IN THIS ISSUE:
CFB DESIGNATED AS BARDA DRIVE ACCELERATOR
CLIENTS ANNOUNCE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS; FEDERAL FUNDING; MAJOR COLLABORATIONS
ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM EXPANDS
| WINTER 2019 |
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IN THIS ISSUE:CFB DESIGNATED AS BARDA DRIVE ACCELERATOR |
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CLIENTS ANNOUNCE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS; FEDERAL FUNDING; MAJOR COLLABORATIONS |
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ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM EXPANDS |
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Save the Date! |
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CFB SELECTED AS BARDA DRIVE ACCELERATOR |
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In early June, the CFB was selected as one of eight accelerators in the nation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to drive innovation in lifesaving medical technologies that solve challenging problems spanning modern health security threats and daily medical care. A new HHS unit called DRIVe – part of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) at the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, oversees the accelerator network. Accelerators are responsible for scouting innovative technologies and products that can be developed to solve healthcare challenges that extend beyond traditional vaccine and drug development. To assist startups and other businesses in developing their technologies and products, accelerators will connect them with essential product development and business support services. This support could position innovative technologies and products for follow-on investment from the public or private sectors. More on the CFB and DRIVe. |
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CALL FOR ENTREPRENEURS |
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The Center for Biotechnology (CFB) is looking for minority and women entrepreneurs to participate in our BioEntrepreneurs-in-Residence (BEIR) Program. The BEIR Program engages entrepreneurs and connects them directly with inventors and senior CFB staff members to determine and outline critical technical milestones to add value and mitigate the risk of early stage technology commercialization. The ultimate goal of these efforts is for the BEIR to launch and lead a new bioscience venture in the Long Island region based upon commercially promising biomedical technologies. Modest milestone based compensation is available for qualified individuals. These efforts of the CFB are being aided by a planning grant from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation to the CFB and Stony Brook University in order to develop a pipeline of minority entrepreneurs in STEM fields to participate in the BioEntrepreneurs-in-Residence (BEIR) Program. Please contact Diane Fabel for more information. |
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CALL FOR STRATEGIC ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS |
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The Center for Biotechnology is expanding its Strategic Advisory Council, and seeks candidates that share the Center for Biotechnology's passion for translating novel biomedical innovations into life saving technologies, building the bioscience ecosystem in the Long Island and greater New York region, and cultivating the next generation of industry leaders. Self nomination and referrals are welcomed. Minortiy and female candidate are encouraged. Additional information on the role and responsibilities can be found here. Please contact Diane Fabel for more information. |
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TWO INDUSTRY VETS JOIN CFB’S ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM |
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Dr. Boris Shor and Mr. Peter Young have been tapped to be the CFB’s newest BioEntrepreneurs-In-Residence (BEIRs). Dr. Shor and Mr. Young have extensive bioscience industry experience affording them unique perspectives in the role of BioEntrepreneur-in-Residence. Each will work with the Center for Biotechnology to identify commercially promising academic technologies that have the potential to support company formation. Dr. Shor has nearly 15 years of experience in leading oncology programs and external R&D partnerships at large pharmas and biotech companies, with specific focus on preclinical development of small molecule kinase inhibitors and biologics. Mr. Young is an experienced life science industry consultant with over thirty-five years experience and currently serves as an executive-in-residence with Pappas Capital, where he leads the firm’s initiatives in translational research. Read more about our newest BEIRs and the BEIR Program here. |
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CLIENT MILESTONES |
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Syntimmune to be aquired by Alexion: Alexion Pharmaceuticals and Syntimmune have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Alexion to acquire Syntimmune. Syntimmune is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing antibody therapeutics targeting the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) which has been backed by Apple Tree Partners. Syntimmune, the first early-stage investment from Apple Tree Partners' current fund, grew out of a discussion that began over lunch at the Life Sciences Summit in 2013. Under the terms of the agreement, Alexion will acquire Syntimmune for an upfront payment of $400 million, with the potential for additional milestone-dependent payments of up to $800 million, for a total value of up to $1.2 billion. Celmatix and Ferring Pharmaceuticals have announced a genomics collaboration aimed at uncovering new insights into ovarian biology and accelerating the development of personalized interventions in reproductive medicine and women’s health. This collaboration will leverage both Ferring and Celmatix’s significant expertise in women’s reproductive health and may unlock insights that could lead to novel interventions with a broader impact on women’s health. Additionally, in October, Celmatix announced a commercial agreement with Oncotest-Teva Ltd., a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. in Israel, to bring the Fertilome test, the world’s first multigene panel test for a woman's reproductive health and fertility, to the Israeli market. ENB Therapeutics, based in New York City, announced that it has closed its Series A private equity financing. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance the company’s lead investigational drug compound, ENB-003, a first-in-class, selective inhibitor of the endothelin B receptor (“ETBR”) through pre-clinical and early clinical development for the treatment of immunotherapy-resistant cancers. Remiges Ventures served as lead investor for the financing with participation from New York State Development, BioAdvance and Alexandria Ventures. The company met BioAdvance at the Life Sciences Summit in 2017 and that interaction played a role in the financing. Applied DNA Sciences Inc. recently annouced the formation of a LineaRx, Inc., wholly owned subsidiary intended to commercialize the company’s extensive experience in the design, manufacture and chemical modification of DNA by large scale polymerase chain reaction in the field of biotherapeutics, specifically gene and cellular therapies as well as vaccines. LineaRx, Inc. has already entered into a Joint Development Agreement with Takis S.R.L. and Evvivax S.R.L., to jointly develop linear DNA expression vectors for two of Takis/Evvivax’s anti-cancer vaccine candidates utilizing LineaRx’s linear DNA technology. Additionally, the company also recently announced the signing of an exclusive North American licensing agreement and research services agreement with CFB client iCell Gene Therapeutics, under which iCell licensed to LineaRx an anti-CD19 CAR T therapy for non-viral delivery. iCell Gene Therapeutics, Stony Brook University and the University of Louisville, have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for an Investigational New Drug (IND) for the treatment of relapsed and refractory T-cell leukemia and lymphoma. The approach is the first to use chimeric antigen receptor engineered T-cells directed against the target protein CD4 (CD4CAR). Together, Stony Brook University, the University of Louisville, and iCell Gene Therapeutics expect the first in-human Phase I clinical trial to begin accruing patients in 2019. Chronus Pharmaceuticals has recently been awarded two Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards in partnership with the Department of Chemistry at Stony Brook University. The first award, $299,172 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be used to establish feasibility of an antibody diagnostic for detecting childhood tuberculosis. The research will be lead by Nicole S. Sampson, PhD in the Department of Chemistry, who will serve as Principal Investigator on the award and work in close collaboration with Chronus Pharmaceuticals. The second award, $224,999 from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, will be used to evaluate a novel infection PET diagnostic. Dr. Peter Tonge, also from the Department of Chemistry, will serve as Principal Investigator. MicroRid Technologies, headed by CFB BEIR Brian McCarthy, was awarded a $279,393 STTR from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to discover and develop a new therapeutic(s) more potent than current antifungals for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. Dr. Maurizio Del Poeta of Stony Brook University’s Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology will serve as the Principal Investigator. Intensity Therapeutics has announced the completion of a $6.5 million Series B financing, which it plans to use to advance the clinical development of a cancer-treating drug. Intensity’s lead product candidate, INT230-6, is a direct intratumoral injection that is being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical study in patients with various advanced solid tumors. Sustained Nano Systems, a biopharmaceutical company utilizing its platform technology of bio-resorbable nano and microparticles for long term drug delivery, announced positive results for the in-vitro presence of Latanaprost for the treatment of glaucoma over a duration of 159 days. MapNeuro Inc, headed by CFB Client and REACH Awardee, Dr. Alex Vaughan of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, was awarded the 2018 Alexandria LaunchLabs Seed Capital during the NYC Life Science Innovation Showcase. Valued at $100,000, the prize, meant to fund early-stage development companies, includes a scholarship to Alexandria LaunchLabs, a cash award, and an investment from the Alexandria Seed Capital Platform, an innovative funding model catalyzing seed-stage life science investment. MapNeuro Inc. commercializes “molecular connectomics” technology developed in the laboratory of CSHL Professor Anthony Zador. MapNeuro uses this platform to understand brain-wide patterns of neuronal connectivity, and is specifically targeting neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. |
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LONG ISLAND BIOMENTOR INITIATIVE (LIBMI) OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES |
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The Long Island BioMentor Initiative (LIBMI) officially accepted its first program applications in a “launch event” at the de Seversky Mansion on Thursday, May 10, 2018. Already a year into a pilot phase, the LIBMI was developed in association with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Venture Mentoring Service which employs an “objective team-mentoring model” for early-stage businesses. Learn more about the program and our mentors here. |
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CFB EXPANDS ERB |
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The CFB has expanded our External Review Board, adding Dr. Brandy Houser of Celdara Medical and Dr. Leah Lipsich of Regneron Pharmaceuticals. Brandy Houser, PhD, serves as the New York site head for Celdara, running NY/NJ operations as well as sourcing and vetting new pipeline assets for the company. Leah Lipsich, PhD, is the Vice President for Strategic Program Direction at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and has focused her career on product development and seeing important discoveries make it through the development pathway. Dr. Lipsich has held multiple positions in industry including roles at Ingene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Purdue Pharma, UCB, Elan Drug Technologies and Regeneron. |
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CFB ASST. DIRECTOR TO SPEAK AT IMMUNO-ONCOLOGY 360˚ IN FEBRUARY |
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CFB Assistant Director for Technology and Business Development, Anton Xavier, will be discussing "IO Partnering Strategies in an Increasingly Complex Environment" at the Immuno-Oncology (IO) 360° event in New York City on February 7, 2019. The 5th annual event, taking place February 6th-8th in NYC, brings together all stakeholders in IO to address the rapid advancements of clinical, scientific and business developments of IO in one setting in order to help develop therapeutics for a wider range of cancers at an accelerated rate. The three-day summit features 10 plenary sessions with over 80 speakers and includes ten plus hours of networking. There will be over 450 attendees representing pharma, biotechs, academia, research organizations, business development and the investment community focused on IO. If you are interested in attending, use the code “CFB20” to receive a 20% discount on your registration fees. Register and learn more about the agenda here. |
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BARDA DRIVE VENTURES RFI |
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BARDA DRIVe wants to hear from the venture capital community and has announced the expansion of its market research effort to identify potential partners and capture feedback to support its newest novel public-private partnership, DRIVe Ventures. DRIVe Ventures will work with corporate venture capital partners to invest in promising products, driving them to the marketplace to transform and enhance national health security. More information here. BARDA also recently announced it is leading an interagency group to develop a wearable device to detect, and possibly treat, an opioid overdose. This group, Technology Innovation to Combat Opioids (TICO) is holding a Deep Dive on Feb 12-13, 2019 to review possible technologies being developed in this area. Learn more about the intiative and how to participate here. |
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