BALTIMORE, MD (January 24, 2025) – Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointment of Harry Coker, Jr. as secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce. Coker will assume the post as acting secretary on Feb. 5 and his appointment is pending confirmation by the Maryland State Senate during the 2025 Legislative Session. Coker will succeed Secretary Kevin Anderson, who will transition to a new role as senior advisor to the governor for economic development.

"At the heart of our economic growth agenda is a commitment to investing in industries of the future—from cyber to quantum. Harry Coker understands that mission and brings a wealth of experience working on the leading edge of the very sectors Maryland stands to win," said Gov. Moore. "Our entire administration is grateful for Kevin Anderson’s distinguished service and we look forward to this new chapter at the Maryland Department of Commerce under Harry Coker's leadership."

The 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, held from January 13–16, 2025, in San Francisco, once again brought together industry leaders, investors, and innovators from around the globe. As the largest healthcare investment symposium, the event offered a platform to discuss breakthroughs in cancer, pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, artificial intelligence (AI) in drug development, and strategies for mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Several of BioHealth Innovation’s (BHI) Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) attended, sharing insights and observations from this pivotal event.

Emergent BioSolutions (Gaithersburg, US) has purchased US and Canadian rights to Kloxxado, adding to its opioid overdose treatment portfolio, which includes Narcan. The growing US opioid epidemic (including synthetic fentanyl) and its treatments will provide future growth drivers for Emergent, said Joe Papa, president and CEO of Emergent, at this year’s J.P. Morgan 43rd Annual Healthcare Conference on 15 January.

Papa presented the company’s “turnaround plan” for 2025 at J.P. Morgan. “We are focused on first stabilising the company, then turning it around and ultimately transforming the company,” Papa told the conference. “It’s a multiyear process.”

BALTIMORE, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeSprout, a privately held regenerative medicine company founded with technology licensed from Johns Hopkins University, today announced it has filed for CE Mark registration for Lumina.

Lumina is the first product from LifeSprout's proprietary Regenerative Matrix platform. The technology comprises biomimetic, biocompatible, biodegradable materials engineered to look and feel like native soft tissue.

"The CE-mark submission marks a significant milestone for LifeSprout and brings Lumina an important step closer to benefiting patients," stated Sashank Reddy, MD, PhD, co-founder of LifeSprout and Associate Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins.

COLUMBIA, Md., (January 24, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent $250,000 Builder Fund investment in Nostopharma, a musculoskeletal therapeutic platform company focused on treating complications of trauma, orthopedic surgery and rare diseases musculoskeletal sequalae. TEDCO’s Builder Fund operates under the umbrella of Social Impact Funds and not only provides companies with investment funds but also offers various resources, including executive support, mentorship and assorted networking opportunities.

Eight student teams on a mission to make a positive impact on society presented their startup ideas to a panel of expert judges during the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize “Bark Tank” Pitch Competition on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, taking home $150,000 in prizes. 

Inspired by the pitches, Ted Leonsis (C’77, P’14, ’15), founder, chairman, principal, and chief executive officer of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and his family increased the competition’s prize pool to $150,000 – furthering the financial impact and growth opportunity for each of the finalists who took the stage. This year’s prize builds on the $5 million gift the Leonsis family provided last year, which ensures the Bark Tank Pitch Competition exists in perpetuity.

ROCKVILLE, Md. and SUZHOU, China, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascentage Pharma (Nasdaq: AAPG) (HKEX: 6855) announced today the pricing of its U.S. initial public offering of 7,325,000 American depositary shares (“ADSs”), at a public offering price of $17.25 per ADS, before underwriting discounts and commissions. Each ADS represents four ordinary shares of Ascentage Pharma. The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses payable by Ascentage Pharma, are expected to be approximately $126.4 million. In addition, Ascentage Pharma has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,098,750 ADSs at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The ADSs are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on January 24, 2025, under the ticker “AAPGV” on a “when-issued” basis, and on January 27, 2025, under the ticker symbol “AAPG” for “regular-way” trading. The offering is expected to close on January 28, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

BALTIMORE, MD, UNITED STATES, January 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Linshom Medical announced today U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 510(k), clearance of the company’s two-piece, wearable respiratory sensor.

This clearance brings Linshom Medical closer to commercial launch of a product that has proven to provide clinicians 12 minutes advance notice of respiratory decline in an NIH funded clinical study at Ohio State University.

CES2025 once again brought the world’s brightest minds and groundbreaking innovations to Las Vegas. With over 4,500 exhibitors and more than 141,000 attendees, the event showcased technologies poised to shape industries across the globe. Among these, the health and wellness sector, centered at the Venetian Expo Center, stood out as a beacon of innovation. John Reinhart, Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) at BioHealth Innovation (BHI), attended alongside colleagues from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to explore the transformative field of AgeTech.

AgeTech—focused on enhancing the quality of life for an aging population—has rapidly emerged as a critical area of innovation. With 1 in 4 people currently over the age of 50, and that number projected to rise to 1 in 3 by 2050, the need for solutions that address aging-related challenges is urgent and global. Reinhart’s insights from CES2025 underscored the immense potential of this growing field.

The AgeTech Collaborative from AARP led the way in promoting innovation at CES2025. With its pavilion now in its third year, AARP highlighted the collaborative ecosystem it has built to foster solutions for the 50+ demographic. Boasting 111 investor organizations, 105 business services partners, 68 testbed collaborators, and 177 startups, the growth of the Collaborative has been remarkable. Its programming featured a pitch competition and networking reception, providing a platform for startups to connect and showcase their solutions.

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Dr. Kolaleh Eskandanian, Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Children’s National Hospital, discusses her work driving pediatric healthcare innovation. Dr. Eskandanian introduces the BARDA SPARK Accelerator, a groundbreaking initiative focused on advancing medical countermeasures for children, and explains how it aligns with Children’s National’s mission to lead in pediatric healthcare innovation.

She also highlights the unique challenges in developing pediatric medical countermeasures and the importance of partnerships with organizations like Rainbow Babies, Mass General, and others. Additionally, Dr. Eskandanian shares insights into the hospital’s role in fostering innovation through the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI) and the Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus.

Join us for an engaging conversation about the future of pediatric healthcare, the opportunities for innovation, and how the SPARK Accelerator is paving the way for advancements that will improve the lives of children worldwide.

Listen now via your favorite podcast platforms:
Apple: https://apple.co/4gcz9L3
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PHRYuP
Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/4h7PzWI
YouTube Music: https://bit.ly/4hp4WK0
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/42oIoVk

Maryland-based medical device company receives investment from Pre-Seed Builder Fund.

COLUMBIA, Md., (January 20, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a $200,000 Pre-Seed Builder Fund investment in NanoBioFAB. The Pre-Seed Builder Fund invests in and provides executive support to Maryland-based technology companies run by entrepreneurs who demonstrate economic disadvantage.

“We are thankful that TEDCO has been with us throughout our journey,” said Xiaonao Liu, Ph.D., CEO of NanoBioFAB. “The programs, resources and guidance offered through TEDCO have made an enormous impact on our journey towards success. I urge any entrepreneur in Maryland to reach out to TEDCO and learn more about how they can help your business grow.”

AIN becomes the second selected VCLP to support the next generation of technology innovation

COLUMBIA, Md., (January 15, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announces the selection of AIN Ventures as one of the early-stage venture capital fund managers supporting the management and investment of up to $10 million in U.S. Department of Treasury State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) funding.

“As a mission-driven organization, we are excited to work with early-stage entrepreneurs and TEDCO to strengthen Maryland’s innovation ecosystem and support the successful deployment of valuable SSBCI funding,” said Sherman Williams, co-founder and managing partner of AIN Ventures.

By Bethanie Glover, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. January 15, 2025 - The commonwealth’s biotechnology and innovation footprint is expanding, thanks to an award from the state’s GO Virginia economic development program and a close partnership between the University of Virginia and CvilleBioHub.

The award will add a vital business component to the state’s existing biotech ecosystem to bolster the success of high-potential, early-stage life sciences companies.

GO Virginia approved a $14.3 million funding package to three Virginia biotech accelerator organizations in response to a multiregional proposal called “Project VITAL: Virginia Innovations and Technology Advancements in Life Sciences.”

COLLEGE PARK, Md., January 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, today announced a landmark partnership with the University of Maryland and the State of Maryland with the aim to establish Maryland as the "silicon valley" of the quantum computing industry. The proposed initiative will aim to fuel the growing quantum economy of the U.S. capitol region, provide access to IonQ’s cutting-edge quantum technology, and dramatically strengthen Maryland’s workforce with new quantum-focused jobs.

As part of today’s announcement of the "Capital of Quantum" initiative’s goal of catalyzing more than $1 billion in investments towards Maryland becoming the "Capital of Quantum," IonQ intends to anchor a state-of-the-art quantum intelligence campus based at the University of Maryland at College Park.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) and Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd. (Nippon Shinyaku) today announced a strategic partnership for the development and commercialization of RGX-121 for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II), also known as Hunter syndrome, and RGX-111 for Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), also known as Hurler syndrome.

Under the terms of the agreement, REGENXBIO will receive $110 million at closing and up to an additional $700 million if certain milestones are achieved, consisting of $40 million in potential development and regulatory milestones and $660 million in potential sales milestones. REGENXBIO will also receive meaningful double-digit royalties on net sales in the U.S. and Asia (collectively, the "Licensed Territory").

GO Virginia, University of Virginia, Manning Family Foundation, and local Economic Development support the three-year project driving life sciences entrepreneurship.

Charlottesville, VA (January 14, 2025) --- The biotechnology and innovation landscape in Virginia is set for significant growth, thanks to a recent award from the state’s GO Virginia economic development program and a strategic partnership between CvilleBioHub and the University of Virginia (UVA).This award will inject a crucial business component into Virginia’s existing biotech ecosystem, bolstering the success of high-potential, early-stage life sciences companies. GO Virginia has allocated a $14.3 million funding package to three biotech organizations across Virginia as part of the multiregional initiative “Project VITAL: Virginia Innovations and Technology Advancements in Life Sciences.”

January 14, 2025 - Vicky Hatch - Osteosarcoma is a type of aggressive bone cancer that most commonly affects children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20, during times of rapid bone growth. Although rare, it has a significant impact on young people and their families as treatment can require surgery or amputation. The cancer also has the potential to spread to other organs, most commonly the lungs. Because osteosarcoma is so genomically complex, it has been challenging to identify what genetic mutations drive the disease. As a result, there has been little advancement in treatment options over the past 40 years. 

New research, published in the journal Cell, solves the mystery of what drives the genomic rearrangements causing the aggressive development and evolution of osteosarcoma tumours. By analysing the largest collection of whole-genome data from osteosarcoma patients, the researchers identified a new mutation mechanism, called loss-translocation-amplification (LTA) chromothripsis, which is present in approximately 50% of high-grade osteosarcoma cases. 

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to obtain exclusive commercial rights in the U.S. and Canada to Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ KLOXXADO^® (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray, an 8 mg naloxone agent that is approved for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression.¹ This six-year agreement complements and strengthens Emergent’s mission to protect, enhance, and save lives by helping to reduce opioid overdose deaths —providing compelling product options, combined with a commitment to increasing naloxone access, awareness, and education.

Like his fellow Type 1 diabetics, Alec Smith took insulin every day to regulate his blood sugar. Costs to treat his condition topped $1,000 per month, most of that going to insulin, and Alec made the difficult decision to ration his insulin to save money after aging off his mother’s health insurance plan.

Rationing insulin is a delicate process for diabetics. The body’s insulin needs can fluctuate significantly due to changes in diet, exercise, stress, poor sleep, or other medications, and diabetics must constantly monitor their glucose levels even when taking insulin as directed. When a person’s blood sugar gets too high, the body goes into diabetic ketoacidosis, which releases dangerous amounts of acid into the bloodstream and, if left untreated, can result in death — as it unfortunately did for Alec Smith in 2017. His mother, Nicole Smith-Holt, told CBS News, “I think if the price of insulin in 2017 had been $35, Alec would still be alive today.”

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. and ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced updates to the ABBV-RGX-314 clinical program.

ABBV-RGX-314 in Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD), Subretinal Delivery
Data from the ATMOSPHERE^® and ASCENT^™ pivotal trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of the subretinal delivery of ABBV-RGX-314 in patients with wet AMD are expected in 2026.

ABBV-RGX-314 in Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), Suprachoroidal Delivery
AbbVie and REGENXBIO will plan a Phase 3 clinical program. The clinical program will utilize the in-office SCS Microinjector^® to deliver gene therapy to the suprachoroidal space of the eye.

Read more ...

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced today that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, executed a contract modification for the second option period, valued at approximately $16.7 million, for drug product process and analytical testing validation and long-term stability for Ebanga™ (ansuvimab-zykl). Ebanga™ is indicated for the treatment of infection caused by Zaire Ebola virus.

“

*NOTE: Solution Summary due: February 14, 2025
The Big Question  

What if we could end the rare disease diagnostic odyssey?

The Problem  

Collectively, rare diseases are far from rare — more than 10,000 unique conditions affect over 350 million people worldwide, including one in ten Americans. The lengthy diagnostic “odyssey” endured by patients with a rare disease lasts six years on average but can extend for decades. Diagnostic delays stem from multiple factors, including overlapping symptoms, low disease incidence, and limited specialist expertise. It's estimated that half of all individuals with a rare disease remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, leading to inappropriate care, irreversible disease progression, and rising medical costs.  

Read more ...

COLLEGE PARK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The following is a statement from Peter Chapman, Chairman and CEO of IonQ (NYSE: IONQ):

Today’s classical computing hardware is limited by computational capacity and power requirements in ways that will likely prohibit society from ever being able to solve some of its most pressing problems.

IonQ’s current #AQ 36 Forte Enterprise systems are already providing insight to solutions for customers today, and our upcoming #AQ 64 Tempo systems in 2025 and next-generation #AQ 256 systems will enable us to tackle increasingly complex problems to deliver near-term business value. One of the areas facing the most significant potential disruption is strong AI, where we believe natively quantum AI will outperform classical AI.

BELTSVILLE, Md., Jan. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class, and best-in-class therapies to treat cancer, today announced the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1 study of LNCB74, a B7-H4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) as a therapeutic for treating multiple cancers.

FREDERICK, Md., Jan. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Veralox Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new class of therapies targeting the 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) pathway, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Nudge Therapeutics to acquire the company and their preclinical cyclic AMP-GMP (cGAS) inhibitor compounds.  The agreement allows Veralox to continue development of Nudge's compounds and trigger acquisition of the company upon achievement of downstream milestones. Financial terms were not disclosed.

GERMANTOWN, Md., & VENLO, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced the U.S. regulatory clearance of the first in a series of QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel tests for clinical use.

Montgomery County, MD — The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) announced that Bill Tompkins will step down as President & CEO when his term ends in August 2025. Tompkins has served in this role since August 15, 2022.

“This marks a significant moment for MCEDC,” stated Elana Fine, Chair of the Board of Directors. “We extend our gratitude to Bill for his outstanding leadership over the past six years, as both the Chief Operating Officer and as President & CEO. His dedication has laid a strong foundation for future growth while fostering inclusion, driving collaboration, and ensuring stability during challenging times.”

In an unprecedented new study in the journal Cell Reports, researchers have shown neurotransmitters in the human brain are released during the processing of the emotional content of language, providing new insights into how people interpret the significance of words.

The work, conducted by an international team led by Virginia Tech scientists, offers deeper understanding into how language influences human choices and mental health.

Spearheaded by computational neuroscientist Read Montague, professor of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and director of the institute’s Center for Human Neuroscience Research, the study represents a first-of-its-kind exploration of how neurotransmitters process the emotional content of language — a uniquely human function.

The Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region has quickly become one of the nation’s top destinations for startups and tech innovation. With over 270,000 tech jobs and $5 billion in venture capital raised in 2023, the DMV stands out as a vibrant and rapidly growing ecosystem.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Christon Hill, Program Manager at Georgetown Tech Ventures (GTV) and the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) at Georgetown University, highlights the factors driving this growth. He points to the region’s proximity to federal agencies, cutting-edge research institutions, and a culture of collaboration as key ingredients for success.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) today announced the exercise of contract option and modification valued at approximately $20 million to supply BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The first delivery, which was valued at approximately $7 million began in December 2024, and remaining deliveries are expected in 2025.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Essex Management, an Emmes Group company and a leader in biomedical informatics and health information technology, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Loose as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. David succeeds Kevin Hurley, who has served as CEO since February 2019 and will transition to the role of Executive Advisor.

David Loose joined Essex Management as a partner in February 2009 and has played a pivotal role in the company's growth. Starting as Vice President for Business Operations and Development, he later served as Chief Business Officer, overseeing critical operations, driving client-focused innovation, and delivering strategic initiatives such as NCI's Clinical Trials Reporting Program (CTRP). His leadership and dedication to Essex's mission have been instrumental in building its reputation as a trusted partner in the biomedical and health technology sectors.

"David's leadership and dedication to Essex's mission make him the ideal choice to guide the company forward," said Sastry Chilukuri, CEO of Emmes Group. "His focus on innovation and client success will ensure Essex continues to deliver transformative solutions in biomedical informatics and health IT."

COLLEGE PARK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing and networking industry, today announced the completion of its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Qubitekk, Inc., a prominent quantum networking company. The acquisition brings Qubitekk’s esteemed team, advanced technology, and extensive patent portfolio into IonQ’s operations, solidifying IonQ’s position at the forefront of quantum networking and computing.

Quantum networks are poised to become important infrastructure, with the potential to drive transformative applications in sectors such as defense, finance, and energy. These networks facilitate highly secure communication between multiple quantum nodes using entangled qubits. The technology also enables precise timing synchronization, a transport layer for quantum sensing, and a backbone for distributed quantum computing. With the development and 2022 launch of the EPB Quantum Network in Chattanooga, Tennessee—the first commercially available quantum network in the U.S.—Qubitekk has established itself as a leader in quantum networking.

ROCKVILLE, MD, Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- I-Mab (NASDAQ: IMAB) (the "Company"), a U.S.-based, global biotech company, focused on the development of precision immuno-oncology agents for the treatment of cancer, today highlighted its strategic outlook for 2025 and a re-prioritization of resources, with a focus on advancing its lead program, givastomig, a CLDN18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody, targeting first-line metastatic gastric cancers, with further potential in other solid tumors.