May 2020

Company led by Former UMCP and National Institute of Standards and Technology Faculty Member Drastically Cuts Detection Time for Salmonella and E. coli in Food

The University System of Maryland (USM) Maryland Momentum Fund has invested $150,000 in College Park, Md.-based pathOtrak, a company that has developed a rapid food test for salmonella and E. coli in food.

The investment closes out pathOtrak’s $1.2 million seed round, along with a $200,000 investment from a global life sciences company with a food safety division and $310,000 from the Dingman Center Angels.

The Momentum Fund continues to invest in companies affiliated with the USM despite the COVID-19 pandemic and encourages applications through the Fund website at https://momentum.usmd.edu.

pathOtrak offers a sample-prep kit called Next Generation Enrichment, which uses a new microfiltration technology to drastically expedite the detection of both salmonella and E. coli in food. pathOtrak’s technology reduces food testing time from 1-2 days to five hours. This enables producers to release product one day earlier, helping the food industry better balance shelf life, profit, and food safety.

About 5 million cases of bacterial food poisoning occur each year in the U.S., resulting in illness, death, and over $55 billion in combined financial losses. Time from farm to table is critical, as illustrated in instances such as the recent romaine lettuce and Chipotle E. coli outbreaks.

“pathOtrak’s mission is to eliminate food-safety risks and gaps in the food industry by delivering the right technologies at the right price, saving producers cost and testing labs time,” said pathOtrak Founder and Chief Executive Officer Javier Atencia, PhD. “Our technology aims to increase shelf life, reduce food waste, and, most importantly, save lives. We are excited to have the Momentum Fund close our seed round at a moment when we are about to send our first product for food-safety accreditation. We are ready and eager to disrupt the food industry by simplifying operations that still rely on lengthy food-safety tests.”

“Vendors of rapid food-safety detection include multi-billion dollar companies such as 3M, Neogen, Biomerieux, Bio-Rad and Hygiena,” said Claire Broido Johnson, Managing Director of the Momentum Fund. “As of now, all of them use a traditional enrichment pathogen detection process, the key step that pathOtrak disrupts. If pathOtrak’s technology can reduce full pathogen detection time, it would offer a key strategic and competitive advantage to a company employing the test.”

pathOtrak joined the Mtech Ventures incubator at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) in 2018. The company is also a graduate of both the DC I-Corps and NSF I-Corps programs.

Click here to read more from the Baltimore CityBizList

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 7, 2020. As updates are discovered and advancements are announced regarding the work below, details will be published for accuracy.

As the U.S. continues to find its way through a tough fight against this global pandemic, a number of BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) biotech companies are making significant contributions to stem the COVID-19 pandemic. With people across the U.S. and the world making sacrifices to flatten the curve — along with nurses, doctors and first responders who stand heroically at the front lines — life science companies in our region are doing everything in their power to make COVID-19 vaccine progress with celerity, safety and efficacy top-of-mind.

In addition to the region’s medical diagnostics companies working to bolster testing capabilities, BHCR companies like Altimmune, Novavax, Emergent BioSolutions, Sanaria, GlaxoSmithKline, Cel-Sci and Integrated Biotherapeutics are racing to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s a roundup of 14 BHCR organizations striving to develop or assist in the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Altimmune

Altimmune, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland is actively developing a new COVID-19 vaccine using the same technology that was deployed to create NasoVAX™, Altimmune’s recombinant intranasal vaccine for influenza.

NasoVAX, according to Altimmune’s recent press release, has shown “…the ability of intranasal vaccine delivery to stimulate a durable and broad immune response against the influenza virus.” The company believes that a COVID-19 vaccine delivered intranasally provides a more direct immune response to the likely point of the initial viral attack. COVID-19 and influenza share some similar traits that make Altimmune’s intranasal approach a strong match to potentially treat the novel coronavirus.

Click here to read more via BioBuzz.

• Novavax acquires Praha Vaccines in Czech Republic
  
• Annual operating capacity of over 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine antigen

GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX), a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, today announced the acquisition of Praha Vaccines a.s., part of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, in an all cash transaction of approximately $167 million. The acquisition includes a biologics manufacturing facility and associated assets in Bohumil, Czech Republic. The facility is expected to provide an annual capacity of over 1 billion doses of antigen starting in 2021 for NVX‑CoV2373, Novavax’ COVID-19 vaccine candidate. NVX‑CoV2373 consists of a stable, prefusion protein antigen made using its proprietary nanoparticle technology and includes Novavax’ proprietary Matrix‑M™ adjuvant.

“Manufacturing capacity is a critical component of our strategy to deliver a vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax. “This acquisition provides the vital assets required to produce more than 1 billion doses per year. In parallel with ramping up production at Bohumil, we will continue efforts to expand antigen capacity in the U.S. and Asia, and increase production of Matrix-M to match antigen capacity at multiple sites globally.”

The acquisition includes a 150,000-square foot state of the art vaccine and biologics manufacturing facility and other support buildings, along with the existing employees and all related and required infrastructure. The facility is completing a renovation that includes Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) capabilities. As part of the transaction, approximately 150 employees with significant experience in vaccine manufacturing and support have joined Novavax.

The acquisition of Praha Vaccines is supported by Novavax’ funding arrangement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), enabling Novavax to dramatically expand its manufacturing capacity. Novavax will work collaboratively with the Serum Institute of India (SII), part of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, to increase production levels at the Bohumil facility by the end of 2020.

“We believe Novavax and Praha reflect the ideal complement of capabilities and expertise to advance innovative vaccines that are vitally needed at this critical time,” said Cyrus Poonawalla, Chairman and Founder of the Cyrus Poonawalla Group. “We are confident that the technologies and employees are in good hands and look forward to continuing our collaborations with Novavax.”

About Cyrus Poonawalla Group

Cyrus Poonawalla Group is the parent company of Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., (SII), founded in 1966 by Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla with the aim of manufacturing life-saving immuno-biologicals. SII is the flagship company of the group based in India and is now the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.3 billion doses per annum), which include Polio vaccine as well as Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hib, Pentavalent, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, and Rotavirus vaccines. It is estimated that approximately 65 percent of children globally receive at least one vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute. Vaccines manufactured by the Serum Institute are accredited by the World Health Organization, Geneva and are being used in around 170 countries across the globe in their national immunization programs, saving millions of lives throughout the world.

In March 2020, SII and Novavax announced a commercial license agreement for the use of Novavax’ proprietary Matrix-M™ vaccine adjuvant with SII’s malaria vaccine candidate, currently in a Phase 2b clinical trial.

About NVX-CoV2373

NVX‑CoV2373 is a vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of SARS‑CoV‑2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. NVX‑CoV2373 was created using Novavax’ recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and contains Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. In preclinical trials, NVX‑CoV2373 demonstrated efficient binding with receptors targeted by the virus, a critical aspect for effective vaccine protection. A Phase 1 clinical trial of NVX‑CoV2373 initiated in May 2020, with preliminary immunogenicity and safety results expected in July 2020. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is investing up to $388 million of funding to advance clinical development of NVX‑CoV2373.

About Matrix-M™

Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant has demonstrated a potent and well-tolerated effect by stimulating the entry of antigen-presenting cells into the injection site and enhancing antigen presentation in local lymph nodes, boosting immune response.

About Novavax

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVAX) is a late-stage biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. Novavax recently initiated development of NVX-CoV2373, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, with Phase 1 clinical trial results expected in July of 2020. NanoFlu™, its quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine, met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in older adults. Both vaccine candidates incorporate Novavax’ proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant in order to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. Novavax is a leading innovator of recombinant vaccines; its proprietary recombinant technology platform combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles in order to address urgent global health needs.

For more information, visit www.novavax.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax and the ongoing development of its vaccine and adjuvant products, including statements regarding the manufacturing of vaccine antigen dose amounts and timing, are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Novavax Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and updated by any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, particularly the risks inherent to developing novel vaccines. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts:

Investors
Novavax, Inc.
Erika Trahan
ir@novavax.com
240-268-2022

Westwicke
John Woolford
john.woolford@westwicke.com
443-213-0506

Media
Brandzone/KOGS Communication
Edna Kaplan
kaplan@kogspr.com
617-974-8659

Frederick, Maryland, May 21, 2020 — The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) announces today the formation of its Business Continuity Task Force to assist tech and life science entrepreneurs in Maryland who are navigating the economic downturn due to COVID-19. The MTC Task Force is comprised of experienced business leaders who have led companies through financial crises such as the 2008 Recession. Small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) in the life sciences and technology industries are invited to apply online to be matched with a task force member to receive assistance.

“One of MTC’s main beliefs is using innovation to improve quality of life, which is critical now with the challenges caused by the business disruptions related to the coronavirus. Our members are companies from across the region, and we want to use the community we have built to support business leaders that are presently struggling,” said MTC CEO Martin Rosendale. “The aim of the task force is to

focus beyond the current situation, and to help those companies with their plans on how to excel well beyond the circumstances caused by COVID-19.”

The Business Continuity Task Force is guided by policies and principles of the Maryland Tech Council Venture Mentoring Services (MTC VMS) program. The MTC VMS Program is one of the leading team mentoring services available in the State of Maryland that is both highly sophisticated and results-driven. It exists to foster an environment that encourages innovation, while expanding financial and business opportunities for tech, cyber and life science start-ups.  

The founding members of the MTC Task Force include:

• Martin Rosendale, CEO of Maryland Tech Council
• Bill Enright, Serial Biopharmaceutical Executive and CEO of Vaccitech Ltd.
• Jay Turakhia, Business Banking Market Leader, SunTrust/Truist
• Eddie Snyder, Principal and Chairman, Snyder Cohn
• Dennis O’Brien, Financial and Operations Executive with international life science experience
• Neil Davis, Former Director of Entrepreneurial Initiatives, TEDCO
• Doug Holly, Principal at Eagle Management Group with engineering technology experience
• Tom Thomson, Managing Partner, T. Thomson & Associates, LLC

Once they are paired with a task force member, business leaders will share their challenges via an initial call and may receive immediate guidance as well as referrals to specialists and available resources to support their businesses.

Companies requesting assistance should apply at the following link: https://mdtechcouncil.com/maryland-technology-council-business-continuity-task-force/

Click here to read the release on BusinessWire

About Maryland Tech Council

The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is a collaborative community that is actively engaged in building strong technology and life science industries by supporting the efforts of our individual members. We are the largest technology and life sciences trade association in the state of Maryland, and we provide value by giving members a forum to learn, share, and connect. MTC brings the region’s community together into a single, united organization that empowers our members to achieve their business goals through advocacy, networking and education. The vision for the Maryland Tech Council is to propel Maryland to become the number one innovation economy for life sciences and technology in the country. For more information: mdtechcouncil.com.

ROCKVILLE, Md. – May 19, 2020—The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) has selected Rockville-based Westat as its strategic partner in conducting a longitudinal COVID-19 Adaptation and Recovery Study.

This three-year survey of Montgomery County businesses will track and analyze the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the County’s businesses through spring of 2023. Nationally-recognized and employee-owned, Westat provides research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, businesses, foundations, and state and local governments.

“This is an important project, as data is critical for lawmakers and policymakers to make informed decisions,” said Benjamin H. Wu, President and CEO of MCEDC. “This multi-year survey will be used to guide Montgomery County’s post-pandemic initiatives and allow us to best understand the evolving issues that are priorities for the business community.”

“Businesses representing different industries, sizes, and ownership demographics will be included in our sampling plan to ensure the survey results provide a full picture of business adaptation. We are excited to partner with MCEDC to support the long-term vitality of business in our home County,” said Dr. Kerry Levin, Westat Vice President for Social Policy and Research and the project lead.

MCEDC and Westat will begin administering the first of six monthly surveys beginning in June 2020, with quarterly surveys implemented thereafter. Data analyses will be shared with the County Executive, the County Council, and external stakeholders. As the multi-year study progresses, MCEDC will provide quarterly public briefings on the survey results.

Anticipated survey topics and trends to track include business adaptation strategies during the stay-at-home order, firm closures, and unanticipated opportunities for growth during recovery, among others. The survey also intends to follow the impact of federal, state, and local COVID-19 relief dollars on local businesses.

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Six Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs and Startups on Fundraising and How Investors View the Post-Coronavirus Landscape

Over 200 entrepreneurs, startup company executives and those with aspirations of starting a BioHealth company turned in for a live, virtual panel discussion to learn about how COVID-19 is impacting access to the capital every company needs to succeed.

Panelists included notable investors such as Andrea Alms, Co-Fund Manager at BioHealth Capital; Adam Dakin, Managing Director at DreamIT HealthTech; Matthew Miessau, Associate at Epidarex Capital; and Adair Newhall, Principal at Greenspring Associates. 

The program,  “Venture Versus the Virus”, was organized by The Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (SoPE), and produced in collaboration with BioBuzz. The program focused on venture capital (VC) key opinion leaders (KOLs) with ties to the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) and delivered some nuanced insights for entrepreneurs, while also elucidating larger VC market themes that have emerged during COVID-19.

Dr. Jeffrey Hausfeld, Chairman and Co-Founder of SoPE and the Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board at Frederick, Maryland’s emerging biosimilars company BioFactura co-moderated the event along with Dr. Rania Nasis, Director at SoPE and New York Tristate Chapter Co-Leader and the CEO of Starlings, a startup advisory company.

Here are some of the key takeaways. For the full conversation, you can watch the complete webinar recording here:

Deals Are Still Getting Done But Investors Are Wary

The panelists had slightly different takes on how VC firms and investors are responding to the COVID-19 crisis. All agreed that there is still money out there for startups and entrepreneurs, however, many investors have hit a “pause” on investing as they wait to see the ripple effect the pandemic has on various markets.

Adair Newhall noted that investors are waiting for the public downturn to hit private markets, which could take three to six months and drop private values between 20-40%. The good news, according to Newhall: Biotech has seen less disruption than other sectors because of its direct involvement in working on COVID-19 projects.

Miessau, Alms and Durkin all expressed a positive outlook for the life science sector and that it was business as usual at their firms for now.

Series B/C Rounds Might See More Significant Negative Impacts Due To COVID-19

Durkin noted that life science companies closer to commercialization seeking Series B/C rounds might be more negatively impacted by COVID-19 than early stage companies that are seeking funding based on promise and projections. The panelist believed that companies close to commercializing a product and clinical-stage organizations, where supply chain and social distancing could disrupt ongoing trials and prevent trials from starting, could be impacted more seriously than companies seeking pre-seed, seed round and Series A funding.

Click here to read more via BioBuzz

BioBuzz recently caught up with the Head of JLABS @ Washington, DC, Sally Allain, to discuss her growing, local team, what it’s like to be back home in the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) and how JLABS plans to support regional start-ups and entrepreneurs by connecting them to the Johnson & Johnson global network of experts, mentors, and programming.

JLABS is part of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, whose goal is to accelerate life science innovation worldwide to solve unmet medical and healthcare needs for patients. This innovation model provides scientists, entrepreneurs, and emerging companies with one-stop access to science and technology experts who can facilitate collaborations across the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer companies of Johnson & Johnson. JLABS is the “no strings attached” incubator program for early-stage biotech companies that is now part of the BHCR ecosystem.

This incubator network helps emerging companies grow by bringing the power of Johnson & Johnson’s 250 operating companies and over 130,000 employees from 175 countries around the world to an entrepreneur’s doorstep. Since opening its flagship site in San Diego in 2012, Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS now includes 13 global sites and over 650 portfolio companies.

JLABS @ Washington, DC will be located within a redevelopment of 12 acres on the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center property. The new facility, which is currently under construction, is embedded within the new Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus. JLABS @ Washington, DC will host up to 50 companies within its 32,000 square foot facility. 

It has been just over a year since the opening of JLABS @ Washington, DC was publicly announced. What has it been like getting to know the local biohealth community and what have you learned about this ecosystem?

I am originally from the DC metro area and studied at Virginia Tech, so it is great to be back in the region after spending time in California and internationally working within those life science hubs. Over the past several months, we’ve been meeting with the local leaders within industry, government, research and academic institutions and medical centers across the DMV. Making these connections and having a close-up look into the region’s innovators is inspiring.

The research strengths and scientific expertise within the DMV are incredible. It is why Johnson & Johnson Innovation brought JLABS here – to be more closely connected to and support this rich ecosystem that is poised to further accelerate healthcare innovation.

We have a very good feel for how JLABS @ Washington, DC can best partner to move science and technology forward in the region and we’ve already begun!

Click here to read more via BioBuzz

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Emmes today announced that it was ranked as the seventh largest biosciences employer in the greater Washington area.  The ranking is compiled annually by the Washington Business Journal.

Emmes reported revenues of $125 million in 2019 and has more than 750 employees globally.  More than 675 employees work in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The company is expecting to hire nearly 70 new employees to support new and expanded clinical research projects.  This represents an increase of approximately 10 percent of its area-wide workforce.  The positions include clinical operations staff, biostatisticians, bioinformatics experts, project control analysts, project managers, data management staff, technical writers, clinical research auditors, and proposal manager.  The company has offices in Rockville, MD, Frederick, MD and Tysons Corner, VA.  Emmes continues to maintain a robust teleworking environment.

“We provide the backbone of support to both government and biopharmaceutical companies involved in developing treatments and vaccines associated with a wide range of diseases and disorders,” said Dr. Anne Lindblad, president and chief executive officer.  “Our operational, data management, regulatory, safety,  statistical and data analysis support for clinical trials and human health research is highly valued, and the result is continued growth.  This means promoting employees, giving people more opportunities for job expansion and flexibility, and adding new staff.”

Dr. Lindblad noted that three new executives have joined the leadership team since November: a chief business officer, vice president of clinical operations, and chief medical officer.  Two new business development directors were just hired.  The company also promoted three employees to the position of vice president.

About Emmes
Emmes is a leading Contract Research Organization working with both public and private sector organizations.  We collaborate with our clients to produce valued, trusted scientific research, and our team members are passionate about making a difference in the quality of human health.  Emmes has supported more than a thousand studies across a diverse range of diseases since our formation in 1977.  Our research is contributing to a healthier world. For more information, visit the Emmes website at www.emmes.com.

Angel Investor, Dr. Faz Bashi, M.D., joins BioTalk from the West Coast to discuss the Venture Capital, partnerships and staying connected in the age of COVID-19

Dr. Faz Bashi, M.D., has a background in Immunology and Virology from UCSF. Faz is an active member of the LSA screening committee for Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals as well as the Medical Device + Digital Health Screening Committee. He is the Emeritus Board member of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), and Chair of the ACA’s Life Sciences Syndication Group, and Affiliate Partner at Boston Millennia Partners and Lead Venture Investor at Portfolia’s FemTech Fund

He currently serves as a member of the Life Science Council at Springboard Enterprises (www.sb.co), Advisory Board of FemTech Focus (www.femtechfocus.com), and External Advisory Board Member at The Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design. He is an active Advisor with several startups, and in addition to human health and science, he is equally committed to Animal /Pet Health. He is currently investor and advisor to Vet24Seven (www.ask.vet) as well as Anubis Bio (www.anubisbio.com).

Listen now on Apple https://apple.co/3cojc4B, Google http://bit.ly/33sWjJc, Spotify https://spoti.fi/3bmjPu0, and TuneIn https://bit.ly/3dBiAZz.

Click here to read the transcript.

– Agreement enables Caribou to utilize MaxCyte’s ExPERT® platform for its CRISPR gene-edited, allogeneic T cell therapy programs

BERKELEY, CA, and GAITHERSBURG, MD, May 07, 2020 – Caribou Biosciences, Inc. (“Caribou”), a leading CRISPR genome editing company, and MaxCyte, Inc, a global cell-based therapies and life sciences company, today announced a clinical and commercial license agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Caribou gains rights to use MaxCyte’s Flow Electroporation® technology and ExPERT platform for the advancement of its CRISPR gene-edited, allogeneic T cell therapy programs.

Caribou will obtain non-exclusive clinical and commercial rights to use MaxCyte’s platform to develop CRISPR gene-edited, allogeneic T cell therapies. In return, MaxCyte will receive undisclosed development and approval milestones and sales-based payments in addition to other licensing fees.

“As we advance our lead allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy program, we are preparing for the future by securing access to a transfection platform for both clinical and commercial implementation,” said Steven Kanner, Ph.D., Caribou’s Chief Scientific Officer.

Doug Doerfler, President & CEO of MaxCyte, said: “We are proud to support Caribou Biosciences as it develops its allogeneic cell therapy programs. This important agreement represents another key expansion for MaxCyte, emphasizing the value of our technology platform to companies developing pioneering gene-editing and cell therapies. We believe that such programs have high potential to deliver positive clinical impact for patients facing serious and difficult-to-treat diseases.”

MaxCyte’s ExPERT instrument family represents the next generation of leading, clinically validated, electroporation technology for complex and scalable cell engineering. By delivering high transfection efficiency, seamless scalability and enhanced functionality, the ExPERT platform delivers the high-end performance essential to enable the next wave of biological and cellular therapeutics.

About Caribou Biosciences, Inc.

Caribou is a leading company in CRISPR genome editing founded by pioneers of CRISPR biology. The company is developing an internal pipeline of off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapies, gene-edited natural killer (NK) cell therapies, and engineered gut microbes. Additionally, Caribou offers licenses to its CRISPR-Cas9 foundational IP in multiple fields including research tools, internal research use, diagnostics, and industrial biotechnology. Interested companies may contact Caribou at licensing@cariboubio.com. For more information about Caribou, visit www.cariboubio.com and follow the Company @CaribouBio. “Caribou Biosciences” and the Caribou logo are registered trademarks of Caribou Biosciences, Inc.

About MaxCyte

MaxCyte, the clinical-stage global cell-based therapies and life sciences company, uses its proprietary next-generation cell and gene therapies to revolutionise medical treatments and ultimately save lives. The Company’s premier cell engineering enabling technology is currently being deployed by leading drug developers worldwide, including all of the top ten global biopharmaceutical companies. MaxCyte licences have been granted to more than 100 cell therapy programmes, with more than 70 licensed for clinical use, and the Company has now entered into ten clinical/commercial license agreements with leading cell therapy and gene editing developers. MaxCyte was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, US. For more information, visit www.maxcyte.com

Caribou Contact:

Greg Kelley, Ogilvy
gregory.kelley@ogilvy.com
+1 617-761-6724

MaxCyte Contacts:

US Investor Relations

Michael Levitan

Solebury Trout

+1 646-378-2920

mlevitan@soleburytrout.com

US Media Relations

Jamie Lacey-Moreira

PressComm PR, LLC

+1 410-299-3310

jamielacey@presscommpr.com