Detailed Review of Evidence Exonerates Bruce Ivins in Anthrax Attacks

As I have been boasting for over two years now and after receiving first hand testimony at a BioBeers event on the day of Bruce Ivins suicide which was a result of the FBI ruining his career and driving him crazy by confiscating his life’s work, the National Academy of Sciences ruled today, in a report that will certainly garner no national media attention, it is inconceivable (or at least not without obvious doubt) that Bruce Ivins committed this crime.  Read the report: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-02-science-odds-fbi-anthrax-case.html “A scientific review released Tuesday in the 2001 case of deadly anthrax mailings cast doubt on the US government’s conclusion that scientist Bruce Ivins, who killed himself in 2008, was to blame.”

So, who’s betting no one will hear this story on the National Media Circus?

The all new Fredcobio coming

It has been a pretty good year in Fredcobio, I am glad to say, and the end of the year is ramping up to be amazing.    Many of you know that I have been working a contract with MedImmune assisting in the validation of the new Frederick Manufacturing Center.  That contract ended suddenly 9although it was expected) last week, so now I am back wheeling and dealing and looking at what I am going to do next.

I’ve been neglecting my two start-ups and building on my recent, newly elected status as the Grand Poobah of Biotech in Frederick first official Biotech Ambassador of the Frederick Chamber of Commerce (which I announced at the last Biobeers).  As such, we’ve had a couple of very preliminary meetings with interested parties from the Chamber, OED, FITCI,  the City of Frederick and a few other interested partners and I think there are a lot of good things we can do together.  Most of these ideas, these delusions of grandeur are just that:  ideas.  We need to transform our ideas into action and start getting some stuff done.

What do I mean by that?  First of all, everyone wants more information about things like funding and where to get it and how much is available, but we also need to start talking more with each other.  There are over 50 biotech companies or quasi-government (even “real government”) agencies in Frederick County and we don’t even know what we all do for a living.  I’m talking about better networking and business and commerce between just the local companies.  Well, that’s a start.  What we really need to do is communicate with all of the people at NCI and the various and sun-dried agencies behind the barbed wire fence that is Ft Detrick and find out what they’re doing. Speaking of which, a couple of very newsworth things have popped up on my radar screen over the past couple of days.

One of them is an excellent resource I’ll bet no one is even paying attention to off base, and we should be: Free Lectures at Ft Detrick by various agencies.  You can find the whole calendar here:  http://is.gd/gS3wv

I used to try to post them, but got tired of doing that and I don’t even think anyone was watching.  But as a “for example”, there are at least three different lecture series going on now, the one called  CCR Grand Rounds is hosting a lecture Tuesday 11/23 by Frederick R. Appelbaum, M.D. who is the Director, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center entitled “The Grand Challenges of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.” How cool does that sound? And did I mention it’s free? Well, not exactly free. I bet some of our tax money is being used somehow.  All of the details are here: http://is.gd/gS483

Ansd another thing I thought was interesting, passed along by Frank at SAIC-Frederick is this list of qualifying ”Therapeutic Discovery Project Grants” for the State of Maryland from IRS.gov.  The list is pretty long, but I think you’ll recognize for names familiar to Fredcobio such as ImQuest, Akonni, BioElectronics and BioAssay Works.  Over $48MM in grants awarded to Maryland over the past 2 years, just on this “qualifying” delineation.    My memory tells me more than $1.5BB is being spent at Ft Detrick alone this year (a lot of bricks and mortar as well as research).

I almost forgot to mention the next BioBeers date is set:  Friday December 10th.  I’m going to be improving the blog and likely moving our LinkedIn and Google groups over to a MeetUp platform in the coming weeks. So stay tuned, Fredcobio campers.

Rumor Report: BP Solar to Cease Frederick Operations, Close Plant Today

I heard from what I consider a reliable source that BP Solar is going to announce the Closing of the Frederick plant today.

I know this is not “Biotech” per-se, but it’s always a shame to see a fellow Technology-based company closing down.  you may also not know this, but yours truly was briefly Engineering Manager there between 2001-2002, in a remarkable foray outside of Biotech (but at least a job that kept me in FredCo and narrowly averted a move to a fledgling, now defunct Biotech company in RTP, NC).

Also very sad that many Frederick resident will be losing their jobs, a number I believe is close to 300.  Even more difficult to understand that BP Solar employs a large number of Burmese/Myanmar immigrants.  While I was there, we actually made an arrangement with the Church group sponsoring the Burmese families (primarily Christians who are under siege by the Totalitarian Myanmar government) to provide them employment at BP Solar.

So, we’ll see if this story is true or not. The warning signs have been known for some time.  I watch daily from my vantage point at MedImmune as the cranes are pulling down the most recent addition. Even worse, it’s been known for some time that the polycrystalline silica solar cells made in Frederick are not competitive with emerging technologies.

My best wishes for everyone involved.

Breaking News: Life Technologies Corp to be Purchased by GE

According to a post by Nancy on the BioBeers East LinkedIn group, Life Tech is going to be purchased by GE in an all cash transaction.  The news was revealed this morning on Yahoo!Finance.

This is even bigger news than the announcement last week that LifeTech was closing a 73,000 sq ft Camarillo CA facility and relocating it, and as many as 250 positions, to Frederick.

So, some stuff is shaking out on Executive Way, for sure.  Which reminds me, the next BioBeers will be on Executive Way, at ImQuest on Friday March 19th.  Official announcement coming soon!

FOLLOW UP:  The story of GE buying LifeTech could be a rumor, at least that’s the prevailing theory on the Rumor Mill.  Stay posted!

Better Fetch the Holy Hand Grenade: Rabbit Fever on the loose

In the film [Monty Python & the Holy Grail], King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table are led to the Cave of Caerbannog by Tim the Enchanter, and find that they must face down both the Rabbit and the Black Beast. The Cave of Caerbannog (“caer bannog” being Welsh for “turreted castle”) is the home of the Legendary Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh. This is guarded by a monster which is initially unknown.^[4] King Arthur and his knights are led to the cave by Tim the Enchanter, and find that they must face down its guardian beast. Tim verbally paints a picture of a terrible monster with “nasty, big, pointy teeth!“, so terrifying that Sir Robin soils his armour. When the guardian appears to be an innocuous white rabbit^[5], surrounded by the bones of the fallen, Arthur and his knights no longer take it seriously. Ignoring Tim’s warnings (“a vicious streak a mile wide!“), King Arthur orders Bors to chop its head off. Bors confidently approaches it, sword drawn, and is immediately decapitated by the rabbit to the sound of a can opener. Despite their initial shock, Sir Robin soiling his armor (again), and Tim’s loud scoffing, the knights attack in force, but are driven to “run away!” as the rabbit leaps and attacks, killing Gawain and Ector. The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is then used to defeat the beast and allow the quest to proceed.^{[6] from Wikipedia}

All kidding aside, there is a story floating around the net.  And it’s very interesting. Via MicrobeWorld

Researcher at Army Lab Infected With Rabbit Fever

A researcher at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Frederick, Maryland, has contracted rabbit fever—also known as tularemia, USAMRIID officials announced today. The illness is caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis, one of several biosafety level 3 pathogens that scientists work with at USAMRIID. The researcher, a woman who was working on a project to develop a vaccine against the disease, is “recuperating at home and is responding well to antibiotics,” according to a press release issued by the institute.

Rabbits, rodents, and other animals harbor the microbe. Nearly 200 cases of tularemia in the United States are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention every year; most of them are caused by bites from ticks and flies and from handling animals infected from the disease. The illness can also be contracted by inhaling airborne bacteria in the lab.

story originally from blogs.sciencemag.org

Also, a great write up in the Frederick-News Post I did not notice.  Right under my nose.  I’ve just soiled my armor, again.

Opportunities Abound!

A couple of quick notes as I procrastinate finilizing Grant application and cell culture duties.

Some really cool news from International Stem Cells came out yesterday.  From their web site:

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2009

International Stem Cell Corporation Reports Positive Pre-Clinical Trial Results From Human Corneal Epithelial Cells

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), the first company to perfect a method of creating human “parthenogenetic” stem cells from unfertilized eggs, has received positive early results from animal trials designed to improve photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), a form of corrective laser eye surgery that offers an improved alternative to LASIK.

PRK is generally thought to be safer and produce better long-term results than LASIK, but has not been used as frequently because of patient discomfort following surgery and a longer healing time. By combining ISCO’s human corneal cells with a proprietary surgical device developed by Paul H. Chen, M.D., who is conducting the trials, ISCO and Dr. Chen believe that cellular enhanced PRK can replace LASIK for many of the hundreds of thousands of patients who now use LASIK.

The first stage animal trials just completed demonstrated that ISCO’s corneal cells manufactured by ISCO’s subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology, encouraged corneal-defect healing in the animals. The trials are the first step toward gaining Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to test the efficacy of using ISCO’s cells to improve healing after corneal surgery, and could result in the first FDA approved use of human cells produced by ISCO.

Jeffrey Janus, President of ISCO and CEO of Lifeline, noted that “The cells used in these trials are derived from donated human tissue processed using proprietary techniques devised by ISCO’s subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology. However, ISCO’s parthenogenic stem cells can also produce human corneal cells. Corneal cells derived from ISCO’s parthenogenetic stem cells may provide a consistent and reliable source of corneal cells that could eliminate entirely the need for donated human tissues.”

This work is being done in collaboration with Dr. Chen, who has developed the cell transfer technology. Dr. Chen is an eye surgeon at North County Laser Eye Associates, and he is on staff at Scripps Memorial La Jolla and Scripps Encinitas Hospitals.

For more news and information on International Stem Cell Corporation please visit http://www.IRGnews.com/coi/ISCO where you can find the CEO’s video, a fact sheet on the company, investor presentations, and more

Maybe those of you who aren’t in the Biotech field don’t know how important it is to have “preclinical” data, which allows you to apply to the FDA for permission to run clinical trials. Your preclinical data had better be air tight and good.  Of course, the material was made by LifeLine in Walkersville, so it must be good. And for the sake of full disclosure and shameless self promotion, I am providing processed tissues for some other things that LifeLine is doing and I want them to do well.  Rumor has it they’ve installed additional, temporary space.  So all you people that I have telling to pay attention to little LLCT and ISCO, pay attention.

In other news, I was “tipped off” that a new RFP was posted on the SAIC-Frederick web site.  This is a pretty big one, but you’re going to need animal facilities. You can find the whole SOW and all the required documents  HERE, but this is the meat of it:

Solicitation No. S09-159  GLP Safety Testing of Vaccines Developed by Vaccine Research Center (VRC) Manufactured for Clinical Trial Use

Due date June 30, 2009

Perform GLP safety studies suitable for submission to the FDA for support of an IND application.

o Confirm AAALAC accreditation prior to initiating the study

o Work with the VRC to develop and finalize protocols. The VRC and the Subcontractor will sign off on the protocol and retain a copy

o Purchase and quarantine of suitable animals as specified in the protocol

o Housing of animals (1 animal per cage), test animals and control animals in separate rooms

o Administer injections of vaccine as directed in study protocol

o With VRC’s help, acquire and become trained to use Biojector and any other specialized injection devices

o Provide clinical evaluation and assess other measurements of health as specified in the protocol

o Euthanize animals and perform a gross necropsy in accordance with study protocol

o Collect blood and tissue from animals; send aliquot of blood to VRC for immune analysis and send tissues for other analysis as directed by VRC

o Run clinical chemistry and hematology tests as specified in protocol

o Run biodistribution studies as specified in protocol

o Analyze histopathology of preserved tissues as specified in the protocol

o Perform statistical analyses of test results and provide updated historical data for gender-matched unimmunized or placebo-controlled animals for comparison as specified by the protocol

o Audit test results

o As appropriate, investigate deviations of the protocol, procedures, or unexpected test results (e.g. moribund or found-dead animals) and report such investigations to VRC staff in a timely fashion.

o Provide unaudited interim, unaudited, and audited, signed final report as indicated in the protocol

• Interim clinical observations and measurements via email on a bi-weekly basis as indicated in the protocol. Interim (“unaudited”) report transmitted electronically to Project Coordinator and the VRC Project Lead (contact information listed below)

• Final report – One hard copy of this report can be sent to the VRC Project Lead and an electronic pdf version can be provided to Project Coordinator.

I hope they get as many interested parties as the last request, but haveing GLP animal facilities may make it tough.

Did I forget to mention that LifeTech is expanding in Frederick?

I read yet another story in an out of town publication about the expansion at LifeTech in Frederick.

I case you missed it Joe Donegan announced this at the last BioBeers and I could have broken the whole to wide open.

So that’s two News stories I scooped at BioBeers that I haven’t broken.  The other was, of course, the Bruce Ivins’ suicide.

Anyways, here’s a link and nice story from GlobeSt.com (I sworwe I had seen this story inthe Gazette or Fred News-Post, but can’t find the story in either of them):

Life Technologies has inked a lease to occupy an entire industrial/flex building here owned by J&N Properties. The 56,438-square-foot lease is a ten-year term for the biotech company, which also plans to expand the building for pharmaceutical distribution, according to Chad Tyler of Tyler Donegan Real Estate. Tyler, along with Joseph Donegan represented the landlord in the transaction. CBRE’s David Palank and Frank Graybeal repped the tenant.
The building, located at 7311 Governor’s Way, had been vacant, Tyler tells GlobeSt.com. “Life Technologies will be spending about $1.5 million to renovate it,” he says. The asking rate for the building had been $7.25 per square foot, triple net.

From what I heard, the plans are to build out the former PGC Scientific space into clean rooms and state of the art distribution facilitys for cGMP production of therapeutic (presumably cell-based) products.

If this is true, then Frederick County will likely be the largest producer of mammailan cell culture therapeutic productss on the Earth, combined with the Lonza-Walkersville site.

And a really interesting story in the Washington post about how the DC area is the Center of the Stem Cell Universe, or at least the most desirable

College Graduates Flock to DC Area

The Associated Press: Tuesday, May 26, 2009; 7:21 AM

“The Washington area is attracting recent college graduates because the chances of landing a job remain high despite the economic downturn, experts said.
The area is “adding jobs in [service-providing industries] and in health care and in the federal sector,” said George Mason University economist Stephen Fuller. “And the jobs we’re losing in the region,” such as construction and retail sales, “tend not to be college graduate-type jobs.”

Bomb Scare at MedImmune, Changes at Lonza and other news of the day

I stopped by the usual place for lunch today and was surprised to see the place full of MedImmune “regulars”.  Regulars at Happy Hour, not lunch.  Apparently, there was a “bomb threat” call in and they decided to evacuate the place at around 10:30-11 AM.  That is just bizarre.  Who’d call in a bomb threat except some disgruntled former employee or a contractor pissed off because they were booted off the site?  Maybe it was the Antiboby Freedom League, a rogue antibody rights terrorist organization.  Screw the babies, Save the antibodies!  Bizarre.

I took advantage of a beautiful day Friday morning to play a round of golf with a number of Lonza guys (who shall remain nameless lest they weren’t supposed to be playing golf).  Apparently, Shawn Cavanagh has been replaced at Lonza-Walkersville by Anja Fiedler.  I don’t know if this is entirely newsworthy or indicates a big change in direction at Lonza, but since it was reported one one of my other favorite blogs, I thought I’d mention it, too.  My take was that Shawn was ready to try something else and that people are looking forward to see what this change means.  Time will tell.

And for something else really sublime, check out this nerdy  YouTube by Invitrogen (Not yet Life Tech apparently).  this dude is definitely invited to the next BioBeers:

Gahaga Acquired by Hemacell Perfusion

I am sure you all read the news in the FNP Business section today that Gahaga Biosciences (my company) was acquired by Hemacell Perfusion.  Since they were good enough to cover the story, I didn’t want to scoop them.  I just wish they had another picture on file for me.  In that one, I am pretending like I am doing Biodiesel testing.  Funny, but Stem Cells don’t have a Total Acid Number.  Not the viable ones, at least.

I also learned today through a confidential source that Marligen has significantly scaled back operations.  I won’t divulge more than that, but suffice to say that there were a lot of people I had worked with before at Marligen and I am sorry to hear bad news.

And while we’re spreading rumors,  I got a call from a colleague at Lonza-Walkersville who is now looking for work.  I am not sure if this was a wide-spread action or not, but seems like quite a few companies are taking a very close look at their bottom lines.  Except the government, of course.

Has it occurred to anyone how demoralizing it is for the people over at USAMRIID that are “locked out” of their labs during this period of “Inventory Reconciliation”?  A few have confidentially expressed their disgust.  Everyone knows that USAMRIID was like any other Academic institution up until 9/11 and the Anthrax mailing.  Security was lax, but now they expect to be able to recover every single microbe produced there since the 1960′s.  Silly waste of our time and they have hundreds of people sitting around doing nothing until they get the “all clear” from the higher ups.  Talk about a Stimulus Bill.  And I am not talking about Bill Clinton’s nickname….

FredCoBio News & in the News

On a happy note, the Frederick News-Post ran the story I was interviewed for today.

It was a “positive” write up about how Md Stem Cell Funding helps “research” in the state.  **I’ll let you read for yourself:

Researchers:  First stem cell symposium bodes well for state

Yours truly was portrayed as the lone critic in the crowd, but I’ve never fancied myself as being a prolific researcher. Research is important, but research is about spending money, while Operations is about making profit. I still think that Private money will do a better, faster, cheaper job at developing commercially viable products than government funded research (as I sit here writing form my government-funded Incubator office).

And on a sadder note, I was tipped off by a comment yesterday that the New, New Life Technologies laid off a number of people yesterday.  I am not certain of the magnitude of the layoff, but I am pretty certain it will be related to some form of reorganization resulting form the merger with ABI.

If anyone out there was affected (and a few have already been in touch), please let me know if there is anything I can do to make a connection and help you navigate your next adventure.

I remember portions of  my “outplacement” camp in 2000.  One of the first sessions the “counselor” read us Dr Seuss’ “Oh, The Thinks you can Think” in her best, enthusiast  kindergartner teacher voice. I thought, you must be kidding me.  I’ve always preferred the Sneetches.

***I attended the Chamber Academy session last week about PR and Media Relations, “PR For Dummies“.  I found out that Cliff Cumbers frowns upon cutting & pasting whole articles.  I like the fact that they have been calling me and asking for leads for different biotech stories and occasionally even giving me free PR.