biotechnology : Innovation + Job News

Dr. Kenneth P. Johnson, longtime head of neurology at the University of Maryland-Baltimore, joined representatives of international pharmaceutical giant Teva at the UMB BioPark on February 24 to talk about advances in the treatment of the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS) that took place as a result of research at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science and UMB.

Dr. Johnson spearheaded efforts to ease self-injection of Copaxone by MS patients, and pointed out Baltimore's unique status in life sciences and more specifically in medicine: "There are a few primary places on the map, one being Baltimore, where you can expect new development and superior patient care." Across Maryland, the region's advantage is even heavier: "Between Johns Hopkins, UMB, and the National Institutes of Health [in Bethesda], very few places in the country even come close to what is available here."

The Maryland/Israel Development Center, which promotes bilateral trade and encourages Israeli companies to establish their North American bases in Maryland, sponsored the event. John Hassler, VP of Marketing at Teva Neuroscience, also spoke about Teva's dual role as both the largest manufacturer of generic drugs in the world -- one in every six U.S. prescriptions is filled with a Teva product -- and maker of branded treatments like Copaxone. Teva worked with Dr. Johnson to make Copaxone easy to use, and the company achieved positive results over the years for consistent treatment by introducing nurses as trainers and assuring proper administration through consultation with physicians.

"One of the key issues with MS is that we don't know what causes it, so there are multiple methods of treating it," Hassler said.

Over 2.5 million people are affected by MS worldwide.

Writer: Sam Hopkins
Sources: Dr. Kenneth Johnson, UMB, John Hassler, Teva Neuroscience

Profectus BioSciences, Inc., a technology-based vaccine company devoted to the treatment and prevention of chronic viral diseases, has received $6.25 million in grants and contracts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), including three Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants from the Division of AIDS, National Institutes of Health totaling $2.9M. These grants are focused on optimizing the Company's portfolio of genetic adjuvants.

Profectus BioSciences seeks to harness the immune system to treat and prevent viral diseases and cancers through the delivery of proprietary prime/boost vaccines.

"Along with IL-12, our portfolio of genetic adjuvants provides us with a toolbox of options to optimize our heterologous prime/boost vaccines. These awards provide significant validation to our scientific approach and accelerate our efforts to develop therapeutic vaccines against HCV, HPV, HSV, and HIV that will have significant clinical impact," says John Eldridge, chief science officer at Profectus BioSciences.

Profectus BioSciences also received $2.75M in continued contract support from the Division of AIDS to develop its recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (rVSV) platform as an HIV vaccine. VSV is a negative-strand, non-segmented RNA virus from the order Mononegavirales that has been redesigned to enable delivery of vaccine immunogens. VSV is a particularly attractive candidate for this purpose because its genome can potentially host more than one foreign gene and it contains its own Profectus BioSciences is utilizing this technology along with its pDNA platforms to develop effective therapeutic vaccines against HCV, HPV, HSV, as well as HIV.

This funding is in addition to the $4.4M in grants announced earlier this week to support the Company's HIV prophylactic vaccine program.

Source: Profectus BioSciences
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Seven Maryland biotech companies were awarded $1.3 million through the state's Biotechnology Commercialization Awards and the Translational Research Awards. The programs are administered by the Maryland Biotechnology Center, part of the Marylarnd Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED).
 
"Biotechnology continues to be a key driver of Maryland's economy," says Governor O'Malley. "The high quality of the biotechnology projects supported by these awards, as well as their link to a number of Maryland institutions of higher learning, demonstrates Maryland's significant potential to commercialize our unparalleled academic research."

"These funds provide critical support to companies bringing innovative technologies to market and play an important role in the Center's mission to support commercialization," says Dr. Judith Britz, Executive Director of the Maryland Biotechnology Center. "The Center is proud to fund these grants, which last year drew applications from more than 30 biotechnology companies and academic institutions."

The Biotechnology Commercialization Awards were made to three biotechnology companies to assist them in commercializing a product or service. College Park-based Zymetis, received a $200,000 grant to advance their work in converting whey to fuel; Fyodor, based in Baltimore's BioPark, received $200,000 for the commercialization of their flagship product, the Urine Malaria Test; and InfraTrac, located at the Silver Spring Innovation Center, received $100,000 to grow their counterfeit drug monitoring product.

"MBC's grant program is brilliant because it places critical resources into companies like ours at just the right time," says Scott Laughlin, CEO of Zymetis. "Right now, everyone is looking for companies that have made the leap from development to commercialization. These funds will help us achieve this milestone."

The Translational Research Awards, which are given to help commercialize basic science research and encourage bio companies to collaborate with academic institutions, were presented to Baltimore-based Gliknik Inc., in partnership with the University of Maryland, Baltimore and Dr. James S. Gammie of the University of Maryland Medical Center. Each has received a $200,000 award.

Gliknik will use its award to support development of a drug that aids in organ transplants, with a significant portion of the funding going to transplant researchers at the University of Maryland. Dr. Gammie will use the funding to develop surgical tools that will assist in repairing the heart's mitral valve through a minimally invasive procedure.

The Shared Resource Grants, totaling $400,000, were awarded to two University of Maryland programs that provide specialized services to local bio companies. The Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (MTECH) Biotechnology Research and Education program received $200,000 to expand its operations into a new facility at Shady Grove.

A second $200,000 grant was awarded to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County for the purchase of new equipment, specifically a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer.

Applications are now being taken for grants available  in Fiscal Year 2011 through the Maryland Biotechnology Center to assist in commercializing promising research, encouraging bio companies to collaborate with academic institutions and expanding biotechnology resources. The Governor also announced that seven Maryland bio companies and universities received $1.3 million in FY 2010 grants, which was the first year of funding.

Applications for the Biotechnology Commercialization Awards and the Translational Research Awards must be submitted by Sept. 15 to the Maryland Biotechnology Center. These grants complement funding available through TEDCO's Maryland Technology Transfer and Commercialization Fund, the University of Maryland's Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program and DBED's Maryland Venture Fund programs.


Source: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
Writer: Walaika Haskins

TheUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine has received $12.3 million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to renovate research laboratories of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and to build core facilities � centralized areas of technology and expertise � that will provide key support services to cancer researchers. The funds are part of $1 billion in funding made available by the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for construction or renovation of research facilities.

The NIH's National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) has awarded a $5 million C06 construction grant to renovate laboratories on the eighth floor of the School of Medicine's Bressler Research Building at 655 W. Baltimore St. Another $7.3 million G20 Core Renovation, Repair and Improvement grant will be used to consolidate existing core laboratories and build new facilities on the sixth and seventh floors of the Bressler Building.

These new core laboratories will provide "shared services" to cancer researchers and other scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and other professional schools at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Many of these support services benefit the cancer center, which is part of the School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Medical Center.

"These NCRR grants will enable us to build new, modern laboratory facilities for our researchers that hopefully will pave the way for major breakthroughs in cancer research. We are continually expanding our research program, and constructing state-of-the-art laboratories is critical to that effort," says Kevin J. Cullen, M.D., director of the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and professor of medicine and director of the Program in Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

"Our cancer center has been recognized by the National Cancer Institute for its scientific excellence, and our faculty members conduct some of the most innovative and promising cancer research in the nation. These new laboratories will not only facilitate this work but also will help us to recruit more top-tier scientists to our cancer center," says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., acting president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The newly renovated space will be used by individual molecular and structural biology researchers and will also house core labs for confocal microscopy, proteomics, flow cytometry, tissue-culturing and tissue-related services such as histology and immunohistochemistry, as well as the Genomics Core Facility, which provides cutting-edge genomic support for researchers.

The renovation on the eighth floor of the Bressler Building is scheduled to begin in November and will be completed in August 2011. The construction on the sixth and seven floors will begin upon completion of the eighth floor renovations and be finished by August 2012.


Source: University of Maryland Medical School
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Maryland Biotechnology Center, the State of Maryland's portal to programs and resources intended to grow and strengthen the state's bioscience community, has awarded $270,000 through the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program to six biotechnology companies to their product development projects .

MIPS teams Maryland companies with faculty from the University System of Maryland to help the companies develop high technology, biotechnology, or technology-related agricultural products. Companies provide matching funds to help pay for the projects. All funding goes to participating faculty.

The Center recently signed off on initial funding for three projects. Each was in the second year of a two-year (phase 2) project. Three additional first-year projects were also made possible by freeing up MIPS funds to support them.

"As Maryland's resource center for growing and strengthening the state's bioscience community, one of the Maryland Biotechnology Center's charters outlined by Governor Martin O'Malley in his 2009 BioMaryland 2020 strategic plan is to provide funding to assist companies with late-stage commercialization objectives," says Judy Britz, the Center's executive director. "MIPS has a proven process for evaluating viable research projects and a strong history of successfully helping biotechnology companies develop commercial products, so by supporting MIPS, we are fulfilling part of our charter and are boosting key contributors to the growth of the state's bioscience cluster."

The phase 2 projects that the Center will directly support include Rockville-based Aparna Biosciences Corporation that has teamed with A. James Mixson, associate professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore to develop therapeutics to treat a variety of fungal infections; Encore Path Inc., based in Baltimore has, and Appa Anjanappa, professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who are developing a new rehabilitative TREADTRAC Device to enable stroke patients to regain walking skills; and another Rockville-based company, VectorLogics Inc. and Vikram Vakharia, professor, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, who are working on a treatment for the hepatitis C virus that uses viral vectors to deliver therapeutic proteins.

MIPS was able to support three additional projects thanks to the Center funding, including, Rockville-based Celek Pharmaceuticals LLC and Susan Keay, professor, University of Baltimore, to evaluate the efficacy of a novel therapeutic for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, a chronic and debilitating bladder disorder; Cellphire Inc., also in Rockville that has teamed with the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute MDBioproSM (GMP Biomanufacturing Program) to establish a quality system and manufacturing processes for the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) production of the company's freeze-dried platelet products for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications; and College Park's Zymetis Inc. that is working with Robert M. Briber, professor, University of Maryland, College Park, in the development of low-cost solvent systems to reduce the crystallinity of native cellulose, reducing the need for enzymes in biomass digestion for the production of ethanol and other biofuels.

"MIPS has helped three of the most successful biotechnology companies in Maryland�MedImmune [part of AstraZeneca], Martek Biosciences, and Digene Corporation [now part of Qiagen]�develop products," says MIPS director Martha Connolly. "These companies have generated thousands of jobs, brought in millions in revenue and contributed tax dollars to the economy. The Maryland Biotechnology Center funding allows us to bolster what could be the leading biotechnology companies of tomorrow."

The Maryland Biotechnology Center contract with MIPS is for one year.

Source: The Maryland Biotechnology Center
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Zyngenia, a privately held biotherapeutics company headquartered in Montgomery County, was spurred by significant venture capital investments, led by a $10 million Series A investment from NEA in November 2009. The company has a current staff of 14 employees and plans to grow to at least 20 by the end of the year.

The strategic public/private partnership is a component of the County's recently unveiled Bioscience Strategy, which aims to enhance the environment for entrepreneurship and creation of new life science companies in the County by merging increased local venture capital funding with proven biotech entrepreneurs and seasoned industry executives.

Zyngenia uses proprietary technology to enable the development of singular molecular entities that address two or more targets, by combining the activity of two or more biologic therapies into one protein (known as a Zybody™). In addition, the technology will also be applied to drug targets that previously have not been reachable through the use of traditional, single specificity, monoclonal antibodies. The company is focusing its early research and development in creating therapies for patients who have unmet medical needs in cancer and autoimmune diseases.

"Maryland's knowledge economy � one based on science, security, technology and healing � is fueled by innovative companies like Zyngenia," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. "By locating and expanding in Maryland, Zyngenia will have access to our vast community of biopharmaceutical companies, the nation's largest number of federal facilities and increased opportunities to attract venture capital funding."

Zyngenia's expansion and build-out is the latest in a series of other progressive, proactive initiatives by Montgomery County to grow the life sciences industry and bolster the local economy, including

• The new bioscience strategy recommendation of a first-of-its-kind local biotech tax credit to spur investments in biotech companies;

• Leggett's Smart Growth Initiative to create quality, high-paying jobs, and provide sufficient and affordable housing near mass transit by relocating certain County facilities, currently located on prime real estate near mass transit and within the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, to make way for strategic commercial development; and,

• The forthcoming strategies from the County's Green Economy Task Force to further support and grow this evolving business sector.

Source: Montgomery County
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Tech Council of Maryland (TCM), the state's largest technology trade association with more than 500 members employing more than 250,000 in the region, has released its 2010 Policy Platform. The legislative wishlist calls on state lawmakers to double funding for the Biotech Tax Credit, invest pension funds in Maryland's most innovative companies, oppose harmful corporate tax reform and create long-term funding solutions for higher education and transportation. The 2010 session of the Maryland General Assembly is set to begin January 13.

TCM's newly released 2010 Policy Platform outlines the organization's specific priorities in the areas of advanced technology, biotechnology, clean and green technology, tax climate, transportation, higher education and workforce development. TCM's advocacy efforts during the 2010 session of the Maryland General Assembly are focused on making Maryland a great place for technology and biotechnology companies to start, grow and flourish. As the only technology association with a full-time lobbying staff in Annapolis, TCM works year round advocating the interests of Maryland's most advanced growth industries.

"Advanced industries like information technology and biotechnology are part of the solution for Maryland to emerge strongly from its economic challenges," says Ren�e M. Winsky, Chief Executive Officer of TCM. "The Tech Council of Maryland looks forward to forging an even closer relationship with policymakers in Annapolis to advance the interests of our membership and get Maryland's economy moving again," said Winsky.

Legislative accomplishments during the 2009 session included the preservation of the $6 million budget request for the Biotech Tax Credit, no new taxes on innovation and the creation of a Joint Information Technology and Biotechnology Committee. TCM has worked closely with both legislative leaders and the Governor's Office to ensure continued state support for critical biotech research and development including $2 million for the Enterprise and Challenge Investment programs, $12.4 million in funding for stem cell research, $1.6 million for the Nanobiotechnology Initiative Fund and the creation and funding of the Maryland Biotechnology Center.

Download a copy of TCM's 2010 Policy Platform.

Source: Tech Council of Maryland
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Emergent BioSolutions, a Rockville-based biopharmaceutical firm,  announced last Friday that it has completed the purchase of a 55,000 square foot building, which it plans to use to expand its drug development and testing. Emergent acquired the manufacturing facility from MdBio Foundation as well as the land upon which it stands from Baltimore City for $8.2 million. The building previously operated as a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed facility used by an experienced contract manufacturing organization (CMO) to produce a number of FDA approved products.

"Emergent is excited about this new facility in Baltimore because it houses several suites capable of manufacturing multiple products at the same time," says Fuad El-Hibri, chairman and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. "Accordingly, this facility will provide the flexibility to conduct large-scale manufacturing of rPA while also producing other products in our pipeline."

Emergent BioSolutions employs over 600 employees around the world, with over 150 employees located in its corporate headquarters in Rockville and one of its product development sites in Gaithersburg. The company will reportedly hire 125 employees to staff the new facility.

"This acquisition reflects our commitment to both continually creating jobs and investing additional capital in the State of Maryland," says Daniel J. Abdun-Nabi, president and chief operating officer of Emergent BioSolutions. "We extend our sincere appreciation to the state and local governments for their ongoing support of our efforts to develop our local manufacturing capabilities and look forward to growing Emergent's presence in the state."

Source: Emergent BioSolutions
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The state officially launched the Maryland International Incubator (MI2), the first biz incubator dedicated exclusively to attracting and nurturing foreign-owned companies last week. A joint venture of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (MD DBED) and the University of Maryland, College Park, the incubator will provide research and development, business development support services and competitively priced leasing space to foreign-owned companies looking to establish a U.S. presence.

"This joint partnership will leverage the university's world-class research strengths and DBED's business development resources in attracting foreign-owned companies to Maryland," says Gov. O'Malley. "There are a tremendous number of global opportunities out there and, in a recession, we need to aggressively go after them to attract new jobs and position Maryland as the ideal U.S. location for foreign companies."

"We look forward to the opening of the Maryland International Incubator to provide a soft landing for international companies coming to Maryland. It is our objective to transition these companies into the Maryland economy thus providing new employment opportunities and adding to our tax base," says Dr. Herbert Rabin, Director of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute. "The University of Maryland's role in assisting this transition parallels the successful TAP incubator program in which many successful companies have been launched previously, drawing on the extensive capabilities resident with faculty and students at the University."

The Maryland International Incubator is just the latest in a series of international initiatives. Earlier this year, Gov. O'Malley announced Maryland's International Growth Strategy, which called for the creation of the state's first International Advisory Council, a seasoned group of business leaders charged with guiding the State's efforts to attract and grow international companies and help craft policy and legislation that supports Maryland' strong and diverse network of international businesses.

Also launched this year is the Maryland International Business Center, a one-stop shop for foreign companies looking to expand their operations into Maryland. The Center, which is managed by DBED, brings together for the first time key state, federal and private sector partners to give companies significantly improved access to essential resources needed to grow.

Maryland is well positioned for growth in the global market, with more than 550 foreign-owned companies from 30 countries currently located in Maryland. Some 105,000 Marylanders, or 3.5 percent of the workforce, are employed by foreign-owned firms, with companies headquartered in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Germany as the top three foreign employers in Maryland.

Source: Gov. Martin O'Malley
Writer: Walaika Haskins

BioMarker Strategies, developer of SnapPath a novel automated tumor biopsy processing and testing system, has raised $1.7 million during a private funding round. 

During this funding round that coincided with the Maryland Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit Program, the largest investment came from the Abell Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life in Baltimore, Maryland, including the promotion of job growth in the region.

"We are honored to have the Abell Foundation as our first institutional investor. We also welcome their support of our effort to develop a live tumor cell testing system designed to help oncologists choose the right drug therapy for their cancer patients," says K�ren Olson, CEO of BioMarker Strategies. "Even in this challenging economic environment, we found that investors are eager to support innovative biotech companies."

Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: BioMarker Strategies

The state's effort to develop business ties between four of the leading biotechnology firms in Taiwan and Maryland's life sciences industry have resulted in over $100,000 in export business over the past three years. Meetings in August, the third collaborative event between the Department of Business Economic and Economic Development's Office of International Investment and Trade and the Taiwanese ROC-USA Business Council, have helped introduce the companies to their Taiwanese and U.S. counterparts.

Taiwanese biotech companies including, Adimmune, a human vaccine manufacturer; Simpson Biotech, a top bio-fermentation company; General Biologicals, an in vitro diagnostic device manufacturer; PhytoHealth, the first publicly traded Taiwan novel drug development company; and the Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry Technology and Development Center, Taiwan's pre-imminent non-profit biotechnology industry organization, are among the companies that have participated in the event.

Writer: Walaika Haskins

Source: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development