News

07/27/2023

Virginia Bio Recognized as Top Intern Employer

Virginia Bio and its member companies Ampel BioSolution, Canon Virginia Inc., City of Virginia Beach, CytoRicovery, LifeNet Health, Marsh McLennan Agency, PAK Biosolutions, and ReAlta Life Sciences, are recognized as the 2023 Top Virginia Employers for Interns! Read more about this award that recognizes companies and organizations that foster talent development in Virginia in the article below.  

07/25/2023

Tympanogen awarded $3.23 million grant from National Institutes of Health to accelerate clinical study

Tympanogen, a medical device company based in the Biotech Park of Richmond, VA, was awarded a $3.23 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). This Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program grant, a continuation of a prior Direct-to-Phase II grant, will support the pivotal clinical

07/24/2023

Cupron Performance Additives Announces New Applications for Cupron Sinerji™

Innovative antimicrobial solutions provider Cupron®, doing business as Cupron Performance Additives, announces expanded functionality for its recently introduced antimicrobial platform technology Cupron Sinerji™.  Initially engineered as a copper-based formulation, Cupron® has now extended Cupron Sinerji’s  performance, cost, and color advantage to all metal ion chemistries commonly used for antimicrobial purposes.  Specifically, Cupron’s new platform technology

07/20/2023

Sharikas hired to attract Life Science companies to Greater Richmond

The Greater Richmond Partnership (“GRP”) has hired Kiryako Sharikas to join the team as Business Development Manager – Life Sciences. Sharikas will focus on targeting life science and pharmaceutical companies interested in expanding to the Richmond Region. “Kiryako’s experience in marketing will translate well as he markets the region as the #1 mid-sized location in

07/18/2023

U.S. Department of Defense Selects Kaléo to Develop Next Generation Nerve Agent Countermeasure

Kaléo, a privately-held U.S. pharmaceutical company, today announced their selection by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense’s (JPEO-CBRND) Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (JPM CBRN Medical) to develop a reconstitution auto-injector device that delivers atropine, the Reconstitution Auto-Injector Device

07/17/2023

WynnVision Receives NIH NIDDK Phase IIB Grant Award for Biofilm Resistant Coatings on Indwelling Urinary Catheters

NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has awarded WynnVision a Phase IIB Grant “Toward urinary catheterization with long-term resistance to bacterial colonization” (R44DK103398).(1) Work supported by this grant will focus on development of novel coatings that reduce bacterial biofilm formation on silicone medical devices.  Research will include addressing FDA concerns (510k

07/14/2023

Symrise invests in innovative enzymatic technology with sugar alternative experts Bonumose

Symrise AG has signed a minority investment agreement with Bonumose. The early-stage food ingredient manufacturer specializes in the affordable production of delicious, good-for-you rare monosaccharides (alternatives to sucrose) such as tagatose and allulose. With this strategic transaction, Symrise will accelerate growth in its sugar reduction initiatives. The area represents a high-priority focus for the North

07/13/2023

U.Va. biolab seeks to catalyze region’s growth

Thomas Barker says his seed-stage startup wants to find “modern, modular, functional lab space” to allow the company he co-founded, Vasarya Therapeutics, to be “very efficient and optimal on our research enterprise.” But good lab space is hard to come by in Charlottesville, and what exists is spread around, “so you don’t necessarily get the

07/05/2023

New Research on Probiotics Shows Promise for Fighting Obesity

According to a new study published by George Mason University  researchers Dr. Robin Couch and Dr. Allyson Dailey, in collaboration with researchers at the  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), showed probiotics may play a pivotal role in preventive  medicine. High fat diets are a leading cause of obesity and can trigger the onset of metabolic

07/05/2023

Cerillo Unveils Co-Culture Duet System for Real-Time Observation of Microbial Interaction Studies

Cerillo, a biotechnology company at the forefront of developing advanced research platforms for the study of the microbiome, hosted demonstrations of the company’s new co-culture duet system at ASM Microbe 2023. Cerillo’s co-culture system will enable researchers to observe and study individual microbial populations in real time and measure the growth of one microbial population alongside

06/27/2023

TEDCO Announces Investment into Astek Diagnostics

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a Seed Funds investment of $250,000 into Astek Diagnostics, a life sciences company fighting antibiotic resistance through innovative technology. In addition to this investment through the Life Sciences Investment Fund – a funding opportunity under the umbrella of TEDCO’s Seed Funds – Astek Diagnostics has received an

06/27/2023

Euclid Announces ABB Optical Group as Licensed Manufacturer and Distributor of Euclid Ortho-K Lenses

Euclid Vision Corporation (Euclid), a global leader in advanced orthokeratology (Ortho-K) lenses and proactive myopia management initiatives, is pleased to announce ABB Optical Group as a licensed manufacturer and distributor of the company’s Ortho-K lenses. ABB, known as the largest distributor of soft lenses in the United States, supplies nearly two-thirds of eye care professionals (ECPs)

06/23/2023

Cupron® Introduces Revolutionary, Cost-effective Antimicrobial Technology, Cupron Sinerji™

Cupron®, a renowned antimicrobial solutions provider – doing business as Cupron Performance Additives – is excited to announce the significant expansion of its offerings with the introduction of Cupron Sinerji™. This new adjuvant-enhanced platform offers superior antimicrobial efficacy across multiple substrates, all while maintaining an economical cost structure. Cupron Sinerji incorporates adjuvants into the copper-based

06/21/2023

Children’s National Hospital Receives $96 Million Investment for Rare Pediatric Brain Tumor Research & Care

Children’s National Hospital announced a $96 million investment from an anonymous donor family that strengthens its globally recognized leadership to transform rare childhood brain tumor research and care. It is one of the largest donations in the hospital’s history. It allows Children’s National to recruit more top talent and advance the most promising research for

06/20/2023

Luminoah closes $6M Series A round

Charlottesville medical device company Luminoah Inc. has closed a $6 million Series A round it says it will use to complete the development of its mobile feeding tube device that collects data. The round was led by Charlottesville’s Fry’s Path Capital and included participation from Arlington’s Sands Capital, Charlottesville’s CAV Angels, Virginia Beach’s 757 Angels

06/09/2023

Apply Now: 📣 BLUE KNIGHT ™️ Resident QuickFire Challenge: Accelerating Project NextGen

Johnson & Johnson Innovation, together with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), is proud to launch the BLUE KNIGHT™ Resident QuickFire Challenge: Accelerating Project NextGen. Current and alumni Blue Knight residents and their collaborators are invited to submit promising potential pre-clinical or clinical solutions for the opportunity to receive award funding from a

06/08/2023

New Report Explores Latest Best Practices in State Bioscience Economic Development Initiatives

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), in partnership with the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA), released a new report on the best practices in state bioscience economic development measures, “The U.S. Biosciences Industry in the States: Best Practices in Innovation, Partnerships, and Job Creation.” The report, now in its seventh edition, analyzes the latest legislative

06/06/2023

CELLF BIO Achieves Milestone With First In Human Implantation of BioSphincter™

CELLF BIO achieved a major milestone with the world’s first human implantation of BioSphincter™, an autologous bioengineered sphincter made of smooth muscle and differentiated neural stem cells. The Phase 1 clinical trial is being conducted to treat patients with fecal incontinence (FI), a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. The implantation surgery was performed

06/05/2023

Activation Capital Announces Plans for Development of Innovation Center – A New Life Sciences Center at Bio+Tech Park

Activation Capital, an innovation ecosystem development organization, announced plans to develop the 102,000-square foot Innovation Center in the Bio+Tech Park in Richmond, Virginia. The 34-acre Bio+Tech Park is a commercial life sciences hub in downtown Richmond adjacent to the VCU Medical Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, and is home to over 70 companies, research institutes,

06/01/2023

ReAlta Life Sciences Announces Proof of Mechanism Data from the Phase 1b Inhaled LPS Trial of RLS-0071, Demonstrating Powerful Inhibition of Lung Neutrophils and Inflammatory Cytokines

ReAlta Life Sciences (“ReAlta”), Inc., a company addressing life-threatening rare diseases through harnessing the power of the immune system, today announced exciting new proof-of-mechanism data from the company’s Phase 1b Inhaled LPS clinical trial of RLS-0071 presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 23, 2023. RLS-0071 is the Company’s lead dual action

05/31/2023

Apply Now: BLUE KNIGHT™ QuickPitch: Activating for the Future

Recent global disease outbreaks have had devastating impacts, triggering a renewed emphasis on preparation for potential known and unknown health threats. By proactively enhancing preparedness against emerging pathogens, we aim to minimize the scale of future outbreaks, protect vulnerable populations, and ultimately safeguard our health security. To that end, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, together with

05/25/2023

Unintended consequences – FODMAP rich diets and digestive distress

Consumers are increasingly in pursuit of healthier diets, including plant-based diets, Mediterranean style diets and ones high in fiber. Along with these diet changes, though, can come digestive distress from specific dietary elements called FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols). FODMAPs can include lactose, found in dairy products; galactans, found in legumes; and fructans,

05/24/2023

Regional Partners Collaborate to Launch Advancing Oncology InnoVAtion QuickFire Challenge

Johnson & Johnson Innovation, in collaboration with Carilion Clinic Innovation, Verge Alliance, and Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, is proud to launch the Advancing Oncology InnoVAtion QuickFire Challenge. Innovators from around the globe are invited to submit potential solutions aiming to transform patient outcomes in oncology in adult populations with potential applications in pediatric oncology.

05/23/2023

Eskandarian named dean of the VCU College of Engineering

Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc., has been named dean and William H. Goodwin Jr. Endowed Chair of the VCU College of Engineering, effective Aug. 1. Eskandarian currently serves as department head and Nicholas and Rebecca des Champs Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. “Azim Eskandarian has established himself as a highly