Asserting Your third Annual BioBuzz Awards Finalists · BioBuzz

We’re excited to announce this yr’s finalists for the third annual 2022 BioBuzz Awards. These awards have fun the individuals and corporations throughout our regional neighborhood and their efforts and accomplishments to affect human well being and construct a stronger biotech neighborhood.

The annual BioBuzz awards have fun the individuals, corporations and communities throughout the BioHealth Capital Area and, beginning this yr, Better Philadelphia. These awards laud and acknowledge their efforts and to affect human well being and construct stronger, extra vibrant biotech communities.

There are such a lot of individuals and organizations doing nice work in these areas, deciding on finalists was not a simple job. We’re very excited to announce this yr’s BioBuzz Awards finalists for 2022. 

We’d wish to thank our annual sponsors, companions, and collaborators who offered nominations representing a wide selection of individuals, corporations and assist organizations. Just like the final two BioBuzz Awards, there was no scarcity of deserving nominees. 

The individuals within the BioHealth Capital Area and Philadelphia are actually altering the world with superb science, unwavering effort and massive hearts. Let’s have fun our colleagues! 

As all the time, the BioBuzz Awards winners can be chosen by YOU.  We’ve and all the time can be a community-first firm, and we consider that each particular person performs an vital function in what makes this neighborhood so nice. It solely takes a couple of minutes to make your vote depend.

Remember to present your assist by sharing on social media utilizing #BioBuzzAwards to assist unfold the phrase.

Be taught extra about every finalist beneath:

The ‘John Holaday’ BioHealth Management Award

In honor of the late John Holaday, Ph.D., famend scientist, CEO, philanthropist, mentor and neighborhood chief, this award acknowledges a regional biohealth chief who embodies Holaday’s private credo — “do effectively by doing good”, and exemplifies an identical unwavering devotion to excellence. With this award we wish you to appoint a servant chief who’s carrying on John’s legacy and lives every day with a passionate pursuit of excellence and innovation in their very own work to make a distinction within the lives of others. As CEO and Founder EntreMed, and MaxCyte, Holaday had an vital function in constructing the muse for the biohealth {industry} that exists right here immediately, and we wish to honor that legacy by means of this award.

Rachel King – Interim CEO, BIO

Rachel King is the co-founder and former Chief Government Officer of GlycoMimetics, Inc., and the Interim CEO of BIO. Earlier than founding GlycoMimetics, Inc. in 2003, Mrs. King was an government in residence at New Enterprise Associates (NEA) who she joined after main Genetic Remedy, Inc. (GTI) by means of the corporate’s early phases, preliminary public providing, and eventual sale to Novartis, at which she ran GTI as an entirely owned subsidiary of Novartis.

Rachel King has held a number of Board of Administrators positions over the previous 20 years together with her present roles at Novavax, GlycoMymetics, and her previous function as Board of Administrators Chair for BIO.

Be taught extra about Mrs. King in a earlier episode of BioTalk with Wealthy Bendis and in this current article from BIO.

Dr. Kurt Newman – President & CEO, Kids’s Nationwide Hospital

Dr. Kurt Newman is a surgeon and acknowledged chief in pediatric well being nationally and in Washington, D.C. Since changing into CEO in 2011, he has fostered a tradition of patient-centered care and championed improvements in analysis, operations, and scientific care. He has solid productive partnerships with different well being methods within the area, with authorities and neighborhood entities and with {industry} on the native, nationwide and international stage. He’s additionally a robust advocate for increasing psychological well being entry for youths and has led two nationwide boards on this subject. 

Dr. Newman was acknowledged because the Washington Enterprise Journal’s 2021 CEO of the Yr. along with his work throughout the persevering with pandemic, WBJ added, “Newman additionally vastly expanded the enterprise, opening the primary part of its $215 million analysis and innovation campus on the former Walter Reed Army Medical Middle in D.C., increasing its behavioral well being amenities on the renovated Takoma Theatre, unveiling a brand new sports activities drugs middle in partnership with Struggle for Kids in downtown Silver Spring’s newly dubbed Inventa Towers and inking a deal to supply essential pediatric companies in what can be Southeast D.C.’s greatest hope for well being care: a $375 million state-of-the-art hospital to be constructed on the St. Elizabeths East campus.”

Dr. Newman plans to quickly retire from his place, persevering with to guide the group whereas the board searches for his alternative.

Michael Richman – CEO, NextCure

Mike Richman is a veteran entrepreneur and government within the biotech and biopharma area, having most lately based NextCure in 2015.  Beforehand Mr. Richman based and served as President and Chief Government Officer of Amplimmune, which was acquired by MedImmune/AstraZeneca in 2013. Mr. Richman additionally served as an Government Vice President and Chief Working Officer of MacroGenics, the Senior Vice President of Company Improvement and Administration at MedImmune, and as Vice President of Enterprise Improvement. From 1985 to 1996, he served in numerous positions at Chiron (now Novartis) in enterprise growth and mental property.

Beneath Mr. Richman’s management NextCure was taken public in 2019 for $82M and has made spectacular strides lately. Past increasing its pipeline and shifting a number of belongings into the clinic, the corporate has in-house cGMP manufacturing and in addition lately simply launched its new GLP lab to broaden in-house capabilities and get medicines to sufferers sooner. 

Richman has a really genuine management type and works onerous to empower the individuals round him to be their greatest and develop their careers. He invests a substantial effort to construct a vibrant and supportive firm tradition, from making a work surroundings that conjures up creativity to making sure cross-communication and camaraderie between departments to creating a office the place the range and uniqueness of his staff can stand out.

Be taught extra about Mr. Richman and NextCure’s mission to develop novel immuno-medicines.

This award honors a media marketing campaign that almost all aligns with our mission; ‘to create distinctive experiences that higher join individuals and employers and foster a stronger regional ecosystem.’ At its core, it acknowledges the media campaigns or platforms which have efficiently engaged, knowledgeable, and related individuals inside scientific communities. Eligible nominations could embody social media, podcasts, video sequence, weblog sequence, occasion or webinar sequence, and different promoting, advertising, and public relations campaigns. Nominees are chosen primarily based on the strategic strategy, high quality, and outcomes achieved.

American Gene Applied sciences’ “The Remedy Chronicles” Video Sequence

Rockville, Maryland’s American Gene Applied sciences (AGT), a number one gene remedy biotech firm working to develop a useful remedy for HIV and coverings for different ailments, launched a brand new HIV-focused video sequence in 2022 entitled “The Remedy Chronicles” .

“The Remedy Chronicles” options considerate and compelling conversations with individuals within the HIV neighborhood and might be discovered on AGT’s web site, YouTube in addition to different digital media platforms. The sequence is hosted by AGT’s CEO Jeff Galvin and discusses a variety of HIV matters by means of the views of individuals dwelling with HIV, advocates, medical consultants, policymakers, and extra. The sequence lately went dwell with its thirteenth episode.

CEO Council for Progress’s “Discovery Begins with Me” Video Sequence, produced by the Choose Better Philadelphia Council

Better Philadelphia’s place as a number one life sciences hub is a draw to many seeking to begin or take the subsequent step of their careers. As a part of its proactive strategy to supporting expertise attraction and retention within the cell and gene remedy sector the CEO Council for Progress, by means of the “Discovery Begins with Me” video sequence that was produced by the Choose Better Philadelphia Council, seeks for example what makes the area so interesting.

“Discovery Begins with Me” options “Expertise Ambassadors” working in regional cell and gene remedy corporations whereas showcasing Better Philadelphia’s accessibility, affordability, and livability. A key attribute of the movies is inclusion of segments filmed by the Expertise Ambassadors that present the people each inside and outdoors of the office, reinforcing how working within the area enhances their private and social lives. Via the sequence, the CEO Council for Progress finally hopes to attach employers with job seekers, supporting the creation of latest therapies, new therapies, and new methods of delivering well being to our residents inside Better Philadelphia and past.

The Maryland Stem Cell Analysis Fund’s “Meet the Awardees” Video Sequence

Since 2006, the Maryland Stem Cell Analysis Fund (MSCRF) has performed a pivotal function in supporting Maryland-based researchers and corporations which might be creating new medical methods for the prevention, analysis, remedy, and remedy of human ailments, accidents, and situations by means of human stem cells. The MSCRF has been instrumental within the launch and development of a number of Maryland stem cell corporations because it created its Accelerating Cures initiative in 2017, which has helped transfer 104 applied sciences into validation, corporations, and the clinic. As well as, the MSCRF has supported 26 analysis/product growth/scientific trial grants up to now 5 years (in comparison with 12 within the earlier ten years).

The MSCRF’s video sequence “Meet the Awardees” introduces a few of its funding recipients and gives insights into the groundbreaking stem cell analysis the fund helps all through the state of Maryland. 

This award honors a considerate neighborhood builder that fosters intentional collaborations and significant contributions of their time, power, and experience to assist the biohealth ecosystems within the BioHealth Capital Area and Philadelphia. This particular person or group has gone above and past their tasks to make an affect on the ecosystem. This particular person or group is a servant chief who sees past their job description or the steadiness sheet and strives to create a rising tide for all throughout in order that we are able to collectively make a better affect on public well being and sufferers world wide.

Dr. Nao Gamo – Founder and Chief Government Officer, NeuroSonics Medical, Inc

Dr. Nao Gamo has led NeuroSonics Medical since its incorporation. Earlier than changing into an entrepreneur, she spent 15 years as an instructional researcher in neuroscience and psychiatry, with a concentrate on the molecular and mobile mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment associated to psychiatric issues. She was additionally an Adjunct Assistant Analysis Engineer and Analysis Affiliate in Biomedical Engineering on the Johns Hopkins College, the place she labored to develop the NeuroSonics Medical know-how. She accomplished undergraduate levels in Mind and Cognitive Sciences and Music from the Massachusetts Institute of Expertise, a PhD in Neurobiology from Yale College, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship within the Molecular Psychiatry Program on the Johns Hopkins College.

She can be keen about serving to these transitioning from tutorial analysis to an entrepreneurial profession. Over the previous few years, she has given a number of webinars and took part in panels about entrepreneurship and her profession path to native teams and analysis establishments, together with the Johns Hopkins College, Institute of Marine and Environmental Expertise (IMET), and Kids’s Nationwide Hospital. She has additionally mentored over 20 college students over her profession to date to assist them to expertise numerous biotechnology careers and information them in direction of their subsequent phases in life. 

Lastly, as the brand new Vice Chair of the Government Girls in Bio Committee for the Capital Area Chapter of Girls In Bio, she is taking these actions to a bigger scale to encourage girls who’re aspiring founders and executives. For all her contributions, she has been acknowledged as a RealLIST Connector 2021 (“leaders rising Baltimore’s tech and entrepreneurship community”) and Girls In Bio Capital Area Chapter’s 2021-2022 Rising Star.

John Newby – CEO, Virginia Bio

John Newby is the CEO at Virginia Bio, the statewide non-profit commerce affiliation for the life science {industry}. Roughly 300 corporations spanning biopharmaceuticals, medical machine, medtech, diagnostics, digital well being, bioinformatics, agriculture, and industrial bio and associated fields are primarily based in Virginia, primarily clustered round analysis universities and medical establishments. Virginia Bio is the only state affiliate and works carefully with key nationwide {industry} organizations BIO, AdvaMed, MDMA, PhRMA and We Work for Well being.

Mr. Newby was previously the Commissioner of the Virginia Division of Veterans Companies (VDVS), the place he led an 850-member Company situated throughout 50 Virginia places, delivering employment, training, advantages, behavioral well being and long run well being care companies to Virginia’s Reservists, Guardsmen, transitioning service members and 725,000 veterans. Previous to main VDVS Newby practiced company, mental property, and Hatch-Waxman biopharmaceutical legislation at worldwide legislation companies in Richmond and Washington DC, and at a multinational firm. Newby beforehand commanded an Air Power particular operations unit supporting the U.S. Army’s third and seventh Special Forces Teams (Airborne) and served in Iraq as an aviator aboard the Boeing B-1B Lancer strategic bomber.

Nucleate Baltimore: Co-Founders Gosia Latallo & W. Taylor Cottle

Nucleate’s Baltimore chapter was Co-founded by Gosia Latallo and W. Taylor Cottle in 2021. Nucleate is a student-run non-profit group creating future leaders within the life sciences {industry} by educating present tutorial trainees. It gives free packages that democratize biotech training and helps establish and assist expertise in life sciences and biotech. 

The Nucleate staff additionally works to provoke new mental communities, construct bridges throughout the biotech ecosystem and enhance the standard and amount of life science applied sciences spinning out in tutorial labs. Most significantly, Nucleate is constructing a neighborhood that focuses on outreach, variety, fairness, and inclusion to make biotech/life science accessible.

Be taught extra concerning the Nucleate program right here.

Enterprise Café Philadelphia

The Enterprise Café Philadelphia faucets into the experience and community of the College Metropolis Science Middle to accomplice with corporations and organizations which might be evolving enterprise, training, know-how, social justice, science, and the humanities inside Philadelphia and past. Together with pitch nights, thought-provoking content material, and one-on-one classes. Enterprise Café’s flagship program – Thursday Gathering – gives attendees with lots of of connection and motion alternatives every week, each on-line and at their inspiring venues.

The Workforce Champion of the Yr Award

This award acknowledges this system or group that has made a measurable contribution to enhancing the biotech workforce throughout the BioHealth Capital Area and Philadelphia. Expertise is the only most vital, and limiting, variable to the success of an organization and of a regional financial system. These nominees are acknowledged for his or her excellent contributions and modern strategy to attracting, coaching, or rising the biotech workforce.

The Biomedical Technician Coaching Program (BTT Program) – Iovance, Wistar Institute, West Philadelphia Expertise Initiative, Philadelphia Industrial Improvement Company (PIDC), Chamber of Commerce for Better Philadelphia and Philadelphia Works

The Biomedical Technician Coaching (BTT) Program was created by Dr. William Wunner at The Wistar Institute in partnership with Neighborhood Faculty of Philadelphia (CCP) in 2000. In 2019 the BTT Program turned a registered pre-apprenticeship that may lead into Wistar’s Fox Biomedical Analysis Technician (BRT) Apprenticeship.

This yr, six (6) organizations got here collectively for the subsequent iteration of the BTT Program below a brand new grant awarded. The Wistar Institute, West Philadelphia Expertise Initiative, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Philadelphia Industrial Improvement Company (PIDC), Chamber of Commerce for Better Philadelphia and Philadelphia Works lately introduced their partnership for a paid workforce growth coaching program referred to as Biomedical Technician Coaching Program: Aseptic Manufacturing.

The aseptic manufacturing program is 22 weeks lengthy and can embody 10 weeks of night lessons adopted by a full-time lab orientation at The Wistar Institute. The final part of this system is a 10-week externship with Iovance Biotherapeutics, the place college students will work on the Iovance iCTC (Cell Remedy Middle) on the Navy Yard. After completion of the BTT Program, trainees can receive positions which might be historically held by graduates of four-year baccalaureate packages.

Be taught extra about this system.

Montgomery Faculty Biotechnology Program

Montgomery Faculty’s Biotechnology Program has been on the forefront of training and coaching Maryland’s workforce for generations and is acknowledged by the area’s prime employers. The excellent program provides an array of training and coaching alternatives for people in any respect profession ranges.

The Biotechnology AAS Diploma in addition to a Biotechnology Certificates and Biomanufacturing Certificates program are all construct from industry-lead curriculums, and simply this yr MC was awarded a $350,000 Nationwide Science Basis (NSF) grant for its undertaking, New to ATE: Enhancing Biopharmaceutical Technician Schooling with Cell and Gene Remedy Credentials.

The school’s BIOTrain program provides a plethora of free, quick workshops that equip people with the foundational abilities wanted for fulfillment in a life sciences profession – whether or not or not it’s studying about protein purification methods and the drug growth course of to constructing delicate abilities reminiscent of negotiating and talking with confidence.

The Bio-Trac program provides superior scientific coaching for PhD’s and researchers by means of hands-on workshops the place members have the chance to dive in deep to the very newest analysis methods reminiscent of and take full benefit of Montgomery Faculty’s state-of-the-art amenities and coaching labs. On the Bioscience Schooling Middle members take workshops on every little thing from movement cytometry to CRISPR to next-generation sequencing and past.

Montgomery Faculty and UMBC partnered with WorkSource Montgomery to supply free Biotech Bootcamps to unemployed county residence and put together them for careers within the {industry}. Montgomery Faculty has additionally partnered with GlaxoSmithKline to supply highschool graduates and first-year faculty college students a novel alternative to earn a revered biotech affiliate’s diploma whereas additionally gaining related work expertise by means of GSK. It’s by means of these synergies between {industry} and academic methods that Maryland will proceed to prosper.

Virginia Bio’s “STEM2VA” Internship Matching Program

VirginiaBio’s Stem2VA Internship Program provides as much as 100 undergrad and graduate college students a difficult and thrilling alternative to be taught firsthand about life sciences careers. STEM2VA will match Virginia-based college students at a two- or four-year plus degree-awarding establishment with enriching experiences within the life science {industry}. This system seeks students with an curiosity in changing into future scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs throughout quite a lot of disciplines, together with analysis and growth, prescription drugs, diagnostics, digital well being, and medical units/tools.

The Breakthrough Life Science Firm of the Yr Award

This award acknowledges the businesses who’ve pursued their mission with dedication and perseverance and constructed momentum in direction of commercialization with a considerable breakthrough this previous yr. Nominees must be chosen from corporations who’ve achieved vital milestones reminiscent of advancing to a clinical-stage firm, attaining profitable pivotal trials, or getting FDA approval for the commercialization of their know-how to carry it to the sufferers who want it.

Arcellx

Arcellx is a clinical-stage biotechnology firm headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD that’s creating modern cell immunotherapies for sufferers with most cancers and different incurable ailments. The corporate has developed a powerful pipeline concentrating on a large number of ailments together with A number of Myeloma, AML/MDS, and numerous stable tumors. Using their novel D-Area know-how, the staff is working to make cell therapies safer, extra efficacious, and extra accessible.

Notable News & Milestones

Vaccitech

Vaccitech is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm engaged within the discovery and growth of novel immunotherapies for the remedy of power infectious ailments, most cancers, autoimmune ailments, and different T cell-related ailments. Headquartered within the UK, Vaccitech additionally has a presence in Baltimore after buying Avidea Applied sciences in late 2021.

The corporate’s distinctive platforms, ChAdOx, MVA, and SNAPvax, are designed to harness the facility of the immune system’s T cells and might be mixed in prime-boost regimens, offering benefits when it comes to tolerability, manufacturability, and efficacy.

Notable News & Milestones

Verismo Therapeutics

Philadelphia-based Verismo is using its SynKIR™ CAR T cell therapies to deal with stable tumors with long-term T cell performance. The naturally-inspired distinctive construction of those therapies is designed to couple and decouple to permit T cells to stay efficient even below repeated tumor encounters within the harshest of stable tumor microenvironments.

Up to now SynKIR™ has proven promising ends in in vivo stable tumor fashions, with the corporate poised to enter the clinic in early 2023.

Notable News & Milestones

The Employer of the Yr Award

This award honors the life science employers who’re the muse of a vibrant biotech cluster. Being an amazing employer is about constructing an distinctive workforce, creating an employee-centric tradition that retains staff engaged and empowers them to be ambassadors in your firm, fostering a extra inclusive and resilient workforce. It’s additionally concerning the capacity to draw prime expertise and obtain your wanted development with out compromising these components. Nominees ought to replicate these important components and have a expertise model.

Middle for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM)

CBM is a cell and gene remedy CDMO primarily based within the coronary heart of Philadelphia that provides pre-clinical by means of industrial manufacturing capabilities together with course of growth for cell remedy, plasmid DNA, and viral vector manufacturing, in addition to cell banking, cell processing, and a full suite of complimentary testing and analytical capabilities.

The corporate has had an amazing yr regardless of the headwinds of the bear market, with audacious plans to construct the largest cell remedy manufacturing operation on the earth. And with that comes the necessity for hiring. Within the first quarter alone, CBM employed roughly 200 individuals to assist the CDMO meet its objectives.

Have a look by means of CBM’s webpage and social media and also you’ll instantly get a way of the corporate’s vibrant tradition. Workers in any respect ranges, from senior management to extra junior ranges, are celebrated for his or her involvement in conferences, talking engagements, outreach efforts, and extra. 

Horizon Therapeutics

Horizon Therapeutics, a world biotechnology firm targeted on the event of medicines to deal with uncommon, autoimmune, and extreme inflammatory ailments, lately introduced the development of an unbelievable new R&D facility in Maryland that’s poised to carry lots of of latest jobs to Montgomery County. It’s predicted that Horizon can be house to greater than 200 scientists and can greater than quadruple its footprint in Maryland when the undertaking is accomplished in 2024.

Horizon has acquired a number of recognitions through the years for its supportive, empathetic, and caring office tradition, together with considered one of Seramount’s Prime 75 Firm for Government Girls, Fortune’s 100 Greatest Firms to Work For, Newsweek’s Prime 100 Most Beloved Workplaces, and PEOPLE’s 100 corporations That Care. Look extra into the corporate, and it’s clear to see why – Horizon staff not solely give it their all at work however are empowered to get entangled in volunteering and neighborhood efforts.

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)

USP, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, has an extremely lengthy and spectacular historical past. Established in 1820, the non-profit is within the enterprise of defending sufferers by means of rigorous science, stringent security and high quality requirements, and powerful provide chain administration sources. The corporate works with stakeholders to assist carry scientific requirements and instruments to product builders, regulators, and others to allow them to be optimized.

Make no mistake – simply because USP has been round for some time doesn’t imply that the corporate is caught in its methods and resists change. For instance, throughout the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic USP embraced a brand new mind-set to determine versatile working hours and arrange amenities with loads of area to make sure social distancing. USP additionally prides itself on working towards better inclusivity, together with being clear concerning the variety throughout the firm as a method to proceed holding itself accountable.

Please solid your vote for the third Annual BioBuzz Awards and assist us to acknowledge the leaders within the area who’re making an affect on rising the ecosystem and bringing life-changing merchandise to sufferers in want!