COLUMBIA, Md. (May 10, 2021)—The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission has approved funding to its second-round of 2021 recipients for a total of $6,052,901. The Commission has also appointed Amritha Jaishankar, Ph.D., the current MSCRF Director - Programs & Strategic Alliances, to succeed Dan Gincel, Ph.D., as Executive Director of the MSCRF, effective May 14, 2021.

“We thank Dr. Gincel for his leadership and many contributions to the MSCRF over the course of his 14 years as Executive Director, during which he consistently challenged us to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the Maryland stem cell community, and we are delighted that Dr. Jaishankar will lead the MSCRF through its next chapter,” said Dr. Debra Mathews, Chair of the Commission. “Dr. Jaishankar’s leadership, dedication, and tremendous work with the MSCRF and our stem cell community over past few years make her the ideal person to take us forward.”

Now we are in the final phase of completing the last work in BioPartner 5. The second floor is ready to be used. Today, MIMETAS received the keys tot their brand new floor in BioPartner 5. We would like to give Mimetas a warm welcome!

The Maryland Department of Commerce has announced a slew of new senior staff appointments.

Two of the positions had been vacant for more than a year.

Closing the markets today with our friends from Vaccitech!

Based in Oxford, UK, Vaccitech develops vaccines and T cell immunotherapies to treat and prevent diseases of global importance.

Congratulations to CEO Bill Enright and #NasdaqListed $VACC on this week's listing.

Image: https://www.linkedin.com

An ambitious push to create a “Global Pandemic Center” in suburban Maryland got a $500,000 boost Tuesday from the Montgomery County Council, which said the project could help drive the county’s post-pandemic economic recovery and foster resilience against the next major health crisis.

Spearheaded by the regional nonprofit Connected DMV, the center would involve scientists and policymakers from across the globe but operate primarily from the D.C. region, with a likely headquarters in Montgomery.

Image: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D). (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post) 

Boeing donated $50 million to help found Virginia Tech’s Innovation campus, a billion-dollar project area leaders hope will bring together power-players in the region — like Amazon — to boost economic growth and build a pipeline of STEM talent for businesses.

The university announced the multi-year gift in a celebratory press event on Tuesday, emphasizing how it will benefit underrepresented groups in tech fields, including women, people of color and low-income populations. The project draws attention for its location, two miles from Amazon’s HQ2 campus, near a future transit station and across the river from Washington D.C., but speakers focused on the promise the Innovation Campus has for students.

Image: Concept art for the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus's academic building. (Virginia Tech)

Office real estate investment trusts (REITs) have been under pressure for the past year. The coronavirus pandemic has caused some investors to even question the concept of the office REIT. After all, if companies can work from home without much of a disruption, why will companies spend so much on expensive urban office space in the future?

The question has created headwinds for some office REIT operators. But while many office REITs saw big declines in income over the past 12 months, one office REIT appears to be bucking this trend.

PETERSBURG—Governor Ralph Northam today announced that AMPAC Fine Chemicals (AFC), a leading manufacturer of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in the United States, will invest $25 million to expand its existing operation on North Normandy Drive in the City of Petersburg. Virginia successfully competed with California and Texas for the project, which will create 156 new jobs. Governor Northam joined company leaders, key partners, and local economic development officials at AMPAC’s Petersburg facility to make the announcement.

Barrier function of epithelia is crucial for maintaining homeostasis in the human body. Its disruption in organs such as the intestine, kidney, lung, skin, eye, or the blood– brain-barrier is a hallmark of numerous diseases and toxic effects.1–3 Studying epithelial barrier function is essential for understanding disease processes, development of new therapeutic treatments, and investigation of compound safety. Permeability of epithelia grown in vitro is therefore routinely evaluated by fundamental and pharmaceutical researchers alike. In addition, proper barrier function is an important prerequisite when studying transport phenomena across epithelia in vitro.

Image: https://pubs.rsc.org

After spending the past five years fostering economic development in Montgomery County, Sarah Miller is turning her attention to the biopharma industry and the BioHealth Capital Region. Starting May 3, Miller joined BioHealth Innovation, Inc. as Vice President of Economic Development.

Miller transitions to BHI from her previous role as Vice President of Strategy for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC). In her new role, Miller will solely focus on economic development opportunities within the biopharma industry across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. A laser-like focus on one industry will be new to Miller. She is no stranger to it, having worked in Montgomery County for the past several years. In her role with the MCEDC, Miller has worked with the development of the Germantown Innovation Center on the campus of Montgomery College campus in Germantown.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS @ Washington, DC: We did it! Persevering through a time of great challenge and change, today we’re happy to share that we’ve opened our doors in a thriving ecosystem, to entrepreneurs, early-stage companies and the life sciences community.

BETHESDA, Md., May 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gain Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GANX) (“Gain”), a biotechnology company focused on redefining drug discovery by using super-computational methods to target allosteric binding sites and guide enzymes back to their proper shape, today announced new pre-clinical data from its GBA1 Parkinson’s disease program. The findings were highlighted in a presentation at the XXVI International Association of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders (IAPRD) World Congress, a research conference dedicated to Parkinson’s disease and other disorders affecting muscle tone and motor control, being held virtually May 1-4, 2021.

Women Building Bio 2021 is just around the corner.

Save the date for September 30th to join our 6th year of Women Building Bio. An event always focused on advancing the bioscience through collaboration between industry and academia, researchers and innovators, professionals and decision-makers.

On a first-quarter earnings call Thursday, Emergent's CEO addressed a turbulent month for the Gaithersburg biopharmaceutical company.

Image: https://www.bizjournals.com

Locally Researched by: Carolyn M. Proctor, Washington Business Journal Apr 30, 2021, 6:00am EDT

Source: The companies, Form 990s, SEC filings and regional economic development agencies

Around Baltimore, folks tend to analyze economic trends through three vantage points: the city, the region and the state. No matter which level you’re looking at, data on venture capital shows that the first quarter of 2021 brought an influx of investment for local emerging companies.

Data from the latest MoneyTree report by PwC/CB Insights shows that Maryland companies received a collective $562 million in investment over 24 deals. It was a nearly 68% increase in the number of dollars and a 26% increase in the number of deals from the fourth quarter of 2020, which capped off a big year of investment in the pandemic.

Image: nsightin Health's team in the South Baltimore office. (Courtesy photo)

A potential vaccine has brought new life to the embattled Gaithersburg biotech.

Image: Novavax CEO Stanley Erck, left, and Gregory Glenn, head of research and development, at Novavax's office in Gaithersburg. EMAN MOHAMMED

Oxford, UK – Vaccitech plc (“Vaccitech”) (Nasdaq: VACC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of novel immunotherapeutics and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases and cancer, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering in the United States of 6,500,000 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) representing 6,500,000 ordinary shares at an initial public offering price of $17.00 per ADS for total gross proceeds of $110.5 million. All ADSs sold in the offering are being offered by Vaccitech. The ADSs are expected to begin trading on The Nasdaq Global Market on April 30, 2021 under the ticker symbol “VACC.”  In addition, Vaccitech has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 975,000 ADSs at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is expected to close on May 4, 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Gain Therapeutics CEO Eric Richman joins BioTalk to Discuss His Career, Redefining Drug Discovery, and Ventures in the BioHealth Capital Region and Beyond.

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/3vB8mS3, Google https://bit.ly/2QI3xrb, Spotify https://spoti.fi/33021mT, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/2S7Yuk4.

This is a complimentary webinar - the optional attendee list is $39. For registration questions, please email Elizabeth Baker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What You'll Learn: 

- Why immunology companies with groundbreaking vaccine, cell and gene therapy work are thriving in Montgomery County, MD, home to the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and 38 federal labs  

-How the Montgomery County ecosystem supports companies fast tracking to develop and commercialize products 

- Where the region stands on a national and international scale as home to a vibrant, growing life sciences sector  

- Why top life science tenants are growing and moving to Montgomery County, MD and the DMV   

Image: https://www.bisnow.com

André Marshall will draw from his life experience across innovation and workforce development to drive Mason to new heights, he says.

Image: Andre Marshall, is set to become George Mason University's vice president for research, innovation and economic development on July 1.   - George Mason University - Ron Aira

Montgomery County, Maryland, was a leader in biotechnology before COVID-19 hit, ranking among the highest in the nation for the number of life sciences companies, and the pandemic has only fueled the industry’s growth.

That means more high-paying jobs and demand for research and laboratory-suitable real estate.

There are currently 650 companies operating in the bio-health area in Maryland, including biotechnology and medical device manufacturers. The majority are early-stage companies, but many are now transitioning to later-stage and product manufacturing. Some are well established.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

Are you a servant leader of leaders? Can you “GiveFirst” with no expectation of anything in return? Do you believe that collaboration drives innovation? Do you believe that entrepreneurs can change the world? If so read on...

We are seeking a Managing Director (MD) who can  ake the helm and lead our Accelerator and investment strategy for Techstars in Baltimore, Maryland . Your focus is to invest in the best founders, companies and support them from ideation to exit. You will actively recruit, select, mentor and guide founders through challenges, critical decisions, strategy, tactics, securing investment, making hard decisions and celebrating their wins. You will be directly supported by a Program Manager (PM) who focuses on program operations and with you, executing the Techstars proven playbook and delivering the best possible experience for Founders.

Matan Companies announces today plans to transform its Milestone Business Park into a vibrant and collaborative life sciences destination known as Milestone Innovation Park. The key component of the evolution is the addition of 532,000 square feet of best-in-class biomanufacturing and life science research space in three, brand new facilities. This highly sought-after location sits along the I-270 Biotech Corridor with prominent visibility on I-270 at Father Hurley Boulevard in Germantown, MD., centrally located between NIH in Bethesda and Fort Detrick in Frederick. Just 20 miles northwest of Downtown Washington D.C., the site offers easy access to points north and south via I-270 and points east via the Intercounty Connector (ICC). Once complete Milestone Innovation Park will be one the largest, science-based destinations in the BioHealth region at over 1.2 million square feet.

Novavax is aiming to seek Emergency Use Authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine NVX-CoV2373 later this spring. If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives it the green light, the Maryland-based company could see revenue of approximately $1.8 billion in sales by the end of the year.

Data and analytics company GlobalData pegged the potential revenue for Novavax based on a potential authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies across the globe. The revenue stream from the vaccine is expected to continue well past the close of business for 2021. GlobalData forecast Novavax’s vaccine will generate $33.3 billion from expected authorization this spring through 2027. A peak forecast of $7.2 billion is expected in 2027 alone, according to the report.

The five health care-focused cohort members were selected from a pool of 120 applicants.

Image: LifeBridge Health and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield have partnered to launch a new incubator for health startups, called 1501 Health CAREFIRST/LIFEBRIDGE

The University of Maryland will house an incubator for quantum computing startups, offering access to high-quality internet and connections with potential customers, the school announced last week.

The university will spend $25 million to create the Quantum Startup Foundry, according to a press release. The $25 million comes from state investment and from the university’s Discovery Fund. The program will include a physical space for the startups on the school’s College Park campus, including offices and labs.

Infectious disease therapies have been awarded the highest number of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants over the last 20 years, according to GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center’s deals database. The Covid-19 pandemic shed light on the importance of funding for drug development in this crucial therapy area. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programmes encourage innovation and technological development from small businesses with a focus on commercialisation. These programmes allocate hundreds of grants each year for infectious disease commercialisation, especially at crucial early stages of development.

Background: Advancements in biotechnology are recognized as one of the most important scientific achievements of the 20th Century. The emergence of biotechnology profoundly impacted the health of the world, and the economic vitality of regions where bio clusters and bioresearch parks grew. This article explores some of the historical and policy implications undergirding this development in the United States and the importance of alignment of life science research activity, public policies, and leadership to build place-based communities of biotechnology innovation.

Montgomery County, Maryland, was a leader in biotechnology before COVID-19 hit, ranking among the highest in the nation for the number of life sciences companies, and the pandemic has only fueled the industry’s growth.

That means more high-paying jobs and demand for research and laboratory-suitable real estate.

Image: TCR² Therapeutics’ future lab space will be built in Rockville, Maryland. (Courtesy JLL)

April 23, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) - Connected DMV, a cross-sector regional non-profit committed to solving complex economic and social challenges in Greater Washington, today announced two new members to its executive team. Former Obama Administration Commerce Department official Matt Erskine has been named Chief Strategy Officer and former Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation officer Sarah Bauder has been named Vice President of Development and Workforce Initiatives. The organization also announced key milestones reached over the past year.

This half-day workshop, led by Jim Greenwood of Greenwood Consulting Group will cover one of the most important but least appreciated aspects of the SBIR/STTR programs, the cost proposal. There are many rules and regs hiding behind the cost proposal, and they will tend to bite you if you don’t get a handle on them. And if you don’t know how to set up your cost proposal, or don’t appropriately track expenses (especially labor) when you get the SBIR/STTR award, you will lose money. Come learn the terminology and concepts, and how to estimate your own indirect (aka overhead or F&A) rate and how to request and justify a profit/fee as part of the budget. Jim will meet with attendees for one-on-one sessions a week following this event and details on this consulting will be provided to workshop attendees.

UpSurge Baltimore will aim to bolster existing efforts to support and scale local startups, and also develop new strategies for attracting additional companies, talent and capital to the city.

Did you take the step to go across the border with your organization? Or do you want to find out how you can reach international markets in the Life Sciences & Health sector? Let us tell you which support networks can help you and learn from best practices, tips & tricks.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS @ Washington, DC: We did it! Persevering through a time of great challenge and change, today we’re happy to share that we’ve opened our doors in a thriving ecosystem, to entrepreneurs, early-stage companies and the life sciences community.