Can you envision a world where precision medicine transforms healthcare as we know it? Tune in to this exciting episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, featuring Dr. Amrie Grammer, Co-Founder of AMPEL BioSolutions. In this enlightening discussion, Dr. Grammer unveils the secrets behind AMPEL's remarkable success in precision medicine, making this episode a must-listen. Learn about the groundbreaking genomic tests developed by AMPEL, providing decision support for autoimmune diseases, and delve into the role of artificial intelligence in predicting potential treatments.

Explore the immense potential for a revolution in healthcare as Dr. Grammer shares insights on understanding the human genome and AMPEL's cutting-edge work in harnessing Big Data and Machine Learning for personalized precision medicine. Don't miss this great episode and gain valuable insights into the future of data-driven health.

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RICHMOND, VA – May 18, 2023 – The Virginia Catalyst, also known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), today announced that it has awarded $2 million in grants to four life and bioscience projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia, pending execution of the grant agreements. These grants, which will be met with significant matching funds from partner companies, were awarded through Grant Round 14 of Virginia Catalyst’s ongoing mission to stimulate economic development by promoting collaborative projects that address large, unmet needs for improving human health, and that can create high-paying jobs in the Commonwealth.

PQE Group receives certification in the U.S. as a work environment where “you trust the people you work for, take pride in what you do, and have fun with the people you work with.”

May 18, 2023, Washington DC — PQE Group US is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for the second year in a row. This esteemed recognition is solely based on the feedback of our present employees regarding their work experience at PQE Group. This year, a remarkable 91% of our employees expressed their satisfaction with their workplace, which is 34 points higher than the average U.S. Company.
Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation. "Great Place to Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasizes that Certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that PQE Group stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

Baltimore, Maryland--(Newsfile Corp. - May 17, 2023) - Flavocure Biotech, Inc. ("Flavocure"), today announced that it has received clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase I, first-in-human clinical study of Caflanone (FBL-03G) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for about 2% of all cancers and is associated with 5% of cancer‐related deaths. Caflanone treatment is combined with radiotherapy (RT) for enhanced efficacy against cancer cells.

"We are thrilled to obtain clearance to advance Caflanone (FBL-03G) into clinical trials and are excited about the prospects of what this new class of therapeutic agent may mean for cancer patients," said Dr. David G. Brooks, MD, Ph.D., Interim Chief Medical Officer of Flavocure Biotech, Inc. "This is an important milestone for our company, representing our first program to receive FDA clearance to proceed into a clinical trial. This new approach combining radiotherapy with our lead drug candidate, caflanone, leverages our groundbreaking science and has broad potential applicability in many therapeutic areas," said Dr. Ngeh J. Toyang, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and co-Founder of Flavocure Biotech, Inc.

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced that preclinical research in Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA), also known as Morquio syndrome, was selected for inclusion in the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Bespoke Gene Therapy Consortium (AMP® BGTC), clinical trial portfolio. The Consortium brings together partners such as NIH and FDA, as well as partners from private and non-profit sectors.

Sponsored by Nemours Children's Hospital, MPS IVA is one of eight programs selected as part of AMP® BGTC's first clinical portfolio to help accelerate the development of bespoke gene therapies, with the goal of streamlining the regulatory approval process. MPS IVA is a metabolic condition that primarily affects the skeleton, and is estimated to impact 1 in 200,000 to 300,000 individuals.

Today (May 15, 2023), President Biden announced his intent to nominate Dr. Monica Bertagnolli as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s preeminent biomedical research organization. Dr. Bertagnolli is a world-renowned surgical oncologist, cancer researcher, educator, and physician-leader who has the vision and leadership needed to deliver on NIH’s mission to seek fundamental knowledge and promote human health.  

Statement from President Biden: “Dr. Bertagnolli has spent her career pioneering scientific discovery and pushing the boundaries of what is possible to improve cancer prevention and treatment for patients, and ensuring that patients in every community have access to quality care.

As Director of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Bertagnolli has advanced my Cancer Moonshot to end cancer as we know it. She has brought together partners and resources from different sectors to launch groundbreaking efforts in cancer prevention and early detection, a national navigation program for childhood cancers, and additional programs to bring clinical trials to more Americans.

Dr. Bertagnolli is a world-class physician-scientist whose vision and leadership will ensure NIH continues to be an engine of innovation to improve the health of the American people.”

Reimbursement is key to the success of innovators who have products, therapies, and new modes of service for expectant and new mothers. Not only is it key to have the codes and contracts that are critical to billing, the payors themselves (both commercial and Medicaid) open the door to meeting the moms and babies for whom the products are intended.

Anna Zornosa (seated on the right), EIR with both BHI and the NIH, moderated a panel featuring three OB GYNS who represent key sectors of the reimbursement ecosystem: Dr. John Keats (first on the left), a maternal health expert with Cigna, represented the commercial insurer viewpoint; Dr. Barbara Levy, vice-chair of the  AMA’s CPT panel, represented the view of how codes are established; and Dr. Miguel Fernandez (third from the left), spoke of his experience with Medicaid programs as Chief Medical Officer of Aetna Better Health of Florida. The three concurred that innovators need to lead with data showing the impact of their innovations on patients’ outcomes as the basis of initial conversations. The lively panel brought to life examples of successful innovator-reimbursement partnerships and responded to dozens of audience questions.

Ethel Rubin, Ph.D., an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), recently participated in a “CEO Roundtable” for JLABS @ NYC. The discussion revolved around various financing strategies for biotech companies. In addition to Dr. Rubin, the roundtable also featured Sally Allain, MBA, M.S., Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, and Board Member of BHI. Her participation added further depth to the discussion, bringing in her unique insights and experiences in the biotech sector.

The roundtable brought together CEOs from the biotech sector to discuss various topics. These included the different types of investors in the biotech space and strategies for identifying and engaging with them. The participants also delved into the concept of an investment thesis, a guiding principle that dictates the kind of opportunities investors seek.

Renée JG Arnold, PharmD, RPh, who serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at BHI NHLBI EIR, recently moderated and participated in a panel discussion at the 28th Annual International meeting of ISPOR, which was held on May 8, 2023 in Boston. The panel, titled “Blazing the Trail for Digital Health Innovation: Resources and an Example Based on a Digital Health Application for Dementia Family Caregivers,” was attended by 75 delegates and focused on various aspects of digital health application development. Topics included the challenges and opportunities associated with the development of digital health applications, available NIH grants and product development resources, real-world experience in developing digital health solutions, and emerging regulations in the US for digital health.

After the panel discussion, Arnold and the other panelists continued the conversation with 15 attendees in a separate venue, where they further explored various aspects of digital health applications. Other panelists included Kathleen Rousche, PhD, Director of the Innovation & Commercialization Office at NHLBI; Eric Jutkowitz, PhD, an Associate Professor at Brown University; and Anindita (Annie) Saha, the Assistant Director of the Digital Health Center of Excellence at the US Food and Drug Administration.

Women In Bio is proud to announce that Gina Ford has joined our team as Executive Director. Gina brings a wealth of experience, having worked in the life science and non-profit industries for years. She is a champion of women in the sciences, and we are thrilled to have her guide WIB into the future. 

As WIB nears the conclusion of its latest 3-year Strategic Plan and looks ahead to the future, we are thrilled to have Gina at the helm. Her leadership will continue to drive positive changes that will elevate our operational excellence, enrich our existing programming, and reinforce WIB's position as a premier organization for women impacting the life sciences and beyond.

Join AURP in Boston for a Deep Dive into Building Communities of Biotech Innovation!

https://www.aurp.net/bio-health-caucus

 
Join us for an enlightening episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis as we explore the pivotal role of patient registries in rare disease research and treatment. Our guest, Harsha Rajasimha, MS, Ph.D., CEO of Jeeva Informatics Solutions and Founder and Executive Chairman of IndoUSrare, shares his extensive experience in clinical genomics data science and precision medicine.

In this episode, Dr. Rajasimha introduces Jeeva Informatics Solutions and IndoUSrare, his non-profit organization. He discusses the importance of patient registries in accelerating rare disease research, the current obstacles in the field, and the potential solutions.

We discuss the role of governments in rare disease research and treatment and the potential for collaboration with non-profits in clinical trials. Finally, Dr. Rajasimha shares the goals of the upcoming Indo-US Rare Summit at the GMU Campus in Arlington, VA.

Tune in for valuable insights from a leader in rare disease research and patient advocacy.

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Scheduled for October 29-30, 2023, at the George Mason University Campus in Arlington, VA, the Indo US Bridging RARE Summit 2023 aims to unite the global rare disease community and raise awareness about these conditions. While rare diseases are increasingly understood in the United States and Europe, there remains a lack of awareness in other parts of the world, including India. By addressing this gap, the summit aims to make a positive impact on the lives of 1.5 billion people in India and the global population of 8 billion.

Bringing together leaders representing diverse stakeholders in rare diseases, the summit serves as a platform for knowledge-sharing, exchanging experiences, and fostering collaborations to address the challenges faced by rare disease patients and their families. The event covers crucial themes such as cross-border patient engagement, care pathways encompassing screening, diagnosis, and treatment options, digitization of rare diseases including registries and emerging markets, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the globalization of orphan drugs, orphan drug clinical trials, and regulatory pathways.

IndoUSrare, the organizing body behind the summit, is committed to connecting rare disease patients worldwide and prioritizing education, research, and engagement to enhance their quality of life.

For sponsorship opportunities and event information, interested individuals can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and visit https://www.indousrare.org/summit/. The Indo US Bridging RARE Summit 2023 is an important platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange to make a positive impact on the rare disease community worldwide.

The summit planning committee includes prominent individuals representing various organizations and institutions involved in rare disease research and advocacy. Some of the committee

ROCKVILLE, Md. , May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MaximBio® is proud to announce it has signed a new agreement with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx® ) initiative, continuing a relationship fostered during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on their previous collaboration which resulted in the successful launch of the MaximBio ClearDetect® COVID-19 Antigen Home Test, the new partnership is centered around development of a COVID-19 and Influenza A/B combo test employing novel Lateral-Flow Technology. This technology, paired with the innovative FiarFly™ analyzer platform, and MaximBio's proprietary manufacturing techniques, results in class-leading assay performance.

Commission also issues Request for Applications for Four Funding Programs for July 13, 2023, Deadline

COLUMBIA, Md. (May 9, 2023) —The Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) Commission is pleased to announce over $14.1 million in grant awards to promote innovative research that will strengthen and advance stem cell treatments and technologies in Maryland. This is the largest amount awarded to Maryland-based institutions and companies since 2010 and was made possible as a result of increased funding from the State.  This is also the first time that the Commission awarded funding to Maryland-based companies under MSCRF’s new Manufacturing Assistance Program, established to boost cell therapy manufacturing capabilities in the State. 

39 scientists from Maryland-based research institutions and companies will be receiving awards from this round of funding to advance research addressing an array of medical conditions, including cancer, eye, heart, bone, blood, digestive, and central nervous system diseases. Awardees include academic scientists from Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, University of Maryland, College Park, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger and The Geneva Foundation.  From the commercial sector, awardees include Vita Therapeutics, Inc., Theradaptive, Inc., Caring Cross, Inc., RoosterBio, Inc. and Reprocell U.S.A., Inc.