IN THIS ISSUE:
BEIR RECEIVES SBIR FAST TRACK
CLIENTS SECURE ~$10M IN FUNDING, RECEIVE SBIR AWARDS, ANNOUNCE COLLABORATIONS
CFB DIRECTOR INDUCTED IN TO THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS
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IN THIS ISSUE:BEIR RECEIVES SBIR FAST TRACK |
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CLIENTS SECURE ~$10M IN FUNDING, RECEIVE SBIR AWARDS, ANNOUNCE COLLABORATIONS |
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CFB DIRECTOR INDUCTED IN TO THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS |
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Save the Date! |
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BIOENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE AWARDED SBIR FAST TRACK |
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Avanti Biosciences, Inc. a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company lead by Center for Biotechnology BioEntrepreneur-in-Residence Dr. Gian Luca Araldi, announced that the National Institute of Aging (NIA) has awarded the Company an SBIR fast-track grant of up to $1,930,000 to support the company’s small molecule treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) over the next 3 years. The award will enable the preparation and testing of Avanti’s proprietary compounds derivatized from natural catechins, which inhibit DYRK1A, an enzyme that modulates tau phosphorylation. Working with NY Institute for Basic Research and the University of California San Diego (UCSD), the company hopes to attenuate and potentially reverse pathogenesis for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Read More |
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CFB DIRECTOR ELECTED FELLOW, NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS (NAI) |
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Clinton Rubin, PhD, Director of the Center for Biotechnology and Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University has been elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). According to the NAI, election as an NAI Fellow is a high honor bestowed upon academic innovators and inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions and innovations that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society. Dr. Rubin and fellow SBU Distinguished Professor Dr. Arie Kaufman will be inducted as NAI Fellows during its 2018 national meeting in Washington, DC, on April 5. With the election of the 2017 class there are now 912 NAI Fellows, representing over 250 research universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes. The 2017 Fellows are named inventors on nearly 6,000 issued U.S. patents, bringing the collective patents held by all NAI Fellows to more than 32,000 issued U.S. patents. Professor Rubin, founding chair of Stony Brook’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, pioneered research in understanding the role of mechanical signals in the musculoskeletal system and has patented technology that includes use of low frequency mechanical signals (vibrations) to combat disease like osteoporosis and obesity. More on Dr. Rubin’s election as an NAI Fellow can be found here and here. |
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CLIENT MILESTONES |
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Envisagenics, a NYC-based drug-discovery company spun out of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory closed a $2.35M Seed Round led by Dynamk Capital, with participation from other investors. Celmatix, a next-generation women’s health company, has been awarded $4.5 million from Empire State Development’s New York City Regional Economic Development Council (REDC), to expand its headquarters in Manhattan. Upon announcement of the award, Celmatix lauded New York State and the ways it has impacted their development as a company, including the support the Center for Biotechnology provided the company in their earliest days. Codagenix, a clinical stage, venture and public-sector-funded small business, secured $3M in funding in support of its live-attenuated Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine candidate that was developed in collaboration with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of NIH. Codagenix has raised a total of $10M since 2015 – with its influenza vaccine candidate currently in Phase I and a pre-clinical pipeline that includes Zika, Dengue, and Agricultural targets in addition to RSV. Kantian Skincare the public face of Huntington-based Kantian Sciences Corp surpassed $1M sales mark this past summer due mainly in part to the company’s Neutralyze Anti-Acne Solution. Traverse Biosciences, led by CFB BEIR Joseph Scaduto, was accepted into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Commercialization Accelerator Program (CAP) for Phase II SBIR/STTR Awardees. Additionally, the company was selected to represent Stony Brook University at the APLU and the Association of American Universities (AAU) inaugural University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Showcase on Capitol Hill in November 2017. The event featured 22 startup companies that have created products born out of federally funded, university-based research. Stony Brook-based Theragnostic Technologies received a Phase 1 SBIR Grant from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The funds will be used to demonstrate the preclinical safety and efficacy of a novel carbon-nanostructure-based X-ray computer tomography (CT) contrast agent (CA) for imaging and monitoring in patients with renal failure or at risk of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). Gismo Therapeutics Inc, has been awarded two grants to continue its development of therapies to treat Parkinson’s Disease. A $384,000 SBIR grant entitled "Glycosaminoglycan-Interacting Small Molecule (GISMO) as Parkinson's Therapeutic" was awarded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Gismo Therapeutics also received a $150,000 Kentucky SBIR Matching Funds grant from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. The funds will allow the company to investigate therapeutics directed against a newly identified disease pathway in Parkinson’s. Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. has entered into a collaboration with AstraZeneca to develop a novel POC diagnostic test to detect an undisclosed biomarker. Under terms of the 18-month agreement, Chembio will receive up to $2.9 million in funding from AstraZeneca, subject to satisfying certain milestones, to develop a quantitative reader-based POC test, utilizing Chembio's patented DPP® platform, and submit for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510k clearance. Applied DNA Sciences, Inc and Colorcon Inc. have announced a collaboration that combines Applied DNA’s proprietary molecular taggant and authentication technology with Colorcon’s portfolio of film coating systems, inks and color dispersions for use in solid oral dosage forms in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. This collaboration will commercialize a platform for traceability directly on dose, and is intended to significantly reduce the risks associated with counterfeit and falsified medications entering the drug supply chain. Enzo Biochem, Inc. was awarded $272,000 from Empire State Development through the 2017 Regional Economic Development Council Awards. Enzo Biochem, Inc. will invest in facility improvements and new equipment to add genetic specimen testing. |
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MONEYBALL MEDICINE |
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Harry Glorkian & Malorye Allison Branca have recently authored “MoneyBall Medicine: Thriving in the New Data-Driven Healthcare Market” which describes the business challenges and opportunities arising for those working in one of the most vibrant sectors of the world’s economy. Doctors, hospital administrators, health information technology directors, and entrepreneurs need to adapt to the changes effecting healthcare today in order to succeed in the new, cost-conscious and value-based environment of the future. The authors map out many of the changes taking place, describe how they are impacting everyone from patients to researchers to insurers, and outline some predictions for the healthcare industry in the years to come.” |
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM FROM NIH & CDC: I-CORPS |
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I-Corps at NIH is an experience-based program designed specifically for small biotech businesses. Through this 8-week program, you will learn how to build a strong business model that could help bring your technology to patients. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for 2018 Summer Cohort of I-Corps at NIH is now available: PA-18-517. More information sessions will be available in early 2018 to help you better understand the program. In the meantime, please refer to the following resources to learn more about the program: FOA: PA-18-517. Application due date: March 5, 2018, by 5 PM local time |
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WOMEN IN STEM LEADERSHIP PROGRAM |
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Occupations in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics are expected to continue to outpace non-STEM jobs over the next decade. Yet while women make up more than half of all workers with post-secondary degrees, only slightly more than a quarter of them are in core STEM fields. The Women in STEM Leadership Program encourages and equips women at all stages of their careers with the skills necessary to advance as productive and valuable employees in their chosen STEM fields. Date: May 9, 10, 11, 2018. Application required, Seating will be limited. Learn more & apply here. |
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UPDATE FOR LIFE SCIENCES COMPANIES FROM EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT |
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The Life Sciences Research and Development Tax Credit Program is designed to support new life sciences businesses locating, inventing, commercializing and producing in New York State. Program credits of $10 million per year can be allocated and used to encourage new businesses to conduct their research and development in the State. Qualified life sciences companies may be eligible to receive a fully refundable credit based on qualified research and development expenditures incurred in New York State (NYS). The credit is 15 percent for a company that employs 10 or more persons and 20 percent for a company that employs 10 or less. The credit is allowed for up to three consecutive years beginning with the first taxable year on or after January 1, 2018 during which the qualified life sciences company meets the eligibility criteria. The credit is capped at $500,000 per year for a lifetime cap of $1.5 million. Learn more about the program here. |
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EMERGING COMPANY PIPELINE |
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The Emerging Company Pipeline highlights innovative companies the Center for Biotechnology has recently been working with in various capacities that are poised to have significant impacts. iCell Gene Therapeutics, Stony Brook, NY - developing Novel chimeric antigen receptor engineered cells (CAR-T & CAR-NK) immunotherapeutics. Manhattan Biosolutions, New York, NY - a start-up focused next- generation immunotherapy aimed to enhance or augment the natural ability of the immune system to recognize cancer as foreign and defend the body against malignancies. PhD Biosciences, New York, NY – a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for oncology and hematology. Simulon, Stony Brook NY - developing computer software to aid in drug-discovery to provide consulting services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. |
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