 2014, Artgen is developing novel non-viral gene therapies for treatment of vascular diseases. Their lead product candidate, ART-101 is a DNA plasmid designed to be delivered directly to the site of injured tissue with the first indication directed for peripheral artery disease (PAD). ART-101 expresses Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), one of the key regulators of angiogenesis. Artgen's platform technology has the potential for treatment of other vascular diseases. Artgen is currently licensing IP from the Human Stem Cell Institute https://eng.hsci.ru/home.

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary which supports the transformation of research projects into new business opportunities in partnership with the region's rich assets, institutions, and entrepreneurial community. BHI achieves this goal by being a catalytic partner in the economic development ecosystem. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

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Media contacts:
Rich Bendis
Phone: 301-637-6439, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, July 25, 2017 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), would like to thank outgoing Managing Director, Ethan Byler as he leaves the organization for the next stage of his career. Over the past five years, Ethan has been responsible for multiple programs supporting the success of BHI. Ethan's contributions and accomplishments include managing the EIR program with NIH, coordinating SBIR funding assistance to secure over $13M in non-dilutive funding for BHI startup partners, managing the Germantown and Rockville Innovation Centers, building out the Relevant Health accelerator and BHI LaunchLabs suite, achieving successful federal grants for initiatives at BHI, and supporting the growth of a number of biohealth startups in Montgomery County, Baltimore, and other locations across Maryland.

"BHI wouldn't be where we are today without the hard work and accomplishments of Ethan Byler," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "Ethan has been a consummate professional, leader, and friend to me and the entire BHI family. We wish him the very best as he and his family move to New Jersey for their next adventure."

In addition, BHI is pleased to announce the addition of Judy Costello as Managing Director, Economic Development at BHI. A longtime supporter of the region's entrepreneur and start-up communities, Judy joined the Maryland Department of Commerce as Deputy Director of the BioMaryland Center in 2011. More recently, she served as Director of the department's Office of BioHealth and Life Sciences. She was with the Business Alliance for fifteen years prior, organizing venture pitch forums, entrepreneur bootcamps, tech transfer showcases, educational seminars, and other programs connecting entrepreneurs, faculty innovators, students, and industry leaders in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.

Prior to joining the Business Alliance, Costello held positions in economic development, financial services marketing, and university public relations. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, and holds a MBA from Loyola University in Maryland.

"We are excited and very fortunate to have Judy join the BHI team," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "Her knowledge of our industry and region will complement the BHI mission."

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary which supports the transformation of research projects into new business opportunities in partnership with the region's rich assets, institutions, and entrepreneurial community. BHI achieves this goal by being a catalytic partner in the economic development ecosystem. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

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Media Contact:
Rich Bendis
Phone: 301-637-6439, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, July 12, 2017– BioHealth Innovation, Inc. would like to thank Amanda Wilson Hague as she moves on to her next adventure after spending five years with the organization. During her time with BHI, Amanda progressed to the role of Director, Finance & Human Resources. She joined the organization in June of 2012 after working for several years at Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI).

BHI is also proud to announce the addition of Lynne A. Brisbane as Director of Finance and Human Resources. Lynne A. Brisbane has more than 15 years of experience leading accounting and financial teams for both for-profit and nonprofit entities. Most recently she held the role as Director of Finance & Administration/CFO of The IJIS Institute, where her responsibilities included providing strategic leadership in all aspects of the nonprofit whose revenues include grants, contracts, and membership fees. Before her role as IJIS, Lynne held positions as Chief Deputy Treasurer for the Loudon County Government and as an Accountant with MedImmune.

"We are excited to have Lynne join the BHI team," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "Her expertise in both the nonprofit and for-profit worlds will make her a great addition to our team.”

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary which supports the transformation of research projects into new business opportunities. BHI is known for providing commercial assistance to scientists and founders, educating and infusing Maryland's life science community with new and young entrepreneurs and fueling startups within Central Maryland's bio-ecosystem by connecting young companies to funding and business resources. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

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Media Contact:
Rich Bendis
Phone: 301-637-6439, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Awards Recognize Achievements by Current Clients and Graduates of Maryland Incubators

Twenty-one of the State’s leading incubator companies have been selected as finalists for the 2017 Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards. The team from BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is proud to recognize that four of these companies are currenting operating out of either the BHI managed Rockville Innovation Center or the Germantown Innovation Center. Leverege, LLC., and Seraxis, Inc. are located at the Germantown Innovation Center.   ReveraGen BioPharma, Inc., and Speak Agent, Inc. reside at the Rockville Innovation Center.

“These four companies are a strong representation of the cross-section of growing technology enterprises in Montgomery County from Biotechnology to IoT and EdTech.” said Ethan Byler, BHI Managing Director.  Congratulations to all the finalists from both the Germantown Innovation Center and the Rockville Innovation Center. The recognition is a testament of their success.”

• Leverege, LLC. is a systems integrator and end-to-end solutions provider that offers a simulation-centric IoT platform that reduces time to market, lowers costs, and results in better IoT services for customers.
• ReveraGen BioPharma, Inc. is a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
• Seraxis Inc. is a privately-owned Biotechnology company working to provide a cure for the devastating disease of diabetes.
• Speak Agent, Inc. is an education company delivering game-based learning resources that can be customized to fit the exact academic vocabulary needs of learners.

From left to right: Ethan Byler (BHI), Mark Fitzgerald (Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati), Kevin Colbert (LifeSprout/Johns Hopkins), Rich Bendis (Moderator/BHI)

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, April 24, 2017 –Out of five startup companies selected to present in front of a panel of industry leaders at the 2017 BioHealth Capital Region Forum, LifeSprout was chosen to have the most commercial potential at the 2^nd Annual Crab Trap Competition.This year the event was moderated by BHI President & CEO, Rich Bendis. Judges included industry leaders from Verily Life Systems, Roche, Inova Strategic Investments, New Enterprise Associates, AstraZeneca, and Blu Venture Investors. LifeSprout impressed judges with a presentation by Kevin Colbert, Director of Operations, on their next-generation of synthetic soft tissue substitutes for aesthetic and reconstructive medicine. Their first-in-class bioresorbable, nanofiber-hydrogel composites are formulated to match the stiffness of native soft tissues without compromising their porosity.  LifeSprout is a Johns Hopkins University startup.

“This was an exceptionally strong group of participants, and LifeSprout along with the other finalists should be proud of their accomplishments.” said Richard Bendis, BHI President & CEO. “I would like to thank all the participants in addition to our judges and sponsors who helped make this competition possible.”

Founded by BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and MedImmune in 2016, the Crab Trap Competition focuses on companies in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, healthcare services, e-health, mobile health, electronic medical records, health informatics, and biohealth cyber security. The grand prize this year is $10,000, incubation space in either Prince William County, VA or Montgomery Country, MD, and business mentoring.

About the BioHealth Capital Region

The BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) consisting of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC is the prominent BioHealth cluster in the Mid-Atlantic. The BHCR encompasses more than 800 life sciences companies, over 70 federal labs and world-class academic and research institutions. According to Genetic Engineering News (May 2016), the BHCR is ranked 4th in Top Biopharma Clusters in the country. The BHCR brand represents collaboration among leading stakeholders with a collective goal to make the BHCR a top 3 biohealth cluster by 2023. http://www.biohealthcapital.com/

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Media contacts:
Richard Bendis
Phone: 301-637-6439, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland, has been awarded a renewal of its contract to extend and expand its entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR) program with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). BHI will place EIRs within the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the NIH Office of the Director and other NIH Institutes and Centers.

The EIR program was established with NIH in 2012 with BHI's support. The program is set-up to achieve the mission of NIH by applying knowledge gained through discoveries to solutions for patients with unmet clinical needs. EIRs who participate in this program have prior experience maneuvering through multi-disciplinary technical challenges and the business and regulatory environment to deploy new healthcare solutions.

Due to the program's initial success, the EIR program was expanded in 2015 to include NIH's associated offices and institutes. The new term extends for an 18-month period from February 2017 through August 2018, with an option to renew for an additional 18 months.

"Expanding and extending our partnership with the federal government's leading medical research agency is an honor that builds on our work together filling key EIR roles over the last few years," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "We've placed some of the most innovative and business-centered minds in biohealth and biotech and will continue to do so as we fill EIR roles that will drive cutting-edge approaches to commercializing medical devices and therapies."

BHI can retain the services of up to six EIRs as a part of this program with NIH. The EIRs will be assigned to the appropriate facilities, and their task will be to foster collaboration between NIH leadership and the biohealth industry, while providing the agency with industry insights into innovation and commercialization perspectives in research and development. They will also help to guide NIH scientists, academics and small business innovators on best practices.

More information can be found at http://www.biohealthinnovation.org/programs/entrepreneur-in-residence-program.

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland. BHI is known for providing commercial assistance to scientists and founders, educating and infusing Maryland's life science community with new and young entrepreneurs and fueling startups within Central Maryland's bio-ecosystem by connecting young companies to funding and business resources. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

In an effort to accelerate growth in the cybersecurity and health technology industries in Montgomery County, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) has partnered with The MITRE Corporation of McLean, Virginia—a not-for-profit corporation that operates federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), including the National Cybersecurity FFRDC.

BHI will serve as the primary manager for the Rockville Innovation Center (RIC), which is home of BHI's health tech startup accelerator, Relevant Health. MITRE will provide the resident RIC start-up companies technical mentorship and insight into the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing business and government today. This collaboration is an extension of a strategic initiative recently launched by MITRE to act as an innovation bridge between the private and public sectors.

The RIC will support start-ups and attract early-stage technology companies within these key technology sectors to graduate companies into commercial spaces in Montgomery County in a few short years.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), who is the agent for Montgomery County, has selected BHI to manage the Germantown Innovation Center (GIC) located within the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC). The Germantown Innovation Center was previously managed by the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development, which transitioned into the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) on July 1, 2016.

Additionally, BHI and PIC MC have signed an agreement to work collaboratively on business incubation and company recruitment at the PIC MC—a 20-acre integrated academic, business and research campus.

William Hearl of Immunomic and Lily Qi from the Montgomery County Office of the County Executive Join BHI’s Board

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, Aug. 2, 2016 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced that its Board of Directors has voted and approved the appointments of new board members William Hearl, Founder and CEO of Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. (ITI) and Founder of Capital Genomix, Inc. (CGI), and Lily Qi, M.B.A., Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for Economic and Workforce Development, Office of the County Executive for Montgomery County, Maryland.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome our new members to the board,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “Dr. Hearl’s pioneering spirit and business acumen make him a major player in the vast world of immunotherapies and biotechnology, and Ms. Qi’s active involvement with establishing BHI as well as her ability to bridge the gap across government, corporate and community audiences are assets that make her a great partner.”

Report Unveils Region's Position Among Other BioHealth/Tech Hotbeds Across the Country as Local Leaders Drive Towards Placement as Top Biotech Hub by 2023

The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore (EAGB) and BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) officially released the BioHealth Innovation Index for Central Maryland at the Second Annual Regional BioTech Forum, which took place April 18 and 19 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Index is a comprehensive analysis of the biohealth industry highlighting the region's strengths, along with those areas that present opportunity for economic growth.

The Index will serve as a guide for the continued development of Maryland's booming biohealth region, by pinpointing key opportunities for future growth to accelerate the region to the top three biotech hubs in the U.S. by 2023.

According to BHI CEO Rich Bendis, who also serves on the Governor of Maryland's Life Sciences Advisory Board, "This index both confirms the region's standing, while also shedding light on what it will take to raise our spot among the top three biotech/biohealth hotbeds in the country. Our region is attracting new and innovative companies at unprecedented speeds. This Index reflects such innovation occurring in Greater Baltimore and Central Maryland, and provides a platform on which to develop a strategic analysis relevant to other U.S. markets such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego and San Francisco."

EDA’s 2015 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program Recognizes BHI for Trademark Method in Commercializing Biotech and Health Tech

WASHINGTON, DC and ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, February 18, 2016 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a leader in commercializing market-relevant science and technology, has been awarded a grant of $495,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE) through the 2015 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the award earlier this month.
Judges in the RIS program evaluated more than 170 applications across two competitions: the i6 Challenge and the Seed Fund Support Grants competition. In total, $10 million was awarded to 25 of the applicant programs. Begun in 2010 as part of the Startup Ameriaca Initiative, the competition is now in its fifth year. This year’s i6 program applicants were evaluated for their ability to scale innovative science and technology through assembling sophisticated supportive structures in regional communities that a company or organization works. BHI’s entry was for the expansion of its Venture Commercialization Model (V-COMM).
“The expansion of V-COMM into the biohealth and biotechnology markets in Maryland is pivotal to the growth of our economy both nationally and regionally,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “We want to thank the EDA and the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship—particularly Julie Lenzer—for recognizing our innovative achievements to drive biohealth/tech development through this substantial grant.”
“This award to BioHealth Innovation is yet another indicator of the excellent work the organization is doing and of the vitality of the biohealth and biotech sectors in Montgomery County,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett. “Commercialization of technology is the linchpin that transforms ideas into businesses and benefits for the public. I congratulate BHI on this award and look forward to more great work from it.”

V-COMM is designed to drive technology development and develop entrepreneurial practices in the areas of medical technology, vaccines, and bioHealth cybersecurity within the biohealth industry of Maryland. V-COMM’s expansion from this grant will enable BHI to review a greater number of technologies, and help to spur the development of new companies, while raising capital, and creating jobs.
“We are thrilled to have BioHealth Innovation as a partner in actively growing our biohealth economy,” said Councilmember Nancy Floreen. “This new EDA grant represents the fabulous work BHI is doing on a regional basis.”

“This 2015 Regional Innovation Strategy cohort of grantees is truly an exciting group – the diversity in programs and regional representation proves that innovation and entrepreneurship are igniting all corners of the country,” Assistant Secretary Williams said. “From Puerto Rico to Pittsburgh, and Seattle to Blacksburg, these programs will reach all kinds of communities and help entrepreneurs gain the edge they need to succeed.”

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland. BHI is known for providing commercial assistance to scientists and founders, educating and infusing Maryland’s life science community with new and young entrepreneurs and fueling startups within Central Maryland’s bio-ecosystem by connecting young companies to funding and business resources. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.

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Media contact:
BioHealth Innovation, Maryland, USA
Rich Bendis, President & CEO, Phone: 301-637-6439, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

- Several BHI Board Members and Designees Among Those Appointed by Governor Hogan

- Chancellor Robert L. Caret Joins BHI Board of Directors as Representative for the University System of Maryland (USM)

Rich Bendis, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) President and CEO, was recently appointed to serve on Governor Larry Hogan's Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board (LSAB). Mr. Bendis is one of 16 individuals who represent Maryland's key federal, academic and industry organizations on the LSAB.

Several members of the BHI Board of Directors, including Dan Abdun-Nabi, President and CEO of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (who also serves as LSAB Chair); Doug Liu, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Operations at Qiagen Sciences Inc.; and Mike Gill, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce, were also among those newly appointed to the LSAB. BHI Board alternate designees Christy Wyskiel, Senior Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University, and Jarrod Borkat, MedImmune's Head of External Collaborations, Biotech Hubs and Government Contracting, are also new LSAB appointees.

Attracts Top Health Tech Startups from Around the Country and World

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, Oct. 27, 2015  – Relevant Health, a health technology startup accelerator in the Washington, DC metro area, welcomes its inaugural class.
The selected startups come to Relevant Health from its backyard of Bethesda and Rockville, as well as Washington, DC, Baltimore, New York City, and Latvia. This week, the cohort of startups embarks on a five-month program that involves an intensive product development focus, enabling them to improve their skills to define, develop, position and launch a viable health tech product.

"Relevant Health chose candidates who have a vision and business model for a product that promises significant positive impacts in the health sector,” stated Rich Bendis, BioHealth Innovation President and CEO. “A cohort of companies building wearable devices, consumer-facing health apps, and provider-facing healthcare platforms is a strong representation of the innovation occurring in the health marketplace."

Juan Carlos Lopez of Roche and Mike Gill, Secretary for Maryland's Department of Business and Economic Development, Join BHI Board

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today that its Board of Directors has unanimously voted and approved the appointments of Board Member Juan Carlos Lopez, Ph.D., Head of the Academic Relations and Collaborations (ARC) Group at Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), and Ex-Officio Board Member Mike Gill, Secretary, Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), State of Maryland.

"We are pleased to have two powerhouse individuals join our dynamic board," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "We also want to thank Roche's Dr. Judith Dunn for her commitment and service to our board during her tenure, which has now ended. We are grateful for her leadership and contributions during her time with us."

Dr. Lopez leads the Roche pRED's team in conducting outreach to academic and non-profit biomedical research and healthcare organizations for purposes of enhancing and complementing their internal R&D efforts. He began his career with the Nature Publishing Group in 2000, coming on board as an Associate Editor to launch Nature Reviews Neuroscience. In less than a year, he advanced to Chief Editor and led the publication to become the top monthly reviews journal in the neuroscience field, a position it retains to this day. In 2004, he was named Chief Editor at Nature Medicine, which is ranked by the Institute of Scientific Investigation as the world's top journal in experimental and research medicine.

Financial Award from SBA's Accelerator Competition Supports Relevant Health's Mission to Bring the Best Health Tech Products and Services to Market

ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BioHealth Innovation's Relevant Health, a recently launched health technology startup accelerator focused on bringing products to market, participated in the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Second Annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. Relevant Health was among 80 winners from a pool of 400 applicants from across the country, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia and territories. Relevant Health was the only accelerator in Maryland to be recognized with this honor.

The total prize amount for all of the winning accelerators was $4.4 million, and the announcement came yesterday at 4:00 p.m. EDT when President Barack Obama formally named the winners during an event at the White House. The President discussed the future of innovation and entrepreneurship as demonstrated by individuals and businesses within the United States who participated in the White House Demo Day. SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet played a similar role in ceremonies in Los Angeles as part of the same program.

Each of the winning accelerators will be given $50,000 to aid in continuing to invest in the innovative startups and entrepreneurs who participate in the programs. In exchange for the recognition and funding that was awarded to them, the accelerators will be required to provide quarterly reports documenting metrics around the use of these funds, including job creation, additional funding generated, outside sponsorships and the status of startup launches.

−Drs. Steve Wolpe and Ethel Rubin Named EIRs for National Institutes of Health; Dr. Albine Martin to Serve as EIR Working with Johns Hopkins University and Maryland-Based Health-Technology Companies

−BHI Continues Search for Neurology and Neuroscience Experts to Fill Roles of EIRS for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

ROCKVILLE AND BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, June 8, 2015 – BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) announced today the hiring of three new entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs): two for the NIH and one to work with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Maryland-based health-technology companies. Additionally, BHI is actively recruiting neuroscience and neurology experts for EIR positions within the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is providing grantees of the National Institute of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) with mentoring and training designed to develop and hone their presentation skills as a step toward securing investment dollars and strategic partners. The NIH has awarded BHI a contract to conduct a multi-year effort for NINDS grantees that will boost their business acumen, strengthen their communications skills, and introduce them to additional sources of funding designed to help bring new healthcare products to market.

"Frequently, NINDS grantees are forced to balance their focus between advancing their research and technology objectives into healthcare products and the necessity of procuring funding and building partnerships to drive those advancements. They are truly distinct activities, but progress needs to be made on both fronts to mature projects for commercialization," said Richard Bendis, BHI President & CEO. "By coaching grantees on the best methods to develop and deliver impactful industry presentations and introducing them to investors and strategic partners, we help strengthen the grantees' business perspective and expand their networks."

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, April 7, 2015 – To capitalize on the region's significant human capital and resources driving health innovation, BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) and ProductSavvy, in partnership with Montgomery County Department of Economic Development (DED), are launching a health technology accelerator program named, "Relevant Health." The accelerator will consist of a five-month intensive program focused on preparing eight early-stage health-related businesses for pilot product testing and financing. The program is scheduled to launch in September 2015 and will be located in the Rockville Innovation Center, part of the Montgomery County incubator network.

BHI is a public-private partnership that's been building programs to foster commercialization of health and life sciences assets in the Central Maryland region over the last three years.
"It's fitting that we are fueling the launch of the first dedicated health-technology accelerator aimed at 'moving minds to market' in Montgomery County with the product-acceleration company, ProductSavvy, and our strategic partner, Montgomery County DED," said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. "Montgomery County is a hotbed of brilliant scientific minds driving new innovation. Our mission is to focus these minds toward new commercial-oriented goals. This new accelerator will allow us to foster leadership teams in these companies, enabling them to interact with the rich health resources and talent located in Central Maryland."

AstraZeneca and MedImmune, in Partnership with BioHealth Innovation, Inc. and Tech Council of Maryland, Convene Life Sciences Leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. to Support Growth of Regional Biotech Ecosystem

Gaithersburg, Md., March 30, 2015 – Today and tomorrow, more than 400 leaders from life sciences companies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, investment funds and government entities across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. will convene for the first Maryland Regional Biotech Forum. This event, hosted by AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, in partnership with BioHealth Innovation (BHI), Inc. and the Tech Council of Maryland, will be held at MedImmune’s corporate headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It was launched as part of a collective effort to grow the region’s biotech ecosystem and chart a course toward becoming one of the top three biotech hubs in the nation by 2023.

The Maryland Regional Biotech Forum agenda boasts an impressive lineup of more than 100 speakers and panelists, including Gerd Binnig, a Nobel Prize laureate in physics and Founder and CTO of Definiens; Rachel King, Chair of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of GlycoMimetics; more than 25 regional CEOs, including Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca; five university presidents from across the region; and leaders from federal institutions.

In addition, the region’s first Leaders of Tomorrow Summit will be held in parallel with day two of the Maryland Regional Biotech Forum, also at MedImmune’s headquarters. This event is the Mid-Atlantic region's first student- and postdoc-led, cross-functional and inter-generational leadership summit, and is designed to engage and influence the next generation of biotech leaders and ignite innovation in the future bioeconomy.