Bethesda, MD — The Mid-Atlantic Bio conference today announced that the North Carolina Biotechnology Center has joined the Virginia Biotechnology Association (VABIO), Tech Council of Maryland (TCM), and Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) as a 2012 strategic partner.  The addition of North Carolina to the Mid-Atlantic Bio geography solidifies the conference’s position as the leading regional life-sciences event.  Expected to attract more than 1000 attendees from industry, government, academia, the investment community and the media, Mid-Atlantic Bio is 2012’s can’t miss event.  Mid-Atlantic Bio will be held on September 27-28 at the North Bethesda Marriott and Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

In announcing their partnership, Norris Tolson, President & CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, said, “The Mid-Atlantic region and its portfolio of federal government, emerging company and investment sector assets holds great potential for the life sciences.  North Carolina, which has fostered unprecedented growth through three decades of attention to biotechnology, is delighted to join forces to promote the continued expansion of the sector and strength of the region.”

Bioscience industry leaders from North Carolina’s Research Triangle will join senior executives from more than 200 companies, 50 investment funds and researchers from the Mid-Atlantic region’s top academic institutions.

“Mid-Atlantic Bio is an important expression of the vitality of the biotechnology community in the mid-Atlantic region,” said H. Thomas Watkins, President and CEO, Human Genome Sciences, and Chair of the Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board.  “We look forward to expanding regional participation to include North Carolina, and we expect this year’s meeting to provide evidence of a gradually improving economic outlook in the life sciences sector.”

With the addition of North Carolina to the existing collaboration between Maryland and Virginia, Mid-Atlantic Bio 2012 will expand the critical mass of innovators and entrepreneurs that make it a destination for investors.

According to David Mott, General Partner, NEA and former CEO of MedImmune, “As investors, we’re about ROI.  From our perspective, a larger event, one that draws attendance from leading industry clusters and centers of excellence – both in and outside this region’s footprint – as well as offers unparalleled access to policymakers in Washington, is a unique and valuable conference platform.  The 2012 Mid-Atlantic Bio is well positioned to provide key insights for investors as to the pulse of the industry – from policy to pipelines.  This means more VCs, more investment opportunities, more high value attendees from the private and public sectors, more media, and more clarity as to what’s going on in Washington.  In other words, this is where business from Maryland to North Carolina will get done.”

“If you are searching for business development and investment prospects in today’s resource constrained world, you are going to prioritize where the greatest opportunities are. That’s Mid-Atlantic Bio.  It’s the biotech combine and our members will have their scouts there,” said Julia Spicer, Executive Director, MAVA, which represents 500+ venture and private equity investment professionals with cumulatively more than $90 billion under management.

“Mid-Atlantic Bio has long been a dynamic event thanks in large part to our strategic proximity to key stakeholders from NIH, FDA, NSF, CMS and the U.S. Congress here in our backyard.  Now, with the addition of North Carolina, this event will engage an even broader constituency comprising one of the largest bioscience regions in the nation in terms of innovation and commercial output,” said Art Jacoby, Interim CEO, Tech Council of Maryland.

The multiplier effect of North Carolina’s participation cannot be overstated.  “This partnership represents a rare platform to bring together influential stakeholders for the benefit of our companies and the industry as a whole,” said Mark A. Herzog, Executive Director, VABIO, on behalf of the Mid-Atlantic Bio Coalition.  “Having already offered world-class collaboration, best practices exchange and networking opportunities in the past, North Carolina is the catalyst which will propel Mid-Atlantic Bio, its sponsors and attendees, into the national spotlight.”

Located at the epicenter of biotech R&D, capital and policy, the combined Mid-Atlantic Bio region represents one of the largest industry clusters in the nation in terms of number of companies, size of workforce, funding, innovation, clinical trials and commercial opportunities.

For more information visit midatlanticbio.org

Baltimore — CSA Medical, the Baltimore-based developer of a spray cryotherapy device that freeze and destroy unwanted tissue inside the body, said on Thursday it has raised $20.5 million in its second round of funding, co-led by Intersouth Partners and First Analysis. Other investors in the round included S.V. Life Sciences, Rose Park, and Blue Heron Capital. The company will use the proceeds to fund post-market clinical studies and ongoing development activities. “This partnership and funding will support the launch of our new platform, expanded utilization and further development of new clinical applications,” said CEO Bill Floyd. CSA’s technology is currently being used at more than 80 cancer centers and academic teaching hospitals to treat esophageal disease.
http://www.csamedical.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111215005360/en/CSA-Medical%E2%84%A2-Completes-20.5-Million-Series-Financing

Baltimore — CSA Medical, a Baltimore-based developer of devices that flash freeze and treat diseased tissue inside the body, said on Tuesday it has raised $12.6 million in its first round of funding, which included a new investment from Blue Heron Capital. The company, which said it already is in discussions with investors about a potential second round, plans to use the proceeds to support the launch of its technology platform. The technology, which uses an endoscopic tool to spray extreme cold liquid nitrogen, is currently being used to treat esophageal disease at nearly 80 U.S. cancer centers and academic teaching hospitals.
http://www.csamedical.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/csa-medical-completes-126-million-series-a-financing-with-additional-venture-investment-from-blue-heron-capital-125410798.html

Blacksburg, Va. — Intrexon, a Blacksburg-based life sciences firm developing technology to control the delivery and targeting of cancer drugs, said on Tuesday it has raised $100 million in its fifth round of funding, increasing its total backing to $259 million since 1998. The company said unnamed new investors took the majority of the round, with previous backers, including CEO Randal Kirk and Third Security also participating. Intrexon said the funding will provide working capital for its six commercial divisions — including its newly launched AgBio and Animal Science divisions — as well as help it expand its core UltraVector technology platform. “The success of the raise, including the valuation that Intrexon was able to attain, speaks strongly in favor of our business model and the opportunity that synthetic biology represents,” said Kirk. The closing of the round comes just weeks after the company completed acquisitions of Agarigen and Neugenesis.
http://www.dna.com
http://www.dna.com/20110531

Rockville, Md. — Supernus Pharmaceuticals, a Rockville-based specialty pharmaceutical firm developing treatments for disorders of the central nervous system, said on Friday it has raised $42 million through a pair of transactions. The company said it generated $27 million from the sale of its TCD Royalty unit, as well as another $15 million from the issuance of venture debt. Supernus said it will use the proceeds to prepare for the commercial launch of its two lead product candidates in epilepsy, as well as to further develop its pipeline. “We have been able to raise more than $165 million through a series of five non-dilutive financing,” said Jack Khattar, the company’s president and CEO.
http://www.supernus.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120106005025/en/Supernus-Pharmaceuticals-Raises-42-Million-Prepare-Launch