By Alex Keown

The Sixth Annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum brought together industry leaders from across the region who discussed the accomplishments and strengths of the region as its member companies continue to innovate new therapies and medicines in one of the strongest bio-hub regions in the United States.

The forum, which drew more than 1,100 registrants and included 59 world-class speakers and panelists, had a different look this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of gathering together in the heart of the BioHealth Capital Region at AstraZeneca’s Gaithersburg facility, the forum was held virtually. The event offered multiple panels and keynotes that highlighted advancements made in the region across several areas, including cell and gene therapies, the use of artificial intelligence and the ongoing battle against COVID-19.

Rich Bendis, President, and CEO of BioHealth Innovation noted that nearly $7 billion dollars in investments over the past six months has flooded the BioHealth Capital Region, a top-four biopharma cluster in the U.S., in the last several months due to federal funding of multiple COVID-19-related therapeutics in development. Bendis made the comment during a fireside chat with former U.S. Rep. Jim Greenwood, who recently stepped down from his role as President and CEO of Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) after 16 years. Greenwood, who now serves as a Senior Policy Advisor for DLA Piper, said it was no accident that the BioHealth Capital Region has seen such an influx of investment capital.

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New Members Continue BHI’s Commitment and Mission in the BioHealth Capital Region

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, October 20, 2020 – The Board of Directors of BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) unanimously approved the appointments of three new board members, Sally Allain, Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, Joseph F. Sanchez, PhD,  Director, Science Engagement, R&D North America, AstraZeneca, and Robert Silverman, Chief Business Officer, Alloy Therapeutics, Inc. BHI’s leadership also thanked outgoing Board of Director member Tracey Vetterick, formally of AstraZeneca for her contributions to the organization and support of many years.

“I am privileged to welcome Sally, Joe, and Bob to our Board of Directors,” said Richard Bendis, BHI President and CEO. “They all bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our already strong collection of leaders. We are excited to incorporate their unique skillsets to continue in our mission in growing the BioHealth Capital Region industry.”

SALLY ALLAIN as Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, sets the strategic direction and oversees all operational activities for JLABS in the greater Washington metro region, including Maryland and Virginia. In this role, Sally is responsible for the process of evaluating and selecting a strong portfolio of innovators for JLABS @ Washington, DC, and building strategic partnerships with corporate, academic, government and industry organizations that aim to strengthen the region’s life sciences innovation network.

Sally joined JLABS after serving as Senior Director, Strategy & Operations on the Global External Innovation team at Johnson & Johnson, where she supported portfolio management and reporting and strategic business development efforts across the organization. Prior, Sally was with Janssen R&D, Immunology, where she managed a team in research operations and alliance management for the early discovery to early development portfolio. Sally understands well the needs of healthcare entrepreneurs, having launched her research career at a San-Diego based biotech startup and then working internationally for a UK-based governmental economic development agency creating early-stage biotech and academic collaborative programs aimed at accelerating the development of products to address the needs of patients and consumers.

Sally received her MBA from the University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business, where she was recognized by ‘Poets and Quants’ as one of the ‘Top 50’ EMBA students across US & International Programs in 2016; a Master of Science Degree in Microbiology / Immunology from Virginia Tech; and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Virginia Tech.

Joseph F. Sanchez, PhD, joined AstraZeneca in November 2015 as a Learning & Talent Development Business Partner supporting their commercial biomanufacturing site in Frederick, MD.  There, he led the strategic business unit through the successful global regulatory defense in support of (3) commercial product launches and multiple clinical entities.  As a career research scientist and educator, Joe has a long history of building productive partnerships between academia, government and industry peers to address the challenges of strategic workforce preparedness for the biopharmaceutical industry as a whole.  To this end, he serves on multiple boards and advisory committees to grow and strengthen the talent pipeline in each of AstraZeneca’s R&D hubs, nationally.  Joe holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of Rochester (NY) and an MBA from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Robert Silverman, Since June 2020 Bob is the Chief Business Officer of Alloy Therapeutics.  Prior to joining Alloy, Bob was a long time business developer at Roche in many roles over the years.  Starting in 2018 Bob was in a uniquely established BD role in the Roche Diagnostics division, with dual responsibilities at both a divisional (strategy) and business area (operational) level, focusing on Companion Diagnostics.  From 2013 until 2018, Bob led the “External Drug Discovery Partnering” team of Roche Pharma Partnering.  Among other matters, Bob was responsible for delivering a structured and systematic approach to venture capital that translated to reach into drug discovery stage innovation via deals originating from venture capital interactions.  From 2010 – 2012, Bob was a project leader for Merger & Acquisitions, in the Strategic Partnering Group of Roche Pharma Partnering.

From 2003 – 2010 Bob was a Global Licensing Director for Roche Pharma Partnering, responsible for negotiating intellectual property based licensing agreements across the full value chain of the Pharma business, ranging from enabling technologies and early phase opportunities to clinical stage assets to promoting and divesting marketed products.  From 2001 – 2003 Bob was a Global Licensing Attorney. Bob joined Roche in 1993.  Early in his career at Roche Bob was Senior Counsel for the US Affiliate patent department.  Bob holds a degree in Chemistry from Franklin & Marshall College and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, and is a registered patent attorney.

About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.

BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI) is a public-private nonprofit organization focused on accelerating biohealth (therapeutic, diagnostic, medtech, and health IT) commercialization in the BioHealth Capital Region (Maryland, DC and Virginia). BHI’s team of expert Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, in-house venture analysts, and other professional staff work in the region to:

• Facilitate technology commercialization,
• Raise the profile of the industry cluster and individual organizations,
• Increase access to capital for early stage and growing companies, and
• Expand the pool of talent with commercially relevant experience.

BHI’s early stage company support includes market research and commercialization plan development; non-dilutive funding application assistance; a jobs board; event calendar; and introductions to investors, strategic partners, business advisors, and potential clients. BHI also manages wet lab space and provides referrals to other space for early stage companies, offers soft-landing support for international companies, and works with partners to co-host the annual BioHealth Capital Region Forum and an annual BioHealth Capital Region investor partnering conference. For more information: www.BioHealthInnovation.org

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Media contacts:
Rich Bendis
Phone: 301-637-6439, email: rbendis@biohealthinnovation.org

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich joins BioTalk to discuss his Career Path, the BioHealth Industry and plans to support the Industry in MoCo.

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/37dYS5Z, Google https://bit.ly/2IC4eOp, Spotify https://spoti.fi/2IDpN11, TuneIn https://bit.ly/31cjHuZ, and YouTube (Audio) https://bit.ly/31bsiho.

Marc Elrich was elected as Montgomery County Executive on Nov. 6, 2018. He had previously served three terms (12 years) on the Montgomery County Council as an at-large member, being first elected in 2006. He served as a Councilmember on the Takoma Park City Council from 1987-2006. For 17 years, he was a teacher at Rolling Terrace Elementary School in Takoma Park.

As a County Councilmember, he was the chief sponsor of several landmark pieces of legislation and programs. He led the successful effort to increase the Montgomery County minimum wage in coordination with surrounding jurisdictions to $11.50 an hour and subsequent legislation that will eventually increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. He was the first elected official to propose building a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system throughout the County to address Montgomery’s transportation and environmental problems. Ground was broken in Fall 2018 for the first BRT line, which will run along Route 29.

Throughout his political career, he has been a champion of improving tenants’ rights and for making developers pay for a greater share of the infrastructure cost to build schools and transportation solutions. He was a leader in the fight to preserve Ten Mile Creek in the Clarksburg area by limiting the proposed development that would have threatened the health of Montgomery County’s last best stream which flows into the County’s backup water reservoir.

ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 5, 2020– GlycoMimetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLYC) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Company a Rare Pediatric Disease designation for rivipansel for the treatment of sickle cell disease in patients 18 years old and younger. This designation recognizes the significant needs in pediatric patients.

“The FDA’s designation recognizes the morbidity and mortality burdens of sickle cell disease as well as its significant impact during childhood with life-long implications. With this designation, the agency acknowledges the urgent need for improved treatment of children living with sickle cell disease,” stated Helen Thackray, Chief Medical Officer of GlycoMimetics.

“With global rights for rivipansel in our hands, we are exploring options to move forward in sickle cell disease, including discussions with the FDA as to whether there is a regulatory path to approval,” added Rachel King, Chief Executive Officer. “We plan to roll out the full data set from the Phase 3 RESET program at upcoming medical meetings, based on the acceptance of abstract submissions.”

About Rare Pediatric Disease Designation

The FDA defines a “rare pediatric disease” as a serious or life-threatening rare disease in which the serious or life-threatening manifestations primarily affect individuals aged from birth to 18 years. Under the FDA’s Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher program, a sponsor who receives an initial approval for a drug or biologic for a “rare pediatric disease” may qualify for a voucher that can be redeemed to receive a priority review of a subsequent marketing application for a different product.

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and VOC

SCD is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, impacting approximately 100,000 people. Worldwide, approximately 100 million people carry the SCD trait and an estimated five million live with the disease. While the majority of people with SCD are of African descent, the disease can affect all ethnic groups, especially those from areas where malaria is or was endemic, such as the Middle East, India and the Southern Mediterranean. Acute pain crises or VOCs are the most common clinical manifestation of SCD. A VOC occurs when hypoxia and inflammation lead to vascular occlusion, tissue ischemia and pain.

About Rivipansel

Rivipansel, a glycomimetic drug candidate that binds to all three members of the selectin family (E-, P- and L-selectin), was GlycoMimetics’ first drug candidate to enter clinical development. After the Phase 3 RESET trial conducted by Pfizer, GlycoMimetics’ former collaborator, produced disappointing results in 2019, new clinical outcome data from a post hoc analysis of early treatment with rivipansel were published in June 2020 in advance of a poster shown at the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research Meeting on September 24, 2020.

About GlycoMimetics, Inc.

GlycoMimetics is a biotechnology company with two late-stage clinical development programs and a pipeline of novel glycomimetic drugs, all designed to address unmet medical needs resulting from diseases in which carbohydrate biology plays a key role. GlycoMimetics’ drug candidate, uproleselan, an E-selectin antagonist, was evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial as a potential treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is being evaluated across a range of patient populations including a Company-sponsored Phase 3 trial in relapsed/refractory AML under breakthrough therapy designation. Rivipansel, a pan-selectin antagonist, is being explored for use in treatment of acute VOC in SCD. GlycoMimetics has also completed a Phase 1 clinical trial with another wholly-owned drug candidate, GMI-1359, a combined CXCR4 and E-selectin antagonist. GlycoMimetics is located in Rockville, MD in the BioHealth Capital Region. Learn more at www.glycomimetics.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the clinical development and potential benefits and impact of the Company’s drug candidates. These forward-looking statements include those relating to the planned or potential clinical development of the Company’s product candidates, including the presentation of data from clinical trials. Actual results may differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks associated with these statements, as well as other risks facing GlycoMimetics, please see the risk factors described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 28, 2020, and other filings GlycoMimetics makes with the SEC from time to time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release, and GlycoMimetics undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, except as may be required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201005005866/en/

Investor Contact:
Shari Annes
Phone: 650-888-0902
Email: sannes@annesassociates.com

Media Contact:
Jamie Lacey-Moreira
Phone: 410-299-3310
Email: jamielacey@presscommpr.com

Source: GlycoMimetics, Inc.

University of Maryland alumni, Sathya Janardhanan, founded Apsis Healthcare Systems in 2018 to help biotech and pharma companies of all sizes simplify drug development through process automation and leveraging the power of Big Data.

Janardhanan, a chemical engineer by trade, started his career in the oil industry but was inspired by what he saw as the growing promise of technology applications in biotech. He pivoted to biotech, joining Amplimmune, Inc. in 2015; he then worked for MedImmune as an analytical development scientist, and eventually became an early employee at NextCure, Inc. and served the company as a senior scientist before launching Apsis Healthcare (Apsis), which is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

“I started off as a chemical engineer, and where I studied, this was geared towards the petroleum industry and the chemical sector. As an undergraduate student, I was inspired by the innovation happening in the petroleum sector and saw that a lot of this technology could be applied in the biotech industry to improve drug development,” stated Janardhanan.

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The state of Maryland is the global epicenter of vaccine research and development. This has never been more evident than right now as scores of Maryland companies have risen to the global challenge of developing the first approved vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.

We’ve written extensively about the region’s push to develop a viable, effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine. Companies like Novavax, Emergent BioSolutions and Altimmune are on the leading edge with some of the most promising COVID-19 Vaccine candidates progressing through clinicals.  While Maryland as a global vaccine R&D juggernaut might be news to those outside of the region, Maryland’s life science ecosystem has been a leading vaccine R&D hub for years.

In fact, by some estimates, Maryland is home to twenty percent of the top vaccine influencers in the world; the state is also home to three of the top 10 global vaccine manufacturers. The legacy of vaccine leadership and innovation runs deep in Maryland and can be found at the likes of pharma giant’s like AstraZeneca, whose acquisition of MedImmune was a watershed moment for the region, as well as privately-held, smaller companies like Immunomic Therapeutics and others.

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