Wednesday, February 1, 2012

FDA-approved device to detect macular degeneration raising $2 million


MedCity – Philadelphia reports Apeliotus Vision Science gets FDA approval for device to detect macular degeneration. Read the full story here.
http://www.medcitynews.com/2012/01/fda-approved-device-to-detect-macular-degeneration-raising-2-million/?edition=phi

Ben Franklin business plan contest to award $50,000 to a promising startup in Central, Northern PA

Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Ben Franklin Technology Partners, an organization that provides money and support services to tech businesses, is sponsoring another business plan contest similar to competitions it has put on over the last decade.

The Big Idea Business Plan Contest, open to entrepreneurs that are already based in a 32-county area or are planning to move there by June, comes with a $50,000 prize for the winner. Judges are looking for promising business ideas in areas like alternative energy, medical devices and nanotechnology. Entrants cannot have received Ben Franklin funding before and must have 50 employees or fewer. The eligible geographic area includes most of the state’s central, northern and western regions.

“It’s really for young, fledgling companies, to give them an opportunity to a) win $50,000 and b) get into the network of economic development service providers,” says Jill Edwards, executive director of the Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum and Innovation Transfer Network. “We recognize that this region of Pennsylvania has strengths in a whole array of different areas.”
She adds that any company that enters the contest will become known to the Ben Franklin investment network, which opens up other opportunities for funding for help with the process of growing a business.

The contest deadline is Feb. 29 and final judging is expected in June.
Source: Jill Edwards, Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum /Innovation Transfer Network

Saladax Biomedical, Inc. Announces the Resignation of Edward L. Erickson as President and Chief Executive Officer

- Kevin M. Harter, former Saladax Executive Chairman, Named Interim CEO-
 Bethlehem, PA, January 27, 2012 – Saladax Biomedical, Inc., a privately-held company developing and commercializing novel diagnostic assays to achieve the promise of personalized medicine for new and existing therapeutics, announced today that Edward L. Erickson, its President and Chief Executive Officer, has resigned due to personal family reasons. His resignation will be effective as an executive officer of Saladax on February 12, 2012, but he will remain a member of the company’s board of directors.

Kevin M. Harter, who is a co-founder and Senior Vice President of the Life Science Greenhouse, a public-private partnership, has been named interim CEO. From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Harter also served as Executive Chairman of Saladax Biomedical, a Life Science Greenhouse portfolio company, where he led successful funding rounds and strategic alliances for the company.
Gregory Critchfield, M.D., Chairman of the Board at Saladax, commented, “The board of directors wishes to express its sincere thanks for Ed’s work, his energy and his commitment in growing Saladax. We are pleased that Ed will remain on the board of directors, as an advisor to the company, with nearly three decades of relevant experience in diagnostics, therapeutics and life science research.The board of directors also extends its gratitude to Kevin for his willingness to assist the company in this interim role. His skill, knowledge and leadership will be invaluable to Saladax.”

Dr. Critchfield continued, “The board of directors is initiating a search to find a permanent CEO. This search will encompass looking within and outside the company, to find the best candidate to continue to execute the company’s strategy and to achieve its promise to become a major provider of personalized medicine products to the medical community for the betterment of patient care.”

About Saladax Biomedical, Inc.
Saladax Biomedical develops and commercializes novel diagnostic assays to achieve the promise of personalized medicine through dose management and companion diagnostic products for existing and new therapeutics. The Company’s dose management technology enables physicians to optimize drug dosing to meet individual patient needs, leading to improved response and quality of life. The Company’s 15 MyCare™ dose management assays are comprised of proprietary, automated and cost-effective in vitro diagnostic tests, with a principal focus in oncology. The first MyCare assay available is for one of the most common anticancer drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). This assay is sold by Saladax in Europe as a CE-marked product and will be distributed in Japan by FALCO biosystems. In the United States and Canada, Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc. provides testing for 5-FU dose optimization under the trademark OnDose® through a license to Saladax proprietary technology. In addition the company is finalizing development of its next two oncology drug assays for paclitaxel and docetaxel. Saladax also works with pharmaceutical companies to develop companion diagnostics to provide important clinical information to assist in developing and administering new and existing compounds. For more information, visit www.saladax.com, or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Saladax.
Media Contact:
Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.
Andrew Mielach
or
Jason Rando
moc.dnerebit@odnarj