Frederick County Part of BioHealth Capital Region Initiative to Be a Top 3 Biotech Hub by 2023

BioHealth Capital Region: Advancing Science. Accelerating Innovation.

That was the brand unveiled at this year's by invitation only BioHealth Capital Region Forum hosted by BioHealth Innovation, Tech Council of Maryland, GlycoMimetics, Virginia Bio and MedImmune. The regional partnership aims to create a new identity and brand for the Capital Region's biotech ecosystem and capitalize on the synergies and unique opportunities available.

Last year's inaugural event brought 500 participants and this year's event had 900 people registered for the forum held at MedImmune's corporate headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. 

"I want to thank MedImmune for bringing together incubators, education, venture capital, government and the BioHealth industry to discuss how this region can become a top 3 by 2023 in life sciences," said, Helen Propheter, Director of the Frederick County County Office of Economic Development (OED). OED was selected to be a part of this collaboration and was able to examine efforts to boost the life sciences industry and discuss effective models for driving innovation locally during the two-day event.

The Governors of both Maryland Virginia gave keynote speeches and panels included presidents of universities from DC, Maryland and Virginia as well as over 100 other experts on various topics. "There is no other place in the world with more expertise in vaccine development than Maryland," said Dr. Steven J. Projan, Sr VP iMED, Head/Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, MedIummune during the Advacements in Vaccine Development discussion. 

With over 800 life sciences companies and over 70 federal labs and academic and research institutions, the Capitol Region Biotech cluster currently ranks #7 nationally but ranks #1 in talent. The goal is to be in the top 3 by 2023 and to spotlight a world class technology community that has accounted for 1/3 of job growth in Maryland.

The biotech community has been a significant economic driver in Frederick County for the past decade.  Home to Fort Detrick, the National Interagency Biodefense Campus and the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and private industry such as AstraZeneca/MedImmune, Lonza, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Frederick County is home to over 80 life sciences companies and one of the top 3 largest bioscience clusters in Maryland. Frederick's location within the research triangle of National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and the National Cancer Institute in Frederick (NCI) gives companies direct access to world class research, federal government agencies and national and international associations. 

Economic Development Annual Report Showcases “Where Big Ideas Grow”

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development (OED) is proud to present the 2015 Economic Development Annual Report.  The report covers the work of the Frederick County Office of Economic Development and includes economic data to make the strong case for why businesses decide to locate and expand in Frederick County.

The 2015 Economic Development Report highlights eight major economic drivers for the year, identifies area of major commercial development, selected announced locations and expansions, reports on wineries, breweries and distillery growth as well as small business development and minority business outreach successes. OED worked with 46 companies that decided to locate and or expand in Frederick County in 2015. Those businesses represented over 900,000 square feet of office space and 726 jobs.

“It was a year of innovation across the County,” said Director Helen Propheter. “We are grateful this year to have the support of our elected leaders to help grow our economy. In 2015, the County Council passed a Commercial & Industrial Business Tax Credit for manufacturers, and Executive Gardner restored support for agriculture business development and small business funding opportunities.” Ms. Propheter reflected, “Our small business development efforts had a record-setting year in business starts and job creation. We worked with municipalities and minority business like never before.  We look upon the past with pride, and the future with great optimism.”

Frederick County received several notable national quality of life accolades in 2015 including recognition by Money Magazine, Livability.com, Movoto Real Estate and The Military Times.

FITCI to Graduate BioFactura and Poochon Scientific

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development was joined by Maryland State Delegate Kathy Afzali, former U.S. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett and other state and local representatives to tour BioFactura and Poochon Scientific's new manufacturing facility located on Progress Drive in Frederick, MD this week.

Both companies will be graduating from the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc (FITCI) and co-locating to 5500 sf of space located at 8435 Progress Drive with plans to occupy their new space in October 2015. They expect to double their workforce this year to 15 employees and plan to add additional employees next year.

For over 10 years, BioFactura has been advancing life-saving medicines from the research bench to the patient using its innovative drug development and manufacturing technologies. Current and past programs include biodefense drugs against smallpox and Ebola, novel medicines for cancer, and low-cost/high-quality biosimilars for autoimmune and infectious diseases.  In September 2014, the company along with its collaborators was awarded an NIH Partnership grant to develop a drug for Ebola.

Founded by research scientists in 2012, Poochon Scientific is a protein analysis company with expertise in the fields of protein biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics, and are capable of combining these fields together to maximize the power of mass spectrometry (MS)-based quantitative proteomics technologies.

About the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc
FITCI is a non‐profit organization created for local entrepreneurs seeking offices, laboratory facilities, and business support services. FITCI’s main goal is to foster entrepreneurship in Frederick County and accelerate the development of commercially viable businesses generating continued job growth.

FITCI’s all-inclusive office space offers the entrepreneur a fully equipped office in conjunction with a complete array of administrative support services. Office spaces range in size from 100 - 220 square feet and currently, office spaces are 90% leased.  Wet lab spaces range from 225 – 525 square feet and are 100% leased at the time.

Since 2013, FITCI has assisted over 35 Frederick-based businesses that have generated:

• 268 direct jobs
• $16.6 million in annual payroll
• 76,500 square feet of leased space in Frederick County
• $27.6 million in annual revenues
• Annual direct tax base (real estate and county income tax) contributing over $395,110 annually to Frederick County
• Multi-million dollar downstream economic impact that includes indirect jobs, sales tax, rent, and local purchases from other businesses for supplies, materials, etc. totaling $74.7 million annually

The Week in Philadephia at BIO International

The leading bioscience companies in the world gathered this week with politicians, top researchers and scientists, government agencies, members of academia, CEOs, and the Frederick County Office of Economic Development for the 2015 BIO International Convention. It is the largest biotechnology convention in the world and each year, Frederick County has a spot among over 160,000 square feet with 1,700 exhibitors.

Partnering with the City of Frederick DED, Frederick County
is pictured with Maryland's DBED Deputy Secretary
Ben Wu on Day 2 of the convention

Our Frederick County team with
County Executive Jan Gardner

Frederick is well represented at this convention as part of one of the largest bioscience clusters in Maryland. One third of the job growth in Maryland during the last decade has been in the life sciences industry and Frederick County is home to more than 80 bioscience companies.

Last year, the convention reached 15,556 attendees from 16 countries and 50 states with nearly 2,500 CEOs in attendance. This year, over 15,000 attendees are expected to have visited Philadelphia for this event. BIO International allows Frederick County to not only meet companies as an exhibitor, but provides key networking events and educational programs that gives our department the opportunity to talk to companies one-on-one in a setting other than the traditional tradeshow style. OED's staff received many inquiries from potential prospects about doing business in Frederick this week and inquiries from companies interested in collaborating with Frederick County companies. OED also met up with our local bioscience companies in attendance and this opportunity allows us to forge stronger relationships with our growing bioscience community. Some of the Frederick County companies at BIO this year were:

• RoosterBio
• BridePath Scientific
• Kemp Bio
• KamTek, Inc
• BioFactura
• Texcell
• Imagilin Technology
• RURO Inc
• Matan Companies
• Lonza
• AstraZeneca/MedImmune
• Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research 
• Fort Detrick - U.S Army Medical Research and Material Command

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner traveled to BIO to take part in the Maryland Leadership Breakfast hosted by the BioMaryland Center on Wednesday and while there, she had a chance to meet some attendees at the Frederick booth. BioMaryland is an office within the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development that supports the growth of the life sciences industry in Maryland. Their Maryland Leadership Breakfast had a record number of participants this year, another indicator that bioscience is thriving in Maryland.

Patrick Haley of BridgePath Scientific telling attendees
about BridgePath's services and products.

DBED's Deputy Secretary Ben Wu
at the BioMaryland Leadership Breakfast on Wednesday

Frederick County Business Development
Specialist Jodie Bollinger meets with attendees

Helen Propheter, Director of the Frederick County Office of Economic Development recapped her busy week by stating, "Frederick County and Maryland are leaders in the bioscience industry and this event allows us to make connections with leading scientists all over the world. My week in Philadelphia was packed full with making new connections, building stronger partnerships and learning fresh ideas that I look forward to bringing back to Frederick."

Jodie Bollinger sells Frederick as the ideal
bioscience location

A symbol of American independence, our team
spots a bell in Philadelphia

Dave Smith of Lonza speaking at BIO. Frederick County
is proud to have Lonza representing Frederick bioscience.

5 Reasons Why Biosciences Thrive in Frederick, Maryland

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and the City of Frederick Department of Economic Development will be exhibiting at the Bio International Convention next week, the largest bioscience convention in the world. In preparation, here are the 5 Reasons Why Biosciences Thrive in Frederick, Maryland:

Visit us at the Bio International Convention
in Philadelphia, PA June 16-18, 2015.

1. Location, Location, Location - Frederick is the northern anchor of the I-270 Technology Corridor in Maryland, which is one of the largest bioscience clusters in the U.S. It is home to Fort Detrick, the Frederick National Laboratory, 9,000+ businesses, and over 80 bioscience companies. Less than an hour from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Frederick also offers close proximity to federal regulatory agencies.
2. Opportunity & Collaboration - Businesses enjoy strong biotechnology transfer opportunities from the federal labs at Fort Detrick and the National Cancer Institute. Start-ups can thrive in Frederick's local biotech incubator and state-of-the-art labs and offices are available. The community is supported with partners offering local networking opportunities and workshops.
3. Educated Workforce & Great Schools - Ranked  among the 2nd Smartest Cities by Forbes.com, 36% of the workforce holds a bachelor's degree or higher and 13.3% have earned a Masters degree or Ph.D. Local public school achievement exceeds Maryland averages with scores that consistently surpass state and national averages on measures such as the College Board SAT. All county public high schools rank in the nation’s top 9% for encouraging students to take challenging Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate tests.
4. Transportation - Two-thirds of the U.S. population is within a day's drive of Frederick, and the location provides provides convenient access to all major markets on the eastern seaboard. It is within 50 miles of 3 international airports (BWI, Dulles and Reagan National). Two commuter rail stations serve Frederick, including one downtown, offering daily weekday service to Washington, D.C.
5. Quality of Life - Just released in June 2015 by Livability.com, Frederick was named one of the "Top 100 Best Places to Live" in the U.S. It was also named one of the "10 Best Places Near Washington, D.C. For Young Professionals" and Frederick County was names among the "Top 10 Counties in America." Award-winning Downtown Frederick is bustling with independently owned shops, restaurants, and galleries. Frederick offers the ability for residents to “live, work, and play” and experience an excellent quality of life.

Want to learn more? Contact us and we can assist you with site selection assistance, how to start your business in Frederick, relocation assistance, and more information about the biosciences in our area.  This originally appeared on the City of Frederick Department of Economic Development's blog. Find out more here.

Frederick's KamTek one of 12 ExportMD grant award winners

The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) announced yesterday the recipients of 12 ExportMD grants which included KamTek, Inc, a Frederick-based bioscience company.

KamTek, Inc expanded into a 10,910 SF facility on International Blvd in 2012 and work with genomics, proteomics and glycomic solutions. Their staff has over 25 years of experience in biomedical and biotech research.

The Export MD grant program assists companies with promoting their products and services globally by financing the costs of marketing internationally, including trade show fees, brochures and travel expenses.  In an effort to increase the number of Maryland companies that export, the program provides matching grants that are capped at $5,000 as well as up to 40 hours of marketing consulting from DBED’s Office of International Trade and Investment.

Applications are accepted bi-monthly and the eligibility requirements can be found here. Companies that don't qualify for assistance may still be eligible for exporting assistance from DBED. Frederick County companies can also benefit from a complimentary membership to the World Trade Center Institute (WTCI) and receive connections to 330 World Trade Centers, 155 World Banks, Embassies and international/regional exporting leads. Contact our office at 301-600-1058 to learn more about exporting assistance.

AstraZeneca Announces Plans to Expand its Frederick, Maryland Biologics Manufacturing Center

Media Inquiries

Alisha Martin, +1 302 885 2677, Alisha.martin@astrazeneca.com (US)

$200+ Million Investment to Support Company’s Maturing Biologics Pipeline

Frederick, Md., November 21, 2014 — AstraZeneca today announced plans to expand its biologics manufacturing center in Frederick, Md.  The more than $200 million project will increase production capacity at the facility to support AstraZeneca’s maturing pipeline, and will help position the company to keep pace with a growing demand for the development and use of biologics, which currently represent nearly 50% of AstraZeneca’s overall pipeline.

“Biologics are an important part of AstraZeneca’s overall capabilities, in addition to our strengths in small molecules and protein engineering,” said Andrew D. Skibo, regional vice president of biologics supply for AstraZeneca. “Our global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, has a robust pipeline of more than 120 biologics, including more than 30 in clinical development.  The expansion of our Frederick facility will support the progression of drug candidates across our core therapeutic areas, ultimately aiding us in our efforts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients through scientific leadership and innovative new treatments.”

AstraZeneca’s Frederick biologics manufacturing center is an FDA licensed, large-scale cell culture production facility, with hundreds of thousands of square feet of administrative, production, warehouse, laboratory and utility space.  The expansion project, which is anticipated to begin in December and expected to be complete in mid-2017, will add approximately 40,000 additional square feet of manufacturing, laboratory and administrative space.  The expansion is also expected to bring a total of 300 new jobs to the site. 

“We’re very pleased by AstraZeneca’s demonstrable commitment to our local workforce and to our growing biotech community,” said Frederick City Mayor Randy McClement. “This expansion will help bring even more high-caliber life science jobs and career opportunities to Frederick and the surrounding region.” 

AstraZeneca’s Frederick manufacturing center is the largest biologics manufacturing facility within the company’s global network and portfolio of assets, and a worldwide industry leader in cell culture manufacturing.  The site currently produces a pediatric medication, as well as other investigational biologic products. 

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune, oncology, infection and neuroscience diseases. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com.

Maryland and Frederick County are Leading the Way in a STEM workforce

Maryland is leading the nation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and Frederick County Public School's advancements in STEM training are preparing a workforce of the future.

Dr. Daraius Irani, Executive Director of the Regional Economic Studies Institute, spoke about the importance of STEM training and jobs during the annual Economic Outlook Conference at Towson University yesterday.  He stated that Maryland ranks first in the nation in STEM job concentration, 42 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded in Maryland from 2012-2013 were in STEM fields, and 47 percent of job openings in the State require STEM skills.

Dr. Irani attributed the State’s achievements in STEM to an increase in quality educational programs. ”There has been a real purposeful effort by State schools to introduce students to STEM. That makes a difference,” he said. There are seven STEM Standards of Practice set by the state: 1) Learn and Apply Rigorous Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Content, 2) Integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Content, 3) Interpret and Communicate STEM Information, 4) Engage in Inquiry, 5) Engage in Logical Reasoning, 6) Collaborate as a STEM Team, and 7) Apply Technology Strategically.

The Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) vision is that students will graduate STEM proficient and be prepared for post-secondary study and the 21st Century workforce. As a result, the STEM office of FCPS has programs designed for the elementary, middle and high school levels. During the school day, students engage in the seven STEM Practices as part of their ongoing classroom instruction. 

Outside of FCPS, the C.Burr Artz Library is home to the STEM Lab to meet the needs of area students and to support the goals of local and statewide education initiatives and the library hosts a series of monthly STEM educational classes for all ages.

FCPS reported that 99% of nearly 900 employers surveyed in 2014 indicated that FCPS students met or exceeded job requirements at their place of business, indicating that FCPS are preparing a strong workforce of the future.

Frederick Welcomes Nanotherapeutics to Frederick and Dr. Robert House to Back to Frederick

Nanotherapeutics, an integrated biopharmaceutical company, just announced the opening of a new location in Frederick off of Progress Drive headed by Dr. Robert V. House, formerly of Frederick's Dynport Vaccine Company, LLC a CSC Company.

With existing locations in FL and NC, the company opened this location to better serve it's U.S. government contracts. Read more of the story here.

Frederick's Vaccinogen Makes National Business News

Big news for Vaccinogen, a Frederick-based cancer immunotherapy development company leading the way in cancer research. They have just announced the completion of an initial $80 million in financing and have appointed Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, noted pediatric neurosurgeon to Chairman of the Board.

Check out today's article in the Wall Street Journal here.

Meet Fredericktowne Labs Inc.

              Six Questions with Mary Miller, Ph.D, Owner-President, Fredericktowne Labs Inc.

                               
                                                                3020 Ventrie Ct. P.O. Box 245
                                                                Myersville, MD 21773
                                                                           301-293-3340
                                                                www.fredericktownelabs.com

What does your business do?

Fredericktowne Labs is a Maryland State certified water quality laboratory.  The lab analyses for contaminants and characteristics of drinking water, natural waters, storm water and wastewater.  The lab also tests for radon in air and water and performs septic system inspections.

How long have you been in business?

We have been in business for over 29 years.

How many employees do you have?

We currently have 14 employees.

Why do you believe you will be successful in Frederick County?

The need for accurate and timely analytical results and other environmental services continues to grow in Frederick County and Fredericktowne Labs is the leading provider of these services.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.

Fredericktowne Labs has provided informational talks to schools and the real estate community. The lab has also aided students with science fair projects and supports many local organizations. 

What are you most proud of?

We are most proud of the reputation that Fredericktowne Labs has achieved for being responsive to the needs of our clients and for providing consistently superior services.

Meet Microbiology International

                                Six questions with Kevin Klink, Co-CEO, Microbiology International

                                                                  5151 Pegasus Court, Suite H

                                                                  Frederick, Maryland 21704

                                                                          800-369-4276

                                                                      800EZMICRO.com

What does your business do?

Distribution, service and support of laboratory automation in the fields of microbiology and cancer research. Manufacturing of media for microbiological testing

How long have you been in business?

Since 1997

How many employees do you have?

20

Why do you believe you will be successful in Frederick County?

We have been located in Frederick County since our inception in 1997 and have enjoyed being a part of the growth in the community. Frederick is a very nice place to live which helps to attract quality employees which we have many of.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.

Our company sponsors many events such as the Autism Artreach and Mission of Mercy. We have several military veterans in our employment and hire interns from technical disciplines in electronics and IT.

What are you most proud of?

We started the company in a garage in Thurmont in 1997 with nothing but credit cards and have built a very stable business with many employees working for us for over 10 years. Our media production operation has major growth potential and will allow us to hire many new employees who can contribute to the budding economy in Frederick.

                                             

Meet KAMTEK, INC

                        Five Questions with Sharan Vedbrat, President, KAMTEK, INC.
                                                         

                                                         
                                                    4851 International Blvd, Suite 102
                                                              Frederick, MD 21703
                                                                  240-457-4538
                                                             www.kamtekinc.com

How long have you been in business?

We have been in business about 20 years!

How many employees do you have?

We have 6 employees which includes me, the owner. I work full-time.

Why do you believe you'll continue to be successful in Frederick County?

Our business operation consists of two parts one is a state-of-the-art Bio-repository, which involves the long term storage, preservation and management of biological samples.  The second is a laboratory operation that provides a range of services mostly linked to the needs of the same clients using the Bio-repository.  This combination requires a facility consisting both of good warehouse space that also adjoins a state of the art biotech laboratory space.  The latter is not usually found built-up older warehouse neighborhoods. Conditions in Frederick County provided us with the opportunity to affordably combine the two requirements at a single location.  Our custom-developed facility near the intersections of the high-tech corridor of I-270, I-70 and Route 85 (Buckeystown Pike) offers accessibility to our clients at NIH, NCI, FDA, WRAIR, SAIC, USAMRIID, other biotech and bio-pharma companies, and to airports for shipping materials to and from  distant US and International clients.  We are also close to vendors and services we may need to reach quickly in case of emergencies. Lower electricity cost, underground power lines, low crime risk, and a friendly business environment add to KamTek opportunity to fully establish its roots in Frederick County.  In the current government budget crunch that also affects our operation, the relatively lower operational costs we found in this county are crucial to the well-being of our company.

If your company is involved in community outreach, please share with us your involvement.

Our operation requires large amounts of electric power that must be secured by a backup power generator of our own. KamTek helps in alleviating demand on the local power supply grid by voluntarily turning on and running its standby generator during anticipated peak usage hours.

In addition, KamTek has always participated in training young scientists by offering summer internships to high school graduates, undergraduate and graduate students.  Two of our current employees are with us because of our outreach efforts, and previously KamTek had been recognized my Montgomery Works program for its efforts in this area.

.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud of the long term survival of my minority- and woman-owned biotech business which was done with the help of wonderful people along the way, and most importantly, KamTek’s current team.

Weekly Business Visit to QIAGEN

Lindsey Howard, Vice President of Quality Assurance of QIAGEN Inc., hosted Frederick County’s Business Development and Retention Division (BDRD) weekly business visit attended by Commissioner Paul Smith, County Manager David Dunn and Acting Director Helen Riddle of BDRD.

QIAGEN, Inc., a Netherlands holding company, is the leading global provider of sample and assay technologies that are used to transfer biological materials into molecular information. Sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA, and proteins from biological samples such as blood or tissue. QIAGEN has developed and marketed more than 500 samples and assay products as well as automated solutions for such consumables. The company provides these products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and applied testing customers for purposes such as forensics, animal or food testing and pharmaceutical process control. QIAGEN’s technologies include one of the broadest panels of molecular diagnostic tests available worldwide. The panel includes the digene HPV Test, which is regarded as the “gold standard” in testing for the primary cause of cervical cancer, as well as a broad suite of solutions for infectious disease testing and comparison diagnostics.

QIAGEN employs approximately 3,900 people in over 35 locations worldwide. According to Mr. Howard, “QIAGEN’s mission is to make the world a better place to live, not only through scientific discovery and application but through sustainable stewardship. Located at 6951 Executive Way in Frederick, QIAGEN employs 100 people. The company has been in Frederick since 2008, and has been experiencing rapid growth.

For more information about QIAGEN please visit their website at www.qiagen.com.

Riverside Tech Park attracts AT&T, Tox Path

AT&T's Government Solutions Division and Tox Path Specialists signed leases representing nearly 20,000 square feet of R&D and office space at St. John Properties' Riverside Technology Park in Frederick. AT&T, led by Senior VP Thomas Harvey (left), will relocate 50 employees from Virginia in part to be closer to a key government contractor. To accommodate its rapid expansion from a start-up to an industry-leading biotech, Tox Path will move 20 employees from the Technology Innovation Center in Hagerstown because of Riverside's proximity to the National Cancer Institute's new state-of-the-art R&D facility.

Call for Sessions is Now Open - BIO 2012

Call for Sessions is Open – Submit Your Proposal Today
Submission Deadline:Friday, September 30, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. EST
Two ways to be in the Spotlight:
Organize a Breakout Session
Submit a Company Presentation
Join a blend of international and domestic executives and management professionals from research, business, academic, and investment communities by submitting your own compelling session topic. Learn more at convention.bio.org.
There's real value in participating in the 2012 BIO International Convention as a session organizer and speaker including:

Superior Networking: Unparalleled business-to- business and deal-making which puts you in a position to gain credibility and further establish yourself as an industry thought leader.
Publicity and Recognition
Registration Discounts

Questions about submitting a session? Email Program@bio.org.

Applications Available $200,000 Biotechnology Awards

The Maryland Biotechnology Center’s (MBC) Biotechnology Development Awards provide funding to advance biotechnology research and development in Maryland along the path to commercialization.
MBC has two Biotechnology Development Awards programs available: the Biotechnology Commercialization Award and the Translational Research Award. The primary difference in the types of projects funded by these two programs is the stage of commercialization of the technology associated with the proposed project.
Both programs provide a maximum of $200,000 funding and are for projects of one year or less. Projects typically require more than $200,000 for completion. Funds are released in phases tied to successful completion of identified milestones (50% initially, 40% with the midterm report, and 10% with the final report). Companies must apply costs financed by the award to expenses for tasks associated with the milestones. Funding can be used for equipment, salaries and other business expenses, such as rent, IP expenses, or professional services. A balance between personnel and operational expenses will be reviewed as a criterion. Personnel costs supported by the award should be no more than 50%. Payment for university overhead is not included.
MBC’s awards complement Maryland’s nationally-recognized programs that provide early stage technology commercialization funding to companies such as DBED's Maryland Venture Fund's Challenge and Enterprise programs,DBED’s Biotechnology Incentive Investment Tax Credits, TEDCO’s Maryland Technology Transfer and Commercialization Fund (MTTCF), and the University of Maryland’s Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program.
You can contact our office to determine which program best fits your needs and to understand the qualifying criteria for each program. Our staff also will be happy to help you access other resources available at the Center and throughout the state.
Important Dates
Application Deadline Sept. 30, 2011
Finalist Notification Oct. 21, 2011
Finalist Presentations Oct. 31 - Nov 10, 2011
Award Notifications Dec. 1, 2011

$8 Million For Biotech Tax Credit in FY 2012 Draws More Than 180 Applications

July 07, 2011
Investors seeking a portion of the $8 million available in FY 2012 for the State’s popular Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit submitted more than 180 applications online within three minutes July 1, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) Secretary Christian S. Johansson announced today. The online system was launched last year to make the application process easier and more efficient and eliminate the need for investors and biotech firms to line up in person in advance as they had done in past years. The applications were taken on a first-come, first-served basis and investors will learn within 30 days if their prospective investment may be eligible for the credit. The tax credit program, which was first funded with $6 million in FY 2007, encourages investors to provide seed and early-stage funding to qualified, privately held Maryland biotechnology companies.
“Together, with the business community and industry stakeholders, we fought to maintain Maryland’s highly successful biotech tax credit at $8 million for FY 2012 and the program continues to see tremendous interest by investors,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “The credit has become a lifeline for the State’s biotech companies, helping them to expand and add jobs and bring to the market many innovative and life-saving discoveries.”
“Maryland’s biotechnology tax credit is the most generous tax credit of its kind in the nation, reducing an investor’s risk by 50 percent,” said Dr. Judith Britz, Executive Director of the Maryland Biotechnology Center. “Since the process is driven by the company’s ability to attract investment, the market is dictating the winners. As word spreads, the demand for this tax credit continues to grow.”
In 2010, 19 Maryland biotechnology companies received investments from the program, which is a key part of the BioMaryland 2020 plan, the 10-year, $1.3 billion strategy for moving the State’s life sciences industry forward and investing in programs and infrastructure to position Maryland as a global powerhouse. Since it was first funded, the program has issued $32 million in tax credits, assisting more than 50 Maryland biotechnology companies and leveraging $64 million in private investment. For more on the program, visit http://www.MarylandBiocenter.org Companies receiving investments from the program in 2010 and so far in 2011 include 20/20 Gene Systems (Montgomery County); A&G Pharmaceutical (Howard County); Akonni Biosystems (Frederick County); BioAssay Works (Frederick County); BioMarker Strategies (Baltimore City); Blue Torch Medical Technologies (Montgomery County); Clarassance (Montgomery County); Creatv MicroTech (Montgomery County); Corridor Pharmaceuticals (Baltimore County); CosmosID Inc. (Prince George’s County); FASgen (Baltimore City); Fyodor (Baltimore City); Gliknik (Baltimore City); InfraTrac (Montgomery County); Intelligent Substrates (Baltimore City); Noble Life Sciences (Montgomery County); Noxilizer (Montgomery County); Otraces Inc. (Montgomery County); Plant Sensory Systems (Baltimore County); Telcare (Montgomery County); Xcision Medical Systems (Howard County); and Zymetis (Prince George’s County)
Dr. Sharon Flank, CEO of InfraTrac, said the tax credit program has helped her market her company’s unique technology to analyze counterfeit drugs.
“We could have based our company in any jurisdiction, but we chose Maryland because of the tremendous support for young biotech companies,” said Dr. Flank. “As part of the State’s biotech community, we receive mentoring, training, showcases at conferences and access to funding through other programs of the Maryland Biotechnology Center. InfraTrac is proud to support the growth of biotech in Maryland, one job at a time.”
John Dwyer, chairman of Telcare Inc., said his company was able to raise more than $1 million of early stage equity capital last year through the biotech tax credit.
“The tax credit played a crucial role in motivating a number of individual investors to make their investment in an efficient and expeditious manner,” Dwyer said. “Because of this critical investment, Telcare developed the first wirelessly enabled blood glucose meter, attracted a Fortune 100 corporate investor and created a dozen new jobs.”
To qualify, companies are required to: be less than 15 years old; have their headquarters in Maryland; employ fewer than 50 people, and have a valid certification from the Department of Business and Economic Development. Investors are required to submit applications prior to making an investment. DBED reviews the applications and issues initial credit certifications within 30 calendar days. ABOUT DBED The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development stimulates private investment and creates jobs by attracting new businesses, encouraging the expansion and retention of existing companies, and providing workforce training and financial assistance to Maryland companies. The Department promotes the State's many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur economic development and international investment, trade and tourism. For more information, visit http://www.ChooseMaryland.org.
ABOUT THE MARYLAND BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER The Maryland Biotechnology Center (MBC), part of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, is a newly created organization by Governor Martin O’Malley and the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board. The MBC is a portal to resources and coordinated programs of entrepreneur and biotechnology infrastructure development, workforce training, connection to federal facilities, and marketing Maryland’s bioscience community. For more information, visit http://www.MarylandBiocenter.org.
###Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/356707#ixzz1RRj19l5Q

Local Biotech Firm Receives International Grant of $40,000

Santiago, Chile- Frederick Innovative Technology Center-based biotech company, LavaAmp, has been selected as one of 110 companies worldwide to participate in the prestigious and world-recognized program, Start-Up Chile. After receiving 329 applications, LavaAmp was chosen to receive $40,000 USD, a 1-year work visa and access to local financial and social networks– the objective is to raise capital, hire talent, create networks, and to start their businesses from Chile while leveraging and interacting fully with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

LavaAmp is a handheld device for performing DNA analysis that is faster, can be run on AA battery power and is an order of magnitude less expensive than existing technologies. It is ideal for diagnosing infectious diseases in remote areas with little access to health care.
LavaAmp can be used for far more than field diagnostics, including areas like veterinary diagnostics, food safety, education and research. The aim is to offer not just a device for molecular diagnostics but to provide a full platform for researchers, doctors and hobbyists to develop their own tests for their specific needs.

Start-Up Chile is a program created by the Chilean Government, initiated by the Ministry of Economy and is executed by Corfo/InnovaChile, which seeks to attract early-stage entrepreneurs to bootstrap their businesses in Chile. In line with the national goal of converting Chile into the innovation and entrepreneurship hub of Latin America, the program plans to bring 1,000 projects to Chile by 2014.

For more information on LavaAmp, visit their website at www.lava-amp.com.

Microbiologist needed at local Biotech Firm

ImQuest BioSciences is looking for an experienced microbiologist to join their growing company in Frederick. If interested, or if you know of someone looking for an opportunity, please contact Robert Buckheit, Jr., President and Chief Scientific Officer at ImQuest BioSciences, Inc. Corporate Headquarters and Laboratory Facilities 7340 Executive Way Suite R Frederick, MD 21704 Office: 301-696-0274 Fax: 301-696-0381