The Roundup – February 1, 2024

• Over 20 CT companies included in America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2024 (Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer)
• Syngenta and Enko partnership breeds milsetone crop protection discovery
• A conversation with Rallybio CEO Stephen Uden on the need for rare disease drug development
• Quinnipiac President Olian appointed co-chair of AdvanceCT Board of Directors
• UConn team part of International Space Station research
• Exploring Ag biotech careers with UConn 4-H

More Industry News

• Jon Soderstrom: The Bayh-Dole Act works. It’s not time to change it

The White House has proposed that the government be allowed to “march in” and forcibly re-license patents that result from federally-funded research. There is a growing concern that the government could use this change in policy to control the prices of thousands of products, including medicines and medical devices. This change could potentially impact the longstanding culture of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship at research universities across the country.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks comments on these policy changes from stakeholders. 

Please consider responding to the NIST in opposition of these policy changes. The current tech transfer process is critical for drug innovation and research and development. Comments close 5pm on February 6th.

• AVS Bio is the world’s largest and most trusted producer of Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) eggs and adjacent laboratory products and services for the development and manufacture of biologics.
• Talam Biotech is leading the development of solutions that enable farmers to produce healthier, more sustainable food. At Talam, they leverage the power of naturally occurring soil microbes to reduce food-associated contaminants and remediate pollutants

Virtus Therapeutics and Curatix also expanded their footprint adding another laboratory.

• Curatix LLC focuses on the development of new antimicrobial therapies and therapeutic strategies with a specific focus on antifungal and anti-parasitic drugs and diagnostic tests.
• Virtus Therapeutics (C-corp) is focused on the development of the first treatment for pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) using small molecule activators.

Contact Kim Kelly if you are interested in space opportunities.

Adventus Consulting believes the procurement function should support the business and not create an inefficient bureaucracy of confusing policies, processes and disconnected systems. They recognize each client’s situation and objectives to work with them to design and implement a procurement function to meet their business goals.

To learn more about Adventus Consulting and how they can help you, please check out the following articles written by Managing Partner, David Stowe.

Financial Leadership of Strategic Procurement 
Strategic Procurement for Emerging Pharma & Biotech 
Betting the House: CDMO Selection for Emerging Pharma 
Are your Suppliers Supporting Your Growth? 
How Procurement Efficiencies Help Drive Growth 
De-Risking Sourcing in the Pharmaceutical Industry 
Preparing for the Next Disruption 
Can Procurement be a Trusted Advisor?

Nominate a company, or an individual, here

Nominate an individual here

Application reviews will take place on a rolling basis. Final deadline to apply is February 15

The Blavatnik Fellowship is a one-year fellowship designed for high-potential life science industry professionals with advanced technical skills who have an interest in joining the Yale and New Haven life sciences entrepreneurial ecosystem. Blavatnik Fellows assist Yale faculty members and their research teams to fully explore the commercial potential of their breakthrough life science technologies. They work closely with staff and faculty teams that receive support from The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, a $65 million fund run by Yale Ventures that develops and translates Yale’s groundbreaking research into innovative healthcare solutions.

Fellows should have the ability to create business strategies for innovative projects, with particular interest in applications from candidates interested/experienced in digital health and med tech. Learn more and hear from past fellows here

Apply here

This event aims to catalyze increased investment and collaboration opportunities within Taiwan’s biomedical industry, fostering a dynamic biotech venture capital market. U.S. startups specializing in precision medicine and actively seeking potential investors are cordially invited to participate.

Hybrid Format: Taipei (in person); US (online) 

Time: 09:00-3:30 pm EST, Early April 2024

To express your interest, kindly provide pertinent details, including your company’s website, a designated contact person and email, along with a concise overview of your company’s activities. Kindly direct your submissions to Scott Yeh at scottyeh@twinvestandtrade.org.

Our next statewide event is a Rare Disease Forum March 7^th co-hosted at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine. This event is particularly meaningful to me – it was in 2016 I made a decision to focus full time on rare disease and first stepped foot in New Haven, joining Achillion Pharmaceuticals. As many in our ecosystem know, once you join the Rare community it’s impossible to leave.

It’s time that we all show our support not only to this community, but to Farmington.

We have limited sponsorships, an opportunity for advocacy groups to exhibit and attend free, and registration is open. Please note that we expect space to sell out quickly for this one. You can reserve a spot here.

Please always reach out with any questions, ideas, requests or feedback – I am still receiving post Legislative Breakfast emails and every single one makes my day.

Register now