BioHealth Capital Region – Regional Life Sciences Roundup – October 23, 2026
Each week, our Regional Roundup delivers the most important and timely life sciences news from around the region. From groundbreaking research to fundraising, new development projects, and who’s hiring — we bring you the top stories that matter most. Stay informed with a curated selection of the latest news, delivered directly to your inbox weekly.
The BioHealth Capital Region is seeing a growing push to turn scientific discoveries into commercial opportunities, with new investments and partnerships helping move innovation forward. This week, Gaithersburg-based Georgiamune entered a potential $1.1 billion global licensing partnership with Menarini Group to advance an investigational cancer immunotherapy, while SOAR Bio secured $600,000 to expand DC’s first life sciences venture studio and support the launch of five new biotech companies. Meanwhile, OS Therapies secured approximately $7.2 million in initial financing proceeds to support its cancer immunotherapy pipeline, and Johns Hopkins received up to $52.1 million for biomedical AI research. Together, these developments highlight how capital is supporting innovation at different stages, from early scientific discovery to clinical development and commercialization.
But the momentum isn’t limited to funding — regional companies are also taking important steps toward new treatment options. MacroGenics dosed its first patient in a Phase 1 trial of an investigational cancer therapy, while Ascentage Pharma received Breakthrough Therapy Designation in China for its investigational blood cancer treatment. These advances reflect a broader effort to address unmet medical needs through new therapeutic approaches, regulatory progress, and research that could open additional paths for patients.
And the people, partnerships, and infrastructure behind those discoveries are becoming just as important as the science itself. Nucleate DMV’s Activator program is helping emerging biotech founders build the skills, mentorship networks, and investor connections needed to launch companies, while Integrated Pharma Services is providing hands-on laboratory experience to develop the region’s next generation of life sciences talent. Meanwhile, Bora Biologics appointed Roger Lias as Head of Commercial, and Adial Pharmaceuticals named David Rubenstein Chief Scientist, bringing additional expertise to biologics manufacturing and drug development.
From financing promising science and advancing new therapies to developing the talent and partnerships behind them, this week’s developments show a region strengthening its ability to move innovation from the lab toward real-world impact.
Financial
Tracking the capital moving through the BioHealth Capital Region — funding rounds, M&A activity, and investment trends shaping Maryland, DC, and Virginia’s life sciences companies.
SOAR Bio Wins $600,000 to Expand the District’s First Life Sciences Venture Studio
SOAR Bio has received $600,000 from DC’s Technology Ecosystem Fund to expand its venture studio at Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus. The funding will support the launch of five DC-based life sciences companies, leadership training, and partnerships to turn regional research discoveries into commercial opportunities. Read More >
OS Therapies Announces Initial Closing of Warrant Exercise Inducement and Exchange Offer for Initial Gross Proceeds of Approximately $7.2 Million
OS Therapies has secured approximately $7.2 million in initial gross proceeds through a warrant exercise inducement and exchange offer, strengthening its financial position as it advances its cancer immunotherapy pipeline. The financing provides additional capital to support the company’s development efforts, including its lead osteosarcoma therapy candidate. Read More >
Johns Hopkins Awarded $52.1M for Biomedical AI Research
Johns Hopkins Medicine has been awarded up to $52.1 million in federal funding to advance artificial intelligence research focused on understanding how proteins fold and function. The initiative aims to accelerate biomedical discoveries, improve disease research, and support the development of new therapies by combining AI with advanced protein science. Read More >
People
Who we’re buzzing about this week — the leadership moves, board appointments, and rising names shaping the region’s life sciences community.
Roger Lias Named Head of Commercial at Bora Biologics
Bora Biologics has named Roger Lias Head of Commercial, strengthening its leadership as the contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) looks to expand its biologics manufacturing business. The appointment brings additional commercial expertise to Bora’s efforts to support biopharmaceutical companies developing and producing complex therapies. Read More >
Retirement of Chief Financial Officer Richard S. Lindahl
Emergent BioSolutions has announced that Chief Financial Officer Richard S. Lindahl will retire effective December 31, 2026, following more than eight years with the company. Frank Vargo, currently Vice President and Treasurer, will step in as interim CFO on January 1, 2027, as Emergent continues its multi-year business transformation and focuses on long-term growth. Read More >
Adial Pharmaceuticals Appoints David Rubenstein, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Scientist
Adial Pharmaceuticals has appointed Dr. David Rubenstein as Chief Scientist, bringing experience in developing FDA-approved treatments for inflammatory diseases. Rubenstein will lead research efforts for AT177, an investigational oral therapy for ulcerative colitis, as the Virginia-based company prepares for first-in-human clinical trials planned for 2027. Read More >
Appointment of Former FDA Medical Officer Dr. Patricia Beaston as CMO
Dr. Patricia Beaston has been appointed as Chief Medical Officer, bringing 24 years of FDA experience in cell therapies, islet transplantation, and type 1 diabetes research. Beaston will serve as CMO of the proposed combined company, BetaNova Biotherapeutics, as it prepares to advance its stem cell-derived insulin-producing therapy. Read More >
Workforce
The hiring activity, team expansions, and talent trends driving growth across Maryland, DC, and Virginia’s life sciences and biotech employers.
Lilly Breaks Ground in Richmond: The 650-Job Talent Build Behind Virginia’s $5B ADC Plant
Eli Lilly has broken ground on its $5 billion antibody-drug conjugate manufacturing facility in Goochland County, just west of Richmond, which is expected to create 650 high-wage jobs, with hiring already underway and first production targeted for 2030. As a statewide training center prepares to open nearby in 2028, the project puts a spotlight on how Virginia will build its production workforce and attract the experienced biomanufacturing leaders needed to bring the plant online. Read More >
Integrated Pharma’s Is Building Internships That Put Interns First
Integrated Pharma Services founder Dr. Mina Izadjoo is helping develop the next generation of life sciences talent through a hands-on internship program currently hosting 23 students, with roughly 60 more applicants interested. Supported in part by the Lighthouse internship program, the initiative gives students real-world laboratory experience, mentorship, and opportunities to earn academic credit while building technical and professional skills. Read More >
Nucleate’s Activator Gives Early-Stage Biotech Founders the Skills, Mentors, and Investor Connections to Launch
Nucleate DMV’s equity-free Activator program is helping aspiring biotech founders turn scientific discoveries into businesses through mentorship, entrepreneurship training, and investor connections. Now in its fourth year, the program offers workshops on intellectual property, fundraising, and pitching, with new partnerships including AstraZeneca and NEA strengthening support for the region’s emerging life sciences startups. Read More >
Who’s hiring?!
Top Employer
Grifols is a global healthcare company specializing in plasma-derived medicines, transfusion medicine, and diagnostic solutions. With a mission to improve the health and well-being of people around the world, Grifols develops life-saving therapies for patients with chronic, rare, and serious medical conditions.
Through its plasma donation centers and biopharmaceutical operations, Grifols plays an important role in collecting the plasma needed to manufacture essential medicines. Its team members support patient care, donor safety, and the production of therapies that make a difference in communities worldwide.
They are currently hiring across 30+ roles across Maryland. Apply Now >
Other employers and available roles we’re paying attention to this week:
- AstraZeneca (Gaithersburg, MD) is hiring a Drug Discovery Research Scientist | Apply Now >
- Novo Nordisk (Petersburg, VA) is hiring a Validation Area Specialist III | Apply Now >
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Richmond, VA) is hiring a Scientist | Apply Now >
- Supernus Pharmaceuticals (Rockville, MD) is hiring an Associate Director, Clinical Development | Apply Now >
- Catalent (Harmans, MD) is hiring a Scientist, QC Analytical | Apply Now >
- Emmes (Rockville, MD) is hiring a Clinical Trial Manager I (Government) | Apply Now >
Clinical + Commercial
The latest clinical trial progress, regulatory milestones, and commercial launches from companies advancing science from the lab to the market across the BioHealth Capital Region.
MacroGenics Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1 Study
MacroGenics has reached a new clinical milestone, dosing the first patient in a Phase 1 trial of its investigational cancer therapy, MGC030. The study marks an important step in the company’s efforts to advance next-generation cancer treatments. Read More >
Ascentage Pharma’s Lisaftoclax Granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation in China
Ascentage Pharma has secured a significant regulatory milestone in China for lisaftoclax, its investigational treatment for certain blood cancers. The designation could help accelerate development, raising questions about what comes next for the therapy and its potential impact on leukemia treatment. Read More >
Frederick National Laboratory Identifies Potential Treatments for Rare Childhood Cancers
Researchers at Maryland’s Frederick National Laboratory are exploring whether existing cancer drugs could offer new hope for children with rare, difficult-to-treat cancers. Their findings highlight a promising opportunity in precision oncology that could change how researchers approach certain pediatric tumors. Read More >
Ecosystem
The partnerships, programs, and policy moves building the BioHealth Capital Region’s life sciences infrastructure — and the organizations driving it forward.
Inside Holy Cross Germantown, the Nation’s First Hospital on a Community College Campus
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is the nation’s first hospital located on a community college campus, connecting patient care with hands-on education and workforce development at Montgomery College. As part of the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology (PIC MC), the hospital provides students with clinical learning opportunities while helping build a pipeline of healthcare professionals in Montgomery County. Read More >
Gaithersburg’s Georgiamune Signs Global Cancer Drug Licensing Deal With Menarini
Georgiamune has partnered with Menarini Group in an exclusive global licensing and collaboration agreement to advance GIM-621, an investigational oral cancer immunotherapy. The partnership brings together Georgiamune’s drug development innovation and Menarini’s global oncology expertise, with the potential to accelerate new treatment options for patients with solid tumors. Read More >
FDA Launches Neuroscience Innovation Program
The FDA has launched the Neuroscience Advancement and Innovation Nexus (NAIN), a new initiative bringing together experts across drugs, biologics, and medical devices to address challenges in neuroscience product development. Its first effort, the Alzheimer’s Prevention Accelerator, will focus on improving clinical trial approaches for therapies designed to prevent or delay cognitive decline, potentially shaping how future Alzheimer’s treatments are evaluated. Read More >
Other [Good] Reads
Editor’s picks from across the web — the stories, videos, and podcasts shaping the conversation in DMV biotech and life sciences this week.
AI Could Turn Invasive Eye Injections into Simple Eye Drops
Researchers at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins are using machine learning to develop longer-lasting eye drops that could reduce the need for frequent dosing and invasive eye injections. Backed by a $2.35 million National Eye Institute grant, the team is designing specialized peptides to improve drug delivery and potentially transform treatment for glaucoma and other chronic eye diseases. Read More >
UMD Researchers Advance Smart Pill Technology for Gut Disease Monitoring
University of Maryland researchers have secured two U.S. patents and published new findings advancing ingestible “smart pill” technology for gastrointestinal disease detection. The innovative capsules use miniature sensors and tissue-sampling technology to monitor gut inflammation and potentially offer a less invasive, more affordable alternative to traditional endoscopies Read More >
On the Calendar
A few of the upcoming events, conferences, and networking opportunities across the BioHealth Capital Region’s life sciences ecosystem that you don’t want to miss.
Spatial Transcriptomics Workshop: From Sample Preparation to Data Analysis
Monday, October 26 • 9 AM–5 PM • Germantown, MD
Hosted by Bio-Trac | Register Now >
Introduction to Biopharma Manufacturing
Tuesday, November 2 • 9 AM–12:45 PM • Rockville, MD
Hosted by Maryland Tech Council | Register Now >
Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences and Biotech Summit
Wednesday, November 4 • 8 AM • Bethesda, MD
Hosted by Bisnow | Register Now >
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