NexImmune, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel immune-therapeutics based on a proprietary Artificial Immune Modulation (AIM) nanotechnology platform, announced that industry veteran John Trainer, MBA has been appointed as the Company’s Financial Officer. Additionally, Han Myint, MD has been appointed as the Chief Medical Officer.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the global single-cell analysis market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes LumaCyte, LLC (LumaCyte) with the 2019 Global New Product Innovation Award for its groundbreaking Laser Force Cytology™ (LFC™) technology. The solution accelerates therapies and analytical insights by enabling new cell discovery, characterization and phenotyping across broad applications. LumaCyte's recently launched flagship platform, Radiance®, is an automated, high-content, label-free single-cell analysis and sorting platform. LFC™ helps labs and biopharmaceutical organizations cost-effectively optimize viral quantification for example, which are critical assays for vaccine and cell and gene therapy development and production, leading to easier sample preparation, shortened detection time, and high-quality, objective data.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexImmune, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel immune-therapeutics based on a proprietary Artificial Immune Modulation (AIM) nanotechnology platform, announced that industry veterans Han Myint, MD, and John Trainer, MBA, have been appointed as the Company’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively.

Dr. Myint commented, “I am very excited to join NexImmune at such a time where I can leverage my professional experience to oversee the Company’s first two clinical trials for NEXI-001 and NEXI-002 in patients with relapsed forms of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Multiple Myeloma, respectively. The Company has developed a novel technology that directs endogenous T cells against multiple tumor antigen targets. For patients suffering from a variety of cancers, I believe this approach has the potential to deliver potent anti-tumor activity while minimizing potential off-target toxicities, and I am looking forward to working with team to make this a reality for these patients.”

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE), an S&P 500® REIT, is the first and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, technology , and agtech campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A properties clustered in life science, technology, and agtech campuses that provide our innovative tenants with highly dynamic and collaborative environments that enhance their ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity, and success.

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy welcomed nearly 200 researchers from across the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) to the second UMB-JHU Joint Symposium on Drug Discovery on Dec. 3. Organized by Paul Shapiro, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PSC) at the School of Pharmacy, and Barbara Slusher, MAS, PhD, professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, the symposium provided an open forum for scientific exchange and interactive communication among students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty from two of Baltimore’s preeminent academic institutions.

Image: Nearly 200 researchers from across UMB and JHU gather for the second Joint Symposium on Drug Discovery. - https://www.umaryland.edu

ROCKVILLE, Md. & FOSTER CITY, Calif. & HANGZHOU, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 6, 2020-- GlycoMimetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GLYC), a leader in the field of applied glycotechnology for cancer, and Apollomics, Inc., an innovative biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of oncology combination therapies, announced today an exclusive collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of uproleselan and GMI-1687 in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, also known as Greater China.

The largest biotechnology incubator of its kind in New York City has opened at 180 Varick Street in Hudson Square.

BioLabs @ NYULangone is designed to attract the nation’s most innovative companies working in early stage life sciences.

The co-working facility currently has 22 companies and is expected to house more than 40 early-stage biotechnology and life sciences companies, 160 scientists, business personnel and support staff, in 50,000 s/f of newly renovated and fully equipped laboratory and office space.

Image: Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul joins representatives of NYCEDC, NYU Langone Health and BioLabs at the official opening. - https://rew-online.com

President Moon Jae-in announced in May that the government would designate the biohealth industry as one of the three new sectors for future growth, help the industry account for at least 6 percent of the global pharmaceutical and medical device market share by 2030, achieve $50 billion biohealth exports, and nurture the sector as one of the five major export industries.

The announcement came during his visit to Osong, North Chungcheong Province, which has a cluster of biotech research firms.

Image: http://www.koreabiomed.com

Scientists from the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) this week proposed a new theory, based on the findings of three previously published studies, to improve the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy drugs. The theory calls for a new design for these drugs that would prevent side effects like life-threatening immune system reactions and enable a higher dose of the drug to be administered.

Image: https://www.umaryland.edu

The Maryland Technology Development Corp. and the National Institute of Standards and Technology awarded four companies a total of $448,000 to develop NIST-licensed technologies for the market, TEDCO announced Tuesday.

The NIST Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Program (N-STEP) focuses on commercializing NIST research. It lets NIST researchers who have left the agency or will soon be leaving the agency to commercialize technology they researched.

Image: Money, money. In this Sept. 24, 2013, file photo, freshly cut stacks of $100 bills make their way down the line at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

Eight months after Maryland Technology Development Corp. halted investments through some of its funds, the state-backed organization announced Friday it is ready to accept new applications from startups seeking investment.

TEDCO has launched a new online application process for several of its funding programs: the Rural Business Innovation Initiative, Builder Fund, Seed Fund and Maryland Venture Fund (MVF). New investments through these programs have been on hold since June, while TEDCO has enacted legislature-directed reforms prompted by a damaging audit report aimed particularly at the MVF.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine is being recognized by a national news publication for groundbreaking biomedical research that “is making the world a better place.” The publication, WIRED magazine, is featuring the innovative work of UMSOM’s Samuel Tisherman, MD, professor of surgery, and the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center on a list of 19 items or advances recognized in 2019. 

GERMANTOWN, Md., Jan. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Intrexon Corporation (NASDAQ: XON), a leader in the engineering and industrialization of biology to improve the quality of life and health of the planet, announced today that it will refocus the company on healthcare, change its name to Precigen, Inc. and, effective immediately, has appointed Helen Sabzevari, PhD, as President and CEO. The new Precigen will encompass Intrexon's wholly-owned healthcare subsidiaries Precigen, ActoBio Therapeutics, Exemplar Genetics, and its majority ownership interest in Triple-Gene, as well as equity and royalty interests in therapeutics and therapeutic platforms from companies not controlled by Intrexon. Randal J. Kirk has been appointed Executive Chairman.  Additionally, Intrexon has executed binding agreements to sell its smaller non-healthcare businesses for $65.2M plus certain contingent payment rights and entered into an agreement to sell $35M of its common stock.  The proceeds from these transactions, combined with the company's cash and short-term investments on hand at December 31, 2019, approximates $175 million thus attaining Intrexon's year-end objective.

The Healthcare Technology Report is pleased to announce and recognize a unique set of accomplished women playing vital roles in some of the most important global companies shaping the future of biotechnology. The awardees of 2019 were each selected based on a detailed review of the depth of their professional experience and the caliber of their career achievements. These women are leaders not only in title or position but based on what they’ve been able to accomplish inspiring the teams and organizations around them. They have also demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of biotech. We congratulate each of this year’s awardees of The Top 25 Woman Leaders In Biotech of 2019.

Image: https://thehealthcaretechnologyreport.com

COLUMBIA, Md. (January 3, 2020)—TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced today that its programs: Rural Business Innovation Initiative (RBII Fund), Builder Fund (Builder Fund), Seed Funds (Seed Fund) and Maryland Venture Fund (MVF) are now accepting applications for investments. 

In accordance with new statutory requirements enacted by the Maryland General Assembly during the 2019 legislative session, TEDCO has developed and adopted regulations governing its investment programs.  The new law also tasked TEDCO with developing an application process for its investment programs. With the new regulations in place and a compliant on-line application portal up and running, TEDCO is now able to begin accepting applications.  

2019 was an eventful year in the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR), to say the least, and BioBuzz has been there to document it every step of the way.

Whether it was the retirement of the MedImmune brand, Viela Bio’s $150M IPO, the $1.2B acquisition of Paragon Bioservices, Kite Pharma’s new manufacturing site in Frederick County, Maryland, an HIV cure emerging in Maryland or our continued coverage of the region’s expanding cell and gene therapy cluster-it’s been a truly remarkable year within the BHCR.

Image: https://biobuzz.io

GERMANTOWN, Md., Jan. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Precigen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of innovative gene and cellular therapies to improve the lives of patients, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to PRGN-3006, a first-in-class investigational therapy using Precigen's non-viral UltraCAR-T™ therapeutic platform for patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (clinical trial identifier: NCT03927261). Precigen announced in Q3 2019 that it had completed enrollment for the first cohort of this clinical trial and expects an initial data readout in the second half of 2020.

Low-carb diet success story Sabrina Williams, above, who drastically reduced her weight from 257 pounds.

A new group called the Low-Carb Action Network (LCAN), a coalition of doctors, academics, and average Americans with personal success stories using low-carb diets, has launched to urge U.S. nutrition leaders to include a true low-carb diet as part of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

LCAN members point to a large and rapidly growing body of strong scientific research showing carbohydrate restriction to be a safe and effective strategy to prevent and even reverse chronic, diet-related conditions such as pre-diabetes/type 2 diabetes, overweight/obesity, and high blood pressure along with a broad array of other cardiovascular risk factors.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MaxCyte, the global clinical-stage cell-based therapies and life sciences company, announced today that Shruti Abbato has joined the Company as Executive Vice President, Business Development for CARMA Cellular Therapies. Ms. Abbato will lead development of new partnerships for the Company's CARMA platform programmes. 

Significant strides have been made towards the management of pediatric cancers, yet we still come up short with delivering a cure for many of our littlest patients. Further, even when children achieve long-term survival, they can experience long-term adverse effects from the disease or treatment.

Johns Hopkins University will close its graduate programs in Rockville by the summer of 2020, dealing a blow to the county’s ambitions of expanding higher education opportunities.

The university plans to consolidate the Center for Biotechnology Education on Medical Center Drive with the program’s main campus in Baltimore, said Leslie Ford Weber, the director of campus, government and community affairs for Johns Hopkins in Montgomery County.

Image: https://bethesdamagazine.com

As president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), Jay A. Perman, MD, has challenged the University to promote big ideas and be forward-looking. To celebrate his nearly 10-year tenure, however, a look backward was appropriate.

In that vein, nostalgia and sentiment filled the air Dec. 12 at the SMC Campus Center, where a crowd of about 400 packed the second-floor Elm Ballrooms to pay tribute to Perman, who will become the fifth chancellor of the University System of Maryland (USM) on Jan. 6.

Image: Dr. Perman greeted a line of well-wishers before and after the celebration on Dec. 12 at the SMC Campus Center. - https://www.umaryland.edu

Oxford, UK – 18 December 2019: Vaccitech Ltd announced today that its strategic collaboration with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (Ludwig), Vaccitech Oncology Limited (VOLT), has entered into a clinical partnership with Cancer Research UK to develop VOLT’s VTP-600 immunotherapy as a treatment option for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Cancer Research UK and Vaccitech Oncology Limited (VOLT), today (Wednesday) announce a new partnership to bring a novel immunotherapeutic vaccine strategy to patients with lung cancer.

The vaccine treatment developed by VOLT, a strategic collaboration between Vaccitech Ltd and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, is designed to stimulate the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. It will deliver cancer-associated antigens (MAGE A3 and NY-ESO-1) to antigen presenting cells called dendritic cells, causing the immune system to produce cytotoxic T cells, which target and kill cancerous cells expressing the antigens.

RoosterBio Inc., a leading supplier of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hMSC) working cell banks and hMSC bioprocess systems, announces today an expansion of its facility in Frederick, Maryland for the second time in 2019. The addition of 5,000 square feet to its existing 15,500 footprint supports the company’s expansion efforts and provides infrastructure to meet a growing international demand for its standardized hMSC bioprocess tools. By strengthening its cell manufacturing solution portfolio and presence in the Asia Pacific and Europe, RoosterBio is giving more people around the world the ability to advance regenerative medicine cures.

Image: https://biobuzz.inloop.com

Do you want to work with cutting-edge technology in 3D Tissue Model space. Mimetas, the market leader in 3D platform technologies, is seeking a critical thinker to work in our Gaithersburg, MD location. This person will have opportunity to influence discovery in a variety of disease indications, including cancer, inflammation, and drug safety. See attached description for more details.

This VC investment graph sums up the purpose of Healthcare Pizza. 🍕

As you can see, investors are increasingly focusing on larger, later stage rounds.

At least among CB’s 2019 Top 150 digital health startups.

There’s reasons, including the fact that more mature companies were more likely to be placed on the list.

Image: https://www.linkedin.com

Old age may have its downsides, but losing the ability to grow new brain cells isn’t one: healthy people in their seventies seem to produce just as many new neurons as teenagers.

The discovery overturns a decades-old theory about how our brains age and could provide clues as to how we can keep our minds sharper for longer.

In mammals, most brain cells are created at or soon after birth and are not renewed. Recently, it was discovered that the human hippocampus, associated with learning …

Image: We keep on growing neurons – even as we age - THOMAS DEERINCK, NCMIR/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

A planned new, 10-story cancer center at the University of Maryland Medical Center will transform the appearance of the front of the decades-old hospital building on the west side of downtown Baltimore.

The cubic glass and steel structure will rise above what is now the hospital’s driveway and main entrance off Greene Street, covering the existing building’s brick, institutional look.

Image: University of Maryland Medical Center officials presented three designs Thursday for the new cancer center addition to the hospital that will remake its face fronting Greene Street in downtown Baltimore. (Meredith Cohn / Baltimore Sun)

2019 saw a new record set for a list price of a prescription therapy—$2.1 million for the gene therapy Zolgensma® launched by AxeVis, a Novartis Company—and resulting renewed concerns over the price of treatments and whether politicos will ever be able to address the issue as the nation’s presidential election campaign season heats up.

The recycled rhetoric questioning the role of the biopharmaceutical industry in the discovery and development of innovative medicines continues to rear its ugly head in the ongoing discussion about the high cost of health care and what to do about it. But, for patients with unmet medical needs, this continued skepticism is merely a distraction. 

Most patients understand that their hope for future cures relies on the work that biopharma does to translate basic science into deliverable treatments and medicines. That understanding is backed by facts. 

Xconomy New York —  Perceptive Advisors, an investment firm with a long track record of life science investing across all points of development, is now stepping up to pump money into companies at the earliest stages with a new $210 million venture capital fund.

The Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund (PXV) is led by Chris Garabedian (pictured above, center), a veteran biotech executive whose experience includes stops at Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), Celgene, and Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SRPT). He’s currently the chairman and CEO of Xontogeny, a Boston-based life sciences accelerator.

Image: https://xconomy.com

Ten individuals with ties to Johns Hopkins have been named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list, an annual celebration of young entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders. Each year, experts in 20 fields narrow down more than 15,000 nominations to a final list of 600 honorees.

Image: https://hub.jhu.edu

SHANGHAI, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Avantor, Inc. (NYSE: AVTR), a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences and advanced technologies & applied materials industries, today opened an innovation and customer support center in Shanghai, China to support biopharma research and technology development in the region. Avantor now has nine innovation centers worldwide.

Image: https://www.biospace.com

Four experts in life sciences and digital health development, commercialization, and investment peered into their proverbial crystal balls to offer insights on “What’s Hot in Life Sciences: A Look at the 2019 Trends and What’s on the Horizon for 2020”—the title of a panel discussion held recently at JLABS@NYC in SoHo . . .

Image: https://www.genengnews.com