TearSolutions, Inc., a privately held biotech company developing potentially disruptive therapies for the treatment of ocular surface related diseases, today announced the successful closure of a $3M Series B round designed to accelerate its development programs for rare corneal diseases at both pre-clinical and clinical stages. “This round of financing is significant for several reasons, …

ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc. (“ReAlta” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to saving lives by rebalancing the inflammatory response to address rare and acute inflammatory diseases, announced the appointment of Lewis T. “Rusty” Williams, M.D., Ph.D. as Chairman of its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Edward A. “Buzz” Heidt Jr., who has served …

Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Education has secured a four-year, $1.7 million federal grant to pursue a research project aimed at enhancing science learning opportunities for historically marginalized middle school students. The project integrates scientific discourse with students’ everyday experiences, while leveraging technology for a more inclusive approach to science education. Called “Hybrid2: Creating Equitable Spaces for …

The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) announced that Roanoke and Blacksburg, Virginia-based Verge has been awarded a Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) grant for $200,000. Verge is the region’s front door for innovators, founders, and funders to work together and to provide a growing roster of companies – both startups and established – with resources to …

Grenova, an industry leader in sustainable laboratory solutions, has appointed Katherine Marrs as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Marrs succeeds Lane Major, who has served as CEO since 2023 and will continue to support Grenova as a member of the Board of Directors. Marrs has been instrumental in driving Grenova’s growth strategy as the …

The Virginia Catalyst announced today that it is accepting letters of intent (LOI) for Grant Round 18 to fund the development and commercialization of life science projects that address major unmet needs for improving human health and advance Virginia’s economy. “Innovation often comes when interdisciplinary teams including members such as scientists, engineers, physicians, biologists, entrepreneurs, …

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a rare disease (RD), or orphan disease, as affecting fewer than 65 per 100,000 people. Although individual RDs are uncommon, collectively, over 10,000 rare diseases impact about 400 million people globally—roughly 5% of the world’s population. Almost 95% of these diseases remain without a single approved treatment. Orphan drugs …

Adial Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for the treatment and prevention of addiction and related disorders, today announced the appointment of Vinay Shah as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, effective November 16, 2024. Vinay Shah is an accomplished Chief Financial Officer with over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, …

Kaléo, a fully integrated pharmaceutical company dedicated to inventing, manufacturing, and commercializing life-transforming products, today announced the appointment of Theresa Matkovits, Ph.D., as its new Chief Development Officer. Dr. Matkovits brings a wealth of experience as a transformational C-suite business leader with a strong track record of driving global drug development and commercialization efforts. With …

AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Aliada Therapeutics today announced a definitive agreement under which AbbVie will acquire Aliada, a biotechnology company advancing therapies using a novel blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technology to address challenging central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Aliada’s lead investigational asset utilizing this delivery technology, ALIA-1758, is an anti-pyroglutamate amyloid beta (3pE-Aβ) antibody in development for …

Johnson & Johnson Innovation announced the appointment of Rachel Rath, MBA, MPH, as the Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JLABS. Rachel assumes this role as a natural progression from her position as Director of the BARDA Alliance for Johnson & Johnson Innovation where she successfully led the management and …

Activation Capital is proud to announce the successful closeout of a pivotal GO Virginia grant, addressing the urgent need to secure access to and reduce the costs of essential medicines. This grant laid the foundation for Central Virginia’s growth as a hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing (APM) by leveraging the region’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, …

Caretaker Medical, a digital health company focused on developing hemodynamic monitoring devices, today announced that it has been awarded the $525,000 grand prize in the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Technology for Maternal Health Challenge. The award recognizes Caretaker’s wireless, wearable wrist device, VitalStream, that can be used to monitor …

Quoin Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: QNRX) (the “Company” or “Quoin”), a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on rare and orphan diseases, today announces the further expansion of its on-going Netherton Syndrome (NS) clinical studies to include two additional international sites in the United Kingdom (UK). These sites, Great Ormond Street Hospital and St. Thomas’ Hospital, …

AgroSpheres, a biotechnology leader in sustainable crop protection and crop health, and BASF, a global leader in agricultural solutions, are excited to announce their strategic partnership on a category defining novel bioinsecticide. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in sustainable agriculture solutions aimed at enhancing crop protection. The companies are working together to develop …

Charlottesville startup KeViRx Inc. is developing new drugs that target inflammation for people with acute lung injuries. The company received a $2 million grant from the Department of Defense for further research to grow from animal testing to preparing for an investigational new drug meeting with the Food and Drug Administration. KeViRx’s goal is to …

Currie Medical, a medical device manufacturer, plans to invest $1.22 million to expand its operations in Norfolk, creating an estimated 60 jobs. Based in Franklin, Tennessee, Currie Medical will lease a 30,000-square-foot building at 3701 E. Virginia Beach Blvd. in Norfolk, where it will house its medical device reprocessing operation and distribution center. Currie has …

Cerillo, a leader in cellular analytics, announces the release of Duet, the first standardized co-culture system that allows researchers to explore microbial and cellular interactions in real time. Designed to address challenges in microbial research, Duet offers a novel approach to studying the dynamics between different microbial populations, enabling more precise, reproducible, and reliable results in fields ranging …

Serpin Pharma, a Virginia-based biopharmaceutical company, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $2 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This grant will support the clinical development of SP16-3M, a groundbreaking peptide drug designed to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in breast cancer …

George Mason University researcher Aarthi Narayanan recently secured a $1.4M grant from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to investigate how an infection spreads between organs, and how a therapeutic will impact connected organs. The work will initially focus on mosquito-transmitted viruses while Narayanan hopes to expand the implications from these studies to other human …

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ItovebiTM (inavolisib), in combination with palbociclib (Ibrance®) and fulvestrant, for the treatment of adults with endocrine-resistant, PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast …

Caretaker Medical, a pioneer in advanced hemodynamic monitoring technology, is highlighting the critical role of its VitalStream solution in addressing the ongoing IV fluid shortage caused by Hurricane Helene. As healthcare providers face challenges in maintaining continuous blood pressure monitoring due to the limited availability of Baxter IV fluids, VitalStream offers a reliable and innovative …

RIVANNA®, developers of imaging-based medical solutions, has announced the launch of the first multi-site study employing the Accuro® XV musculoskeletal imaging system. This milestone follows a $30.5 million funding option executed in 2023 by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. …

A company that is a global leader in regenerative medicine has acquired a cutting-edge research laboratory in Virginia Beach. LifeNet Health will use the laboratory as a center of excellence for groundbreaking liver disease research and sports medicine applications. The dual function will provide better health solutions for a growing number of patients. Situated near …