Press

This is an article about portfolio company, Shoulder Innovations.

Holland, Michigan-based Shoulder Innovations, LLC has received FDA clearance for its InSet Plus™augmented glenoids for the InSet™Total Shoulder System.

The system, says the company, is “used to treat significant disability in degenerative, rheumatoid and traumatic disease of the glenohumeral joint and avascular necrosis of the humeral head. The InSet™System includes patented inset glenoid technology, originally innovated by Stephen Gunther, M.D. The new InSet Plus™ glenoids feature an angled articular surface and are available in both 5° and 10° variants with multiple diameters.”

Don Running, vice president, Research and Development for Shoulder Innovations explained, “The key to the long-term clinical success of the InSet™glenoid has been both the unique flat back design and novel bone pocket created in the fossa to allow for a secure fixation that is ‘set in’ the subchondral bone.”

View source version on ryortho.com: https://ryortho.com/breaking/fda-510k-clearance-for-shoulder-innovations-inset-plus/

This is a press release about portfolio company, SkySpecs.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SkySpecs, leading provider of Operations & Maintenance solutions for the wind energy industry, today announced that it's closed a $17 million series C round. The Ann Arbor-based company experienced a heavy-growth year, tripling its staff, significantly building out its solutions offerings for the wind energy industry, and reaching a landmark 30,000 fully autonomous inspections. SkySpecs set its sights on using technology like AI, machine learning, robotics, and software, to optimize operations & maintenance in order to enable better decision making about repairs and proactive planning. Their mission is to continue driving change in the renewable energy sector such that technology and automation enable higher levels of global accessibility.

The round was  led by McRock iNFund LP, an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) venture capital fund managed by McRock Capital.  Other new investors in the round included Equinor Energy Ventures, and

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Akadeum Life Sciences, Inc. announced an initial close of its Series A financing. The company is pursuing additional investment before final close during Q1 2020. These funds will enable Akadeum to focus its commercial adoption on how to solve longstanding problems in sample preparation.

The investment includes several Michigan-based angel groups in addition to venture groups—such as University of Michigan MINTS—as well as Bay Area-based Berkeley Catalyst Fund, which invests in life science and material science companies. Ted Hou, managing director of Berkeley Catalyst Fund, said, "Akadeum becomes just the second investment for us outside the Bay Area because we believe they have the team, the technology, and the approach to seize multiple market opportunities."

Concurrent with this round of funding, William Hyun joined Akadeum's Board as a Series A Director. A respected expert in both research and clinical technology development, Dr. Hyun is recognized for his ability to identify biotechnology opportunities in transformative markets. Dr. Hyun said, "Multiple market segments have been waiting for and are in need of a next-generation isolation solution, and Akadeum has that solution. That is why I'm a repeat investor and

NEW YORK – Computational technology company Nvidia has acquired sequencing analysis software developer Parabricks. Terms were not disclosed.

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang announced the deal Tuesday on stage at the company's GPU Technology Conference China. 

Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Parabricks has developed technology that leans on graphics processing units to accelerate the analysis of whole genomes to less than one hour. A partnership with DDN Storage yielded 100x acceleration of precision medicine workflows, Parabricks said in 2018.

In 2020, Parabricks is set to release companion technology accelerating single-cell and RNA analysis, according to Nvidia. 

"We are excited to have the Parabricks team join NVIDIA and double down on providing fast and accurate genome analysis tools to take genomics to the next level," Kimberly Powell, Nvidia vice president of healthcare, said in a statement.

"Our focus has been on speeding up [genome analysis] applications and making them enterprise-grade, push-button solutions," added Parabricks Cofounder and CTO Ankit Sethia. The tie-up with Nvidia, which offers both GPUs and artificial intelligence, will allow the company to "transform traditional analyses such as variant calling and others in the overall sequencing workflow."

Shoulder Innovations announced today that it won FDA clearance for its InSet Plus augmented glenoids for the InSet total shoulder system.

The Holland, Mich.-based company’s InSet system is designed to treat significant disability in degenerative, rheumatoid and traumatic disease of the glenohumeral joint and avascular necrosis of the humeral head. Shoulder Innovations said its product is supposed to simplify shoulder replacement technology.

With the new InSet Plus augmented glenoids, the system includes an angled articular surface. The glenoids are available in both 5° and 10° variants with multiple diameters, according to a news release.

The InSet Shoulder System demonstrated improved stability with an 87% reduction in implant micro-motion when compared to standard glenoid design, according to data published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (JSES). The results also found no complications, no cases of glenoid implant loosening and no revision surgeries at the mean 8.7-year follow-up.

“We are excited to see the InSet glenoid product line expanded to include our InSet Plus glenoid,” Shoulder Innovations chief commercialization officer D

Orbion, Michigan-based space propulsion startup has now been made a new partner by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Orbion has signed a research contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate. The deal is specifically aimed at helping the DOD enhance the resiliency of the U.S. systems in space.

The interesting thing is to see how Orbion’s propulsion technology can be applied to DOD satellites when used in large constellation forms. The propulsion system would provide those satellites appropriate thrust while in orbit and do so cost-effectively. In a press release announcing the news, Orbion CEO, Brad King, said that volume is a strategy when it comes to fortifying the U.S. systems in space against potential foreign attacks.

Words from Orbion CEO

 According to King, by building and deploying small satellites in large numbers with low cost, the U.S. can improve the resilience of space systems. He stated, “Orbion is developing mass-production techniques to build propulsion systems for commercial customers. With this research contract, we are investigating how or if our manufacturing processes must be modified to meet DOD requirements”.

Three months ago Orbion secured $9.2 million in Series A funding, which they planned to use in mass-producing plasma thrusters for small satellites. Orbion’s thrusters are based on a phenomenon known as the Hall-effect. The thrusters use an electric field to accelerate their propellant and create thrust. The hall-effect thruster

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tetra Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for patients with cognitive impairment and memory loss, today announced a poster presentation at the 12th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Meeting (CTAD) being held in San Diego, from December 4 – 7.

The poster, titled “Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blocking Agents Reduce Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriasis,” highlights data from a retrospective population-based study of 56 million patients in which inflammatory disease in the body is shown to increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease and that risk can be reduced in these patients by treatment with a TNF blocking drug. The study was conducted in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University.

“Our analysis demonstrates the value of a large, population-based database covering 20% of the entire US population. We find that inflammation in the body increases risk for Alzheimer’s disease across multiple diseases involving the joints, the gut and the skin,” said Mark E. Gurney, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tetra Therapeutics and co-author of the study. “The study further indicates that the risk for Alzheimer’s disease can be reduced in patients with rheumatoid ar

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autobooks is a small business payment and accounting platform integrated within a financial institution’s digital banking experience. Today, the company announced that it has been named to the Benzinga Fintech Listmakers and acknowledged for outstanding performance in the best new product category.

.@Autobooks_ announced that it has been named to the Benzinga Fintech Listmakers and acknowledged for outstanding performance in the best new product category.

To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Benzinga honors winners for the advancements their companies are making in financial technology. The Benzinga Fintech Listmakers are comprised of 150 carefully vetted and renowned companies and executives who are striving to revolutionize the fintech industry. From deeply established companies to the newest startups, this group is impacting sectors like payments, banking, investing, technology and financial literacy.

The list of carefully selected companies will be honored each year as Benzinga continues to highlight the fintech industry’s most innovative minds. Jason Raznick, CEO of Benzinga, said, “We’re recognizing the companies that will define the future of our fina

HOUGHTON, MICH.

Just two years ago, Orbion Space Technology was a start-up company. Since its incorporation, Orbion has skyrocketed with an increasing amount of recognition.

Orbion was recently named Up and Coming Company of the Year by the Michigan Venture Capital Association. Earlier this year, Orbion also won the Excelerate Michigan Innovation competition, which is an award to the best technology start-up company in the state of Michigan. That award came with a $500,000 prize.

In August of this year, Orbion announced it had raised $9.2 million in Series A funding to mass produce its Aurora plasma thruster systems for small satellites. The funding was led by Material Impact, a venture capital firm focused on investing in innovating technologies and also include Invest Michigan, Invest Detroit, Wakestream Ventures, Ann Arbor SPARK, and Boomerang Catapult.

"That's a recognition that we're growing, and growing fast," Brad King, Orbion CEO and co-founder, told The Daily Mining Gazette of the company's awards, "and we have a lot of visibility."

Orbion Space Technology is the developer and manufacturer of revolutionary plasma propulsion systems for small satellites. Because of their fuel efficiency, Orbion's thrusters can save spacecraft operators millions of dollars in operating costs, while increasing the value of the spacecraft's data product.

The business spun out of King's research work at Michigan Technological University, where he is a Professor and Director of Research in Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.

Space technology is all the rage these days. But when most people think about it, they picture giant rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, designed to take astronauts to the moon and Mars. It’s one of many amazing breakthroughs for certain. Yet Brad King, CEO and co-founder of Orbion Space Technology, will tell you that’s only a tiny part of what’s coming when it comes to space innovations.

Orbion is a propulsion technology start-up based in Houghton, Michigan. Founded in 2017, the company raised $10 million in funding in its Series A round this past October. They think they’re jumping into the market at just the right time, with potential market opportunities growing substantially. “It’s not inconceivable that in seven years, the business just for small propulsion units will reach the $1 billion mark for annual sales,” he said. “Just last year, Morgan Stanley and Merrell Lynch said that space is the next trillion-dollar economic opportunity.”

The Orbion 20 thruster is designed for small satellite propulsion

Orbion - which was just this week named Up- and-Coming Company of the Year by the Michigan Venture Capital Association - is focused on serving what King says will soon be an enormous market in small satellites. “Framing our whole business and reason for being is ‘New Space,’” he explained. “For the last four

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Provider of popular savings app, Plinqit, taps industry expert in response to rapid growth after institutions see strong customer engagement and significant deposit growth

HT Mobile Apps (HTMA), an innovative FinTech company serving banks and credit unions across the country to easily and cost-effectively introduce new services for attracting and retaining customers, announced Scott Stein as Senior Vice President of Sales to support the growing consumer demand for its solutions, including its popular Plinqit savings platform.

Stein brings more than 30 years of corporate strategy, sales, marketing and operations experience to HTMA. Formerly a founding member of Silicon Valley-based Rasna Corporation (later purchased by Parametric Technology Corporation), Stein has proven experience rapidly growing start-ups, increasing his previous company’s revenues to $20 million within a fe

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Detroit-based fintech recognized for transforming small business banking services

Autobooks is a small business payment and accounting platform integrated within a financial institution’s digital banking experience. Today, the company announced that it has been named one of two winners of Forbes’ Under 30 Summit Startup Pitch Competition.

As Forbes’ largest annual event, the 2019 Forbes Under 30 Summit hit record attendance with more than 9,000 people joining together in Detroit from Oct. 27th to 30th. Partners, analysts, and associates from 33 venture firms heard pitches from the 154 startups that competed, before selecting the top five to compete for the chance to win a $250,000 media package. Autobooks’ Kyle Bazzy competed on the mainstage during a five-minute pitch competition followed by a Q&A in front of ThirdLove’s co-founder and CEO Heidi Zak, Rock Ventures’ executive vice president Dhani Jones, Shutterstock’s founder and CEO Jon Oringer, and Yale University’s Sterling Professor of economics Robert J. Shiller.

Powered by 

Genomenon® announced the release of Mastermind® version 2.0 today. The Genomic Search Engine now includes the ability to search the entirety of the genomic literature by phenotypes (symptoms). This new functionality will further accelerate diagnosis of patients with genetic and rare diseases.

Patients, particularly those with rare diseases, don't always have a name for their condition. This makes it very difficult to diagnose and treat their disease. The ability to search the genetic literature by symptoms (following the Human Phenotype Ontology, or HPO) helps clinicians narrow their diagnosis to the appropriate disease and treatment.

Genomenon's Mastermind Genomic Search Engine is the world's largest and most complete source of genomic evidence. Doctors and researchers use Mastermind to find the scientific evidence relevant to their patients' DNA profile for diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations. The new release of Mastermind includes a more streamlined search function to help doctors more quickly scour through the millions of research articles to find cases that match their patients' genomic profile and symptoms.

The ability to search by phenotype was the top feature requested by the children's hospitals and genetic testing labs that use Mastermind

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Milford Bank announced today that it will offer Plinqit, a brandable, savings app and the only savings tool that pays users for engaging with content, helping customers save money and increase financial wellness.

“With Plinqit, we can provide customers a digital experience that helps them save while also providing them with The Milford Bank’s personalized customer service”

Established in 1872, The Milford Bank was formed to serve the financial needs of its customers and its community. Since the beginning, the bank’s goals have not changed. When The Milford Bank wanted to provide a cost effective, simple way for customers to sav

Novel Akadeum microbubble technology can be the answer to improved quality and reduced costs across multiple fields of testing.

October 30, 2019, Ann Arbor, MI – Akadeum Life Sciences, Inc., an Ann Arbor-based biotechnology company, announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with Agilent Technologies, Inc. to work toward a new method of isolating target molecules for detection. Akadeum aims to disrupt the status quo in isolation technology with their buoyant microbubbles. Notably, Akadeum is the first company to commercialize buoyancy-based cell isolation with their growing portfolio of human and mouse cell enrichment kits for immunology researchers. In addition, the same technology can be leveraged to improve isolation workflows and capabilities for target molecules such as DNA, protein, microbes, and others; which, Akadeum is developing through strategic partnerships.

“Sample preparation is a critical, yet often undervalued, step in most analytical assays. Often, the task of sample preparation employs decades old technology that is manual, time-consuming, and resource-intensive," said Brandon McNaughton, CEO of Akadeum Life Sciences. “Akadeum was founded to bring simple and superior isolation solutions to a variety of industries through our buoyancy-based microbubble technology and we are excited to be starting work with Agilent to explore new applications.”

Agilent, an early investor in Akadeum, has engaged in this collaboration with the

Fusion Coolant Systems, manufacturer of an advanced coolant and lubrication system called “Pure-Cut™,” has seen some of the largest automotive, aerospace and medical device manufacturers around the world come through their doors. The global emphasis on sustainable development has played a dynamic role in Fusion’s recent success, with companies looking for a cleaner, safer and more efficient alternative to traditional cutting fluids. With multiple customer visits scheduled every week, Fusion has expanded their facility and capabilities to set them up for long term success.

Expanded Customer Center

With a rapid increase in customer demand, Fusion has responded by expanding their Customer Center in Canton, Michigan. “We have added more machining capacity, doubled the size of our facility and expanded our research efforts into different materials and operations” said Brian Ahlborn, President and CEO of Fusion. “We also installed a larger recycled CO2 tank to support the additional machine tools. It’s large enough to provide for future expansion as well” The additional infrastructure will support both customer test applications and internal research development.

In the last year, Fusion has seen their Customer Center grow to three machine tools, and a fully integrated, advanced CO2 unit that can handle up to 10 Pure-Cut™ boxes. “The CO2 infrastructure we installed at our own facility is very similar to what our customers install at their sites” said Scott Jones, Dire

ONL Therapeutics Announces First Patient Treated in Phase I Study with ONL1204

ONL Therapeutics transformed into a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with first-in-human study

ANN ARBOR, MI – October 23, 2019

ONL Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for protecting the vision of patients with retinal disease, today announced that the first patient has been treated in the company’s First-in-Human trial with its lead drug candidate ONL1204. The study is being conducted in Australia at leading clinical research centers in Sydney and Melbourne. The study will assess four different doses of ONL1204 and is designed to demonstrate safety and tolerability of the investigational drug in patients with a macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

“This is a transformational step for our company with the announcement of our first patient being treated with ONL1204,” commented David Esposito, CEO of ONL Therapeutics. “I want to thank our dedicated team, our investors, and retinal surgeons around the world who have been seeking a therapeutic intervention to support improving the outcome of the current standard of care surgery for macula-off RRD. We look forward to working with retinal specialists to utilize our Fas inhibition platform to protect the vision of patients with retinal disease.”

ONL1204 has been granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of retinal detachment by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is emba

This press release is submitted and shown here in its original form, unedited by Furniture Today.

After Generating Millions in Incremental Revenue for its Furniture Clients, Expands into Store and Outbound Channels

This press release is submitted and shown here in its original form, unedited by Furniture Today.

After Generating Millions in Incremental Revenue for its Furniture Clients, Expands into Store and Outbound Channels

ANN ARBOR, MI – October 16, 2019 – Shoptelligence announced today that its AI-Powered platform has consistently proven its ability to increase revenue per buyer by over 30% and has delivered millions in incremental revenue for its Top 100 furniture retail clients. This milestone is an important one for Shoptelligence as the platform officially launched at the October 2018 High Point Furniture Market and is now expanding its offerings to deliver similar results in-store and via outbound marketing.

The SaaS platform provides the assistance of an interior designer at every customer touchpoint, helping the shopper find the right item then reasoning like a designer to curate interactive cross-category room assortments specific to that shopper’s style and the room they are furnishing. Shoptelligence’s unique ability to combine inspiration and assistive selling has increased its clients’ online revenue by 2.7%, with purchases that result from the interactions accounting for 13% of total client online revenue. In an era where retail traffic is down, retailers must g

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (PRWEB) OCTOBER 16, 2019

Ripple Science, a SaaS company accelerating clinical research, will attend the SaaS CXO summit in San Antonio, Texas. The SaaS CXO Summit is an opportunity for executives, venture capitalists, corporates, and sponsors to network, matchup and share best practices.

Ripple Science CEO Peter Falzon explains, “Attending the largest gathering of SaaS ecosystem participants in the Midwest further expands the opportunity for Ripple to achieve fundraising goals in less than the anticipated timeframe.”

Ripple Science is currently seeking a lead investor for a two-million-dollar seed round. The CXO Summit begins on October 22.

About Ripple Science:
Ripple Science accelerates clinical research with its secure, HIPAA-compliant suite of tools. By adapting sales and marketing automation to the process of patient recruitment, Ripple helps our customers recruit more participants, faster and reduces patients lost to follow-up.
Ripple Science’s flagship product, Ripple, is currently being used by research investigators at more than 100 academic and research centers around the world, including Johns Hopkins University, Pennsylvania State University, University of California Los Angeles, the Brain Research Foundation Canada, University of East Anglia (UK), Cognito Therapeutics (Boston, MA) and the University of Michigan.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.ripplescience.com

Orbion appoints Greg Orndorff as Vice President of Business Development

HOUGHTON, Mich., Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orbion Space Technology, developer of next-generation smallsat propulsion systems, today announced the appointment of Greg Orndorff, Vice President of Business Development.

Greg is an aerospace industry veteran with over 30 years of experience across various leadership roles in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Most recently, Greg was Vice President, Government Systems at Vector Launch—responsible for developing a New Space commercial launch initiative for the United States Government. Prior to Vector Launch, Greg held executive and senior management roles at SGT, Inc., the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (Space department), Northrop Grumman, and Orbital Sciences Corporation. Greg is a former United States Air Force Officer where he performed tours in operations and acquisition of space systems.

“Until Orbion instantiated electric propulsion for the New Space architectures, small satellite developers were limited on system choices, had to wait forever, and paid an arm and leg for them,” said Greg Orndorff, Vice President of Business Development, Orbion Space Technology. “I am excited to join the Orbion team to help deliver its vision of cheaper, faster, and better access to space for the next generation of space

It feels like the cure for every problem these days is mediation. Feeling anxious? Meditate for 20 minutes a day. Need help falling asleep? Again, meditate. Feeling lost and disconnected? You get the point. But whether you're new to meditation or just looking to feel more peaceful in your everyday life, a cramped and chaotic apartment can seem like an enormous roadblock. Sure, it's ideal to retreat to an empty, sun-drenched room to do your morning meditation or a lush backyard where you can surround yourself in nature every day. But we're happy to report that you can still curate a mindful meditation space even in the most cramped, eclectic, and chaotic of dwellings. Here are some hacks to create a conscious corner for you and your practice.

Genomenon® announced today at the American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting (ASHG) a partnership with SOPHiA GENETICS that includes incorporating the Mastermind® Genomic Search Engine into the SOPHiA Platform and the Alamut Suite. The partnership puts the most up-to-date genomic research at the fingertips of clinical researchers performing genomic analysis worldwide.

The SOPHiA Platform is the technology of choice for streamlined Data-Driven Medicine, including clinical-grade genomic analysis, interpretation, and reporting. SOPHiA has been adopted by 1,000 healthcare institutions to date and analyzed more than 420,000 genomic profiles - 16,000 new profiles processed each month. The Alamut Suite powered by SOPHiA is a decision-support software designed to explore and investigate variations of the human genome. Alamut helps clinical researchers in the complex tasks of genomic variants annotations, filtration, and exploration.

With the addition of Mastermind, users of both technologies will be able to quickly access the genomic evidence associated with human variants, shortening the search time required to interpret a variant and assess its pathogenicity.

This partnership will allow SOPHiA’s users to see a wider picture of the detected

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autobooks is a small business payment and accounting platform integrated within a financial institution’s digital banking experience. Today, the company announced that Derik Sutton, vice president of product & experience at Autobooks, has been elected to serve on the Association for Financial Technology’s (AFT) Web Board. Sutton previously served as vice-chair of the organization’s Digital Experience Group (DEG).

.@Autobooks_ announced today that @deriksutton was elected to serve on @AFTWeb's Board.

Founded in 1972, AFT is the premier resource for networking and professional development for companies and executives serving the United States financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, lenders and payment companies. The association represents members within every area of technology, data or services needed to help financial institutions succeed in today’s dynamic marketplace. Leading financial technology companies from around the world meet twice a year to discuss industry-wide issues and collaborate on solutions.

Brian Otte, president of Association for Financial Technology and director of sales for ProfitStars ®, a division of Jack Henry & Associates, In

DETROIT – Twenty-four semi-finalists were announced Monday for the 10th annual Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition where the top prize is $350,000.

The semi-finalists were drawn from nearly 300 registered companies. These semi-finalists will have the opportunity to meet-on-one with investors to discuss their business proposals. Judges will then select six finalists to present live at a seated dinner to more than 400 investors, entrepreneurs and community leaders on November 13 at the State Savings Bank in Detroit. 

“The selected semi-finalists showcase the momentum of Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem over the past decade,” said Martin Dober, senior vice president and managing director of ID Ventures. “Each year, we see more incredible talent and companies that are transforming the way legacy industries operate. We are proud to support the development of these Michigan-based companies that will continue to drive our economy and shine a national spotlight on the innovation happening in the state.”

 The pitch competition supports Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their companies to investors while building connections with entrepreneurs, business acceleration resources and experts in their sector during carefully curated individual meetings. Since its launch in 2010, Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition semi-finalists have created over 1,300 jobs and attracted more than $900 million in additional investment. Top awards include a

Lead candidate ONL1204 advances into Phase I clinical study in retinal detachment in Australia

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ONL Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for protecting the vision of patients with retinal disease, today announced the initiation of the company’s First-in-Human trial with its lead drug candidate ONL1204. The study is being conducted in Australia at leading clinical research centers in Sydney and Melbourne. The study will assess four different doses of ONL1204 and is designed to demonstrate safety and tolerability of the investigational drug in patients with a macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

“Today marks a major milestone in the history of ONL Therapeutics as we transition into a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company,” commented David Zacks, MD, PhD, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ONL Therapeutics. “We see great potential in the role of Fas inhibition to protect the vision of patients with retinal cell disease, and our first-in-human study with ONL1204 helps build the foundation to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients.”

ONL1204 has been granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of retinal detachment by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company is embarking on a Series B round of financing to continue funding its clinical development plans for ONL1204 and expand the development

SALINE, MI -- What started as a physician’s idea to help protect patients’ teeth has grown into a decade-old business that supplies oral safety equipment to sports teams all over the country.

Saline-based Akervall Technologies marked its 10-year anniversary last month, celebrating the successful development of an idea to create a more manageable mouthguard.

Read the full article in the MLive: https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/10/saline-maker-of-breathable-mouthguards-celebrates-10-years.html

GreenMark BioMedical Inc. 

Oct 02, 2019, 17:30 ET

EAST LANSING, Mich. and ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GreenMark Biomedical Inc. today announced it has been awarded a $1.5m Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to further develop its patented nanoparticle-based dental technology for detection of early-stage dental caries. The 2-year project involves collaboration with dental and biomaterials experts at the University of Michigan, Creighton University, Tufts University and University of Colorado, and is being funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

GreenMark BioMedical Inc.

GreenMark's diagnostic product identifies early tooth decay known as dental caries that, if left untreated, may form into cavities. Identified caries can then be treated non-invasively without filling or surgery, reducing the need for costly dental procedures. GreenMark's core technology utilizes bioresorbable starch-based nanoparticles which degrade into harmless materials by the time the patient is ready to leave the dental office.

"Effective management of dental caries, which affects well over 90% of the world's population, is characterized by detection of early lesions and accurate diagnosis of caries activity," explains Dr. Brian Clarkson, B.Ch.D., L.D.S., M.S.,