August 18, 2026

The BioHealth Capital Region Investment Conference returns September 17, bringing together companies seeking capital, visibility and strategic partners with investors looking for promising biohealth opportunities.

The partnering portal will be opening soon, giving registered companies and investors the opportunity to review profiles and begin making connections before the conference. If you have not registered yet, now is the time. Just as important, make sure your profile is complete so others can find you and understand what you are looking for.

Companies with stronger profiles will be better positioned for investor visibility, and investors will have more information to identify companies that fit their interests. If you want to take part in the partnering process, register and complete your profile before the portal opens.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors are experiencing a historic wave of investment. Across the United States and around the world, companies are expanding manufacturing capacity, establishing new facilities, and accelerating development of innovative medicines ranging from monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates to mRNA vaccines, gene therapies, and other advanced modalities.

Recent announcements show the scale of this momentum. In Virginia, AstraZeneca committed $4.5 billion near Charlottesville, Merck broke ground on a $3 billion manufacturing center in Elkton, and Eli Lilly announced a $5 billion facility in Goochland County. Lilly also announced a separate $3.5 billion Pennsylvania investment to support advanced therapies and injectable medicines. Together, these projects represent thousands of new jobs and more than $16 billion in capital investment.

In this episode of BioTalk with Rich Bendis, Rebecca “Becky” Fisher, PhD, Deputy Director for Program Management at the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, joins the conversation to help listeners better understand one of the federal biomedical research funding pathways that may be less familiar to many entrepreneurs, researchers, and life science companies.



Dr. Fisher explains how CDMRP works, how it differs from and complements other federal funders such as NIH and ARPA-H, and why its mission is focused on advancing high-impact research that can lead to cures, improved patient care, breakthrough technologies, and clinical benefit. She also discusses the scale and breadth of CDMRP’s portfolio, including its FY26 appropriations of $1.27 billion across 34 program areas and additional targeted topics.

Applications are now being accepted for the BioHealth Capital Region Crab Trap Competition, returning as part of the 12th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Week, taking place September 15, 16, and 17, 2026, at US Pharmacopeia in Rockville, Maryland. Apply today at https://bit.ly/CrabTrap2026.

The Crab Trap Competition highlights promising early-stage biohealth companies developing new technologies, products, and solutions across therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health, research tools, and other areas of life sciences innovation. Each year, the competition gives selected entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their companies in front of experienced investors, industry leaders, subject matter experts, and regional ecosystem partners. Prizes include $15,000 in cash and $20,000 in services with more being added before now and the competition.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Definium Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: DFTX) ("Definium" or the "Company"), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of therapeutics intended to address underlying causes of psychiatric and neurological disorders, today announced positive topline results from Voyage, its first Phase 3 study of DT120 (lysergide) Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT) 100 µg in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The results mark the Company’s second positive DT120 ODT Phase 3 readout, following the positive Emerge results in major depressive disorder (MDD) announced in June.

Voyage met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement from baseline compared with placebo, as measured by the change in HAM-A total score at Week 12. The Least Squares (LS) mean change from baseline in HAM-A total score at Week 12 in participants who received DT120 ODT 100 µg was -11.6 compared with -6.2 for participants who received placebo, an LS mean difference of -5.4 points (p<0.0001), corresponding to a standardized effect size of d=0.81. Efficacy was rapid, with changes seen as early as Day 2 and sustained at all post-baseline timepoints in Part A.

The Maryland Department of Commerce has opened the FY2027 Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit (BIITC) program, which encourages investment in qualified Maryland biotechnology companies. Commerce began accepting Form B applications from Qualified Maryland Biotechnology Companies (QMBCs) on August 4, 2026, and will begin accepting Form A investor applications on August 18. The online investor queue opens September 1, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. EST, with available funding allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.



Eligible investors who invest at least $25,000 in a QMBC may receive an income tax credit equal to 33% of their investment, up to $250,000. Enhanced incentives are available for certain investments, including a 50% credit of up to $500,000 for qualifying companies located in Allegany, Dorchester, Garrett, or Somerset counties, as well as additional enhancements for eligible Opportunity Zone and RISE Zone investments. Businesses and investors interested in participating should review the program requirements carefully, as complete documentation is required and incomplete investor applications will be rejected.

The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research will host its 2026 Technology Showcase on Wednesday, September 9, at the Advanced Technology Research Facility in Frederick, Maryland. The event brings together researchers, industry leaders, investors, and technology transfer professionals for an afternoon focused on innovation, commercialization, and collaboration. The program begins with networking, lunch, and one-on-one partnering, followed by a keynote address from Jeff Allen, Ph.D., President and CEO of Friends of Cancer Research.


Attendees will hear presentations highlighting research capabilities and technologies available through Frederick National Laboratory and the National Cancer Institute, along with funder pitches from organizations including Ecphora Capital, TEDCO, and Blood Cancer United. The agenda also features panels on best practices for partnering with NCI and FNL and strategies for moving technologies efficiently through FDA review, as well as presentations showcasing FNL research tools, software, and NCI technologies.

Baylor College of Medicine has signed an agreement with a publicly traded company that is investing in Houston infrastructure.

BCM and United Therapeutics Corp. (NYSE: UTHR) are launching the Baylor College of Medicine Center for Xenoliver Transplantation and Immunomodulation. The agreement announced Aug. 10 will provide $5 million a year for five years.

The new center will be led by Dr. John Goss, chief of abdominal transplant in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, and William K. Decker, professor of pathology and immunology and a member of the Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Center.

The institute’s overall goals include researching xenotransplantation to address the growing organ transplant shortage in the United States. Xenotransplantation refers to the process of transplanting organs that are grown in a different species to a human recipient, with genetic edits performed to make sure the organ is compatible with the recipient. Xeno organs can be used as a “bridge” until a human-grown organ is available or as a final “destination” therapy intended to support the patient until the end of their lives.

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BALTIMORE, Aug. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanochon, a medical device company developing Chondrograft™, a novel patented implant for the treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee, today announced that it has received regulatory approval from Panamá's Ministry of Health to initiate its First-in-Human (FIH) clinical study in Panamá.

The study will evaluate the safety and performance of Chondrograft™ in patients with focal chondral defects of the knee and represents a major milestone in the company's clinical and regulatory development strategy.

The trial will be conducted at The Panama Clinic in Panamá City under the leadership of Drs. Juan Osorio and Emilio Tufiño, experienced sports medicine surgeons, with Dr. Osorio serving as Principal Investigator for the study.

Dr. Osorio stated, "I am pleased to be the Principal Investigator for this important study, and we look forward to contributing the data that will support a larger clinical study and subsequent market entry."

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- AstraZeneca, a global pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, is bringing a major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility to Albemarle County, expected to be operational by 2029.

AstraZeneca said the development would create more than 3,600 jobs, with at least 600 of them being highly skilled positions.

Nikki Hastings, president of CvilleBioHub, said that the region has the workforce to support that demand, and that her organization had been building that talent pipeline for the past decade.

“We have a talent here that can be trained and prepared to step right into those jobs. And I think we've got enough time here to have the awareness of the opportunities for the right people to step into the jobs,” said Hastings.

Hastings said part of that work, especially with UVA and PVCC, is making sure students who were trained here also saw a future here, keeping local talent in the region.

“For a long time we had students who didn't think about staying and growing their careers in the region. And we lost all this amazing knowledge base to other states, other areas. And if we can retain and show those students pathways to what it looks like, they meet other students who are working in other jobs or other internships throughout the summer, they see themselves building a strong community together as well,” said Hastings.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 12th Annual BioHealth Capital Region Week, September 15–17, 2026, at US Pharmacopeia in Rockville, Maryland.

Sponsors help keep BHCR Week free to attend while gaining visibility with biohealth leaders, investors, emerging companies, academic institutions, government partners, and regional collaborators across the BioHealth Capital Region Forum, Crab Trap Competition, and Investment Conference.

Sponsorship also provides access to one of the most valuable parts of the week: the VIP Leadership Dinner. This smaller, invite-only gathering brings together senior executives, investors, speakers, public-sector leaders, university partners, and key opinion leaders in a more focused setting than the daytime program. For sponsors, it is an opportunity to build relationships, have higher-value conversations, and connect directly with people who are helping shape the future of the BioHealth Capital Region.

BHCR Week sponsors are recognized across event materials, signage, the registration site, and BHI communications, providing visibility before and during the event. Sponsorship is a strong way to support regional collaboration while positioning your organization in front of the companies, investors, researchers, and partners driving biohealth growth.

To learn more, contact Rich Bendis at rbendis@biohealthinnovation.org and Andy Eckert at aeckert@biohealthinnovation.org.

ROCKVILLE, MD, Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MacroGenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGNX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative antibody-based therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, today announced that Gilead Sciences, Inc. has exercised its option to obtain an exclusive license for a preclinical bispecific program under the companies’ 2022 collaboration agreement. The option exercise triggers a $10 million payment to MacroGenics.

The licensed program incorporates MacroGenics’ TRIDENT® platform and is directed against two undisclosed targets for the treatment of solid tumors. Under the 2022 collaboration agreement, MacroGenics and Gilead Sciences are advancing three programs: MGD024, a clinical-stage CD123 × CD3 bispecific DART® molecule, and two preclinical bispecific programs.

MacroGenics remains eligible to receive up to approximately $1.6 billion in additional development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments across the collaboration, as well as royalties on worldwide net sales of products resulting from the programs.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elutia Inc. (Nasdaq: ELUT) (“Elutia” or the “Company”), a pioneer in drug-eluting biomatrix technologies, today announced a $15 million growth capital financing agreement with Avenue Capital Group (“Avenue Capital”). The transaction strengthens Elutia’s balance sheet and funds the continued development and commercialization of NXT-41x, the Company’s next-generation antibiotic-eluting biomatrix for plastic and reconstructive surgeries.

NXT-41x is designed to address a significant unmet medical need in plastic and reconstructive surgery, representing an estimated $1.5 billion U.S. market opportunity. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) clearance for NXT-41x is anticipated in the first half of 2027.

GERMANTOWN, Md. & VENLO, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the QIAstat-Dx BCID GPF Plus AMR Panel, the first QIAstat-Dx panel for bloodstream infections to receive FDA clearance.

The clearance expands QIAGEN’s U.S. syndromic testing portfolio into bloodstream infection diagnostics, the fourth major infectious disease area covered by the QIAstat-Dx platform, which is available in more than 100 countries and with more than 5,200 cumulative placements as of the end of 2025.

The QIAstat-Dx BCID GPF Plus AMR Panel detects 20 gram-positive bacterial and fungal pathogen targets as well as a broad pan gram-negative target together with 10 genetic antimicrobial resistance markers from positive blood culture samples in about one hour. The rapid identification of pathogens and resistance gene markers can support informed treatment decisions, antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention measures.

At American Type Culture Collection, CEO Ruth Cheng keeps her ducks in a row. Literally.

Tiny, colorful plastic ducks appear around ATCC’s Manassas headquarters: along the front desk computer monitor, in conference rooms, on desks and even in Cheng’s office. They started appearing when employees returned after the pandemic, Cheng said, and no one knows who started it.

The whimsy is a stark contrast to the precision of ATCC’s operations, which Cheng has overseen since January 2025. The nonprofit biological resource center houses millions of biological samples and thousands of microorganisms and cell lines that researchers worldwide use for scientific innovation, from Covid tests to the current cyclospora outbreak.

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