From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Leaders of the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub say three of the effort’s main initiatives are “advancing swiftly” as partners leverage state and federal dollars to boost the sector.
Lead partner BioForward Wisconsin yesterday announced projects are underway to drive workforce development in Madison and Milwaukee, bolster statewide networks for biotech startups, and further develop cancer care innovation in Waukesha through GE HealthCare.
The state’s tech hub effort has landed $49 million in federal funding and was provided $7.5 million in matching funds from the state under legislation Gov. Tony Evers signed into law last year.
Lisa Johnson, CEO of BioForward Wisconsin, says the progress being made wouldn’t have been possible without the state support as well as industry partners and higher education. In a statement yesterday, she called the tech hub initiative “a launchpad for advancing national and economic security for the United States through statewide collaboration, job creation, and industry leadership.”
As part of the workforce development initiative getting funding through the tech hub, Madison Area Technical College is leading a regional effort to expand credentialing in biological sciences and training opportunities. Mark Thomas, the college’s chief strategy officer, says the project aims to prepare students and professionals for jobs in the sector.
Under the same initiative, Milwaukee Area Technical College is moving forward with creating a new training facility for the tech hub’s infrastructure and workforce projects, through the ABC Pathways project. Other local groups including Employ Milwaukee are also offering career development and other help to youth and underrepresented groups.
Meanwhile, GE HealthCare is “scaling next-generation oncology care” at its site in Waukesha with support from the state matching funds, the release shows. Along with developing its engineering and product development footprint in Wisconsin, the health technology company says it’s also working with UW-Madison and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin on new cancer care clinical tools.
Shannon Beach, the company’s senior director of global AI and clinical collaborations, highlights the promise of advancing diagnostics and therapies as well as personalized patient care.
“It’s an exciting step toward measurable patient impact,” she said.
See the release and get more information on tech hub projects here.
— Madison-based Axio BioPharma has announced a new partnership with a Missouri company called Likarda Inc. aimed at improving the drug development process.
Under the new effort, the companies will integrate Likarda’s drug delivery technology with Axio’s “biomanufacturing” protein production operations, according to the release. While Axio will use Likarda’s products for encapsulation and controlled release of medicine, its own manufacturing capabilities will be offered to Likarda’s clients.
Justin Byers, CEO of Axio BioPharma, says the move will help customers “move faster and make better decisions” by bringing the new technology into the development process.
“By aligning earlier on both delivery and manufacturing, we reduce friction, shorten timelines, and provide integrated solutions that truly support our clients’ goals,” he said in a statement.
Axio BioPharma’s clients include early-stage biotechnology startups as well as large pharmaceutical companies, and its contract manufacturing and development services are focused on therapeutics and research materials.
By incorporating AI into process analysis and improvement, the business aims to speed up the development cycle for its clients, according to Byers. It launched last year and was raising funding earlier this year as part of an effort to expand production capacity.
Financial details of the new partnership were not disclosed.
See more in the release below and listen to a podcast from earlier this year with Byers.
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