Miscellaneous Day

On the day that the Frederick County Commissioner voted in FAVOR of the Waste-to-Energy facility they also approved the $25K grant to Life Technologies for their expansion.  FredCoBio Unanimously (one a vote of One) approves the commissioners recommendations.

I remember that we had a WTE furnace at the University of Rochester when I was there from 1985 until 1988.  Sat right by the loading dock and burned all lab waste, as well as medical waste from the adjoining Strong Memorial Hospital (side note:  the same Strong family that owned Sugerloaf Mountain).  Even in the 80′s there was never a problem.

Another unique perspective I have, which I doubt anyone else in Frederick has, is that my house boarders the landfill and I work at 4539 Metropolitan Court, which is next door to the most likely site designated for the WTE plant.  No worries.  Then again, I grew up in a neighborhood called KodaVista in Greece, NY and had Eastman Kodak/Kodak Park energy plants visible at the top of my street.  It never bothered me, but apparently some people have made a fuss about it. At least you can still buy a house on Malden St (a detached house w/garage), where I delivered the Newspaper (now defunct Times-Union)for only $67K

Anyway, I hope to see some of you tomorrow at the MdBio Golf outing at Whiskey Creek.  if you’re not in yet, it’s probably too late.  And if I don’t see you there, maybe we can hook up at International Business Wales, Washington Mission Portal on Friday?

Has anyone else noticed the massive Marketing campaign by SABiosciences?  They’re all over GEN News and Biotechniques this month.  Just an observation.  Must finish taking care of my stem cells today since I’ll be busy the next couple days.

I promise, I will set a date for BioBeers in July.  Maybe second week?

BioElectronics finds a Cure for the Curse

I’ve been blogging about FITCI graduate BioElectronics for quite some time.  Even though they’re not technically a Biotech company, there product/technology is Bio-based and it is used as a therapeutic product.  They made some really big waves at the end of last week. Last week, BioElectronics announced that  their “patch” has been submitted to the FDA for clearance in use for treatment of pain reduction associated with dysmenorrhea (period pain and cramps).  This is also a request to make their product available “Over the Counter”, as currently it requires a prescription (at least in the US).  The Allay Menstrual Pain Relief Patch is drug-free and is based on Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy, which applies advanced semiconductor and micro-battery technologies into a very small form factor that has been packaged into a wafer thin patch that can be worn directly on the skin.

There is a very nice write up entitled The Curse’s Cure here.

According to this article,  they are engaged in Clinical trials recently completed or currently underway including the following:

Dysmenorrhea (period pain) — On the call, Barry Eppley, M.D. D.M.D. discussed the results of a recently completed randomized, double blinded, active and placebo-controlled clinical study on the use of the Allay™ Menstrual Pain Relief Patch for the treatment of period pain. The study, which included 91 females showed very strong efficacy, 100% safety and strong statistical significance. The results of the study were used as the basis for the Company’s recent FDA submission.

General Musculoskeletal Complaints — Earlier this week the Company announced that Sheena Kong, M.D. is undertaking a significantly sized randomized, double blinded, active and placebo-controlled clinical study on general musculoskeletal complaints. The study is specifically designed to allow BioElectronics Corporation to file an application with the FDA to receive an indication for treatment of general musculoskeletal complaints, including back, knee, ankle and neck pain. On the call the management team discussed recent heightened concerns about the potential dangers of inappropriate acetaminophen and Tylenol® usage, which are far and away the leading causes of liver failure in the United States and the United Kingdom. The Company believes its portable, drug-free technology offers a significantly safer alternative to these potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals. The Company’s goal is over-the-counter clearance.

Breast Augmentation — BioElectronics currently has three breast augmentation surgery recovery trials underway. The largest of these is being conducted by David Genecov, M.D., FACS-FAAP, of Houston, Texas. The randomized, double blinded positive and placebo-controlled study involves 120 patients. Barry Eppley, M.D. D.M.D. of Indianapolis, Indiana is also conducting a similar study. Additionally, several physicians in the country of Denmark are conducting a breast augmentation surgical recovery study in order to receive approval for government reimbursement.

Cesarean Section — The vast majority of women who undergo cesarean section delivery do not wish to take narcotic drugs during the recovery stage. As a result pain relief is a major issue. Dr. Michael Lopez of St. Mark’s Hospital in Texas is conducting a trial using the Company’s RecoveryRx™ product. The management team of BioElectronics believes this market holds great potential over the coming years.

Heel/Foot Pain/Plantar Fasciitis — A major study on these conditions is currently underway in Houston, Texas conducted by David Genecov, M.D., FACS-FAAP. This double blinded, randomized and placebo-controlled study is very near completion with the management team expecting data over the coming few weeks. Tens of millions of people in the United States suffer from such conditions and it is believed the Company’s ActiPatch is both a safe and effective alternative for treatment.

Diabetic Wound Care — A group of physicians in Denmark is currently undertaking a clinical study on the treatment of diabetic wounds. While no placebos are being used in this study, the Company nevertheless believes strong data will be realized.

Uveitis — Uveitis is an inflammation in the middle layer of the eye and the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. This condition is typically treated with steroids, either as topical eye drops or as an oral therapy. A study at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute is currently being conducted to determine the efficacy and safety of the Company’s PEMF technology for treatment of this condition.

Pretty exciting stuff, if you ask me!

Updates on Frederick Biotech Companies

I forgot that Helen from the FredCo OED had sent me an updated spreadsheet of FredCoBiotech companies.  I meant to post this last week, but will do a quick post this morning.

2009 Frederick BioScience Companies *Denotes located in City limits

Company	Address	Phone	Contact	Website
Akonni Biosystems*	400 Sagner Ave, Ste 300 Frederick, MD 21701	301-698-0101	Charles Daitch, PhD,  President	www.akonni.com
AMEC E&C Services (Biopharmaceuticals)	5104 Pegasus Court, #E, Frederick, MD 21704	301-668-0520	Mike Carroll  or Tucker Clevenger	www.amec.com
Antietam Technologies	4841 International Blvd, Ste 105,  Frederick, MD 21704	240-291-7109	Richard Fouke	http://www.antietamtechnologies.com/
APE-BridgePath Scientific	4841 International Blvd, Ste 104 Frederick, MD 21703	888-496-8333	Joseph Garner, Ph.D,       Patrick Haley	www.apebridgepath.com
Atlantic Biomass Conversions*	507 N. Bentz Street, Frederick, 21701	301-644-1396	Robert Kozak, President	N/A
Battelle Frederick Operations*	10 N. Jefferson St. Suite 100B, Frederick, MD 21701	301-846-9883		www.battelle.org
Biaera Technologies	4539 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704 –              FITCI @ Monocacy	301-695-0022	Justin M. Hartings, Ph.D.  – Owner	http://www.biaera.com/
BioAssay Works	10075 Tyler Place, #18, Ijamsville, MD 21754	301-874-8888	Leslie Kirkegaard, Ph.D., President  & Stephen Mefferd, VP	www.bioassayworks.com
BioElectronics Corp	4539 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704 FITCI @ Monocacy	301-874-4890	Andrew J. Whelan, President	http://www.bioelectronicscorp.com
Biological Mimetics, Inc*	124 Byte Drive,     Frederick, MD 21702	301-620-7565	Peter L. Nara, M.Sc., D.V.M., Ph.D., Chairman, Pres. & CEO	http://www.bmi-md.com/index.htm
Bio Molecular Technology	5340 Spectrum Dr. Ste J, Frederick, MD 21703	301-831-4068		www.bmtinc.com
Bio-Stat Solutions, Inc.	114 S. Main Street Mount Airy, MD 21771	301-829-4001		www.biostat-solutions.com
Bluepoint Bioscience	10075 Tyler Place Ijamsville, MD 21754	301-874-3981		www.bluepointbioscience.com
Capricorn Pharma, Inc.	6900-A English Muffin Way, Frederick, MD 21703	301-696-8520	S. Rao Cherukuri, President & CEO and Nivaran Kapur, Director Business Development	http://www.capricornpharma.com/
Cellogenetics, Inc.	10075 Tyler Place, #6 Ijamsville, MD 21754	240-396-1040		www.cellogenetics.com
Cell Systems, Inc.	5625 Broad Run Road, Jefferson, MD 21755	301-524-6500		N/A
Cell Trends, Inc	6 N. Church Street, Middletown, MD 21769	301-371-5354	Jeff Schubert, President	www.celltrends.com
Charles River Laboratories*	8501 Progress Drive, Frederick, MD 21701	301-846-4126	Ann Murray, LVT, LATG, Director Bus. Development	www.criver.com
Company	Address	Phone	Contact	Website
Clinical Research Management, Inc.*	411 Aviation  Way, Suite 220, Frederick, MD 21701	301-620-1987	Victoria Tifft, President & Owner	www.clinicalrm.com
CynerGene	4539 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21704 –              FITCI @ Monocacy	301-360-3507	Keith Wetherby, Partner  and Alem Taye, Partner	www.cynergene.com
CSC – DynPort Vaccine Company, LLC*	64 Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick, 21701	301-607-5000	Robert V. House, MSPH, Ph.D., President & CSO	www.csc.com
Eminent Services Corporation	7495 New Technology Way, Frederick, MD 21703	240-629-1972	K. Paul Thadikonda, President & CEO	www.emiserv.com
Express Biotech International	503 Gateway Drive West, Thurmont, MD 21788	301-228-2444	Mohamad Hashemzadeh, President	www.expressbiotech.com
Express Genomics, Inc.*	5 South Wisner Street, Frederick, MD 21701	301-695-3445	Christian Gruber, Ph.D. & Mark Smith, Ph.D. Founders	www.express-genomics.com
FiberCell Systems, Inc.*	905  West 7th Street, Suite 334, Frederick, MD 21701	301-471-1269	John Cadwell	www.fibercellsystems.com
Fisher BioServices	4600 Wedgewood Blvd. – Suite H, Frederick, MD 21703	301-694-5911	Dennis Fallen, General Manager	www.fisherbioservices.com
GPL Laboratories	7210 Corporate Court  # A, Frederick, MD 21703	301-694-5310	Ike Loukos, CEO	www.gplab.com
Hemacell Perfusion*	401 Rosemont Ave Frederick, MD 21701 FITCI @ Hood	301-639-6719	Jim Hardy	www.hemacellperfusion.com
Histo-Scientific Research Laboratories	20 Frederick Road Thurmont, MD 21788	240-356-0057		www.hsrl.org
Hi-Titer Tech, Inc.*	1306 Bailes Ln, Ste C Frederick MD 21701	301-682-4326		N/A
HRC BioTek, Inc.	31 E. Frederick Street – Suite A, Walkersville, MD 21793	301-898-8633	Harold R. Cooper, President	N/A
HydroMax	4 Creamery Way, Emmitsburg, MD 21727	301-668-3500	Fred Reidenbach, President	http://www.hydromax.net/
Imagilin Technology, LLC*	93 Monocacy Blvd.  Ste A9 Frederick, MD 21701	240-436-6084	Jhy-Jhu (JJ) Lin, Ph.D., CEO	http://www.imagilin.com/
ImQuest Biosciences	7340 Executive Way,     Suite R, Frederick, MD 21704	301-696-0274	Luca Casareto, Ph.D., VP Business Development	http://www.imquest.com/index.shtml
Intracel Corporation*	550 Highland St, Ste 417 Frederick, MD 21701	301-668-8300	Peter R. Nardin, COO	http://www.intracel.com/
Invitrogen/Life Technologies	7305 Executive Way, Frederick, MD 21704	240-379-4500	Gregory T. Lucier, Chairman & CEO	www.invitrogen.com;  http://www.lifetech.com
Jupiter Bioscience, Inc.*	8415 Progress Drive,      Unit T, RiversideTech Park, Frederick, MD 21701	240-238-3463	M.S. Narayanan, CEO	http://www.jupbio.com/
Company	Address	Phone	Contact	Website
KempBio*	401 Rosemont Ave Frederick, MD 21701	301-644-3922	Chris Kemp	N/A
Lonza Walkersville, Inc.	8830 Biggs Ford Road, Walkersville, MD 21793	301-898-7025	Greg Sargen, VP & CFO	www.lonza.com
Marligen Biosciences, Inc.	2502 Urbana Pike, Ijamsville, MD 21754	301-874-4990	Sherry Challberg, Founder, CEO & Director	www.marligen.com
Medimmune, Inc.*	660 Research Drive, Frederick, MD 21703	301-228-5000	Nancy Bukar, Gov’t. Affairs Mgr.	www.medimmune.com
Meridian BioGroup LLC	4539 Metropolitan Court, Ste 221,  Frederick, MD 21704 – FITCI @ Monocacy	301-360-9771	Alison Demarest	http://www.meridianbiogroup.com/
Midwest Research Institute*	110 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 170, Frederick, MD 21702	301-846-0757 ext 101	William Wright	www.mriresearch.org
MTR Scientific	9639 Dr. Perry Road Ste 122, Ijamsville, MD 21754	301-874-1899
NBACC/BNBI, Inc.*	110 Thomas Johnson Drive #200, Frederick, MD 21702	301-682-5239	Dr. James Estep, DVM, PhD	www.ncifcrf.gov
NCI/SAIC – Frederick*	Fort Detrick PO Box B,                   Frederick, MD 21702	301-846-1000	Dave Bufter, VP	http://www.ncifcrf.gov/
Pathology Associates International*	15 Worman’s Mill Court, Suite I, Frederick, MD 21701	301-663-1644	Julie C. Delaney, LATG, Manager of Pathology Operations	N/A
Protiga, Inc*	PO Box 1351,         Frederick, MD 21702	301-606-5121	Ewald M. Wondrak, Ph.D., Owner	www.protiga.com/default.htm
Rad Electric, Inc	5716 A Industry Lane Frederick, MD 21704	301-694-0011	Rick Stieff, CEO	www.radelec.com
Royer Biomedical, Inc.	4580-E Mack Avenue, Frederick, MD 21703	301-696-2177	Garfield Royer, Ph.D., Chairman	http://www.royerbiomedical.com/
SABiosciences	6951 Executive Way Frederick, MD 21703	301-682-9200	Li Shen, Ph.D., President	http://www.SABiosciences.com
SeraCare Life Sciences*	8425 Progress Drive, Frederick, MD 21701	301-208-8100	Susan L. N. Vogt,          President & CEO	http://www.seracare.com/index.htm
Signature Supplements	8323 Sharon Drive, #100 Urbana, MD 21704	301-874-1797		www.signaturesupplements.com
Southern Research Institute*	431 Aviation Way, Frederick, MD 21701	301-694-3232	Rhonda Jung , Director of Public Relations and Edie Druktenis, Operations Leader	http://www.southernresearch.org/index.html
SriSai  BioPharmaceutical Solutions*	8415 Progress Drive, Suite Y, Frederick, MD 21701	301-846-0188		http://www.srisaibiopharma.com
Sustainable Bioresources, LLC	7113 Poole Jones Road Frederick, MD 21702	301-695-7043	Edward Rau	www.sustainablebioresources.com
Company	Address	Phone	Contact	Website
Syngene	5108 Pegasus Court, Suite M, Frederick, MD 21704	301-662-2863	Paula Maia, Vice President	www.syngene.com
Tox Path Specialists	293 Kenwood Place Walkersville, MD 21793	301-845-0719	Dr. Mark Butt	N/A
Trans-Type Diagnostics*	108 Byte Drive, Ste 101 Frederick, MD 21702	301-695-7087		N/A
Vaccinogen, Inc.	5300 Westview Dr #406 Frederick, MD 21703	301-668-8400	Andrew Tussing	www.vaccinogeninc.com
Valogic*	8415 Progress Drive,    Suite Z, Frederick, MD 21701	877-825-6442	William Roberston	http://www.valogic.biz/index.php
Veracity Biotechnology, LLC*	5 South Wisner Street Frederick, MD 21701	301-644-3920	Victor E. Buckwold, Ph.D. – President	http://www.veracitybiotech.com/

*27 within the City Limits            62 Total

Yes, I definitely have some updating to do…

Tales of Wales, Money for Free and of Newly Discovered dieases

Several months ago I was called out of the blue by a Canadian firm who was helping to establish connections for a Welsh delegation coming to Maryland to strum up business through collaboration.  I was considering hosting a special BioBeers for them here, but that never panned out.  What was established is being called International Business Wales, Washington Mission Portal.  Amongst the delegation are a number of Life Science Companies.  The briefing for Life Science companies and an opportunity for one-on-one discussions is next Friday, June 26th in Alexandria (unfortunately).  I am going to attend.  If anyone would like to tag along, please let me know.  I think you will be quite surprised when you investigate the amount of Life Science research going on in Wales.  I know I was.  Plus, one of the companies, in particular, is doing almost exactly what I am trying to do with placenta.  For me, as great fit.

That is next Friday.  Next Thursday is the long awaited return of the MdBio Golf Outing at Whiskey Creek.  My team is set and ready to roll.  I hope some of you have also signed up.  This used to be to highlight of the year for many of us.  Networking and a Reunion all rolled up into one.

On a totally unrelated topic, I was amused reading an article in the Frederick News Post this morning about the on-going inventory audit at USAMRIID.  Amused because i don’t blame the way this was reported, but having worked in inventory control & logistics for 15 some odd years, discovering 9,200 “finds”, items they didn’t know they ever had isn’t unusual. The article says there were over 70,000 total counted sample. One should report the result in terms of the accuracy of the inventory.  In this case, for simplicity, say (70,000 -9,200)/70,000 =  87% accurate.  In my experience, if the only thing the auditors were going off of, as the article implies, were excel spreadsheets and lab notebooks, I would be surprised if an academic lab like USAMRIID could sustain over 60% accuracy over the decades these samples have been stored there.  Still, this does not present a seriously “out of control” situation.  But one word of warning:  conducting a “physical inventory” once per year (again, just quoting the article), is a HUGE, ENORMOUS, stupid and foolish waste of time!!!  For the past 20 years the way to maintain control of your inventory is to conduct periodic, weekly, cycle counts:  randomly selected items or locations.  The frequency and number of counts is determined by total inventory and the degree of accuracy you’d like to maintain.  In this case, lets say they have 70,000 vials to count.  If every week  1,500 vials were counted from random locations (which isn’t difficult since they’re being stored in cryo racks I assume containing multiples per box), the entire inventory would be counted in 47 weeks.    Or say 300 per day.  And even more important, cycle counts are more likely to catch mistakes or systemic errors closer to the time they occur.  Yikes, the book on cycle counts vs and Annual Physical Inventory were written a long time ago.  That rant accomplished, most companies still do physical inventories because the accountants like it.  Stupid.

And lastly, I want to briefly comment on the story (HERE and HERE and also heard on WFMD) breaking this week about Life Technologies being granted money through the state and city for their expansion into the old PGC building.  Howard left a comment about this earlier.  I worked DBED on a PWQ grant while with the former Life Technologies for $25K to train new employees for the Distribution center we were building.  I remember John Gardner, our Comptroller or something like that (his wife is now a county commissioner), asking why on earth do we need $25K from DBED when our operating profit was something like $50MM the year before?  Yes, we used to be that profitable before the IVGN debacle. My opinion is that any money the State/County can provide to assist in creating jobs is going to be paid back in probably the first year in sales tax, income taxes and construction contracts to build out the new facility.  It is money well spent that will be returned.  If this isn’t the role of Economic Development, better on a “sure thing”, then what is?  Providing loans to risky start-ups?

And b y the way, I may have said at one point I thought that Life Tech was putting Stem Cell stuff in the new building:  totally wrong.  I learned from an insider that the new facility is going to be used as a distribution Center for the ABI products.  Since ABI systems are used for diagnostics, they need a cGMP facility and controls.  So, good news:  the new facility is taking jobs away from California!  All more reason to spend locally!

Updates to the Riverside 5 Post

In order to maintain my journalistic integrety (not that I really have any claim at being called a “journalist”) I should correct some mis-information I propagated in the previous post about the Riverside 5 development.

Riverside Five is actually a part of Riverside Corporate Park, which sits next door to Riverside Research Park, home to the planned NCI facility. It doesn’t actually have anything to do with SAIC/NCI, but SRA International did pick the location for a new office space due to it’s proximity to the park.

SRA leases one floor now and is the first tennant in this new facility.  Best of all, I got a couple better pictures to share via the Matan boys.

Ft Detrick Tech Transfer Funds

While we’re talking about all things Fort Related, there was a press release by TEDCO Wednesday [warning, PDF] and several FredCoBio companies won funding to support product development activities with Ft Detrick scientists.

BioAssay Works, LLC, located in Ijamsville, Md., is working to develop an optimized, sensitive, lateral-flow visual diagnostic test able to detect and differentiate from a single sample multiple pathogenic poxviruses, including variola, vaccinia, and monkeypox. A prototype diagnostic assay will be designed, manufactured, and tested for the ability to accurately identify and discriminate between vaccinia and monkeypox.

APE-Bridgepath Scientific, Inc., located in Frederick, Md., is working to further develop the GeNova Screen, which is a rapid technology for the identification, isolation, and production of antibody-like molecules using a selectable bacterial-surface display system. The GeNova Screen will consist of an engineered bacterial collection in which each bacterium is capable of expressing one of a library of different receptor proteins on its surface. The identified proteins can be used as therapeutics, diagnostics, and research reagents.

CynerGene IDMP, located in Frederick, Md. in the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, is developing, validating and implementing a supplemental diagnosis of Malaria, HIV, and Dengue using CynerGene’s Infectious Disease Multiplex Panel(IDMP) approach. The IDMP will assist existing industries in becoming more productive by creating innovative biosensors which can become rapidly mainstreamed to meet the surging demand of the new market for rapid, accurate, and non-invasive diagnostics.

Imagilin Technology, LLC, located in Frederick, Md., is working to evaluate the effect of Imagilin patented probiotics as a food supplement to enhance the immune responsiveness of guinea pigs upon immunization or challenge with virulent pathogens. This project will demonstrate the ability for the Imagilin patented probiotics to function as biological adjuvant for enhancing immunization of a vaccine.

Interesting that 3/4 of these companies are FITCI graduates.

Riverside 5 Grand Opening

On Teusday, I was invited along with other member of the Fort Detrick Alliance to attend a Grand Openening of the new Riverside 5 building.  Riverside 5 is the first building that was erected as a part of SAIC/NCI-Frederick’s Riverside Research Park

This building, and the excitement that is created by expanding NCI within our little town, is just awesome

I lifted the previous pictures from Matan’s Riversidefive.com web site. I took a few more myself.

Wells Fargo Building on the other side of the Water Feature

You can’t actually see this building from Gas House Pike or Monocacy Blvd. because it’s obscured by the enormous ($300,000 sq ft) new Wells Fargo Building. This building is also amazingly large.

Also cool because the Research Park is going to have miles of trails, linking into the Monocacy Waterways bike paths.  If we still lived in Riverwalk, I’d literally be able to walk to work.

Already up and running, to feed the NCI with it’s lust for murine pieces and parts, is the new Charles River Labs facility.  I think it is something like a 50,000 sq foot vivarium, all state of the art.

If you look closely, you can see the new CRL facility through the rain

I think my favorite moment, aside from some really fancy food (like shooters of white chicken chili) was when George Lewis (from Ft Detrick Alliance) summed things up during his comments. He said something to the effect that on land that was once a chicken farm, we are building a Center with the sole purpose of curing cancer. And these cures (we all know that Cancer is not a single manifestation), will occur in our lifetime. Really mind blowing, when you think about it. And all of it happening in your own back yard.

Being AntiSocial

I am trying to lay a sound track over my FredSMC presentation and it’s taking me much more time than I thought. In the interim (and possibly why it’s taking me so bloody long), I have been tinkering with life (well, just my stem cells), balancing the books, finishing taxes (yes, we filed an extension) and trying to make a couple new sales and deliveries.

Plus, been tweeting a lot.  too much, in fact.  But in the process, I have found a couple of things I just have to share with you.

This graph, for instance, makes me laugh every time I look at it (from the Laughing Squid and Olly Moss)

And a couple interesting tweets from DynPort Vaccine:

One about Biodefense and Pandenic Resources and one about a new Job Opening

Job Openings

DVC is hiring for positions in our Frederick, Maryland office. Current openings include:

• Chief Scientific Officer 09005W9 – Responsible for setting and managing the overall scientific and technical direction for development of all existing or anticipated products under development.
• Principal Investigator BOT (Scientist Principal Leader) 09005W7 – Serves as the technical programmatic lead of a dynamic, matrixed team engaged in the advanced development and FDA licensure of a recombinant protein vaccine against a bacterial toxin.

And I also highly recommend Twitter mosaic.  Just punch in your twitter ID and it creates a mosaic of either your followers or people you’re following.  Here’s mine (as of yesterday).  Pick an avatar and add them to your network:

Get your twitter mosaic here. These are People I Follow:

Get your twitter mosaic here. These are People Following Me.  I think I should start following more of them?

More FredCoBizOps

I recieved a couple more notifications about RFQ’s available at Ft Detrick.  They are really hoping to have small businesses bid on these.  One is for making MAbs and one for Chemical Synthesis.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Solicitation Number S09-162:  Humanized Monoclonal Antibody HB22.7 Cell Line Development

1. Task Objectives

1.1. Develop a mammalian cell line expressing a therapeutic monoclonal antibody HB22.7 (anti-CD22 antibody) for clinical manufacturing.

1.2. Demonstrate a minimum cell line productivity of 10pg/cell/day using a batch, fed-batch, or perfusion process at 1L scale.

1.3. Demonstrate stability of the cell lines in cell growth and product expression for a minimum of 60 generations.

Full details are available HERE: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=37b04a5cccc2898f9ec0f8b9ad9aa0b7&tab=core&_cview=0

The second one’s got a bit of a twist to it. Anyone who is interested needs to request a subcontract agreement document from the Subcontract Specialist (click HERE to open an email) before they can submit a response.

Solicitation Number: S09-165 The manufacture of V-PYRRO/NO (Chemical Abstracts Services Registry Number 179344-98-0) in bulk quantity

A. Overview/Background

V-PYRRO/NO (Chemical Abstract Services Registry Number 179344-98-0) is a promising organ-protective agent under evaluation as a possible treatment for a variety of liver disorders, include acetaminophen toxicity, lipopolysaccharide-induced shock, and fulminant liver failure. Its synthesis is described in the following paper: Hong et al., Tetrahedron Letters, 2009, 50, 2069-2071. The Government currently needs a bulk supply of this agent for further testing.

B. Description of Work

The project involves the process of synthesis of the V-PYRRO/NO in bulk quantity. The Government will provide up to 20 g of NIH patented PYRRO/NO, sodium salt. The Subcontractor will follow the procedures outlined in Hong et al, or suitable modifications, to install the vinyl group at the terminal oxygen of the PYRRO/NO anion.

The Subcontract shall perform the actions needed to produce and transfer the compound material, along with a data package documenting the purity of the compound, to the NCI. The documents must include NMR, UV, and HPLC data consistent with 99% purity or better, along with combustion analysis data for carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen (with each element being within 0.4% of the calculated values).

Full posting HERE:  https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=e232efd5eab5b99d56eeeb46fb10e7e1&tab=core&_cview=0&cck=1&au=&ck=

If anyone needs an introduction to Howard, the primary point of contact, let me know.

Breaking News: MedImmune Wins the Swine Flu Lottery

There is scant information in the press release from FierceBiotech, but the news is good, if not predictable:

MedImmune has received a $90 million order from the U.S. government for a live attenuated vaccine that can be used against the H1N1 outbreak. The vaccine developer says this could be the first of many new orders for a swine flu jab. And the company, the biotech arm of AstraZeneca, says it will begin shipping the first of 10 million doses of its seasonal flu vaccine in August.

I haven’t been blogging about the Swine Flu “pandemic”, but I was pretty sure MedImmune would be the first in line with bids in to nab a development contract..

Oh, it’s made the Washington Post now, too:

Under the deal with HHS, MedImmune will continue to make its seasonal flu vaccine, but will now also develop a vaccine targeted specifically at the H1N1 virus that has caused World Health Officials to raise the pandemic alert level to the fifth of six stages.

The WaPo article is a bit more complete, but I think it’s funny how you look at things depending upon your perspective.  WaPo says “Gaithersburg based”  MedImmune won the contract, whilst Reuters more accurately states “AstraZeneca gets $90 million US flu vaccine order.”   In any event, the R&D (which is the major reason for the grant money) will likely be spent in Rockville, but they should be making the vaccine in the new Frederick facility.  Good news!

Also good news and good reads, in the Frederick News-Post yesterday:  Balog’s Biotech — Postcard from BIO