Biolocity

Emory and Georgia Tech

News

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Celebrating Musheer Ahmed: Biolocity Portfolio Company CEO Named Georgia Tech’s 40 under 40

We are thrilled to congratulate Musheer Ahmed, the CEO and Founder of Codoxo, a Biolocity portfolio company, for being recognized as one of The Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s 40 under 40 honorees!

Musheer’s exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication have undoubtedly significantly impacted the biotech industry. As a part of the Biolocity family, we couldn’t be prouder of his achievements and the transformative work Codoxo is doing in healthcare.

This prestigious recognition is a testament to Musheer’s vision and contributions as an inspiring entrepreneur and a Georgia Tech alum. His forward-thinking approach has driven Codoxo’s success, positioning the company as a key player in the biotech landscape.

To view all the inspiring awardees recognized by The Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s 40 under 40, click here: https://www.gtalumni.org/s/1481/alumni/19/interior.aspx?sid=1481&gid=21&pgid=19274#gsc.tab=0.

Congratulations once again, Musheer! Your dedication and achievements are an inspiration to us all.

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Breaking Boundaries in Biotech: Biolocity Reveals the 2023-2024 Awardees

 

Biolocity is proud to announce the exceptional 2023-2024 cohort awardees for funding and commercialization support through Biolocity Launch. These cutting-edge technologies are poised to revolutionize the field of biotech, bringing forth groundbreaking advancements that have the potential to reshape healthcare, drug delivery, and cancer therapies. We want to highlight the four outstanding awardees and explore their remarkable contributions to the future of biotechnology. 

 “There is an increasing pipeline of technologies impacting human health at Emory University and Georgia Tech. This year’s applicant pool was very competitive, and the projects selected to be a part of this cohort have a strong potential for commercialization,” says Courtney Law, Ph.D., managing director of Biolocity. “We are excited to work with this year’s awardees to advance their technology development toward the market and ultimately patient impact.” 

Biolocity selects projects through an annual, multi-stage application process that allows university innovators to receive pitch coaching, market assessments, and competitive analysis to cultivate commercial success. Faculty members work with entrepreneur advisors to de-risk their technology through each application stage. The final cohort is determined by an oversight committee of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, clinicians, biomedical engineers, and university technology transfer experts. 

Since 2015, the program has awarded more than $10.5 million across 67 projects, generating over 16.6 times that much follow-on investment. 

This year’s cohort includes: 

Cellcue Bio:  A 3D microfluidic platform with improved prediction of clinical outcomes for cell therapies leveraging the power of advanced microfluidic technology. This innovation could enhance the efficacy and safety of cell-based treatments, opening new avenues for personalized medicine and regenerative therapies. Project Leads: Andrés Garcia, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) and Wilbur Lam (Emory University) 

Mageia Therapies:  A therapeutic enzyme to reverse immunosuppression in solid tumors.  By leveraging their expertise in immunology and oncology, Mageia Therapies seeks to unlock the full potential of the immune system in combating cancer. Their breakthrough approach directly targets a key signaling pathway in cancer immunosuppression, enabling immunotherapy for a variety of solid tumor types. Project Lead: John Blazeck, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) 

Next-Gen 5-FU:  Safer and more effective next-generation 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based therapeutics. By leveraging novel prodrug strategies and innovative formulations, they seek to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU-based compounds while minimizing adverse side effects. Project Leads: Dennis Liotta, Ph.D., Eric Miller, Ph.D., Nicole Pribut, Ph.D., and John Petros, MD (Emory University) 

OZ-Link:  A generalizable delivery platform that enables extended and precise drug delivery. By utilizing cutting-edge technologies and advanced formulation strategies, OZ-Link seeks to overcome the challenges associated with targeted drug delivery. Their groundbreaking platform has the potential to revolutionize various therapeutic areas. Project Leads: M.G. Finn, Ph.D. and Kasie Collins, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech) 

Biolocity continues to foster a culture of innovation and support for these pioneering scientists and entrepreneurs, inspiring and empowering them to bring their visionary technologies to fruition. Together, they will shape the future of biotechnology and positively impact countless lives. 

Learn more about Biolocity and our growing portfolio at biolocity.org.

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NephroDI Therapeutics Strikes Deal for Revolutionary Kidney Disease Treatment

NephroDI

NephroDI Therapeutics, a Biolocity portfolio company, has made waves in the medical field with its recent agreement to develop a first-in-class treatment for a rare genetic disease affecting the kidneys. This development brings new hope to patients and their families who have been waiting for a targeted therapy to address congenital Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus (NDI). This collaboration is a testament to the power of scientific innovation and industry partnerships in driving advancements in healthcare and improving patient outcomes.

Learn more about this exciting news here.

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SIRPant Immunotherapeutics, Inc. received FDA clearance and IND application for their novel macrophage therapy (SIRPant-M)

SIRPant Immunotherapeutics, Inc

SIRPant Immunotherapeutics, Inc., a Biolocity portfolio company, has achieved a significant milestone in the field of immunotherapy. The company recently announced the FDA clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for SIRPant-M™, an autologous SIRPαlow activated macrophage immunotherapy. This exciting development marks a major step forward in the advancement of personalized and targeted treatments.

To learn more, visit the official announcement on SIRPant Immunotherapeutics’ website: https://sirpantimmunotx.com/news/sirpant-immunotherapeutics-announces-fda-clearance-of-ind-application-for-sirpant-m-autologous-sirp%ce%b1low-activated-macrophage-immunotherapy/.

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Lab2Launch Now Accepting Applications!

As part of Emory School of Medicine’s commitment to advance bio innovation and entrepreneurship, Lab2Launch is designed to provide capital-efficient access to flexible coworking and wet laboratory space to Emory-affiliated companies developing promising technologies that ultimately improve patient health.

If you are a founder looking for wet lab space, please apply at https://bit.ly/lab2launchapp.

If you have any questions about the application process and Lab2Launch, visit our website.  in general, feel free to reach out to

For a quick reference of our offerings, please view/download our brochure.

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Biolocity Awards 6 Innovative Technologies with Commercialization Support

The Biolocity program has selected six promising technologies with the ability to impact patient health for its 2022-2023 cohort of Biolocity Launch. This year-long collaboration helps awardees commercialize their innovations by advancing through critical milestones.

The program includes mentoring from business advisors, project management support, and funding to accelerate technology development and reach commercial milestones. Housed in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Biolocity funding is open to all faculty at Emory University and Georgia Tech.

“There is a rich pipeline of promising patient-impacting technologies being developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech,” says Courtney Law, Ph.D., managing director of Biolocity. “This year’s applicant pool was very competitive, and the projects selected to be a part of this cohort have a strong potential for commercialization. We are excited to work with these passionate innovators to advance their technologies toward the market and ultimately patient impact.”

Biolocity selects projects through an annual, multi-stage application process that allows university innovators to receive pitch coaching, market assessments, and competitive analysis to cultivate commercial success. Faculty members work with entrepreneur advisors to de-risk their technology through each application stage. The final cohort is determined by an oversight committee of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, clinicians, biomedical engineers, and university technology transfer experts.

This year’s cohort includes:

  • Athena: Athena is an early-stage cell therapy company developing a mesothelin-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell product, for the treatment of mesothelioma and other mesothelin expressing solid tumors. Principal Investigator: Crystal Paulos, Ph.D. (Emory University).
  • Bystro by revXon: A search engine for your life-sciences data. Principal Investigator: Thomas Wingo, MD (Emory University).
  • DexaPatch: Low-swelling, steroid-releasing, implantable hydrogel platform to reduce post-operative inflammation in tight surgical spaces. Principal Investigators: Andrés Garcia, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech), Adam Klein, M.D., Daniel Refai, M.D., Stephen Linderman, M.D., Ph.D. (Emory).
  • MagTrack: MagTrack is a wearable alternative controller that simplifies power wheelchair driving and the control of digital devices for people living with tetraplegia. Principal Investigators: Nordine Sebhki, Ph.D., and. Omer Inan, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech).
  • Orally Bioavailable CXCR4 Antagonists for the Treatment of Cancer: Best-In-Class Orally Bioavailable CXCR4 Antagonists Heat Up Solid Tumors. Principal Investigators: Dennis Liotta, Ph.D., Eric Miller, Ph.D., Haydn Kissick, Ph.D., and John Petros, M.D. (Emory University).
  • ProLymph Nano: Drug delivery technology unlocks new market opportunities by targeting the lymphatic system. Principal Investigator: Susan Thomas, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech).

In addition to project management and mentorship, awardees gain access to resources including incubators, accelerators, and venture capitalists that can potentially translate into follow-on investment or other business opportunities upon graduation from the Biolocity program.

Learn more about Biolocity and our portfolio at biolocity.org.