Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that 16 companies across the Commonwealth have graduated from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s (VEDP) Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program and 13 companies have joined the two-year program. VALET, which now has 391 graduated companies, assists Virginia exporters that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to …

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to detect rheumatic heart disease (RHD) with the same accuracy as a cardiologist, according to new research demonstrating how sophisticated deep learning technology can be applied to this disease of inequity. The work could prevent hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths around the world annually. Developed at Children’s National …

Adial Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADIL; ADILW) (“Adial” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for the treatment and prevention of addiction and related disorders, today announced the appointment of Tony Goodman as Chief Operating Officer. A highly accomplished pharmaceutical industry executive and member of Adial’s Board of Directors since 2017, Mr. …

AgroSpheres, Inc., an agricultural biobased solutions developer, recently received certificates attesting to the organic input compliance of its proprietary encapsulation technology, AgroSpheres® Microbially-Derived Minicells (also known as the AgriCell), and its formulated encapsulated thyme oil product, Thyme Oil 26% LC Biofungicide from the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). OMRI, the leading certifier of organic inputs …

BIO-CAT, Inc., an industry leading probiotic manufacturer, has agreed to partner with global distribution solutions provider Caldic North America to bring their proprietary probiotic strains and OPTIFEED® branded solutions to the Companion Animal Health and Nutrition market in North America. This agreement secures a rapid go-to-market strategy for BIO-CAT, leveraging Caldic’s leadership position in the Companion …

Since its opening in 2020 in Richmond, Virginia, the Polykon Manufacturing LLC facility has strengthened Seppic’s proximity to our North American customers and expanded our manufacturing capabilities. Effective January 1, 2024, Polykon Manufacturing LLC took the next step by merging with its parent company, Seppic Inc. This change brings consistency to the organization of Seppic’s …

The Virginia Catalyst, also known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), today announced that it has awarded $2.2 million in grants to four life and bioscience projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia. These four collaborative projects, involving Virginia research universities and industry partners, were awarded through Virginia Catalyst Grant Round 15 to address …

Aditxt, a biotech company based in Richmond, expects to purchase California-based contraceptive maker Evofem Biosciences for $100 million, taking on the business’s debt of up to $18 million, according to Aditxt’s announcement. Both companies’ boards have unanimously approved the acquisition, which is expected to close in the first half of the year. Evofem produces Phexxi, …

As the vibrant biotechnology and life sciences industry in Virginia flourishes, our mission at the Virginia Biotechnology Association remains steadfast: to promote innovation and growth through strengthened advocacy, talent attraction, development and retention while advancing the next generation of leaders. We succeed because Virginia encourages risk-takers to develop new health care and technology treatments. Virginia’s …

For the first time, tagatose has been certified as Plant-Based and Vegetarian. Tagatose is an ultra-low glycemic index sugar substitute found in tiny quantities in plants such as apples, pineapples, and the sap of a tree related to the cocoa tree. But because tagatose is found in nature is such small amounts, for commercial purposes …

ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc. (“ReAlta” or the “Company”), a mid-stage clinical biotech company dedicated to saving lives by rebalancing the inflammatory response to address life-threatening diseases, announced the appointment of three seasoned biotechnology executives, Christi Shaw, Mert Aktar, and David Marek, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. “We are delighted to welcome Christi Shaw, …

The Virginia Bio Membership has elected two new Directors to the Virginia Bio Board. Joining the Board are Maria Clarke, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank and Susan Mitchell, CEO of Athari Bio.  The new Directors’ 3-year terms will begin in April 2024. “Two years ago, we decided to expand our Board of Directors to …

Governor Youngkin has announced that Virginia will make a significant investment to launch a biotechnology, life sciences, and pharmaceutical manufacturing network to foster collaboration among three of the Commonwealth’s major existing university research institutions. In his upcoming biennial budget, scheduled to be released on December 20th, the Governor will include a total of $90 million …

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is proud to announce that industry leader and military veteran John F. Crowley will be its new President and CEO, effective March 4. He will replace Rachel King, a longtime BIO board member and industry trailblazer who has served as BIO’s CEO on an interim basis for the past year. …

About two years ago, the STEM2VA Program kicked off to provide internship opportunities for Virginia students within the life sciences sector on one side and to facilitate the recruitment process and offset some costs for the employers on another. The program was part of the Virginia Bio-Connect project funded by the GO Virginia grant initiative. …

Phlow Corp., a Public Benefit Corporation,  announced that it has joined a select group of purpose-driven businesses by becoming the first pharmaceutical manufacturer based in America to earn B Corporation™ (B Corp™) certification. The new certification further emphasizes Phlow’s commitment to improving access and availability of domestically produced, high-quality pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients through …

ATCC, the world’s premier biological materials management and standards organization, today announced a seven-year contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to continue the management of the BEI Resources Program. NIAID has made an initial award of over $21.5 million, with further funding …

Acclinate, an expert in health equity through inclusive research, is collaborating with Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to help increase participation by members of the Black/African American community in Merck’s oncology clinical studies. “We’re proud to be working with Merck because being a champion for health equity through inclusive research …

cultivate(MD) Capital Funds LP, funds that are focused on investments into early-stage medical device companies with innovative technologies, announced today that they have made a significant investment into Nanochon, a Washington, D.C.—based regenerative cartilage innovator. Nanochon develops solutions utilized by sports medicine physicians to treat active patients requiring cartilage restoration.  Nanochon’s Chondrograft™ replaces lost or damaged …

AgroSpheres, a biotechnology company pioneering breakthroughs in sustainable crop protection, today announced the closing of its Series B funding round with a strategic investment from FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC), a global leader in agriculture sciences. This investment brings the total funding in AgroSpheres’ Series B round to $25 million, demonstrating the strong confidence in the …

Biomedical innovation has brought hope to patient communities across the country and transformed Virginia’s local life sciences industry. Yet, in attempts to lower costs of prescription drugs, federal lawmakers continue to push for policies that would weaken intellectual property (IP) protections and deplete much-needed future investments in innovation. Virginia is a national leader in medical …

Children’s National Hospital was selected as a spoke for the Investor Catalyst Hub, a regional hub of ARPANET-H, a nationwide health innovation network launched by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The Investor Catalyst Hub seeks to accelerate the commercialization of groundbreaking and accessible biomedical solutions. It uses an innovative hub-and-spoke model designed to reach a …

The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) today announced that PS-Fertility, Inc. has been awarded a Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) grant for $75,000. VIPC’s CCF programs have distributed more than $53 million to Virginia-based startups, entrepreneurs, and university-based inventors since 2012 in support of critical early technology testing and market validation efforts. PS Fertility has also …

The Virginia Catalyst, also known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), announced that it is accepting letters of intent (LOI) for Grant Round 16 to fund the development and commercialization of life science projects that address major unmet needs for improving human health and advance Virginia’s economy. “We are proud to continue supporting …