News provided by
Biorep Technologies, Inc.
Feb 25, 2026, 10:00 ET


- Landmark pancreatic islet isolation device has been shipped by Biorep Technologies to more than 23 countries and contributed to approximately 630 diabetes research studies[i]
- The Ricordi® Chamber reflects Biorep Technologies' decades-long track record of clinically impactful device development
- The Company continues to advance next-generation life sciences platforms through clinical engineering innovation

MIAMI, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Biorep Technologies, a leading medical device contract design and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with more than 30 years of experience enabling scientific progress in diabetes, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine through advanced cell and tissue isolation systems, and providing development and manufacturing expertise from concept through commercialization, today announced the 40th anniversary of the Ricordi® Chamber, a breakthrough device that revolutionized pancreatic islet isolation and helped shape modern diabetes research.

Over the past three decades, Biorep has played a critical role in refining, manufacturing, and scaling the Ricordi® Chamber, ensuring it could be deployed consistently across research institutions and clinical programs worldwide.

"This anniversary reflects more than the longevity of a device, it represents decades of disciplined engineering, manufacturing rigor, and a commitment to translating innovation into real-world clinical impact," said Felipe Echeverri, CEO at Biorep Technologies. "The Ricordi® Chamber embodies what Biorep does best: taking transformative ideas and building the systems, processes, and platforms that allow them to change lives."

A 40-Year Engineering Legacy That Transformed Diabetes Research

In 1985, Camillo Ricordi, M.D., FNAI, conceptualized the Ricordi® Chamber, introducing a novel approach to isolating insulin-producing cells from the pancreas. While Dr. Ricordi laid the scientific foundation, Ramón E. Poo, founder of Biorep Technologies and longtime collaborator with the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Miami, brought the manufacturing discipline and engineering precision needed to turn a laboratory concept into a reliable, scalable bioprocessing device.

Together, they transformed a lab-built prototype into a standardized platform capable of consistent global deployment, establishing the Ricordi® Chamber as a cornerstone of diabetes research. For Poo, the work has always been deeply personal: his daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of three, fueling a lifelong commitment to advancing solutions that could change the course of the disease.

"With nearly 600 million people worldwide living with diabetes and more than 3.4 million deaths each year, the urgency for innovation has never been greater," said Dr. Ricordi, Professor and Chief of the Division of Cellular Transplantation, Department of Surgery; Director of the Cell Transplant Center and Director Emeritus of the DRI. "The Ricordi® Chamber was designed to answer a fundamental question: can we isolate and transplant insulin-producing cells to restore function? By keeping the patent royalty-free and partnering with Biorep to ensure high-quality, consistent manufacturing, we chose accessibility over exclusivity. Forty years later, this technology remains foundational to islet research and next-generation cell therapies."

Enabling Global Progress in Diabetes Research

Today, Biorep supports virtually every major clinical and research islet program worldwide. The company has shipped Ricordi® Chamber devices to more than 23 countries, serving over one hundred unique customers. Through its collaboration with the Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP), Biorep has helped distribute more than 300 million islets globally, supporting approximately 630 research studies and contributing to 1,119 scientific publications[ii]. The platform has enabled landmark milestones in diabetes treatment, including the Edmonton Protocol and the scientific groundwork behind the first FDA-approved cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes.

Beyond its historical significance, the Ricordi® Chamber represents Biorep's broader expertise in translating prototypes into reproducible, medical-grade devices. Over time, the company has established standardized materials, precision tolerances, and modular configurations that ensure consistent performance across manufacturing runs, while allowing the platform to evolve alongside emerging clinical and translational needs.

"We are carrying forward a deep-rooted legacy of disciplined engineering and continuous refinement," Felipe Echeverri, CEO at Biorep Technologies, added. "For more than three decades, Biorep has served as the manufacturing engine behind the Ricordi® Chamber's success. It is an honor to continue building devices that enable scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes around the world."

In recognition of the Ricordi® Chamber's 40-year milestone, Biorep Technologies is releasing a three-part video series exploring the device's evolution from concept to global impact. The videos are available individually and as a curated playlist:

A Timeline of Discovery and Innovation
An overview of the scientific, clinical, and manufacturing milestones that shaped the Ricordi® Chamber over four decades.
The Design Process
A behind-the-scenes look at the engineering decisions, manufacturing rigor, and iterative refinements that transformed a laboratory concept into a globally standardized platform.
Global Impact: The Ricordi® Chamber
Examines the worldwide adoption of the Ricordi® Chamber and its role in enabling diabetes research and cell-therapy innovation worldwide.
Watch the full three-part series here: Ricordi® Chamber 40th Anniversary Video Playlist

From Legacy Platform to Future-Ready Systems

The Ricordi® Chamber has also served as the foundation for Biorep's next-generation platforms. In diabetes research, the company has expanded the technology into a new integrated system: the PRISM platform. The PRISM system is a closed, modular, and fully automated laboratory platform designed to standardize islet isolation through controlled enzyme processing, sterile fluid handling, and validated, reproducible workflows. This system forms a comprehensive, data-driven platform designed to bring greater consistency, traceability, and control to islet isolation, key requirements for future clinical translation.

"Everything we are building today is informed by three decades of learning how to engineer biology at scale," said Felipe Echeverri, CEO at Biorep Technologies. "While diabetes remains a core focus, Biorep has also developed instruments used in more than 40,000[iii] cardiovascular, oncology, ENT, dental, and plastic surgery procedures worldwide. Our role is to help MedTech innovators turn complex ideas into dependable, real-world solutions."

Advancing Medical Devices from Concept to Care

As a single-source partner dedicated exclusively to medical devices and laboratory instruments, Biorep collaborates with healthcare professionals, researchers, and innovators to design, develop, and manufacture technologies that improve patient care worldwide. Backed by FDA registration, an ISO 13485-certified quality management system, integrated design controls, and scalable manufacturing capabilities, Biorep enables the seamless transition of complex technologies from concept to commercialization.

With the Ricordi® Chamber as a defining example of what disciplined engineering and long-term scientific collaboration can achieve, Biorep continues to apply these same principles of standardization, reproducibility, and regulatory rigor to the development of next-generation medical device platforms. As the company continues its work in multiple clinical areas, including diabetes, ENT, dental, surgery, oncology and cardiovascular disease, Biorep remains focused on advancing innovation that is not only novel, but reliable, scalable, and built for real-world clinical impact.

About Biorep Technologies, Inc.

Biorep Technologies, Inc. is a privately held medical technology company specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of regulated medical devices, including advanced cell and tissue isolation systems for applications in diabetes, cell therapy, and regenerative medicine. With more than 30 years of experience bringing complex med tech innovations from concept to commercialization, Biorep provides end to end capabilities spanning prototyping, design validation, assembly, and scalable manufacturing, all within a single FDA registered and ISO 13485-certified quality management system. Through its collaborative approach and deep domain expertise, the company helps global med tech innovators navigate regulatory complexity and accelerate time to market. Headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida, Biorep is committed to advancing medical technologies that improve patient outcomes worldwide. For more information, visit www.biorep.com & www.biorepdiabetes.com. For more information on the Diabetes Research Institute, visit www.diabetesresearch.org.

Media Contact

Biorep Technologies, Inc.
info@biorep.com

[i] Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP). Human Islets for Research. Available at: https://iidp.coh.org/
[ii] Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP). Human Islets for Research. Available at: https://iidp.coh.org/
[iii] Biorep Technologies. Medical Device CDMO Case Studies: Client Success Stories. Available at: https://www.biorep.com/case-studies/

SOURCE Biorep Technologies, Inc.

Jan 09, 2026
New 35,000-square-foot facility in Winter Park will expand RLT manufacturing footprint to optimize delivery for patients across southeastern US

Purpose-built facility will strengthen Novartis RLT manufacturing network alongside existing Indiana, New Jersey, and recently completed California sites

Novartis RLT portfolio advancing with new isotopes, ligands and combination therapies, bringing innovation to new cancer types

East Hanover, N.J., January 9, 2026 – Novartis, a leading global innovative medicines company, today announced plans to build its fourth US radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facility in Winter Park, Florida. The built-for-purpose, state-of-the-art facility represents another milestone in the company's $23 billion US investment announced in April 2025, further expanding manufacturing capabilities to meet growing demand for these cutting-edge cancer treatments. Novartis is scaling US manufacturing to bring innovative medicines closer to patients, so treatments are researched, made, and delivered with greater speed, reliability, and access in the communities where people live.

The new 35,000-square-foot facility in Winter Park, Florida, will come online by 2029 and will strengthen Novartis’ specialized supply chain and manufacturing capabilities across its network of RLT production facilities. The new facility will optimize the delivery of RLT medicines to patients in the southeast US and help maintain the company’s steady rate of >99% of doses administered on the planned day as the potential for this promising treatment modality continues to expand.

“Building this new facility in Florida marks an important step in fulfilling the promise of RLT for patients,” said Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis. “Radioligand therapy has fundamentally changed how we approach certain cancers, and our growing US manufacturing network ensures we can continue to deliver these critical medicines with speed and reliability to patients who need them.”

RLT is a type of precision treatment that pairs a tumor-targeting molecule (ligand) with a therapeutic radioisotope, allowing radiation to be delivered directly to the tumor while minimizing harm to surrounding healthy tissue. Each RLT dose is individually prepared, and its delivery is highly time sensitive. Proximity to treatment facilities and transportation hubs is critical to ensure patients receive their therapy promptly and at the right location. RLT has the potential to transform oncology treatment and bring new options to people living with cancer.

As the sole company with two FDA-approved RLT treatments and an extensive RLT pipeline across several tumors and targets, Novartis has global expertise in this cutting-edge technology platform that is transforming cancer care. That knowledge has fueled advancements in manufacturing techniques to build capacity and consistently deliver with confidence for patients and healthcare providers.

RLT manufacturing requires specialized talent, a key factor in determining the location for each new facility. Florida has steadily invested in higher education for life sciences and technology, helping to build the next generation of leaders critical to driving forward advanced manufacturing for platforms like RLT. With a growing skilled workforce and a regulatory and policy environment that values pharmaceutical innovation, Florida is well positioned to become a leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

“Thanks to deliberate, focused, intensified investments and world class health innovation partnerships, we have led Florida to become a national and world-recognized leader for breakthroughs in cancer treatment, neurological innovations, and more,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “Novartis’ investment in manufacturing cancer medicines here in Florida—where we’re already #2 nationally in both manufacturing for medicine and medical device technology—is an incredible opportunity to welcome world class innovators to our incredibly collaborative and impactful life sciences community.”

Over the next 5 years, Novartis will solidify its robust US RLT manufacturing network. The new Florida site is the fourth of five existing or planned facilities. The company is currently investing in expansions of its RLT facilities in Indiana and New Jersey. In November, Novartis announced completion of a new RLT facility in California, and it plans to build a fifth location in the US.

Novartis and radioligand therapy (RLT)
Novartis is reimagining cancer care with RLT for patients with advanced cancers. By harnessing the power of targeted radiation and applying it to advanced cancers, RLT is designed to deliver treatment directly to target cells anywhere in the body.

Novartis is actively investigating the application of RLTs across cancer types and settings, with one of the deepest and most advanced pipelines in the industry, with trials in prostate cancer, breast, colon, lung, brain, pancreatic and other cancers. Novartis has established global expertise, with specialized supply chain and manufacturing capabilities across its network of RLT production sites around the world.

Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as “potential,” “can,” “will,” “plan,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “look forward,” “believe,” “committed,” “investigational,” “pipeline,” “launch,” or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release; or regarding potential future revenues from such products; or regarding discussions of strategy, plans, expectations or intentions, including discussions regarding our continued investment into new US manufacturing and R&D capabilities. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. Neither can there be any guarantee that the expected benefits from the plans and investments described in this press release will be achieved in the expected timeframe, or at all. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG’s current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis
Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach nearly 300 million people worldwide.

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 500 life sciences leaders convened at Florida's Annual Innovation Conference, powered by BioFlorida, to explore strategic opportunities and collaborative partnerships driving Florida's position as a pioneer in Life Sciences innovation. The three-day event brought together a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including biopharmaceutical executives, medical technology innovators, digital health pioneers, academic researchers, healthcare systems, investors, policymakers, and economic development professionals. The gathering reinforced Florida's prominent role as a leader in life sciences advancement nationwide.

"The momentum behind Florida's life sciences sector is unmistakable, and this conference made that clear," said Mark Glickman, President and CEO of BioFlorida. "With 80 speakers spanning AI innovation, rare disease breakthroughs, and global partnerships, the 28th Annual Innovation Conference captured the breadth of Florida's capabilities. BioFlorida's role is to keep connecting these dots and accelerating the progress that benefits our industry."

The conference showcased an exceptional roster of thought leaders, including Dr. Charles Bruce of Mayo Clinic, who delivered the chairman's address; James Taylor, CEO of Florida Technology Council, who keynoted on technology's intersection with life sciences alongside representatives from IBM and KPMG; and Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly, who addressed the state's economic development strategy during the awards celebration. Additional insights came from J.P. Morgan's life sciences team, who examined the state of financial markets for medtech and biotech ventures.

Programming spanned critical topics including patient care advances, Florida's biotech ecosystem, artificial intelligence's impact on healthcare innovation, neurological breakthroughs, and global partnership strategies. Notable sessions featured moderators from Mayo Clinic, AdventHealth, Nemours Children's Health, Cleveland Clinic, and Moffitt Cancer Center discussing cutting-edge patient care approaches. Economic development leaders from across Florida's regions explored opportunities for continued statewide growth in the life sciences sector.

The conference also celebrated excellence across Florida's life sciences community during the annual BioFlorida Awards Celebration. BioFlorida recognized outstanding achievements in eight categories, honoring GBI Biotechnology (Manufacturer), DermaSensor (Sales & Distribution), Anthony Japour of iTOLERANCE (Research & Developer), Nemours Children's Health (Hospital), Zevra Therapeutics (Most Significant Innovation), Quang Pham, CEO of Cadrenal Therapeutics (Executive), Fisher Scientific (Contributor of the Year), and Raquel Rodriguez (Weaver Gaines Award). Quest Diagnostics served as the premier sponsor for the awards celebration.

A highlight of the gathering was the annual BIOPITCH competition, where emerging life sciences companies presented their innovations to a panel of 16 investor judges. From 72 applications, finalists competed for $90,000 in prizes, demonstrating Florida's robust pipeline of entrepreneurial talent working to address pressing healthcare challenges.

The conference concluded with Friday sessions examining rare disease treatment paradigms, pharmacy benefit manager reform, and CEO growth strategies, followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ProChile and BioFlorida to strengthen international collaboration in life sciences development.

The event reinforced a unified commitment: for Florida's life sciences stakeholders to continue partnering strategically to sustain the state's position at the forefront of biotechnological advancement. The 29th Annual Innovation Conference Powered by BioFlorida will be held on October 12-14, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. For more information visit, www.bioflorida.com.

About BioFlorida
From Concept to Consumer, BioFlorida is the premier source for supporting Florida's life sciences industry, representing a diverse range of sectors including BioPharma, MedTech, Digital Health, Health Systems, and supporting organizations. We provide comprehensive resources and advocacy while fostering a thriving community that leads in innovation, delivering groundbreaking solutions that benefit patients.

BioFlorida's value-driven membership supports the life sciences ecosystem through increased Visibility, Industry Insights, Education & Information, Networking & Events, Cost Savings, Policy & Advocacy, and Capital & Growth Opportunities.

By connecting Florida's life sciences industry with local, national, and global opportunities, BioFlorida plays a vital role in driving innovation and growth, positioning the state as a leader in the field.

SOURCE BioFlorida

Annual Conference spotlights the state's successes while also solidifying a course for the future

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 27th BioFlorida Annual Innovation Conference brought together over 550 leaders from Florida's diverse life sciences sector, showcasing the state's growing prominence in this critical industry. Attendees represented a wide range of fields, including biopharmaceuticals, medical technology, digital health, health systems and supporting organizations, as well as renowned research institutions, investors, policymakers, and economic development agencies.

"The conference embodied Florida's rapid ascent as a global life sciences hub," said Mark Glickman, President and CEO of BioFlorida. "With our exceptional talent pool, cutting-edge research facilities, and business-friendly policies, Florida is poised to drive transformative innovations that will improve lives worldwide. BioFlorida is honored to host this conference year after year and serve as the premier source for supporting Florida's life sciences industry."

The event featured an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, including Dr. Patrick Hwu, President & CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center; Dr. Stephen Squinto, Chief Investment Officer at J.P. Morgan Life Science Private Capital; and Dr. Christopher R. Cogle, Chief Medical Officer for Florida Medicaid. These industry leaders shared valuable insights on the future of life sciences and healthcare in Florida.

Conference tracks focused on areas such as talent development, economic growth, innovation, and biotechnology. Jason Mahon, Deputy Secretary of the Division of Economic Development at FloridaCommerce, presented on state-sponsored innovation investment opportunities, while Rob Herzog of AdventHealth Research Institute & Nicholson Center moderated a panel on advancing healthcare through innovation, featuring experts from Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and Nemours Children's Hospital.

Throughout the conference, CEOs, executives, and top scientists from Florida-based companies, universities, and research organizations led discussions on collaborative opportunities to drive growth and innovation across the state. Strategies for attracting global technology companies to Florida were also explored, emphasizing the state's commitment to becoming a world-class hub for life sciences.

The BIOPITCH competition, a highlight of the event, provided a platform for seed and early-stage companies to present their innovative ideas to over 35 life sciences investors. This showcase of Florida's entrepreneurial talent culminated in the distribution of $100,000 in cash prizes sponsored by BioFlorida to the most promising ventures, further fueling the state's thriving life sciences ecosystem.

The event concluded with a statewide call-to-action: for industry leaders, policymakers and related stakeholders to continue working collaboratively to nurture Florida's flourishing life sciences ecosystem.

About BioFlorida
From Concept to Consumer, BioFlorida is the premier source for supporting Florida's life sciences industry, representing a diverse range of sectors including BioPharma, MedTech, Digital Health, Health Systems, and supporting organizations. We provide comprehensive resources and advocacy while fostering a thriving community that leads in innovation, delivering groundbreaking solutions that benefit patients.
BioFlorida's value-driven membership supports the life sciences ecosystem through increased Visibility, Industry Insights, Education & Information, Networking & Events, Cost Savings, Policy & Advocacy, and Capital & Growth Opportunities.
By connecting Florida's life sciences industry with local, national, and global opportunities, BioFlorida plays a vital role in driving innovation and growth, positioning the state as a leader in the field.

SOURCE BioFlorida

The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation (Levan Center of Innovation) and eMerge Americas joined forces to host their 3rd Annual South Florida Innovation Day on Wednesday, September 18th, attracting over 400 attendees from across the region. The event brought together industry leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to explore the latest trends by promoting Manufacturing collaboration through Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technology, and Healthcare.

“We were proud to host our 3rd Annual South Florida Innovation Day which brought together so many forward-thinking individuals and companies,” said Kelley Shanley, Interim Executive Director of the Levan Center of Innovation. “South Florida Innovation Day is a true testament to the innovation, collaboration, and growth happening right here in our region.”

The event began with a captivating performance by two LED drummers, setting an inspiring tone of innovation and creativity. The electrifying act energized the audience, creating an atmosphere of excitement that carried throughout the day.

Opening remarks were delivered by Mili Peluso, Deputy Executive Director of the Levan Center of Innovation; Kelley Shanley, Interim Executive Director of the Levan Center of Innovation; Alan B. Levan, founder and Chair of the Levan Center of Innovation and Chairman of BBX Capital; Michael Udine, Broward County Commissioner and former Mayor of Broward County; and Melissa Medina, Co-Founder and CEO of eMerge Americas.

Keynote speaker Saif Ishoof, Founder and CEO of Lab22c, delivered a powerful speech on the future of technology and innovation. Other notable speakers and panelists included Christofer Burger, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Miami; Sylvia Cesaratto, Consul General of Canada in Miami; Andrew R. Cagnetta Jr., CEO of Transworld Business Advisors; Mark Glickman, President & CEO of BioFlorida; Sean Walling, Senior Manager of Advance Operation at Stryker; and Anne P. Mohns, PhD, Director of Operations Engineering Technology at Medtronic’s OI Manufacturing Technology Development division.

The day was filled with dynamic workshops, engaging panel discussions, and high-energy pitch sessions, showcasing the future of South Florida’s thriving innovation ecosystem. Attendees also explored tracks focused on Emerging Technology, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare, and Manufacturing, fostering collaboration and networking in South Florida’s growing tech and manufacturing hubs.

In addition to the panels and presentations, attendees had the opportunity to engage in a Business Expo, where local startups and companies showcased their innovative products and services, fostering collaboration and networking opportunities throughout the day.

The highlight of the day was the startup pitch competition, where five innovative companies showcased their groundbreaking ideas:

• Lamatic.ai
• Enchanted Wave
• Campus Run
• Catch a Captain
• Yuvie

The two winners of the competition were:

• Cheng Qian, Founder of Enchanted Wave, a company specializing in brainwave technology. Enchanted Wave participated in the Levan Center of Innovation’s Accelerate Program earlier this year.
• Lilyana Demerdjieva and Jack Sardina, Co-Founders of Campus Run, an app streamlining campus logistics, which graduated from the Levan Center of Innovation’s Incubate Program in late 2023

Both companies were awarded $1,000 and fast-tracked to participate in the eMerge Global Startup Accelerator + Showcase, which connects promising startups with mentors, investors, and corporate enterprises.

This year’s South Florida Innovation Day was proudly sponsored by 35 Mules, eMerge Americas, PNC Bank, TD Bank, and FI Group. Their contributions helped elevate the event, enabling a diverse range of programming and supporting South Florida’s innovation community.

The day concluded with an exclusive VIP reception attended by South Florida’s key stakeholders, offering additional networking opportunities, and celebrating the innovative spirit that drives the region forward.

For more information about South Florida Innovation Day 2025, please visit  www.sflinnovationday.com. For more information about the Levan Center of Innovation, please visit https://www.nova.edu/innovation/.

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Press release from BioFlorida

ALACHUA, Fla. – More than 500 life science professionals gathered at Momentum Labs | Alachua on April 25 for BioFlorida’s 19th Annual Celebration of Biotechnology. This lively community event offered attendees the opportunity to connect with industry leaders, learn about new innovations, and explore the bountiful career opportunities this rapidly growing field provides locally and across the state.

With over 100 interactive exhibits from emerging biotech companies, research institutions, and economic development groups, the celebration highlighted the breadth and momentum of Florida’s life sciences sector.  

“BioFlorida’s Celebration of Biotechnology offers the local and statewide community an opportunity to meet an ever-growing number of new biopharmaceutical and medtech companies as well as industry leaders,” says BioFlorida President and CEO, Mark Glickman. “This steady industry growth has been achieved thanks to a collaborative, nurturing environment.”

Brief remarks were also shared by key figures including Seth Lane from Concept Companies; Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper; and FloridaCommerce executive TJ Villamil, who encouraged attendees to leverage state resources that actively support life sciences ventures.  

This year’s event also debuted the Talent Table, focused entirely on training programs, academic pathways, internships, and jobs. With demand outpacing supply for many skilled positions, the opportunity to connect directly with employers, educators, and workforce development leaders proved invaluable — especially for young professionals and career changers. 

Community events like BioFlorida’s Celebration of Biotechnology allow professionals and prospective talent to plug into this momentum while fueling even faster expansion. For more information on future BioFlorida events, visit www.BioFlorida.com. 

Biosciences conference kicks off in Ponte Vedra

The 26th BioFlorida Annual Conference began its three-day long conference at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach today.

The event aims to serve as a platform for the life sciences community to spotlight recent advancements in science, business and public policy, highlighting Florida's achievements and fostering collaboration to expedite the growth of the life sciences sector in the state.

The conference will also host forums that aim to unite colleagues across the state to share best practices, build partnerships and drive industry growth: CEO Forum, Research Forum and a forum dedicated to ecosystem building to attract and support entrepreneurs.

The Business Journal talked to Nancy K. Bryan, President & CEO of BioFlorida, ahead of the event about the significance to the region and what attendees should expect this year.

Can you tell me a little about the goals of this year's event and why it is important?

The Conference provides an opportunity for the life sciences community to highlight the latest in science, business and public policy, showcase Florida’s successes and collaborate to accelerate Florida’s life sciences growth. This is an opportunity to build on the momentum that we are seeing in the industry throughout Florida. Our growth not only supports the economic development of the state but benefits patients and support products that improve health.

How important to the First Coast is it that it is hosting this year's conference?

This regional ecosystem, like the other life science hubs across the state, is strong. Just looking at the Jacksonville area, all sectors are represented including world renowned academic centers and health systems like Mayo Clinic, Nemours, and Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center; established companies like J&J Vision, Medtronic, KLS Martin, and Zimmer Biomet; and small startups like Next Science, Pretzel Therapeutics, Orasis Pharmaceuticals, and Cadrenal Therapeutics to name a few. At the Conference, we showcase the regional ecosystem as well as the rest of the state's life sciences ecosystem. Many of the organizations I just mentioned are speaking throughout the conference, highlighting their innovation and growth.

What is your assessment the biosciences ecosystem in Florida?

The life sciences industry throughout the state is strong. Data in Florida shows the industry now consists of 8,600 establishments collectively employing 107,000 direct jobs with double-digit growth in biopharma, medtech and research.

Can you tell me a little bit about some of the keynote speakers?

Our program is jam-packed with world-renowned speakers and innovative companies. Industry titan W. Gregory Sawyer, will draw on his years of research and experience working on the original Mars Rover design team at the NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and his own fight with cancer. Cancer transformed his life mission and led to the establishment of his own Cancer Engineering Center at the University of Florida, the creation of a startup company as chief science officer of Aurita Biosciences, a company connecting the lab to the clinical setting through a platform for 3D bioscience and today serves at the chief bioengineering officer and BioEngineering Department chair of Moffitt Cancer Center. Sawyer will discuss strategies for success in today’s environment during his keynote.

Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, MD, known as Dr. Q, will also provide a keynote on "Driving Global Excellence: Journey from Migrant Worker to World Renown Neurosurgeon." Dr. Q is an internationally renowned neuroscientist and neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, whose remarkable journey from a challenging upbringing in Mexico to becoming a world-famous medical professional is a testament to his unwavering drive and passion. Dr. Q's dedication to his patients, innovative research in brain cancer treatment and commitment to education and mentorship make him a distinguished figure in the field of neurosurgery and a source of inspiration for all.

Additionally, seed and early-stage life sciences companies will compete during BioPitch, providing a platform for some of Florida’s most innovative companies to pitch to investors in closed-door sessions. Over 35 investors will participate in the process to choose finalists who will present during the general session. Winners will receive cash prize totaling $50,000. A new award, “Moonshot,” will be introduced this year recognizing promising, very early-stage companies.

BioFlorida's Annual Conference Spotlights Industry Success & Fuels Collaboration

MIAMI, Nov. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BioFlorida's 25^th Annual Conference united statewide leaders of Florida's life sciences industry representing biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and digital health companies, globally recognized research universities and research institutions, and the state's health systems to spotlight the continued momentum and success in science, business, and public policy and spur collaboration and future growth.  

"For 25 years, BioFlorida has convened our state's champions for the life sciences – those leaders from Florida-based companies, research institutions, and health systems – to spotlight success, to foster collaboration, and to explore policy solutions to fuel continued industry growth and innovation," said Nancy K. Bryan, President and CEO of BioFlorida. "The Conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the role we've played to collectively establish Florida as a leading life science destination that today represents 8,600 establishments and research organizations that employ nearly 107,000 Floridians. But our focus remains on the patient, and we're excited to continue the unprecedented collaboration to develop new, innovative treatments and cures over the next 25 years."

The Conference explored topics ranging from emerging therapies and breakthrough research in cancer care, rare disease, neurology and movement disorders, and gene and cell therapy to innovations in manufacturing, financing strategies, commercialization considerations, and other emerging trends, like AI and machine learning applications and leveraging MedTech to improve the patient, physician, and clinical experience. All conversations were led by CEOs, executives and top scientists and researchers from Florida-based companies, universities, research organizations, and health systems. Panels also explored opportunities to fuel Florida's life sciences ecosystem by attracting companies and talent to the state and policy discussions on the future of healthcare in Florida with Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez and Representative Tom Fabricio. Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Chris Sprowls shared the impact of the life sciences industry as a cancer survivor and the Florida Legislature's role in helping to grow the industry.

The keynote speaker at the Conference was Fred Hassan, a director with the private equity firm, Warburg Pincus, and board member of Precigen, IntegraConnect, Prometheus Biosciences, and BridgeBio. The industry titan drew on his years of success leading companies like Schering-Plough Corporation, where he served as Chairman and CEO from 2003 until its merger with Merck & Co. in 2009, and Pharmacia Corporation, where we served as Chairman and CEO from 2001 to 2003 until its acquisition by Pfizer Inc. to share strategies for success in today's environment.

Jeffrey Duerk, PhD, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost for the University of Miami, spurred collaborative solutions to connect academics, research, and industry in Florida to spotlight state efforts on a global level.

The Spotlight on Innovation session showcased four companies that have exhibited transformational growth: Veru, Inc. (Miami); Accelus (Palm Beach Gardens); Catalyst Pharmaceutical Inc. (Coral Gables); and ILiAD Biotechnologies (Weston).

Seed and early-stage companies competed in BioPitch, an opportunity for some of the state's most innovative companies to pitch to 25+ life science investors. A record-breaking 55 companies entered BioPitch with InnoCare Urologics LLC (Miami), a company developing the InnoCare Egress Catheter, the only indwelling urinary catheter designed to rapidly deflate if accidentally removed, winning the competition and receiving $10,000. Runners-up included Andante Biologics (Gainesville); FoxSeq LLC (Alachua); and, VuEssence (Tampa).

BioFlorida recognized individuals and organizations throughout six unique categories for their incredible achievements. This year's award recipients include:

The Researcher of the Year award recognizes distinguished researchers whose achievements have significantly advanced scientific knowledge with a proven impact on innovation and public health. 

This years' award was presented to Dr. James J. Hickman, Chief Scientist and Chairman of the Board at Hesperos, Inc., a global contract research organization he co-founded that is providing safety and efficacy testing services for novel therapeutics using its Human-on-a-Chip® platform – the most advanced, multi-organ microphysiological system available today. By developing human-based, clinically relevant disease models, Hesperos is accelerating drug discovery for a range of indications by providing unprecedented visibility into how those diseases and potential therapeutics impact the body over time, especially for rare diseases. This includes neurodegenerative and rare diseases such as Alzheimer's and ALS, as well as investigating the effects of opioid overdose and recovery, among others. The exciting new technology continues gaining industry adoption from commercial partners and regulators alike. This was most recently evidenced by the FDA authorizing a Phase II clinical trial (#NCT04658472) for a repurposed drug for a rare neurodegenerative disease using safety data from another indication but using efficacy data only from the Hesperos platform.  This was a first-of-its-kind achievement and a significant milestone in the evolution of drug discovery for human-on-a-chip systems. 

In addition to his role at Hesperos, Dr. Hickman is the Founding Director of the NanoScience Technology Center, and Professor of NanoScience Technology and Electrical Engineering at the University of Central Florida. Hesperos was initiated in the UCF incubator before moving to its current facility. Previously, he was the Hunter Endowed Chair in the Bioengineering Department at Clemson University where he and Tom Boland invented the bioprinting of cells.

Dr. Hickman earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from MIT and has spent the past 30 years studying the interaction of biological species with modified surfaces in both industry and academia, including stints at NSF and DARPA in the area of biological computation. 

He has more than 31 issued patents, 164 publications, and 20 book chapters.  He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biomedical Engineers, the American Vacuum Society, International Academy of Nanobiotechnology, and most recently, the National Academy of Inventors. 

The Deal of the Year Award recognizes a deal, whether it be an equity investment, key license agreement, significant grant award, or other agreement, with a significant impact on innovation, public health, and the deal-flow ecosystem within Florida's life sciences industry.

The Deal of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Edgardo Rodriguez-Lebron, Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lacerta Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on adeno-associated virus (AAV) technologies and founded in 2017 in Alachua. 

The Deal of The Year is Lacerta's capsid licensing and collaborative research agreement with Prevail Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company. The collaboration will leverage Lacerta's established expertise in AAV technologies and Prevail's development and clinical capabilities, with the goal of accelerating development of gene therapies for patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Lacerta will lead capsid discovery, screening, and validation, while Prevail will complete preclinical and investigational New Drug-enabling studies.  Prevail will oversee manufacturing, clinical development, and commercialization. 

Dr. Rodriguez-Lebron has been a leader at Lacerta from its foundation and has over two decades of research experience in neurodegenerative diseases and adeno-associated viruses (AAV). An active contributor to the gene therapy community, he is an ASGCT member and serves as the CSO of NF2Biosolutions, a nonprofit focused on the development of a gene therapy approach to neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). He has co-founded and helped launch multiple startups in the Gainesville, Florida area.

The Weaver H. Gaines Entrepreneur of the Year Award honors an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the growth of Florida's life sciences industry.

The 2022 Weaver H. Gaines Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to Courtney A. Miller, Ph.D., Co-Founder and acting CEO of Myosin Therapeutics, a Jupiter-based biopharmaceutical company focused on developing first-in-class therapies for the treatment of cancer and psychiatric disorders, targeting an untapped superfamily of proteins known as molecular nanomotors. Together with her co-founders, Drs. Pat Griffin and Ted Kamenecka, the team developed nMOTOR, a high-throughput screening platform to identify selective modulators of any one of the hundred different nanomotors encoded by the human genome. Myosin is currently advancing the development of MT-110 and MT-125, two CNS-penetrant small molecule inhibitors with novel nanomotor targets.

Myosin was born out of more than a decade of work by the team in their labs at UF Scripps Biomedical Research, with $15 million in NIH support to help bring their compounds to the clinic. Under Dr. Miller's leadership, the company was founded in August 2020 and awarded a $2.5 million-dollar Fast Track SBIR from NIH just six months later to support completion of IND-enabling studies and a Phase I clinical trial of MT-110 for stimulant use disorder, for which there are currently no FDA-approved treatments. In parallel, the team has been working with physician-scientist, Dr. Steven Rosenfeld, Director of Neuro-Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, on development of MT-125 for the treatment of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer with no cure. MT-125 is safe and effective in preclinical studies, blocking both growth of the tumor and its invasion of healthy brain tissue, and shows potentially curative effects when combined with existing FDA-approved therapies.

The David J. Gury Company of the Year Award honors a company that has achieved significant milestones and has contributed to the growth of Florida's life sciences industry.

The 2022 David J. Gury Company of the Year Award was presented to Patrick J. McEnany, CEO of Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, a commercial-stage biotechnology company dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients suffering from rare diseases.

Based in Coral Gables, Catalyst was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA in treating the rare disease Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS) in 2013. The product was approved in November 2018 and successfully launched FIRDAPSE in 2019. In 2022, the company received an sNDA approval for FIRDAPSE extending the patient population to include pediatric patients six years and older for the treatment of LEMS, and was named by Forbes as one of the 2022 Top Small Companies in America and South Florida Business Journal's 2022 Top 50 Public Companies.

With a proven track record in development and commercialization, Catalyst continues to attain several significant milestones while generating yearly organic revenue growth. The company has $220 million in cash and short-term investments as of June 30, 2022, and no funded debut.

The BioFlorida Leadership Award recognizes the BioFlorida volunteer who has taken on a leadership role within the organization, dedicated significant time to BioFlorida's mission, and has acted as a true ambassador to BioFlorida and the industry.

The 2022 recipient of the BioFlorida Leadership Award is Kathy Chiu, a Founding Partner of DeepWork Capital, which manages venture capital funds investing in Florida startups. This year DeepWork Capital was selected to be the investment manager of Florida Opportunity Fund (FOF), a series of the state's venture capital investment program.

Chiu co-founded DeepWork Capital, an Orlando-based company, in 2015 to help close the funding gap in Florida's innovation economy. DeepWork Capital is a rare multi-disciplinary early-stage venture capital fund in the state with life science capabilities.  Its selection as the investment manager enables FOF to process life science investments, a development welcomed by BioFlorida.  Chiu was instrumental in building up DeepWork's Life Science capabilities and led the firm in its investment in HCW Biologics (NASD: HCWB), which went public in 2021. 

At the 2022 BioFlorida Annual Conference, Chiu served as of BioPitch, a pitch competition that connects life science companies to investors. Chiu's dedication helped the organization expand its network to include a record-breaking 25+ investors and 55 applicants, as well as using her experience to implement key improvements to the BioPitch competition to address the needs of participants.

The BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual's outstanding career achievements, leadership and contributions that have significantly contributed to the growth of his or her respective industry.

The 2022 recipient of the BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award is Dr. Leonard Pinchuk. Over a forty-year career in biomedical engineering, Dr. Pinchuk's achievements include 137 issued U.S. patents, more than 100 publications and the founding of 10 companies. His major inventions are the Nylon 12 angioplasty balloon (used by all interventional cardiology companies), the helical undulating wire stent (Johnson and Johnson/Cordis, FL and Medtronic, MN), the modular stent-graft for bypassing aortic aneurysms (Boston Scientific Corporation, MA), a drug-eluting coronary stent (TAXUS®, Boston Scientific, MA), radiation oncology catheters (TriSalus, CO), a novel glaucoma treatment device (the PRESERFLO® MicroShunt, InnFocus/Santen, Osaka, JP), the next generation intraocular lens (Eyedeal, Xi'an China), a pull-out injury safe urinary drainage catheter (InnoCare, Miami, FL) and two important biomaterials;  Bionate® polycarbonate urethane (Covestro AG, Germany) and SIBS® (Innovia LLC, Miami, FL),  used in hundreds of medical devices world-wide.

Dr. Pinchuk's inventions are used in over a billion patients worldwide with a financial impact of well over $100 billion. He was inducted into the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 2012 and, among other prestigious awards, received the National Academy of Engineering 2019 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize, the world's top prize in bioengineering, for innovations in medical devices that enable minimally invasive angioplasty treatment of advanced coronary artery disease.    

BioFlorida is the voice of Florida's life sciences industry, representing 8,600 establishments and research organizations in BioPharma, MedTech, Digital Health, and Health Systems that collectively employ nearly 107,000 Floridians (Source: TEConomy/BIO). BioFlorida's member driven initiatives provide a strong business climate for the advancement of innovative products and technology that improve lives and promote economic benefits to the state.

SOURCE BioFlorida

Industry leaders to discuss the trends fueling the future of Florida’s life sciences industry

December 06, 2021 07:00 ET | Source: First Wave BioPharma, Inc.

BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Wave BioPharma, Inc., (NASDAQ:FWBI), (“First Wave BioPharma” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of targeted, non-systemic therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, today announced that James Sapirstein, Chairman, CEO and President of First Wave BioPharma, will participate in a CEO discussion panel at the 2021 BioFlorida Conference taking place December 8-10, 2021 in Orlando, Florida.

The panel, titled “Fueling Florida’s Life Sciences,” begins at 8:30 a.m. ET on December 10, 2021, and will feature discussion among the CEOs of several innovative members of Florida’s life sciences industry. Joining Mr. Sapirstein on the panel will be Sue Washer, President and CEO of Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation, Adam Grossman, CEO of ADMA Biologics, Karen Zaderej, Chairman, CEO and President of Axogen, and Travis Mickle, Ph.D., President and CEO of KemPharm.

“The bioscience industry in Florida continues to expand, a testament to the efforts by companies like First Wave BioPharma to develop and advance innovative products and technologies that bring needed relief to patients fighting severe disease,” stated Mr. Sapirstein. “I am excited to join with such a distinguished group of industry leaders to discuss the trends and issues facing the Florida biosciences hub. Panel discussions like this are invaluable in ensuring that Florida continues to attract top companies, research institutions and scientists in the future.”

Details of the panel discussion are as follows:

About First Wave BioPharma, Inc.
First Wave BioPharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of targeted, non-systemic therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. The Company is currently advancing a therapeutic development pipeline populated with multiple clinical stage programs built around its two proprietary technologies – niclosamide, an oral small molecule with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties, and the biologic adrulipase, a recombinant lipase enzyme designed to enable the digestion of fats and other nutrients. First Wave BioPharma’s niclosamide portfolio is led by two clinical programs in Phase 2 clinical trials: FW-COV, for COVID-19 gastrointestinal infections and FW-UP, for ulcerative proctitis (UP) and ulcerative proctosigmoiditis. Three additional indications of niclosamide, FW-ICI-AC, for Grade 1 and Grade 2 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-associated colitis and diarrhea in advanced oncology patients, FW-UC (ulcerative colitis) and FW-CD (Crohn’s disease) are expected to enter the clinic in 2022 and 2023. The Company is also advancing FW-EPI (adrulipase) for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis. First Wave BioPharma is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information visit www.firstwavebio.com.

For more information:
First Wave BioPharma, Inc.
777 Yamato Road, Suite 502
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: (561) 589-7020
info@firstwavebio.com

Media contact:
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
David Schemelia
(609) 468-9325
dschemelia@tiberend.com

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After 21 years of elevating awareness of the impact that type 1 diabetes has on nearly 1.6 million American children and adults, the central Florida nonprofit – Touched by Type 1 is presenting the 21^st Annual Dancing for Diabetes show on Saturday, November 13^th. The event will be streamed internationally, live at 7pm EST from the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, in Orlando Florida. To view the free streaming event, visit DancingForDiabetes.org.

The annual Dancing for Diabetes show features over 300 award-winning and nationally recognized dancers creating an evening of entertainment and hope. The show has raised well over half a million dollars for type 1 diabetes research which goes to various well-vetted organizations such as the Diabetes Research Institute based in Miami, Florida. Proceeds from the 21st Anniversary event will go to the Diabetes Research Institute and Touched by Type 1.

Elizabeth Forrest, Founder of Touched by Type 1 and Producer of the annual Dancing for Diabetes show says, "Year-round we are providing resources, materials, events and programs that are meeting the needs of people with Type 1 Diabetes, not just in our community but beyond." she continues,

"Our 20^th Anniversary show was held last year at Dr. Phillips Center. Because of COVID19, we performed to an empty theater and we brought dancers in, group by group. Making the show available virtually, elevated our impact. So, this year, we will not only perform for those in person, in Orlando, but we will be making the show available for free to everyone with an internet connection."

About

Touched by Type 1 is a nonprofit organization based in Central Florida whose mission is to elevate awareness of Type 1 Diabetes and to offer those living with the daily reality of Type 1 Diabetes a supportive community with many interactive programs and creative resources.

Media Contact: Paula Wyatt – Paula@AnythingisPoshAble.com- 321 946 6565

Download Assets View Elizabeth Forrest Bio

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SOURCE Touched by Type 1

GAINESVILLE, Fla., June 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 Cade Prize for Innovation is accepting entries from inventors and entrepreneurs in Alabama, Georgia and Florida from June 1 - August 2, 2021. This is the second year the competition has expanded beyond Florida to include Alabama and Georgia.

The Cade Prize is one of the largest cash prize competitions for innovation in Florida. Since 2010, it has drawn hundreds of creative thinkers with groundbreaking inventions that have significant market potential. This year's Cade Prize will award $50,000 in prizes: $21,000 for first place, $13,000 for second place, $8,000 for third place, $5,000 for fourth place and $3,000 for fifth place.

The Cade Prize celebrates innovation by identifying, recognizing and celebrating inventors and entrepreneurs in the Southeast who demonstrate a creative approach to addressing problems in their field of expertise. Entry categories include: environmental, biology, technology, energy and a wild card category.

"Cade Prize is one of the only prizes that awards early-stage ideas with promise to change the world," said Richard Miles, the Cade Museum's co-founder. "While most prizes are designed for seed stage companies, Cade Prize is available for pre-seed stage ideas. This means it may take a decade to see the fruition of Cade Prize funding and recognition. In fact, only in the past five years have we seen initial winners begin making their impact on the world."

"As a young company at the time, winning the Cade Prize validated our efforts and technology, resulting in a higher profile in the region," said 2013 Cade Prize Winner, Dr. Chris Morton, founder & CEO of NanoPhotonica.  

Morton and his team developed an innovative nanomaterial layering technique that will be used to build the next generation of electronic displays to make them brighter, thinner and cheaper to produce. Since winning the Cade Prize, Samsung Ventures made a two-stage investment in the company, that included $3.5 million, to further commercialize its technology that will help make electronic devices affordable to more people around the world. NanoPhotonica has since springboarded into new markets, applying its patented technology to the next generation of taillights. 

The Cade Prize entry period opens June 1 - August 2, 2021. The first round of judging, to determine the 21 Fibonacci Finalists, named after the 11th century Italian mathematician who created the building blocks of Western mathematics, will be announced on August 16, 2021. The event culminates with final judging and the Cade Prize Awards Ceremony to be held at the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention in Gainesville, Florida on September 29, 2021. 

The Cade Prize is sponsored by Florida Trend, the Gainesville Sun, Modern Luxury, Community Foundation of North Central Florida, and Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Eisenschenk law firm.

To learn more about the Cade Prize, visit cademuseum.org/cadeprize.

About the Cade Museum

The Cade Museum's mission is to transform communities by inspiring and equipping future inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. In 2004, Dr. James Robert Cade and his family established the Cade Museum Foundation to build the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention in Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Cade, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of Florida, was best known as the lead inventor of Gatorade in 1965. The Cade Museum is located at 811 South Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601. An independent 501(c)(3) public foundation, the museum receives no operational funding from federal, state, or local governments, or the University of Florida. Visit CadeMuseum.org for more information.

Contact:

Kathryn Rohlwing

krohlwing@cademuseum.org

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2021-cade-prize-for-innovation-accepting-entries-301306259.html

SOURCE Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention

STUART, Fla., March 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stuart Therapeutics, Inc. ("Stuart"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company conducting research and development of unique peptide therapeutics for ophthalmic diseases, today announced that it has been selected as a presenter at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) 2021 Annual Meeting, July 23 – 27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.   Bob Baratta, MD, the company's Chairman and Chief Medical Officer, will be conducting both podium and poster presentations at the event.  The podium presentation is entitled, "Potential Role of Primary Collagen Reparatives in Treating Ocular Surface and Corneal Stromal Disease." The poster presentation is entitled, "A Novel Potential Therapeutic for Ocular Surface and Corneal Stromal Disease." Both presentations will describe Stuart's pre-clinical research results in both in vitro and in vivo models using Stuart's proprietary PolyCol^TM (PolyCol) technology. 

PolyCol is a family of collagen mimetic polypeptides that acts as a rapid direct reparative to disease damaged extracellular matrix collagen, and is applicable where disease or trauma impacts important cells and their underlying collagen-containing structures.  Based on results from Stuart's pre-clinical research, PolyCol appears to improve and accelerate the recovery and repair of the cellular structures dependent upon collagen, and to reduce inflammation..  Stuart controls the worldwide rights for the PolyCol technology platform in ophthalmology therapeutics. 

About ASCRS: 
ASCRS empowers Anterior Segment Surgeons to improve the vision, outcomes and quality of life for their patients through innovative approaches to Education, Advocacy and Philanthropy.  Since our founding in 1974, ASCRS has led anterior segment surgical advancements through our educational programs, publications and on-line resources. We are the primary source of up-to-date clinical information, published research, and regulatory information affecting anterior segment surgeons and the patients they serve.

About Stuart Therapeutics, Inc.
Stuart Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company conducting research and development of unique synthesized peptides as potential therapeutics for ophthalmic diseases.  Stuart's first drug candidate, ST-100, is expected to enter Phase 2 clincial trials in the second quarter of 2021.

Contact:  Eric Schlumpf, President & CEO, 772-678-7307, eric@stuarttherapeutics.com, http://www.stuarttherapeutics.com

SOURCE Stuart Therapeutics

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BioFlorida Recognizes Florida's Contribution to Fight COVID-19

Annual Conference Spotlights Life Sciences Growth and Propels Collaboration

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of life science industry leaders virtually convened at the BioFlorida Annual Conference to celebrate and share successes around efforts to test, treat, and prevent COVID-19 while propelling further collaboration around other global health concerns.

"Florida has built an impressive, diverse life sciences ecosystem representing 6,700 establishments and research organizations that employ nearly 94,000 Floridians," said Nancy K. Bryan, President and CEO of BioFlorida. "Research and testing are essential to develop, manufacture, and distribute new vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics. Our strong foundation and sustained growth ensure we are poised to address a global health crisis, like COVID-19. Our companies have stepped up to meet the challenge with unprecedented industry collaboration all while staying focused on other global health concerns."

The conference addressed trending topics for Florida's life science industry such as equity in the industry, investing, rare disease, and medical technology with a special focus on COVID-19. National and state thought leaders discussed testing, treatments and prevention for COVID-19, how the pandemic has changed healthcare, and how our industries have responded and evolved to make a difference.

Seed and early-stage companies participated in the BioPitch competition, which provided opportunities for coaching, as well as presentations to investors for feedback and potential funding. The three semi-finalists included Biom Therapeutics, VoluMetrix, and Westwood Therapeutics -- with VoluMetrix, a company committed to creating a new wave of solutions for vital monitoring to enhance well-being, winning the top recognition.  

The Spotlight on Innovation session featured three companies that have achieved major milestones: Medtronic, Ology Bioservices, Inc., and Bravado Pharmaceuticals.

BioFlorida also recognized individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements across five distinct categories, including this year's newest award, the COVID-19 Innovation Award. This year's award recipients include:

COVID-19 Innovation Award
The COVID-19 Innovation Award recognizes a Florida company that has made significant advances in the fight against COVID-19.

The 2020 COVID-19 Innovation Award was presented to Dr. Yogi Goswami, the world-renowned Director of the Clean Energy Research Center at the University of South Florida, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, who has published twenty-two books and over 400 peer-reviewed scientific and technical papers on topics including indoor air quality. Dr. Goswami is also a Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Molekule, an air purification company that is on a mission to provide clean indoor air to everyone, everywhere.

Based on more than 25 years of research and development, Dr. Goswami helped develop Molekule's patented photo electrochemical oxidation (PECO) technology that destroys the widest range of pollutants when compared to traditional air filters. This includes the destruction of microscopic pollutants including bacteria, mold, chemicals, viruses, and more, all of which have been verified by independent, third party labs and can be viewed on their website here. This includes testing on RNA virus MS2 Bacteriophage, a proxy virus to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Molekule manufactures a range of consumer and commercial-grade air purifiers, including a medical grade air purifier with FDA 510(k) class II medical device clearance for the destruction of viruses and bacteria in healthcare settings.

David J. Gury Company of the Year Award
The Company of the Year is designated for a company or organization that has had significant achievements leading to the advancement of the life sciences in Florida.

The 2020 David J. Gury Company of the Year Award was presented to Peter H. Khoury, Ph.D., President & CEO of Ology Bioservices, a biologics contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) serving both government and commercial clients, specializing in biologic drug substance manufacturing from early stage through commercial product.

Based in Alachua, Ology Bioservices has 183,000 square feet of manufacturing, process development and QA/QC space in its state-of-the-art Advanced Development and Manufacturing Facility. The company's infrastructure provides unique services, including full regulatory support from preclinical through licensure, clinical trial operational support and bioanalytical testing, as well as CGMP manufacturing up to Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3). Ology Bioservices has more than 20 years' experience developing and manufacturing drugs and biologics for the U.S. government, with over $1.8 billion in government contracts awarded. So far in 2020, the company has been awarded more than $300 million in contracts, including multiple projects to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and Operation Warp Speed.

Weaver H. Gaines Entrepreneur of the Year Award
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has made extraordinary contributions to the growth of life sciences in the leadership of a company or institution.

The 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year Award was awarded to Thomas K. Equels, Chief Executive Officer of AIM ImmunoTech an Ocala-based immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, including COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As an attorney and former combat aviator, Equels is leading the company's efforts around its flagship products, Ampligen (rintatolimod) and Alferon N Injection. Ampligen is being evaluated as a potential treatment for COVID-19, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and multiple types of cancers. Alferon is a natural interferon that is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of refractory or recurrent external genital warts in patients ages 18 or older.

AIM recently signed a clinical trial agreement to test the safety and effectiveness of the combination regimen of Ampligen combined with Interferon Alfa-2b to clear the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the upper airway in patients with cancer and mild-to-moderate COVID-19. AIM also recently signed a material transfer and research agreement with Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) and Shionogi, a leading global pharmaceutical company, to test Ampligen as potential vaccine adjuvant for COVID-19. Ampligen has also demonstrated the potential for standalone efficacy in the clinical setting in a number of solid tumors like pancreatic cancer and brain-metastatic breast cancer with six immuno-oncology clinical trials at highly respected NCI-Designated Cancer Centers.

BioFlorida Leadership Award
The BioFlorida Leadership Award is designated for a BioFlorida volunteer who has taken on a leadership role, dedicated significant time to the mission, and has served as a true ambassador for the organization. The 2020 recipient of the BioFlorida Leadership Award is Karen Moore, Founder and CEO of Moore, one of the nation's largest independently owned communications and public affairs agencies, with headquarters in Tallahassee and offices in Denver, West Palm Beach and New Orleans.

Moore is an entrepreneur, industry thought leader, crisis communication counselor, public speaker, best-selling author, and community pillar. She has been a champion for BioFlorida and the life sciences industry. As a nationally-recognized expert and key leader on BioFlorida advocacy efforts, Moore has developed passionate advocates for the life sciences industry, as well as new members for BioFlorida. Moore also serves as a valued member of the BioFlorida Executive Committee and has served on the board for nearly 10 years.

BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award 
The BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for recognizing an individuals' outstanding leadership in the industry throughout their career that has significantly contributed to the growth of the industry.

The 2020 recipient of the BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Herbert Weissbach, 88, a Professor Emeritus for FAU's Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. A National Academy of Science member, among many other distinguished societies, Weissbach has authored/co-authored 465 scientific publications and 119 abstracts. Weissbach's lifetime achievements have made a lasting impact on the biotechnology industry, making him highly deserving of Bio-Florida's Lifetime Achievement Award.

As a Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at Florida Atlantic University, Weissbach's most recent research has involved understanding the mechanisms that cells use to protect against oxidative damage, based on his laboratory's discovery that cells have a mechanism to protect against oxidative damage to methionine residues in proteins. He currently serves as a scientific advisor to NutraPharm Health LLC, a company developing drugs to protect against oxidative damage and very recently founded Prolindox Inc., a company focused on developing a therapy to treat a genetic blinding disease.

About BioFlorida 
BioFlorida is the voice of Florida's life science industry, representing 6,700 establishments and research organizations in the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and bioagriculture sectors that collectively employ 94,000 Floridians. BioFlorida's member driven initiatives provide a strong business climate for the advancement of innovative products and technology that improve lives and promote economic benefits to the state.

SOURCE BioFlorida

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OCALA, Fla. , Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) today announced that Thomas K. Equels, Chief Executive Officer of AIM ImmunoTech, is scheduled to participate in a virtual panel titled, “COVID-19: Progress on Treatments & Prevention” on Thursday, October 29, at 10:05 A.M. Eastern Time at the 23^rd Annual BioFlorida Conference. The presentation will be webcast live on the conference event platform, which can be accessed here.

The BioFlorida Conference 2020 will feature global experts in keynote and breakout sessions addressing the latest trends in BioPharma, MedTech, HealthIT and COVID-19. Informative programs will cover current science advancements, business and public policy, as well as showcase Florida’s achievements and innovation.

About AIM ImmunoTech Inc.
AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of therapeutics to treat multiple types of cancers, immune disorders and viral diseases, including COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For more information on AIM ImmunoTech, please visit www.aimimmuno.com.

Contacts:

Crescendo Communications, LLC
Phone: 212-671-1021
Email: aim@crescendo-ir.com

AIM ImmunoTech Inc
Phone: 800-778-4042
Email: IR@aimimmuno.com

Titled: 'RNA - From Biology to Drug Discovery,' day-long conference to focus on translational promise of a novel targeting strategy

Scripps Research Institute

JUPITER, Fla.-- Nov. 11, 2019 --On Dec. 5, Chemistry Professor Matthew D. Disney, PhD, will host a new symposium aimed at bringing together leading scholars in RNA biology at the Florida campus of Scripps Research. The conference, titled "RNA: From Biology to Drug Discovery." will feature talks by noted scientists in RNA biophysics, sequence, structure, function, therapeutic targeting and computation.

Basic understanding of RNA biology has accelerated recently as the role of RNAs in disease has become clearer. Approaches to designing effective and selective RNA-focused therapeutic strategies have followed, and are showing great promise, opening diseases once deemed "undruggable" to potential treatment strategies. At Scripps Research in Jupiter, Florida, Professor Disney has pioneered multiple RNA-focused therapeutic approaches and helped launch a company, Expansion Therapeutics, to move them into the clinic.

"It is now known that RNA is a key driver in nearly every disease," Disney says. "Bringing together leading scholars in this emerging field will make all of us better and improve efforts to find treatments for diseases for which there are no known cures or have a poor prognosis."

Speakers include Chemistry Professor Dale Boger, PhD, of Scripps Research in La Jolla, Calif.; Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor M.G. Finn, PhD, of Georgia Tech University; Biochemistry and Biophysics Professor Lynne Maquat, PhD, Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center's Center for RNA Biology; Professor of Biochemistry Robert Batey, PhD, of the University of Colorado, Boulder; Associate Professor of Integrative, Structural & Computational Biology Katrin Karbstein, PhD of Scripps Research in Jupiter, Florida; Assistant Professor of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Eric Wang, PhD, of University of Florida's Center for NeuroGenetics; Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics David Matthews, MD, PhD, of the University of Rochester Medical Center; Mathematical Sciences Professor Emeritus Michael Zuker, PhD, of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, and Professor of Neuroscience Leonard Petrucelli, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville.

A poster session will take place during the lunch break. All registrants are eligible to present a poster. See the registration portal to submit an abstract: http://www.scripps.edu/RNA-day/

The universe of human proteins consists of about 20,000 varieties, while the universe of human RNAs is closer to 200,000, potentially offering new effective opportunities to intervene.

While about 2 percent of the human genome encodes proteins, 70 to 80 percent of is transcribed into RNA, potentially offering significantly more druggable targets. Until recently, however, most researchers considered RNAs undruggable.

"I am excited to hear more about where these scientists are taking RNA-focused research," Disney says.

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Details

Symposium: "RNA - From Biology to Drug Discovery"

Dec. 5, 2019

Scripps Research Rodney B. Fink Auditorium, 120 Scripps Way, Bldg. B

8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

For more information or to submit your poster abstract: Contact Kathleen O'Brien, kobrien@scripps.edu

To register, go to http://www.scripps.edu/RNA-day/

Courtney Cox, PR Counsel

BioFlorida

(850) 559-0708 or CourtneyC@TheMooreAgency.com

For Immediate Release:

BioFlorida Advances Florida as a Life Sciences Destination & Spotlights Growth Across the State

The Conference Welcomed New Companies & Research Institutes to Florida

TAMPA, FL (October 23, 2018) – Over 400 executives, scientists, researchers, investors, and service providers from the BioPharma, MedTech, and HealthIT industries convened at the BioFlorida Annual Conference to hear from experts on industry trends, connect with investors and potential partners, and celebrate Florida’s achievements while advancing economic development strategies to expand the industry. 

“The life sciences industry in Florida is seeing growth across all sector and all regions including new companies, new research institutes, new incubators, and new collaborations contributing to the 6,200 establishments employing over 280,000 total jobs with an average salary of $83,000,” said Nancy K. Bryan, President and CEO of BioFlorida. “The research and biopharmaceutical industry alone has experienced double digit growth in Florida – with the biopharmaceutical industry doubling the national average. The BioFlorida Conference unites the states leaders to drive future growth and celebrate scientific and business achievements to advance Florida as a life sciences destination.”

The conference addressed trending topics and areas of strength for Florida’s life science industry such as metabolomics, personalized cancer treatment, regenerative medicine, robotics, simulation, medical technology, and Florida’s opioid crisis with a special focus on development strategies on expanding the industry in the state and  exploring reasons why companies are choosing to expand in Florida. Attendees gained insights from industry experts on how to grow their businesses, with dedicated sessions on commercialization, funding, and next generation technologies.

BioFlorida also unveiled a new MedTech Committee with that will work to further the industry sector that provides physicians with the tools to diagnose and treat patients, a commitment that drives over 7,000 companies in the U.S.– leading to an 80% increase in patents for breakthrough medical technologies in the last decade. Florida is home to the nation’s second largest medical device manufacturing industry.

Companies also used the Conference to share major announcements – including BioFlorida’s Company of the Year ADMA Biologics announcing the first commercial sales of ASCENIV™ for the treatment of treatment of patients with Primary Immune Deficiency Disease (PI) and BioFlorida’s Entrepreneur of the Year Cyclo Therapeutics announcing the completion of enrollment in its Phase I Trial to evaluate Trappsol® Cyclo™ for the treatment of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C.

Seed and early stage companies participated in the BioPitch competition, which provided opportunities for coaching, as well as presentations to investors for feedback and potential funding. The four semi-finalists included AireHealth (Orlando), DermaSensor (Miami), ImmunSYS (Fort Lauderdale), and Regenerative Processing Plant, LLC (Palm Harbor) – with ImmunSys, a company focused on developing a new cancer therapy to improve the lives of patients with prostate cancer and other adenocarcinomas, winning the top recognition and $10,000.

The Spotlight on Innovation session featured four companies that have achieved major milestones: Sensus Healthcare, Inc. (Boca Raton), ADMA Biologics, Inc. (Boca Raton), Morphogenesis, Inc. (Tampa), and NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc. (Ft. Myers).

BioFlorida also recognized individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements across four distinct categories. This year’s award recipients include:

David J. Gury Company of the Year Award

The Company of the Year is designated for a company or organization that has had significant achievements leading to the advancement of the life sciences in Florida.

The 2019 David J. Gury Company of the Year Award was presented to Adam Grossman, Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of ADMA Biologics, Inc., a commercial biopharmaceutical company dedicated to manufacturing, marketing, and developing specialty plasma-derived biologics for the treatment of immunodeficient patients at risk for infection and the prevention of certain infectious diseases.

Based in Boca Raton, ADMA Biologics was founded in 2004 and in the last year alone the company was granted two U.S. Food and Drug Administration biologic product approvals for ASCENIV™ and BIVIGAM®, improved their current good manufacturing practice compliance classification with FDA, and secured funding to support their ongoing commercial product launches and operations. The company just announced the first commercial sales of ASCENIV™ for the treatment of treatment of patients with Primary Immune Deficiency Disease (PI).

Weaver H. Gaines Entrepreneur of the Year Award

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has made extraordinary contributions to the growth of life sciences in the leadership of a company or institution.

The 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to Jeffrey L. Tate, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer and Chief Quality Officer for Cyclo Therapeutics, formerly CTD Holdings, of Alachua and Gainesville, Florida.

Dr. Tate came to his current position at Cyclo Therapeutics, then CTD Holdings, in 2010. At that time the company was a publicly traded specialty fine chemical manufacturing, sales and distribution company with more than 20 years of history. When the opportunity to develop one of those specialty fine chemicals into a treatment for a rare and fatal genetic disease in children arose, he brought his experience to bear and led a team to develop both a formulation and robust commercial manufacturing process for a treatment for Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC) based on cyclodextrin chemistry. Today, through the efforts of the Cyclo Therapeutics management team and Board of Directors, and the cooperation of NPC patients and their families, many Niemann-Pick patients have been treated with its proprietary Trappsol® Cyclo™ product. Development of follow-on treatment indications for the drug, including Alzheimer’s Disease, is underway.

Since 2014, Cyclo Therapeutics has raised more than $22 million in financing, and announced while at the Conference the completion of enrollment in its Phase I Trial to evaluate Trappsol® Cyclo™ for the treatment of Niemann-Pick Disease Type C.

BioFlorida Leadership Award

The BioFlorida Leadership Award is designated for a BioFlorida volunteer who has taken on a leadership role, dedicated significant time to the mission, and has served as a true ambassador for the organization. This year, the organization awarded two leadership awards to Jane Teague and Tamara Mandell.

Jane Teague serves as the Executive Director of the Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology, a statewide agency that supports seed funding and growth of innovative startup companies in Florida. In this role she’s responsible for operational and administrative oversight of the organization including its seed capital fund and other entrepreneurial support programs. She has a lifelong commitment not only to life sciences, but to technology development and job growth in Florida. Teague has served as an invaluable member of BioFlorida, serving on the BioPitch Committee for five years with the last two as BioPitch Chair. Under her leadership and strategic guidance, BioPitch has continued to excel with new records this year in applicants and investors, as well as introducing a $10,000 award for the BioPitch winner.

Tamara Mandell is the Director of Biotility at the University of Florida's CERHB. She has a passion for bridging the gap between industry and education, and leads UF Biotility’s efforts to develop workforce talent for the industry via direct industry training, certificate short courses for individuals transitioning from academic to industry positions, and workforce credentialing via the BACE.  Mandell has served as Co-Chair of the BioFlorida Northeast Chapter for the last four years volunteering her time to organize and execute chapter events in the Gainesville-Alachua area. She has been Instrumental in engaging undergraduate and graduate students and increasing their participation on the BioFlorida Northeast Chapter Leadership Team. Mandell also serves on BioFlorida’s Celebration of Biotechnology Planning Committee and is an active participant in BioFlorida Day at the Capitol and the DC Fly-in.

BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award 

The BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for recognizing an individuals’ outstanding leadership in the industry throughout their career that has significantly contributed to the growth of the industry.

The 2019 recipient of the BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Mark Long, Director of Incubation Services at the University of Florida, managing the activities of international award-winning UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech and The Hub.

Long has been a technology transfer and business incubator professional for over 25-years, and under Long’s leadership, the Sid Martin incubator was named the “Randall M. Whaley Global Incubator of the Year” for 2017. Before joining the team at UF, Mark served as the former President and CEO of the Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation (IURTC). As CEO of IURTC, Mark directed the activities of IU’s business incubator, the Indiana University Emerging Technologies Center; the Technology Transfer Office; the Office of Indiana University Trademarks and Licensing; and Kelley Executive Partners, the executive education arm of the Kelley School. He also served as President and CEO of the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute. Mark was the previous Director of Technical Operations at Washington University in St. Louis.

His ability to catalyze and grow an ecosystem is unparalleled. Long’s expertise is recognized worldwide as he has assisted in building and managing business incubators and research parks with extensive work in Russia, China, Malaysia, the Caribbean, and throughout the US. Long has authored several books on incubation and economic development, served as a global consultant for startups, tech transfer, and business incubators and accelerators, and won the President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement in Business Incubation from the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA).

Florida’s life sciences industry will unite again in Tallahassee at BioFlorida’s Legislative Day on December 10-11. To find details or register for upcoming BioFlorida events please visit, www.BioFlorida.com.

# # #

About BioFlorida

BioFlorida is the voice of Florida’s life science industry, representing 6,200 establishments and research organizations in the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and bioagriculture sectors that collectively employ 87,000 Floridians. [Source: The Value of Bioscience Innovation in Growing Jobs and Improving Quality of Life (TEConomy/BIO, 2016)] BioFlorida’s member driven initiatives provide a strong business climate for the advancement of innovative products and technology that improve lives and promote economic benefits to the state.

Courtney Cox, PR Counsel

BioFlorida

(850) 559-0708 or CourtneyC@TheMooreAgency.com

For Immediate Release:

BioFlorida Annual Conference Drives Growth of the

Life Sciences Industry in Florida

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (October 16, 2018) - Hundreds of Florida's executives, scientists, researchers, investors, legislators, and service providers from the biopharmaceutical, medical device, and healthIT gathered at the BioFlorida Annual Conference to hear from experts on recent industry trends, connect with investors and potential partners, celebrate Florida innovation and achievements, and continue the growth of the industry.

"Our industry is a major and ever-growing economic driver in Florida with the number of companies in the states biotechnology industry growing 14.7% in 2017 alone, making it one of the stronger growth years since 2008 and surpassing the national average," said Nancy K. Bryan, President and CEO of BioFlorida. "The industry consists of just over 87,000 direct jobs with an average salary of $78,000 across 6,200 establishments. The BioFlorida Annual Conference unites the states life science leaders to celebrate scientific and business achievements, explore high-impact public policy initiatives, and drive partnerships to continue the growth of the industry in Florida."

The conference addressed distinct areas of strength for Florida's life science industry such as regenerative medicine, neurosciences, and cancer with a special focus on Latin America and potential areas of collaboration. Attendees also gained insights from industry experts on how to grow their businesses, with dedicated sessions on funding, commercialization, pricing, and reimbursement.

Seed and early-stage companies participated in the BioPitch competition, which provided opportunities for coaching, as well as presentations to investors for feedback and potential funding. The four semi-finalists included HealthSteps (Gainesville), KynderMed (Tallahassee), Antibiotic Adjuvant (Gainesville), and STAT3 Therapeutics (Coral Springs)- with STAT3 Therapeutics (Coral Springs), a company taking a unique approach to develop and commercialize drugs that target the activated STAT3 molecule in a specific and impactful way without significant toxic side effects, winning the top recognition.

The Spotlight on Innovation session featured four companies that have achieved major milestones: TherapeuticsMD (Boca Raton), CTD Holdings, Inc. (Gainesville), HedgePath Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Tampa), and Hesperos, Inc. (Orlando).

BioFlorida also recognized individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements across four distinct categories. This year's award recipients include:

David J. Gury Company of the Year Award

The Company of the Year is designated for a company or organization that has had significant achievements leading to the advancement of the life sciences in Florida.

The 2018 David J. Gury Company of the Year Award was presented to Robert Finizio, CEO of TherapeuticsMD, an innovative healthcare company focused on developing and commercializing novel products exclusively for women.

Under the leadership of Finizio, the company went public in 2011 and today maintains a current market capitalization of over a billion dollars. Since 2013, TherapeuticsMD has raised more than $500 million in capital to support the development of two 505(b)(2) programs for menopause management. TherapeuticsMD received FDA approval of Imvexxy™ on May 29, 2018 and launched the product in August. TherapeuticsMD also has an approaching PDUFA date for TX-001HR on October 28, 2018 and licensed the US rights to Annovera™, the first long-acting prescription birth control that is patient-controlled, procedure-free and reversible, in July 2018. The company's products are designed to address the unique changes and challenges women experience through the various stages of their lives with a therapeutic focus in family planning, reproductive health, and menopause management. TherapeuticsMD was listed on the NYSE MKT before transferring to the Nasdaq in 2017.

Weaver H. Gaines Entrepreneur of the Year Award

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has made extraordinary contributions to the growth of life sciences in the leadership of a company or institution. 

The 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to Matthew D. Disney, PhD, Scientific Founder of Expansion Therapeutics and professor in the bi-coastal Department of Chemistry at Scripps Research in Jupiter.

Dr. Disney's path to entrepreneurship originated in basic science, as he studied RNA-ligand interactions during a time when RNA was still considered the "dark matter of the genetic universe." Over time, RNA has revealed itself to play a critical role in genetic transcription, cellular regulation and protein construction. While many voices in the life sciences declared RNA to be a pointless drug target, due to its size and other factors, Disney was convinced it could offer a new approach to targeting hard-to-treat diseases. He developed a mathematical model to predict which RNA could be bound with drug-like molecules and now boldly intends to develop novel treatments for multiple diseases. His mathematical system for drugging a specific type of RNA damage called expansion repeats, led to the launch of Expansion Therapeutics, and has also led to multiple imitators and launched a new front in the war on disease. While Expansion Therapeutics' R&D group works on multiple targets in Jupiter, including a cause of myotonic dystrophy Type 1, Disney and his team at Scripps Research are continuing to develop compounds intended to treat multiple other rare "orphan" diseases with no known cure, and more common disorders that show poor prognoses, such as drug-resistant cancers.

To date, Expansion Therapeutics has raised $55.3 million in financing, and is Scripps Florida's largest spinoff since the institute was founded in 2004.

BioFlorida Leadership Award

The BioFlorida Leadership Award is designated for a BioFlorida volunteer who has taken on a leadership role, dedicated significant time to the mission, and has served as a true ambassador for the organization.

The 2018 BioFlorida Leadership Award was presented to Valerie Landrio McDevitt, JD, CLP, Associate Vice President at the University of South Florida (USF) where she is responsible for the incubation program, which includes the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator and the Student Innovation Incubator. In her tenure at USF, McDevitt has consistently taken the technology transfer program to one of the top-ranked for issued US patents and executed licenses in the nation. USF's incubation program has been called by one reporter as the "crown jewel" of Tampa Bay serving about 70 companies in the past year-with half of those companies in the biosciences.

McDevitt has served as an invaluable member of BioFlorida, serving on the Tampa Bay chapter leadership team, BioFlorida Board of Directors, three-time Conference Program Chair, three-time time Co-Chair of BioPitch, and most recently as Chairman of the Board with her term recently ending in July.

McDevitt is currently leading an effort with Florida Funders. Through a startup grant from the federal Economic Development Administration, Florida Funders is establishing SEED Florida, an early stage fund that will leverage both a traditional VC fund and the power of Florida Funders.  

BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award

The 2018 BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for recognizing an individuals' outstanding leadership in the industry throughout their career that has significantly contributed to the growth of the industry.

The 2018 recipient of the BioFlorida Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Maurice R. Ferré, MD, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at INSIGHTEC.

Ferré is a serial entrepreneur with a focus on transformational medical technology. INSIGHTEC, the innovator of incisionless surgery. INSIGHTEC, the innovator of incisionless surgery, utilizes technology with highly focused sound waves to destroy targets deep inside the body with no surgical incisions. This year, Ferré secured $150M in financing to commercialize the first approved indication in the brain for essential tremor. Additionally, the company is developing breakthrough technology that temporarily disrupts the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to potentially treat Alzheimer's disease and brain tumors. Ferré's most recent success was as the CEO and Chairman of MAKO Surgical Corp, the world leader in robotic orthopedic surgery, a company that he co-founded. Stryker Corp. acquired MAKO for $1.65B in December 2013. Ferré has received numerous awards in recognition of his many accomplishments, including the prestigious Ernst & Young 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Florida's life sciences industry will unite again in Tallahassee at BioFlorida's Legislative Day in February. The 2019 BioFlorida Conference will be held October 2019 at the Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina in Tampa. To find details or register for upcoming BioFlorida events please visit, www.BioFlorida.com.

# # #

About BioFlorida

BioFlorida is the voice of Florida's life science industry, representing 6,200 establishments and research organizations in the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, HealthIT and bioagriculture sectors that collectively employ just over 87,000 Floridians (TEConomy/BIO - 2018). BioFlorida's member driven initiatives provide a strong business climate for the advancement of innovative products and technology that improve lives and promote economic benefits to the state.

The BioFlorida BioDatabase is a searchable resource which includes the latest information on Florida's bioscience industry and unique profiles of biopharmaceutical and biomedical technology companies. The location of all BioFlorida BioDatabase companies is also shown on a distribution map. The BioDatabase follows the industry-held standard of defining a biotechnology company according to the Ernst & Young guidelines that include core R&D and involve the use of modern biological techniques to develop products or services for human health care, animal health care, agricultural productivity, food processing, renewable resources, industrial manufacturing and environmental management. The BioFlorida BioDatabase does not include healthcare services companies, medical device companies without a biocomponent or biomed companies that are involved only in manufacturing and/or distribution of products.

By Marcia Heroux Pounds Contact Reporter

South Florida Sun Sentinel

Fort Lauderdale to host state's biotech conference this month

More than 400 scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and biotech industry experts are expected to gather in Fort Lauderdale this month for the annual BioFlorida conference.

The event, organized by the state industry association for biotech, is set for Oct. 14-16 at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, at 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.

It is designed "to showcase the business and scientific achievements in the industry and encourage collaborations and partnerships," said Nancy Bryan, CEO and president of the West Palm Beach-based BioFlorida.

Those in the industry have much to celebrate, as Florida's biotech industry grew in companies and incubators by nearly 15 percent in 2017, one of the strongest results since 2008, according to BioFlorida.

Florida's growth "is pretty impressive when you compare it against the country, which was less than 5 percent," Bryan said.

Biotech companies in Florida now total 343, with 57 new companies added in 2017, according to the organization's recently released Biotech Database.

More than one-third, or 130, of the companies and incubators are located in South Florida, according to the database.

One of those companies is F1 Oncology in West Palm Beach, and its chairman and CEO, Gregory Frost, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at 9 a.m. Oct. 15. The company, founded in 2015, is working to reduce cancer mortality through innovations in cellular therapies for solid tumors.

Bryan said Frost "is an established entrepreneur in the industry. He's going to give pointers on how to build a successful company as well as life science hub."

In 2017, F1 Oncology raised $37 million from F1 BioVentures, Sinobioway and SunTerra Capital, according to a then MoneyTree report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers and CB Insights. In January, F1 Oncology announced a $10 million additional investment from its current investors.

Conference topics will include regenerative medicine, hospital research, innovation and neuroscience.

Participants include research scientists and professors from the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Scripps Florida, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida Atlantic University, Nova Southeastern University and University of Central Florida.

Biotech companies participating in conference panels and sessions include Medtronic, Sensus Healthcare, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, CytoSen Therapeutics, Intezyne Technologies, Biorep Technologies, Espero BioPharma and TherapeuticsMD.

Bryan said this year's event introduces a Latin American component for Florida companies to explore collaboration in the region.

There also will be a "BioPitch" competition for startups on Oct. 15. Competing South Florida companies will be:

Aventusoft in Boca Raton

Nutent Therapeutics in Boca Raton

Celigenex in Fort Lauderdale

Stat3 Therapeutics in Coral Springs

Simple Foods Collaborative Co. in Hallandale Beach

Vestion in Miami

Dalent Medical in Coral Gables

To register for BioFlorida, go to bioflorida.com/events. For more information, call 561-653-3839.