Maryland Awards $1 Million to Five Biotech Small Businesses

Posted under Blog, Business and Investments, Companies, Diagnostics, economic development, Funding, maryland, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, Pharmaceuticals, Research and Development, Startups, state government, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

In effort to spur commercialization and advance treatments for cancer and other diseases, the Maryland Biotechnology Center (MBC) announced earlier this month that it awarded a total of $1 million to five promising life sciences companies through its Biotechnology Commercialization Awards and Translational Research awards. The companies, which received up to $200,000 each, will use the funding to advance cancer therapies, ensure food safety, more quickly detect infectious disease and develop more efficient cardiac repair.

Now in their third year, the awards have assisted 13 Maryland life sciences companies and three university research projects with nearly $3.1 million in funding and are a key component of Governor Martin O’Malley’s Bio 2020 initiative.

Applications for the next round of FY2012 awards are due February 15, 2012. The Maryland Biotechnology Center is part of the State’s business and economic development agency, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).

The Translational Research Award seeks to stimulate the movement of early stage bioscience research into the development of viable products or services. Companies receiving awards this round include two from Gaithersburg focused on cancer therapies, NexImmune and BetaCat; and Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University spin-out GrayBug for its Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) therapy.

The Biotechnology Commercialization Award provides funding for companies that have successfully reached milestones toward product commercialization. Two Baltimore based companies received these awards: Harpoon, a University of Maryland spin-out focused on mitral valve heart repair; and PathSensors, an environmental and food testing company, to extend its biosensor product line to include Campylobacter detection.

Companies and institutions with promising technologies under development are encouraged to apply for the next round of awards at www.marylandbiocenter.org.

More information can be found here and here.

Biotech is a Cornerstone of New Orleans’ Economic Renaissance

Posted under Biotechnology, Blog, Business and Investments, Companies, Diagnostics, Funding, louisianna, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, new orleans, Pharmaceuticals, Startups, state government, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

New Orleans shows the signs of a city reborn from the destruction brought on by Hurricane Katrina.  The changes in the city’s infrastructure and building projects have certainly been among them.  The Crescent City reached a milestone in its renaissance last June when the New Orleans BioInnovation Center opened for business.

The center is a 65,000-square foot biotech business incubator created to foster entrepreneurship within the New Orleans bioscience community and help commercialize technologies developed at Tulane, Louisiana State University, University of New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana. The building already houses 13 tenants, including two venture capital firms. Eventually, the building could house up to 50 companies and employ up to 200 people.

I recently sat down with Aaron Miscenich, president of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center and Chairman of LouisianaBio to discuss the critical elements that were brought together and what is being done to promote bioscience economic development in his city and state.

Read more at bio.org

Listen to the podcast interview

State Biotech Advocates Share Best Practices

Posted under Blog, Companies, Council of State Bioscience Associations, CSBA, Diagnostics, Events, Funding, Medical Devices, Medical Supply, Pharmaceuticals, Startups, state government, states, Universities, Videos by biotechnow@bio.org (Biotechnology Industry Organization)

Last week the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) held its annual retreat in Austin, TX, where 42 different state-based bioscience advocacy organization gathered to discuss legislative and regulatory best practices that support bioscience industry development.

More than 90 invited participants engaged in discussions covering the topics of economic development initiatives, upcoming federal and state legislative industry priorities, and advocacy campaigns in the digital era.

BIO’s State Government Relations team would like to once again extend our gratitude to Tom Kowalski of the Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute. Tom has been a longtime participant in the CSBA, previously serving as the board chair, and he is a current board member. In addition to being an invaluable resource to other members within the council, he was a gracious host at this year’s retreat. Thank you, Tom!

In addition to Pete Pellerito’s role as the Interim Vice President of State Government Relations and Alliance Development at BIO, he is presently the executive director of the CSBA. Pete has been a mainstay and principal advisor through the 15 year history of the association. Pete has also been an important element of the CSBA’s growth through his participation in the creation of numerous state bioscience associations.

We are pleased to have these distinguished state trade association leaders from across the nation come together to collaborate and share insights on vital economic development and regulatory matters facing our industry. These groups are recognized by BIO as affiliate organizations in their respective states. We look forward to the council’s continued engagement as we keep our industry vibrant and competitive in an increasingly global economy.