| | Betting Big on Innovation in the Desert with BioHealth Las Vegas | In this episode of BioTalk, Rich Bendis sits down with Councilman Brian Knudsen, Jamie Schwartz of UNLV, and Vance Farrow from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development to spotlight the rapid emergence of Southern Nevada as a rising force in the biohealth landscape. The conversation covers the launch of the $10 million BioHealth Innovation Challenge, the Desert Forge Venture Fund, and the revitalization of BioTech Vegas—all designed to attract industry anchors, fuel early-stage startups, and cultivate a thriving innovation ecosystem. They also explore how strong collaboration between local and state government, academic institutions, and entrepreneurs is propelling Las Vegas into a new era of health innovation, with a focus on brain health, sports science, and workforce development. | | thewellnews: Alicia Jackson named new Director of ARPA-H | |
October 22, 2025 by Dan McCue - Alicia Jackson is the new leader of the Advanced Research Project Agency for Health, an office that focuses on cutting-edge science dealing with everything from cancer therapy to repairing traumatic brain injuries.
Jackson, who was sworn in on Monday, replaces Acting Director Jason Roos, who has been overseeing the agency on an interim basis since February.
Known by its acronym, ARPA-H, the agency is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and had a budget last year of $1.5 billion.
Jackson, whose background is in health technology, founded and most recently served as chief executive officer of Evernow, a telehealth company specializing in menopause care.
She also co-founded Drawbridge Health, an at-home...
| |  | Join the Indo US Bridging RARE Summit 2025 | |
Be part of a global rare-disease community coming together for two days of collaboration, innovation, and connection — in person at George Mason University or virtually. Industry, researchers, advocates, patients, and caregivers will unite to share insights, build partnerships, and accelerate progress for people living with rare diseases.
November 2-4, 2025 at George Mason University, Two days of keynotes, workshops (clinical trial readiness, advocacy, emotional well-being, clinical genomics), startup pitches, and the Bridging RARE Gala—join in person at GMU or virtually to connect across the US–India rare-disease community.
| | | TEDCO Unveils Second Round of Equitech Growth Fund Awardees | |
COLUMBIA, Md., (October 22, 2025) — TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced the awardees for the second round of the Equitech Growth Fund. A total of more than $4.3 million will be distributed across nine projects from across Maryland. Of these awards, more than $2.9 million will support three projects focusing on building Maryland’s infrastructure, while more than $1.3 million will support six entities uplifting workforce development efforts.
“For the second round of this fund, we received 93 applicants – a 25% increase in...
| | | REPROCELL USA Receives Funding from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) | |
REPROCELL USA is proud to announce it has received funding from Maryland Stem Cell Commission through its Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) via the Manufacturing Assistance Grant Program, as a part of the July 2025 grant cycle. This grant will support the development of a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) in Maryland.
BELTSVILLE, Md., Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- REPROCELL is a leader in producing clinically relevant human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). These hiPSCs...
| | | Shuttle Pharma Positions to Become the First Self-Learning Biotech After Definitive LOI to Acquire Molecule.AI | |
ROCKVILLE, MD / ACCESS Newswire / October 22, 2025 / Artificial intelligence has reshaped nearly every industry, but drug discovery has always been its toughest proving ground. Molecules don't follow patterns; they twist, bind, and defy prediction, humbling even the smartest algorithms.
That's why Shuttle Pharmaceuticals Holdings (Nasdaq:SHPH) just made one of the boldest moves in its history: signing a definitive letter of intent (LOI) to acquire Molecule.ai, a platform built to teach AI how to reason like...
| | | Invenra Inc. and Xcellon Biologics Announce Collaboration to Advance Bispecific and Trispecific Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Development | MADISON, Wis, & NORTH BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Invenra Inc., a U.S.-based biotechnology company pioneering multispecific antibody platform technologies, and Xcellon Biologics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Linden Lake Labs and a U.S.-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) and complex biologics, today announced a strategic collaboration to advance the development of... | | | Alphyn Expands Patent Estate with New U.S. Patent for Atopic Dermatitis Therapeutic | |
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Oct. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alphyn, a clinical-stage dermatology company developing first-in-class Multi-Target Therapeutics®, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent for the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in its lead candidate for atopic dermatitis (AD). The patent complements Alphyn's previously issued U.S. patent protecting its Zabalafin Hydrogel drug products and expands the company's broader intellectual property portfolio.
"This is a significant achievement for Alphyn," said CEO Neal Koller. "Together with...
| | | Guardant Health and Zephyr AI Announce Partnership to Unlock Drug Response Predictions and Biomarker Insights | |
PALO ALTO, Calif. & MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, and Zephyr AI, a leader in precision medicine harnessing artificial intelligence to accelerate drug development, today announced a strategic partnership to deliver novel, scalable, and actionable insights that support biopharmaceutical innovation. This collaboration will combine unique multimodal molecular data and AI/ML technology from both companies driving advancement of novel cancer biomarkers for drug development, targeted therapies selection, and..
| | | Richmond Times-Dispatch: Virginia can lead biotech manufacturing renaissance – if policymakers help | |
John Newby | October 27, 2025 -Last week, pharmaceutical giant Merck broke ground on a new $3 billion facility in Virginia that will create 8,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent manufacturing jobs.
The new 400,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art plant isn't merely the latest addition to Virginia's rapidly growing biotech industry footprint. It's a sign that America is making quick progress towards President Trump's goal of not merely leading the world in inventing new drugs, but also in manufacturing them. Beginning in 2025, Merck alone has committed to invest more than $70 billion in U.S. research...
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