http://www.biomosaics.com/

It’s an exciting time for Vermont’s bioscience leaders. There is a resurging statewide interest in bringing biopharmaceutical jobs, clinical trials and improved patient access to Vermont, and as America’s trade association representing innovative pharmaceutical companies, PhRMA is proud to join hands in this effort.

The biopharmaceutical industry’s statewide impact is impressive: there are more than 1,100 Vermont jobs that come directly from bioscience firms and research, and another 3,000 indirect jobs arise from the industry. Nearly 500 clinical trials conducted in the state study new treatments with 50 clinical trials still recruiting in locations such as Bennington, Colchester, Rutland, Burlington and White River Junction. Those trials and the local researchers conducting them couldn’t be done without the cooperation of Vermont research organizations like the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Vermont Cancer Center, among many others. Our collective and collaborative impact—on patients, local economy, and national innovation goals—is strong and growing.

Leaders like Vermont’s Senator Leahy have made it clear—the time for protecting innovation and life science patents is now. Vermont is in a unique collaborative position to work with other New England states to improve patient access and create new treatments, and PhRMA has long been a supporter of these goals. We applaud VBSA in their efforts to highlight new opportunities for action and research, and look forward to hearing their contribution to Vermont’s message of innovation.

Kaelan Hollon
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

The Vermont Software Developers Alliance (vtSDA) announced today that it received 21 excellent applications for the Bentley Award and is seeking additional contributions to fund them all.
The Alliance sought applications from Vermont schools to develop projects related to science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM.) In just a few weeks, they received 21 applications from schools all over the state competing for three iPads and a $3,000 prize.
The decision to try to fund all the applications came after John Canning, President of Physician’s Computer Company, found it difficult “to choose among the many excellent applications received.” The projects ranged from using iPads to teach disabled children to read to expanding weather data observation capabilities on an existing weather station located at the school. Canning said that, “It’s tough to say no to kids, especially when you understand the importance of these projects to their education. It benefits us all for kids to become savvy in science and tech related projects.”
The total amount necessary to fund all the awards is about $100,000. The Alliance has raised about $15,000 to date that include contributions from Apple®, Vt. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the Bluehouse Group, a software company located in Richmond, Vermont. Bluehouse Group Founder Greg Brand stated that, “Bluehouse Group is happy to offer this contribution in memory of Bentley. We also want to acknowledge the leadership role that his parents, Bruce Seifer and Julie Davis, have played in supporting education and a vibrant Vermont creative-tech economy.”
The Bentley Award was created to celebrate the life of Bentley Davis Seifer, the 12-year-old child of Bruce Seifer and Julie Davis who died last summer. Bentley had a knack for creating inventions out of found objects and a strong interest in science, engineering, art and math. The award seeks to inspire schools and young people to explore technology just as Bentley did. *|END:IF|*
To contribute to the Bentley Award Project, please visit the Vermont Software Developer’s Alliance website at www.vtsda.org. The deadline for pledges is March 15!

Let’s meet in Montpelier for an informal mud-season get-together, underground at New England Culinary’s Main Street Grill. Just walk in the door at 118 Main Street and go down the stairs to the bar. We’ll likely be in the room to the left.

Like many in the Vermont biosciences community, Mark Allegretta, President and Chief Scientific Officer of BioMosaics is a biotechnology entrepreneur. He describes working in start-up companies with their inherent risk as his professional comfort zone. In fact Mark cofounded his first start-up venture in the Boston area, Endogen, just a few years after finishing his undergraduate degree. Like many start-ups, Endogen was created to address a specific need—in this case, detecting recombinant cytokines and related proteins in the first wave of their use as therapeutic agents in humans.

Subsequently, Mark developed strong ties to Vermont as a PhD student in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program at UVM. He chose UVM both for broad-based educational opportunities it offered and for the Vermont landscape and lifestyle. In addition to gaining the cell and molecular biology background that Mark sought in his PhD program, his work at UVM also furthered his business education. Part of his research involved developing intellectual property in a licensing arrangement with Immune Response Corporation.

With his Ph.D. in hand, Mark headed west to Stanford University for a post-doctoral fellowship in the lab of Larry Steinman. Once again, Mark found himself in an applied research setting, working on projects with clear clinical and commercial applications. In addition, his PI was heavily involved with biotechnology entrepreneurship, serving on the board of one company and in the process of launching a second.

With his background at the interface of research science and clinical applications, Mark sought a position at an early-stage company. He was fully aware of the risks and actively sought an opportunity to jump in at what he calls “the steep part of the curve.” He found it at a Bay area startup called Connetics Corporation. Mark quickly moved into a project management role and during his 3 years with Connetics, he participated in virtually every functional domain in small biotechnology businesses: licensing, business development, intellectual property protection, managing outsourcing relationships, and (of course) developing funding partnerships.

You can likely predict where this story is headed…after 8 years in California, Mark’s children were approaching school age and it was time to move back east. Mark knew he was ready for the risks and rewards of starting his own biotechnology venture, and the lure of Burlington Vermont outweighed its disadvantages in terms of limited access to venture capital availability and barely nascent biotechnology sector.

Mark reconnected with his venture-minded PhD thesis advisor, Richard Albertini, and launched BioMosaics, a cancer biomarker development company, in 2000. Early on, BioMosaics received some SBIR funding to get started, and conducted contract research in genetic toxicology. These projects served to validate their scientific capabilities for potential clients and provided a means for valuating the company and thereby raise seed money for expansion.

The decision in 2003 to license Glypican-3 (GPC3), a promising biomarker for early liver cancer, turned out to be very important for BioMosaics. Looking back on the last 9 years, Mark greatly appreciates the global development effort that has taken place, advancing GPC3 from a potential marker for hepatocellular carcinoma to its present-day status as a validated histochemical biomarker for detection of early-stage liver cancer detection in at-risk patients. Further validating this effort, the protein has been chosen as a target for therapeutic antibodies by 3 different pharmaceutical companies.

When asked to describe one of BioMosaics’s most important milestones, Mark cites the successful effort to obtain intellectual property protection for GPC3 in China, Japan, and most recently, the United States. He describes it as “a global effort—a significant undertaking that was necessary because half of all liver cancer cases are in China, many are in Japan, and it’s one of the few cancers that’s actually rising in prevalence in North America” He is also very proud of his company’s contribution to the fight against hepatocellular carcinoma, which is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death and is becoming more prevalent because of increases in the number of people with hepatitis B or C infection, obesity, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Unlike GPC3 development, all of the work on BioMosaic’s hottest new biomarker initiative will take place right here in Vermont. Mark credits the Vermont Bioscience Alliance with providing another way for him to develop relationships in the local biotech community—some of which can ultimately lead to important business partnerships such as the ones he’s formed with UVM and Green Mountain Antibodies to explore a new biomarker for breast cancer drug sensitivity. There are advantages and disadvantages to starting a new company in a small state like Vermont. It can be hard to attract venture capital and there is a limited pool of industry resources. On the positive side, it’s relatively easy to identify the best local sources of the resources that we do have and to develop relationships that have the potential to expand opportunity for all of us.

Successfully innovative firms new or old need a battery of resources, networks and skills to get their innovations to market. Hosted by VtSBDC’s Tech Commercialization Program and Norwich University’s NUARI (Norwich University Applied Research Institutes), this session sparks high-level personalized discussion with other developers and invited resources. Encouraging innovators in all disciplines, this year’s event has extra emphasis on Intellectual Property and technologies relevant to Defense, Health, and Energy.

John Williams, Office of Naval Research, Director Navy SBIR Programs has deep knowledge of the gamut of strategies and techniques for bringing new products to the services. Also here is Rich Hendel of Boeing who connects innovative small businesses with Boeing resources.

The program includes an update on the pending patent legislation and a variety of other resources including an overview of NUARI and its experience, connections and technology interests. The agenda eschews long presentations. Periodic short interactive presentations are designed to spark thoughts, discussion and potential collaborations.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Milano Ballroom, Norwich University, Northfield, VT
11 AM- 5 PM
Good Food, Connections, Insights — Tech Drivers III.
Register Now online http://vtsbdc.centerdynamics.com/workshop.aspx?ekey=11310014
Cost is $56 per person.

When – Thursday, September 8th from 4:00 – 6:00pm
Where – Saint Edmund’s Hall (Building 6) at Saint Michael’s College Colchester
Refreshments Will Be Served

The Tri Beta Biological Honor Society has invited their members to attend. We should have the best and the brightest minds attending. This will be a good opportunity for you to showcase your industry and network with new talent and old friends.

Here is the link to Saint Michael’s for driving directions:  www.smcvt.edu/directions/default.asp

Parking permitted between buildings 2 and 3 and next to building 7.

Wed., August 17th, 2011
6:30pm – 9:00pm
Spirit Of Ethan Allen III

Set sail with the VBSA and vtSDA (Vermont Software Developers Alliance) aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III for our annual sunset cruise!

As always we will be enjoying spirits and a buffet amid the spectacular setting of Lake Champlain.

There is no agenda outside of fun so feel free to bring your employees, friends, colleagues and clients — all are welcome. Last year we reached maximum capacity so sign up early here:  http://www.vtsda.org/meetings/nextmeeting/.

The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development is now accepting applications for the new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (SYEM) cash award program. The program was created by the governor and legislature to provide up to $7500 in cash to new hires to Vermont companies in eligible occupations to help the employee defray the costs of student loans.

An employee may receive $1500 annually for each year of employment for up to five years.

To be eligible:

o An employee must be hired by a qualified employer on or before December 12, 2012;
o Have graduated from an accredited educational institution with an Associate’s Degree or higher;
o Been conferred the degree not more than 18 months before the date of hire by a qualified employer; New hires must apply within 30 days of their start date.
o Be employed by a qualified employer for a position in Vermont that meets the STEM definition and for which the total annual compensation (including the value of benefits including health and dental insurance, FICA payments, company pension and 401(k) contributions and other direct compensation paid to the employee) is $50,000 or greater; and
o Have outstanding student loans with a lending institution.

A list of eligible positions is listed on the application website http://thinkvermont.com . If you feel your position qualifies but is not on the list you may request a review for eligibility. Only positions that pay $50,000 annually in salary and benefits qualify. Benefits includes health and dental insurance, FICA payments, Social Security payments, company pension and 401(k) contributions and other direct compensation paid to the employee.

To apply visit http://thinkvermont.com and click on the STEM link on the homepage. Or you may call Ken Horseman in the Agency of Commerce and Community Development at 802-828-5236. Email ken@thinkvermont.com or ken.horseman@state.vt.us .