Life Science Accelerator IndieBio Launches in NYC

The IndieBio life sciences accelerator has officially launched in New York and is now accepting applications until March 1st. Each team accepted into the program will receive $250K, lab and co-working space and mentorship during the four-month program that kicks off in April 2020. IndieBio is looking for early-stage companies where biology is the underlying technology, which includes therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, computational biology as well as consumer and industrial applications, such as plant-based foods, cellular agriculture. Therapeutics companies accepted into IndieBio New York are eligible to receive up to $2 million.

IndieBio, the world’s first life sciences accelerator, was created by venture fund SOSV in 2014. In the past five years, SOSV/IndieBio has backed nearly 200 life science startups with a combined valuation of over $3 billion, raising more than $700 million and employing over 2,000 people.

Codagenix Announces $20M Series B

Farmingdale, New York based Codagenix, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing prophylactic vaccines and oncolytic virus therapies, has announced the closing of a $20 million Series B investment round.

The new investment was led by Adjuvant Capital, with participation by Euclidean Capital and Topspin Partners. The funds will be used to support the further clinical development of Codagenix’s live attenuated RSV vaccine for the elderly, a broadly-protective influenza vaccine and an oncolytic virus therapy for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

This funding round, combined with Series A investments, brings Codagenix’s total funding to $38 million. Previous funders include Topspin Partners, the Center for Biotechnology and various U.S. government agencies. More.

MicroRid Technologies Receives $4M Award

MicroRid Technologies Inc. has received a five year, $4 million, Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Technology/Therapeutic Development Award, which is administered by the Department of Defense office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The company, founded by Center for Biotechnology BioEntrepreneur-in-Residence Dr. Brian McCarthy and Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine Professor Maurizio Del Poeta, is researching the development of small-molecule anti-fungal drugs.The Center for Biotechnology is also supporting company technology development efforts via our REACH program.

The company will work with Stony Brook University on aspects of the project, engaging with Dr. Del Poeta as well as Dr. Iwo Ojim from the department of Chemisty. The goal of the project, titled “The Research and Development of New Antifungals” is to develop / optimize compounds that inhibit fungal specific targets and perform preclinical development that will help prepare the company for their Investigational New Drug filing with the FDA.

BARDA RFI: Next Generation Blood Products

ASPR/BARDA is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to assist in understanding the developmental landscape of next generation blood products that could be used to treat mechanical trauma and bleeding associated with acute radiation syndrome and potentially supplement the blood supply in the wake of a mass casualty event such as a nuclear or radiological scenario. BARDA intends to use responses to this RFI for planning potential future acquisitions. BARDA seeks pertinent marketplace data to strengthen BARDA’s understanding of the current and future marketplace as well as enhance its ability to obtain quality services and products economically, and to efficiently and lawfully establish potential vendor source files and listings. BARDA will not award any potential contracts under this notice. This is strictly for market research.

Link to the RFI: https://bit.ly/2LSjOEc .

Proposal Development Workshop: SBIR/STTR for NIH

The Federal SBIR/STTR programs award over $3 billion in high risk R&D funding annually to qualified small businesses. The process is complex but the impact of receiving millions in non-dilutive funding is worth the effort.

On January 15-16, 2020, the Center for Biotechnology will be hosting a intensive, 1.5 day workshop led by  well-known program expert and trainer, Becky Aistrup, M.B.A., Managing Partner of BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting LLC. This 1.5-day session focused on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will cover program essentials and how to compete for funding. Training is open to the public and will include:

  • Current information on the SBIR/STTR programs
  • Strategies for targeting your proposal to address the mission and requirements of the NIH
  • How to approach each section of your proposal
  • Planning your commercialization strategy
  • Writing to meet the reviewers’ expectations

Dates & Times
Wed, Jan 15, 2020, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Thu, Jan 16, 2020 8:30 AM –12:00 PM EST

Location
Long Island High Technology Incubator
Main Conference Room
25 Health Sciences Drive
Stony Brook, NY 11794

Registration Fee: $60 Space is Limited. Pre-registration is required. REGISTER ONLINE

Interested participants have the opportunity to apply for partial-sponsored follow on counseling via one-on-one proposal mentoring with SBIR/STTR experts. More info here. PLEASE NOTE: This training is mandatory for those who will be submitting applications for the One-on-One proposal counseling.