Monthly Archives: March 2011

Link: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110325005594/en/SpecMetrix-Systems-Sensory-Analytics-Named-Technology-Year

March 25, 2011 11:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SpecMetrix Systems from Sensory Analytics Named Technology of the Year

PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SpecMetrix® systems from Sensory Analytics, LLC have been named Technology of the Year by the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators at their 2011 Annual Management Meeting. According to the five-member judging panel, “SpecMetrix systems are a major step forward” and predicted that “these new tools will impact an extremely broad segment of the converting industry.”

“these new tools will impact an extremely broad segment of the converting industry.”
.Greg Frisby, Industry Manager of Sensory Analytics said “Sensory is honored that our exclusive SpecMetrix In-line and Lab systems have been recognized by the leading global coating, laminating and metalizing trade association as their Technology of the Year. The proven ability of SpecMetrix systems to help manufacturers and converters reduce their coating related costs while increasing production throughput and quality have helped to drive Sensory’s rapid expansion within these important markets.”

All SpecMetrix systems deliver precise, real-time coating thickness and film weight measurement results with no contact with coatings or substrates. SpecMetrix systems provide a new non-contact and non-radioactive means to measure wet or dry UV coatings, hard coats, adhesives, varnishes, barrier coatings and other finishes on films, coated papers, foils, metals and other substrates and can help to reduce the environmental footprint of manufacturers.

About Sensory Analytics

Sensory Analytics is a fast-growing leader in the development of cost-saving coating thickness and film weight measurement solutions for coating, converting and process control applications within the global metal and flexible packaging, industrial coating, cleantech, solar and aerospace markets. The company’s exclusive SpecMetrix systems deliver real-time coating measurement and process validation of thin films and coatings in QA labs and during coating and production processes.

The company will be exhibiting its award winning systems in Booth # 950 at the upcoming International Converting Expo (ICE) Show, being held April 6-8, 2011 at the OCCC in Orlando, Florida. For additional information on the company’s innovative cleantech offerings or to explore development opportunities in support of the global expansion of SpecMetrix systems, please visit Sensory Analytics at www.sensoryanalytics.com.

About the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators

AIMCAL is an international, non-profit trade association that represents converters of metallized, coated, and laminated flexible substrates and their suppliers. The expanding group is headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA. Information is available on-line at www.aimcal.org.

Contacts
Sensory Analytics, LLC
Greg Frisby, 336-315-6090
Greg.frisby@sensoryanalytics.com
Fax: 336-315-6030

http://www.arbovax.com/press_details.asp?id=10

Novel Approach Yields Promising Results in Primate Trials

October 12, 2010, Raleigh, NC – Arbovax, an early-stage company developing vaccines to protect against insect-borne diseases, has just passed a significant milestone in the development of a new Dengue fever vaccine with the successful completion of non-human primate trials. The initial trial, which was focused on Dengue 2 serotype, has yielded promising results and has the potential to provide protection with one dose – unlike other technologies under development that require a multiple dose regimen. The trial was conducted with the assistance of RxGen and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

Arbovax’s unique strategy for vaccine development is based on their proprietary Host-Range Mutation technology, which restricts the ability of the virus to replicate in diverse hosts. With this technology, Arbovax has been able to create stable genetic modifications of the viruses that do not replicate efficiently in mammalian cells, thus allowing for the development of a strong immune response without the risk of disease. Another benefit of Arbovax’s approach is that it is very cost effective to produce.

“We are extremely excited by these positive early results and are moving forward with development of a tetravalent product,” states Malcolm Thomas, president and CEO of Arbovax. “We believe our unique and novel approach represents a real breakthrough in vaccine development that will provide strong and lasting protection with a single dose.  In addition to providing protection against the potentially fatal Dengue fever, our technology could be used to address a whole variety of insect-borne viral diseases, including West Nile, Yellow Fever and Japanese Encephalitis.”

About Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a potentially fatal mosquito-transmitted viral disease.  There has been a significant increase in cases over the last sixty years based on the changing global climate and rapid urbanization, making Dengue fever one of the most important re-emerging infectious diseases

–          Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), a potentially lethal complication, was first recognized in the 1950s.

–          Over 2.5 billion people, two-fifths of the world’s population, are now at risk.

–          The disease is now endemic in more than 100 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-east Asia and the Western Pacific.

–          In 2007 alone, there were more than 890,000 reported cases of Dengue Fever in the Americas.

–          An estimated 500,000 people with DHF require hospitalization each year.

–          About 2.5% of those affected die, a very large proportion being children.

–          Without proper treatment, DHF fatality rates can exceed 20%.

About Arbovax

Arbovax is engaged in preclinical development of vaccines for protection against mosquito-borne diseases that collectively infect over 100 million people annually. Arbovax’s initial focus, Dengue Fever, is ranked second only to Malaria by the World Health Organization, for its devastating global impact. The company’s research and development has already yielded three US patents that apply to all insect-borne viruses including alphaviruses, bunyaviruses and flaviviruses. The company has received more than $400,000 in funding from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, as well as $1.5 million in Series A financing.

For more information about Arbovax and their vaccine technology, please visit www.arbovax.com.

LINK:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/03/prweb5171384.htm

Dr. George Rappard’s Site is cleared to begin enrolling patients in new study. This clinical trial is the first U.S. study involving the use of the patient’s own stem cells, infused into the brain as a regenerative therapy, two weeks after a stroke.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) March 18, 2011

“ALD-401 will be delivered about two weeks after a stroke; therefore for the first time, we are investigating a treatment option that we can extend to a broader number of patients without racing against the clock…”

Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/print-edition/2010/11/26/piedmont-pharma-sells-vet-technology.html

Premium content from The Business Journal – by Matt Evans, Staff writer

Date: Friday, November 26, 2010, 6:00am EST

Read more: Piedmont Pharma sells vet technology toBayer | The Business Journal

Piedmont Pharmaceuticals has sold a technology it developed that will help dogs and cats take chewable medications to the German veterinary health care giant Bayer, according to company officials.

The deal includes two additional products that are in late-stage development, but no further details about the terms of the deal or the products involved could be released, said Michael Kelly, Piedmont Pharma’s chief financial officer.

“But this is a very sizeable deal for us ultimately,” Kelly said. The revenue generated “allows us to continue to develop the strong portfolio of products we have.”

In a statement, Jean-Luc Lowniski, the head of Bayer Animal Health, said the three products his company acquired from Piedmont Pharma will enable a new range of products for companion animal health.

“With this platform technology and access to two products already in advanced development, we will complement our internal R&D efforts and expand our portfolio of offering to veterinarians and our customers,” Lowinski said.

The primary technology involved in the deal is for a chewable medicine application for dogs and cats, which has proven challenging for veterinary drug developers, Kelly said. Heartgard, a heartworm prevention medicine developed by Merial, is an example of a chewable medicine for dogs, but most medications need to be hidden in other foods or forced on the animal.

Kelly said the technology Piedmont Pharma sold to Bayer had tested to be highly palatable to both dogs and cats, and it can be used to administer a number of different kinds of medications.

“It’s a very versatile formulation,” he said.

Bayer bought the technology outright from Piedmont Pharma rather than licensing it, Kelly said, so that company now owns the intellectual property behind the chewable formulation. But Piedmont Pharma will remain involved, helping Bayer to commercialize products and continuing development of the two other technologies.

Piedmont Pharmaceuticals has hired two new employees to help manage the product development process with Bayer. The company now has 11 full-time employees.

Kelly said Piedmont Pharma will continue to develop human health-related products, including its pesticide-free head lice treatment that has helped the company land several million dollars in equity investments in recent years.

But Kelly said the market for sales of animal health products to veterinarians and for parasite-fighting medications tops $3 billion a year in the U.S., and could be where Piedmont Pharma sees most of its future growth.

“Animal health will dominate for us in the future,” he said.

Reach Matt Evans at (336) 370-2916 or mlevans@bizjournals.com.

Read more: Piedmont Pharma sells vet technology to Bayer | The Business Journal

Link: http://www.techjournalsouth.com/2011/03/bioptigen-raises-1-5m-for-opitical-imaging-system/

March 8th, 2011

Link: http://www.pehub.com/97117/boathouse-capital-invests-91m-in-two-companies/

Boathouse Capital, a Wayne, Penn.-based middle market mezzanine debt and equity investor, has put $9.1 million in two software companies: Tampa, Fla.-based Pilgrim Software Inc., and Charlotte, North Carolina-based AvidXchange. Specific terms of the two deals were not released. Pilgrim Software makes compliance and risk management software. AvidXchange is a provider of accounts payable management software.

PRESS RELEASE
Boathouse Capital, a middle market mezzanine debt and equity investment fund located in suburban Philadelphia, is pleased to announce the funding of two new portfolio companies.

Pilgrim Logo
On February 14, 2011, Boathouse invested in Pilgrim Software, Inc. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Pilgrim has provided compliance and risk management software to companies in highly regulated industries for nearly twenty years. Pilgrim offers a fully integrated suite of enterprise software to hundreds of blue-chip customers in the life science, food and beverage, and manufacturing industries. The company’s software helps companies facing complex and burdensome regulation – particularly within the life sciences and healthcare industries – manage an increasingly complex regulatory and compliance environment. Pilgrim boasts industry-leading customer satisfaction and retention rates and has received numerous awards for its product suite, including Frost & Sullivan’s Enterprise Compliance & Quality Mgmt Company of the Year for three years in a row. Customers have the option of purchasing Pilgrim’s software under either a perpetual license with annual maintenance model or under a hosted Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription model.

Boathouse’s investment in Pilgrim took the form of a subordinated debt and was made in conjunction with the purchase of the company by Boston-based Riverside Partners, a middle market private equity firm focused on growth oriented companies primarily in the healthcare and technology industries. Riverside’s acquisition was made in partnership with the Pilgrim management team and founders of the business. The Corporate Finance Group of Silicon Valley Bank provided a senior revolving credit line and term loan to the transaction.

On November 22, 2010, Boathouse invested in AvidXchange, Inc. Founded in 2000 and based in Charlotte, North Carolina, AvidXchange is a leading provider of accounts payable management solutions for hundreds of mid-sized companies in the real estate, banking, and healthcare industries. AvidXchange’s product suite integrates with a customer’s existing accounting systems to centralize and streamline accounts payable workflow. AvidXchange enjoys outstanding customer satisfaction and retention rates. AvidXchange offers its software on a hosted Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription basis.

Boathouse made a subordinated debt investment in AvidXchange, and the proceeds were used to facilitate AvidXchange’s acquisition of certain assets of EnergySolve, a complementary energy payables management software and consulting company based in New Jersey, and also to fund future growth initiatives.

About Boathouse Capital
Headquartered in Wayne, PA, Boathouse Capital manages a $105 million committed fund and seeks to invest mezzanine debt and equity in high quality lower middle market companies in partnership with management teams and private equity funds. We invest up to $10 million in companies with EBITDA of at least $2 million that have with top quality management teams, sustainable competitive advantages, a history of profitability, and end markets that can weather cyclical downturns.

Our principals have a combined 50+ years of lower middle market investing experience and have deployed over $1 billion as a team. Boathouse was founded in 2008 on a foundation of fair dealing, hard work and the belief that the best deals are those grounded in trust and common goals. Boathouse does not strive for returns at the expense of others; we believe that the best strategy is one in which everybody wins.

With these two investments, Boathouse has now made a total of six new platform investments since August 2010. Details on the rest of the portfolio can be found on our website at www.boathousecapital.com