Two Kentucky BioAlliance member companies are presenting at the BIO 2009 conference. Below is more information on the presentations. Stop by and learn a little more about the exciting work taking pace in Kentucky.
Wednesday, May 20 in booth 5924
11:00 AM
Reinventing Plant-based Drug Discovery to Unblock the Pharmaceutical Pipeline
John M. Littleton, MD, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Naprogenix, Inc.
The flow of synthetic drugs from conventional R & D is slowing, eroding investor confidence in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Leveraging the extraordinary diversity of bioactive metabolites from plants could reverse the trend, but current approaches to plant-based drug discovery are slow and expensive. Applying functional genomics technology to the production of biologically active metabolites by plants could facilitate the discovery and optimization of active compounds in plants, and may challenge synthetic chemistry as a source of novel molecules in the future.
11:30 AM
Self-assembled Nanoneedles for In Situ Measurement and Manipulation of Soft Biomaterials
Mehdi M Yazdanpanah, Ph.D., CEO, NaugaNeedles
A unique nano-fabrication technology has been developed for growing individual nanoneedles of silver-gallium at a selected location and orientation. These electrically conductive nanoneedles provide stiffness that is well-matched to the viscoelastic properties of complex fluids and biological materials. The technology is being integrated into platforms for combined electrochemical and viscoelastic probing of live cells and subcellular organelles within live cells. Specific progress towards this system includes recent demonstrations of using silver-gallium nanoneedle-tipped probes to (1) make precise AFM measurements of the rheological properties of polymeric liquids, and (2) puncture individual live cells and measure viscoelastic response.
Monday, May 18, 2009
National Cancer Institute Announces new SBIR/STTR Initiatives
At a meeting with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), I learned of a few initiatives that are focused on early-stage life science companies. It appears that the NCI, along with the National Institute of Health, are making efforts to make obtaining pre-investor money easier. This is even better for Kentucky companies, since the state will match both Phase I and Phase II investments.
The first step the NCI is taking is to create SBIR/STTR experts within their program managers. In the past, NCI had 50 program managers that would handle a variety of funding programs, from small grants to large research projects. Going forward, NCI will have 8 program managers that are focused solely on the SBIR/STTR programs. This should help streamline the process.
NCI is also implementing a new Bridge program to help ensure projects move smoothly from Phase II (research and R&D) to Phase III (commercialization). The new Bridge program will follow-on to Phase II grants and will award up to $1 million/year for up to 3 years. The award will be used to match any money the companies have raised. I did confirm that state dollars (including matching dollars) will count.
The NCI also mentioned that they are working on a number of programs using stimulus money. More on that as it develops.
The first step the NCI is taking is to create SBIR/STTR experts within their program managers. In the past, NCI had 50 program managers that would handle a variety of funding programs, from small grants to large research projects. Going forward, NCI will have 8 program managers that are focused solely on the SBIR/STTR programs. This should help streamline the process.
NCI is also implementing a new Bridge program to help ensure projects move smoothly from Phase II (research and R&D) to Phase III (commercialization). The new Bridge program will follow-on to Phase II grants and will award up to $1 million/year for up to 3 years. The award will be used to match any money the companies have raised. I did confirm that state dollars (including matching dollars) will count.
The NCI also mentioned that they are working on a number of programs using stimulus money. More on that as it develops.
BIO International Conference
I am attending the 2009 BIO International Conference in Atlanta. Although it appears that the conference attendance will be down this year, there are a number of biotech professionals walking around downtown. From the list of companies I have seen so far, the conference still promises to provide a lot of opportunity to interact with professionals from across the world.
As interesting news develops at the conference, I will keep the Kentucky BioAlliance members posted via this blog. If you are at the conference and have interesting news to report, please contact me at ben@kentuckybioalliance.org.
As interesting news develops at the conference, I will keep the Kentucky BioAlliance members posted via this blog. If you are at the conference and have interesting news to report, please contact me at ben@kentuckybioalliance.org.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Biotechnology Industry Turns Profitable
Bad economic news seems to fly in from every direction. However, it is not all doom and gloom in the biotech sector. Below is an excerpt from the Burrill Report:
Stock prices have tanked, financial markets have seized and companies are laying off staff and putting promising projects on ice. In the midst of all of this grim news it's easy to overlook an important milestone for the biotechnology industry. Peter Winter, editor of The Burrill Report, has been crunching the numbers and he says some 40 years after the industry began, it actually hit a major milestone in 2008 by turning profitable for the first time in its history. It's not all good news by any means, but we talk to Winter about this major milestone for the industry, what we should make of it, and the emerging world of the biotechnology haves and the biotechnology have-nots. Read More Here
Kentucky BioAlliance
We are introducing the Kentucky BioAlliance blog as a way to share important news and information with all Kentucky BioAlliance members. If you have a story you would like to contribute or topics you would like to see discussed, please feel free to contact me.
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