Oragenics CEO Stepping Down
UF Innovate | Accelerate Sid Martin graduate company Oragenics announced on Monday that their CEO, Kimberly Murphy, would be stepping down. Murphy and the company said they had come to a mutual separation agreement. The board appointed Michael Redmond, company president, as interim "principal executive officer".
Murphy served as CEO since June 2022, and the company said the decision was not the result of a disagreement. She has been on the board for Oragenics since 2020 and previously served as vice president of GSK, where she helped develop vaccines for influenza and shingles.
Oragenics, Inc. Preparing for Phase II Clinical Trials To Treat Concussion
UF Innovate | Accelerate Sid Martin graduate company Oragenics announced the approval of Phase II clinical trials for their novel drug-device aimed at treating mild Traumatic Brain Injury, or concussion. The drug is delivered to patients as a powder through the nose, and Phase I studies showed the drug to be safe and well-tolerated. In animal testing, the drug improved behavioral outcomes including memory and motor performance in subjects with brain injuries.
UF Accelerate Alumni RTI Surgical Acquires Cook Biotech
UF Innovate | Accelerate alumni company RTI Surgical, a surgical implant company, has acquired Cook Biotech, a life sciences company based in West Lafayette, Indiana. The company is part of Cook Group, a diverse company employing 12,000 people around the world.
RTI Surgical specializes in allograft tissue processing and sterilization, innovation, regulatory know-how, and reliable manufacturing methods. The company will be combining this with Cook's cutting-edge devices that convert porcine tissue into xenograft biomaterial in order to create the best care for patients.
Axogen Announces Plan for CEO Leadership Transition
UF startup and UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech alum Axogen, Inc., a global leader in developing and marketing innovative surgical solutions for peripheral nerve injuries, today announced that President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Karen Zaderej plans to retire from the company by January 2025.
The University of Florida, Concept Companies, and Trimark Properties Join Forces To Make Gainesville’s Innovation District a Major Economic Hub
The UF Board of Trustees is partnering with Concept Companies and Trimark Properties to expand Gainesville's Innovation District with 13 acres of land in the development pipeline.
The plan aims to boost the Innovation District's presence as a place for new ideas and thriving new companies. From AI to BioTech, these new spaces will allow innovation to thrive in Gainesville and across the UF campus.
First Case of Accelerated Healing of a Recalcitrant Diabetic Ulcer Using Purified Amniotic Fluid
Neobiosis LLC, a client of UF Innovate | Accelerate @Sid Martin Biotech, recently presented the first case of accelerated healing of a diabetic ulcer using purified amniotic fluid. This research poses the use of this fluid as a possible treatment method for diabetic foot ulcers, one of the most painful complications of diabetes, and a difficult one to treat.
Oragenics, Inc. Announces Private Placement
Oragenics, a UF startup, is partnering with healthcare investors. They've privately placed 404,728 shares of common stock and 404,728 shares of Series E Mirroring Preferred Stock to fight infectious diseases, including coronaviruses.
Tech Tuesday: Neobiosis
We talk with Dr. Ian White of Neobiosis, a biotech company with a passion around regenerative medicine. With the tagline "Regenerative Science", they're commitment to finding innovative solutions for a multitude of fields.
Hack #9| Entrepreneurship is Boundaryless
#9 Hack of The Week emphasizes the importance of collaboration, global networking, and embracing the entrepreneurial ecosystem to foster innovation and resilience. It highlights real-world examples, such as the rental umbrella service in Tokyo and the airport operations industry's successful recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
MLM Biologics Developing Wound Infection Prevention Device for Military
MLM Biologics Inc., a graduate company of Sid Martin Biotech, has been awarded nearly $1.5 million by the US Army to develop a device that prevents infection in battlefield wounds. The device will utilize MLM Biologic's collagen processing and stabilization technologies. The focus is on preventing infection in complex, traumatic injuries in austere environments. The company plans to incorporate their proprietary technologies and proven anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial components, with potential civilian use in the future.
