LSWI and WA Commerce are pleased to announce the awardees of the SBIR/STTR Matching Fund Award.
SBIR/STTR Matching Fund Awardees
The $25,000 SBIR/STTR Matching Fund Grant, which is awarded to companies that currently have a Phase 1 SBIR/STTR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be used to support awardees’ ongoing research. Seven out of the 10 awardees meet one or several prioritized criteria, which include companies that are located outside of King County, women-led and/or socially or economically disadvantaged.
Full list of SBIR/STTR Matching Fund Awardees:
AVM Biotechnology, Inc – https://avmbiotech.com/
AVM Biotechnology is a clinical-stage company developing therapeutic options for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
“LSWI is a vital advocate and support organization for emerging biopharma companies like AVM Biotechnology whose mission is unleashing immune potential. To be chosen as a company to receive LSWI matching funds for our current SBIR Phase 1 NCI grant is an honor and validation of the potential of our lead immunomodulatory drug, AVM0703. The LSWI grant will assist AVM Biotechnology to maintain its strong patent portfolio. We are very grateful to LSWI.”
– Theresa Deisher, Founder and CSO, AVM Biotechnology Inc.
Glannaventa, Inc. – https://www.linkedin.com/company/glannaventa-inc-/
Glannaventa focuses on point-of-care early-stage ovarian cancer diagnosis.
“We have recently completed a 20-patient pilot study using the third generation endoscope, and the results have been very informative re. the design of the endoscope introducer system and the imaging system. We will be able to use the WA State LSWI matching funds to buy parts to modify the imaging system to be able to keep the endosalpinx in focus over the full variability of the inner lumen diameter. We will also use a consultant to do modification components that cannot be done in house. This would not have been possible with the SBIR part budget alone, and could easily be the difference between finding the needle in the haystack and not.”
– John Black, Founder, Glannaventa Inc.
GMJ Technologies, Inc – https://gmjtechs.com/
GMJ Technologies, Inc. (GMJ), a Seattle-based startup is developing a novel analytical tool, based on electrophoretic separation and mass spectrometry, for biologics testing. GMJ’s product enables rapid discovery, manufacturing, and quality control to expedite the delivery of novel therapeutics for patients with improved safety and efficacy.
“This matching grant will be highly impactful for GMJ to engage key opinion leaders in the biopharma industry and acquire early adopters of its technology. GMJ will use the fund to support registration and development of marketing collaterals for exhibition at CASSS CE Pharm 2024 conference.”
– Tosin Dada, PhD, Principal/CEO, GMJ Technologies Inc.
Histone Therapeutics Corp. – https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiri-levy-a1b15911/
Histone Therapeutics is a biotechnology company at the forefront of epigenetic editing that is focused on enhancing cell function by controlling gene regulation and creating drug modalities based on protein modifiers of chromatin remodeling that could provide new options for treating disease.
“The funds from this award will allow the company to rapidly protect competitive intellectual property that it is developing.”
– Shiri Levy, Founder, Histone Therapeutics Corporation.
Orthopedic Wellness Laboratories, Inc. (OWL) – https://www.orthopedicwellnesslabs.com/
OWL’s innovative technology delivers repeatable, measurable, and accurate range of motion diagnostics coupled with a patented and patent pending, industry first approach to musculoskeletal development and rehabilitation.
“We have just completed a new industrial design of our head restraint and will put this award money towards engineering a better cervical rehabilitation product to reduce pain and improve function.”
– Brad Walker, CEO, OWLInc.
Photon Biosciences, LLC. – https://photonbiosciences.com
Originally formed as a Washington State University start-up, Photon Biosciences, LLC has received Phase I funding from the National Institutes of Health SBIR program (NIGMS SBIR) and a GAP grant from the Washington Research Foundation to develop our core technologies and commercialize a variety of product lines for the biomedical research community and biotechnology using an entirely new class of genetically expressible phosphorescent proteins.
“With the LSWI Matching fund we will upgrade our cryo-microscope to add additional capabilities.”
– Chandima Bandaranayaka, CEO, Photon Biosciences, LLC.
Plurexa LLC. – https://plurexa.com/
Plurexa’s goal is to make therapeutics innovation faster, cheaper, and easier by leveraging the power of human mini-organs: three-dimensional structures that capture key features of human organs in the convenient form of a petri dish. Currently we are targeting specialized proteins called myosins, which shape and strengthen cells, to treat polycystic kidney disease, a disorder in which tiny tubes expand into balloon-like cysts.
“Funds will be used to demonstrate proof of concept and further validate the therapeutic hit compound, laying the brickwork for deeper drug development efforts.”
– Benjamin Freedman, Co-founder CSO, Plurexa LLC.
Remmie Health Inc. – https://remmiehealth.com/
Remmie is building AI ear-nose-throat health solutions with a family digital otoscope for evaluating ear infections, real-time streaming of symptoms with integrated telehealth services, and AI clinical decision support capabilities.
“The funds will allow us to finetune the pilot efforts towards a larger scale rollout for diverting in-person visits to telehealth, for families with young children with chronic ear infections or needing post-ear tube surgery follow-ups in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Washington state. We continue to represent our end-users and advocate for health equity, especially for the under-served communities, often in rural locations, developing countries, or simply busy parents needing support taking care of their children and elderly family members.”
– Jane Zhang, CEO, Remmie Inc.
TopoGene Inc. – https://www.topogene.com/
TopoGene, a UW spinoff, is developing low-cost, ultrahigh resolution DNA arrays for spatial biology and synthetic biology applications.
“We will use the LSWI SBIR/STTR matching fund to cover patent application costs. The IP protection is critical to the technology commercialization.”
– Li Sun, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, TopoGene, Inc.
Virtici LLC – https://virtici.com/
The Virtici team focuses on life’s biggest health challenges, creating and transforming scientific innovations into life changing medical products.
“We are grateful for the SBIR matching funds provided by LSWI, as they will undoubtedly help advance the innovation and development of our gonorrhea vaccine. This support will significantly improve health outcomes and allow us to go beyond what we originally planned in our vaccine development.”
– Neil Fanger, PhD, President & CEO Virtici, LLC.
LSWI thanks all the applicants that applied. Best wishes on your endeavors. Please follow us for additional opportunities.
The date for the next cycle of grants will be posted in January.