OBI client company wins
- PDX Pharma was recognized by Portland Business Journal and received two philanthropic awards on October 27.
- 2022 Innovation in Philanthropy award (PDX Pharmaceuticals in partnership with OHSU)
- Top 10 philanthropic small companies (below $10M in revenue)
- These awards recognized our commitment, through donation and volunteer work, to support education and training in cancer research and nanotechnology.
- VitalFlo Announces Public Investment Campaign to Help Doctors Measure, Monitor, and Predict Patient’s Lung Health
- “Do you think asthma and COPD should be treated preventatively instead of with trips to the ER? So does VitalFlo,” says Luke Marshall, PhD, VitalFlo Founder and CEO.
- The team at VitalFlo has built a spirometry platform to help patients and their primary care doctors proactively manage their asthma, COPD, and other respiratory concerns.
- VitalFlo has officially launched its Wefunder campaign. With Wefunder, everyone, regardless of background, connections, or income, will finally be able to invest in VitalFlo and be a critical part of their future success. Read More
- VitalFlo was one of the finalists in the Impact category at Bend Venture Conference.
- We were selected to participate in the Creative Destruction Lab Biomedical Engineering track taking place out of Vancouver WA.
- We received an SBIR matching grant from Business Oregon to complete some additional in vitro toxicology testing and regulatory work for our Phase I NSF STTR project.
- We received a phase I SBIR award from the NINDS at the NIH to develop our imaging agents for the application of intraoperative nerve damage assessment to improve nerve repair surgery.
- ProMedix currently has an open round for funding and would love to discuss further with any interested parties at OBI or beyond. Please email Scott Filer, CEO: scott_filer@promedixinc.com
- ProMedix was recently selected from a competitive group of startups for the Creative Destruction Lab‘s healthcare cohort. This will help to solidify a go-to-market strategy for our technology as well as expand to a large network of healthcare innovators.
- ProMedix has been announced as a finalist for the Seattle Angel Conference. In addition it is being highlighted as stage presenting startup company at the large Octane MedTech Innovation Forum in Southern California.
- We also brought onboard Robert Jenks, MBA as our Acting CFO. Bob is a former Managing Director for GE Equity.
- ProMedix was featured in the OHSU Innovates 2022 Impact Report.
- Sonivate Medical, Inc. has received funding as part of an SBIR Program from the US Air Force for a Phase I ($74,886). It is a 90-day Phase I to be completed by January 27, 2023. This Phase I is to develop the requirements for an Ultra-High Frequency Linear Probe for clinical applications in MSK, ophthalmology and clinical ultrasound views < 3 cm.
- In addition, Sonivate will secure an Air Force clinician to be PI for the clinical research in the Phase II application.
- CANX, LLC founder Kerry Masterson successfully completed the OHSU I-Corp 5-week BIP Corps program.
- Hemex presented two posters at the Tropical Medicine Show (ASTMH) in Seattle.
- The first discussed research on Gazelle’s ability to detect and differentiate P. knowlesi (a malaria species indigenous to SE Asia) from other malaria species.
- The seconds was a study conducted in Ghana on Gazelle’s ability to measure fetal hemoglobin, which has possible applications for monitoring treatment for sickle cell disease.
- Rewire Neuro and Neurescence are partnering to enhance fluorescence calcium imaging of the nervous system with cutting edge neuronal segmentation and analysis capability.
- Neurescence Inc. (Toronto, Canada), the manufacturer of the MultiscopesTM, and Rewire Neuro, Inc. (Portland, Oregon), a provider of artificial intelligence software development services (“AI-a-a-S”) announced their strategic development partnership today. With the aim to optimize the automated analysis workflow for neuroscientists, this technology integration utilizes deep learning to rapidly improve detection and quantification of neuronal activity while reducing the processing time of data-dense brain recordings. Videos that would previously take 2 weeks to be processed now result in neuronal detection in 30 minutes with double the accuracy compared to the existing automated neuronal segmentation methods in the market.
- CytoImage was featured in the OHSU Innovates 2022 Impact Report.
Caregiven (alumnus)
- Caregiven was acquired by Delta Dental of Iowa and its subsidiary Veratrus Health. Candice Smith, Caregiven’s founder and CEO, has joined the Delta Dental team!
- Read the press release here.
Congratulations on all of your achievements!
Wishing Hazel Valdez the best in her new role
OBI’s Associate Director, Hazel Valdez, has accepted a position as Executive Director for PDXWIT and will be leaving OBI on November 18, 2022.
While at OBI, Hazel has worked to formalize OBI’s selection process, injected Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work into daily operations, built a job board, completed a digital health project initiative, and led the organization’s diversify funding efforts. Hazel has always communicated that she wanted to become an Executive Director herself, so we are ecstatic to see her achieve this goal.
While we are saddened to see her go, we are grateful for all the work she has done and the friendships we have formed. We wish her congratulations on this achievement and look forward to working with her as a partner in this great community.
CBRE report: Life science market normalizes in Q3 after record-setting 2021
Executive Summary
- U.S. life sciences employment increased by 5.4% year-over-year in Q3 2022. While year-over-year growth in the Biotech R&D sector remained high at 11%, it began to plateau in Q3 with little change between July and August.
- Life sciences venture capital funding decreased by 29% quarter-over-quarter to $4.1 billion in Q3, in line with pre-pandemic levels.
- The overall lab vacancy rate increased by 30 basis points (bps) quarter-over-quarter to 5.3% in Q3, largely due to new supply totaling 2.1 million sq. ft. outpacing absorption of 363,047 sq. ft.
- The average lab asking rent of the top 12 U.S. markets increased by 6.8% quarter-over-quarter to $60.28 per sq. ft. NNN.
- Under-construction lab space increased by 4.9 million sq. ft. quarter-over-quarter to 37.4 million sq. ft., 88% of which was being built on a speculative basis and 26.3% preleased.
- Download the report PDF here.
For more information, contact Ajay Malhotra, Ajay.Malhotra@cbre.com or Kristin Hammond, Kristin.Hammond@cbre.com at CBRE Portland.
Pitch Oregon applications due Nov. 15
PITCH OREGON is entering another year, showcasing the talent and innovation of Pacific Northwest founders. Each year, Pitch Oregon brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors from the region, creating a collaborative and dynamic environment for launching startups on their growth journeys.
Winners of the growth categories for Pitch Oregon 2023 will receive investment through a special purpose vehicle (SPV). A cash prize will be awarded to the Early-Stage winner.
Last year, $875K was invested in six companies and we’re expecting approximately the same again in 2023!
WHO CAN APPLY: Pitch Oregon will have 3 Growth categories and one Early-Stage category. Applicants will self-select which category to apply for. To be eligible for one of the Growth categories, startups must have raised more than $250,000 in total investment or have more than $250,000 in revenue. Pitch Oregon categories include:
- Cleantech / Sustainability (growth)
- Life science (growth)
- Software / Technology (growth)
- Early Stage (industry agnostic)
Deadline to apply is November 15.
More information here.
OHSU Innovates 2022 Impact Report
The OHSU Innovates 2022 Impact Report provides a snapshot of the successes that come from innovative science, academic-industry collaborations and an infrastructure that stewards ideas to impact. You’ll find numbers that show the impact of funding great ideas, and you’ll see profiles of some of the OHSU innovators and start-ups that demonstrate the change that innovation can bring. The report also shares OHSU services and resources that aim to help build a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
A special shoutout to OBI client companies ProMedix, who is featured on pages 8 and 14; and CytoImage, whose profile appears on page 13 of the report.
UC Davis is hosting NIH course
NIH Course in Neurotherapeutics Discovery and Development for Academic Scientists
Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 session of the Training in Neurotherapeutics Discovery and Development for Academic Scientists Course, taking place March 14 -17, 2023 at UC Davis in Davis, CA. The deadline to apply is December 5, 2022.
This NIH-sponsored short course focuses on fundamentals of drug discovery and development of novel neurotherapeutics. It offers a mix of didactic lectures, workshops, round robins, and one-on-one academic/pharma mentorship, with time for networking and in-person collaboration. Led by Course Directors Michael Rogawski, MD, PhD, and Barbara Slusher, PhD, MAS, the course is taught by a faculty of leading Pharma industry and academic drug discovery professionals. Participants will have ongoing access to senior faculty who will assist them to achieve success in their individual drug development projects.
The 2023 session will be held in person at UC Davis in Davis, CA. There is no cost to apply, and for successful applicants, tuition, travel, and lodging are fully covered. Apply here by December 5.
Upcoming events
OBI events
Hybrid Lunch & Learn: Financial Success
Through Accounting Best Practices
November 16, 2022
12:00-1:00 PM
OBI or Virtual Option
Register here
Hybrid Lunch & Learn:
Commercial Real Estate Q&A
December 7, 2022
12:00-1:00 PM
OBI or Virtual Option
SAVE THE DATE – registration coming soon
Other community partner events
Voices of Equity: Backlash & Social Movements
November 11, 2022
9:00-9:30 AM
Register here
Biotech Summit 2022 + Bio on the Vine
November 15, 2022
2:00-8:00 PM
Knight Cancer Research Building – Portland
Purchase tickets here
-and-
Bio in the Valley 2022
December 1, 2022
5:00-8:00 PM
Phil and Penny Knight Campus for
Accelerating Scientific Impact – Eugene
Purchase tickets here
Inclusion That Moves You
December 7, 2022
12:00-1:15 PM
Register here