ROCKVILLE, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SYNAPS Dx (SDx), a privately held company focused on the research, development and commercialization of diagnostics for neurodegenerative disorders and conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), announces the close of its Series A $10 million investment, including private equity, individual and family funds, and corporate investors. Proceeds will be used to scale-up production and meet market demand for DISCERN™, the first autopsy-validated, highly accurate, minimally invasive test for the definitive diagnosis of AD versus other forms of non-AD dementias and those with AD and other degenerative pathologies. As payers examine the cost and impact of new drugs and therapies for AD, DISCERN is positioned as a critical, essential component of patient-centric, value-based strategies.

Frank Amato, CEO and president, SDx, says, “Following decades of research and development, including the involvement and dedication of leading, world-class scientific research teams, statisticians and analysts, we are thrilled to close our series A financing. Investor receptivity and confidence in our breakthrough solution allows us to bring a timely, accurate diagnosis of AD to the marketplace. As we meet a significant unmet market need to potentially reduce the economic burden of AD across the healthcare system, our market entry could not have come at a better time — as demand for early-stage diagnosis is at an all-time high. The emergence of new drugs and therapies has intensified payer focus on approving and prescribing the most appropriate, cost-effective treatment.”

There are approximately 500,000 new cases of dementia each year in the United States, with about 2 million patients in years 0-3 of the disease at any given time. Competitive barriers to entry include the SDx strong global IP portfolio and autopsy-validated clinical data, which takes many years to collect and confirms that the test is highly accurate with 95% sensitivity/specificity for diagnosing AD.

Dr. Daniel Alkon, chief scientific advisor, SYNAPS Dx, explains, “DISCERN reflects 30 years of research at the National Neurologic Institute, NIH to map the molecular pathways that create memory with mechanisms that are conserved across evolution, i.e. from marine snails progressing through mammals, with confirmation provided by a collaboration with the Harvard Brain Bank. This research demonstrated that the protein PKC-Epsilon is a Synaptic Growth “Master Switch” for memory formation. Furthermore, for more than a decade at the Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, researchers conducted a series of human subject studies—culminating in autopsy-validated trials—and correlated AD-specific changes to the PKC-Epsilon cascades, which could be identified through deficiencies in skin fibroblast networks.”

Alkon says that the R&D showed that AD often presents with the loss of recent memory with phenotypical expression taking place in the brain, but also with pathophysiological expression peripherally. “This research, which has been published in over 300 peer-reviewed papers, resulted in the development of three SDx AD biomarkers that accurately identify and distinguish AD. These results were validated using the NIH ‘Gold Standard’ of dementia in life and autopsy confirmation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Because so many people are touched in some way by AD, we hope DISCERN will help guide drug discovery, development, and dosing, and, thereby, enhance peace of mind to more patients and families.”

About SYNAPS Dx

SYNAPS Dx is privately held company focused on the research, development and commercialization of diagnostics for neurodegenerative disorders and conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease. The Company offers DISCERN™, the first accurate, minimally invasive test for the definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) versus other forms of dementia. SYNAPS Dx’s laboratory in Rockville, MD is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) as qualified to perform high complexity clinical laboratory testing.  

The Maryland Technology Internship Program (MTIP), funded by the State and administered by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) was created to help retain Maryland’s top tech and life sciences talent. This goal is achieved by increasing the number of paid internships offered in the state.

MTIP offers technology and life science-based businesses and state/local agencies reimbursement for 50% of their internship payroll costs (up to $1,800 for first semester and $1,200 for subsequent semester – maximum $3,000 annually). To be eligible for MTIP funding assistance, the employer, internship position and intern hire must meet the requirements below:

Employer Criteria:

• • Be located in Maryland.
  • Be a technology-based business, or a state and local agency offering a technical internship.
  • Submit a MTIP Application along with a paid, technical internship position for review and approval.
  • Employ an intern who meets the MTIP funding eligibility below.
  • Participate in an online orientation and complete a short post-internship survey.

MTIP provides resources that help employers design an internship program, and recruit interns. Please click the following link for access to these resources: https://mtip.umbc.edu/employers/resources/

Internship Position Criteria:

• • Have an identified staff member who serves as the intern’s supervisor and mentor.
  • Provide a physical work-space in Maryland.  (Due to COVID-19 precautionary measures, remote internships for Maryland organizations are also temporarily approved.)
  • Include a substantive project for the intern.
  • Provide a minimum of 120 hours of work per semester (over 8-15 weeks in the fall, winter, spring, or summer).
  • Pay at least the current state minimum wage.

Intern Hire Criteria:

• • Current college student, with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above, who is attending a Maryland higher education institution.
  • Current college student, with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above, who is Maryland high school graduate attending a higher education institution outside of Maryland.
  • Graduate (within 12 months) of a Maryland higher education institution.
  • Maryland resident, with a 2 or 4-year degree, who has been honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, The National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces within the last 18 months.

MTIP is now accepting applications for Spring 2022. Please visit https://mtip.umbc.edu/ to learn more about the program. For questions about MTIP, please contact Annie Weinschenk, Assistant Director – MTIP at 410-455-2216 or mtip@umbc.edu

The DLOC will have one-on-one assistance with submitting applications for disaster loan assistance. Eligible jurisdictions in the Washington Metropolitan Area include Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; the District of Columbia; and Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties in Virginia. Qualifying incidents must have occurred between August 31, 2021 and September 4, 2021. The SBA encourages impacted businesses of all sizes, non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters to visit the DLOC to have questions answered about the program.

Interest rates for this loan program are as low as 2.855 percent for businesses, 2 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.563 percent for homeowners and renters, with repayment terms of up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are established by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

• Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets
•  For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by a declared disaster
• EIDL assistance is available for businesses that sustained physical property damage and/or economic damage
• Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property

Montgomery County DLOC

Location:

Twinbrook Library
202 Meadown Hall Drive,
Rockville, MD 20851

Dates/Hours of Operation:

Monday, October 25, 2021 — 12:00pm to 6:00pm

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 — 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 — 10:00am to 6:00pm

Thursday, October 28, 2021 — 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Friday, October 29, 2021 — 10:00am to 6:00pm

Saturday, October 30, 2021 — 10:00am to 2:00pm

Sunday, October 31, 2021 — CLOSED

Monday, November 1, 2021 — 10:00am to 6:00pm

Tuesday, November 2, 2021 — 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 — 10:00am to 6:00pm

Thursday, November 4, 2021 — 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Friday, November 5, 2021 — 10:00am to 4:00pm (the Montgomery County DLOC will close permanently on November 5 at 4:00pm)

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 25, 2021 – PediaMetrix Inc., a tenant of the Rockville Innovation Center received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SoftSpot^TM, a cross platform software solution for infant cranial evaluation at the point of care. The FDA clearance demonstrates SoftSpot’s safety and efficacy for infant cranial measurements using a smartphone.

“This is an important milestone for PediaMetrix and we see great potential in now bringing this innovative technology to pediatricians in the US and around the world”, said Fereshteh Aalamifar, PhD, President & CEO of PediaMetrix. Currently, pediatricians are not equipped with any tool for quantitative measurement of cranial shape and only perform visual assessment. They refer parents of children at risk to specialists for quantitative measurements, which can cause delays in the early detection and intervention. SoftSpot brings the power of a specialist to a pediatric office using a smartphone.

“Conditions with cranial deformity are on the rise and affect over 20% of newborns. These conditions, including deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly and craniosynostosis, cause an estimated $1B cost to the US healthcare.” said Aalamifar. Using computer vison, AI, and smartphones, SoftSpot will provide pediatric clinicians with the support required to early detect, monitor, and treat head deformities. Patients and their families will avoid intensive and expensive treatments.”

SoftSpot demonstrated over 93% correlation with the standard cranial measurements used for the clinical determination of deformational plagiocephaly and brachycephaly. The technology will be launched in the US during Q4 of 2021.

About PediaMetrix Inc.

Founded by alumni entrepreneurs and scientists from Johns Hopkins, NIH, Oxford, and Princeton, PediaMetrix’s mission is to bring AI and computer vision to pediatrics to lower the healthcare costs and improve outcomes. PediaMetrix’s lead product, SoftSpot, enables early detection and management of the most common conditions with head shape abnormalities in newborns. PediaMetrix is a Delaware company founded in 2018 and currently has 10 full-time and part-time employees. The main office is in Rockville, MD.

Read more about PediaMetrix and SoftSpot at www.pediametrix.com

RESTON, Va., Oct. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -Comstock Holdings Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHCI) announced today the acquisition of The Upton, in a joint venture between CHCI and Comstock Partners, LC, an affiliated, privately-held company. The 15-story, luxury high-rise apartment building is located at 44 Maryland Avenue in Rockville, one block from the Rockville Metro Station in the heart of the I-270 Technology and Life Science Corridor in Montgomery County. Built in 2015, the 263-unit mixed-use property includes approximately 16,000 square feet of retail and a commercial parking garage. CHCI received a $500,000 acquisition fee in connection with the transaction and will also receive investment related income and incentive fees in connection with its equity interest in the asset. In addition, its wholly owned residential, retail, and parking property management subsidiaries will provide management services for the property in exchange for market rate fees.

CHCI will rebrand The Upton, as BLVD Forty Four, with newly renovated amenity areas and signage. The property offers a mix of unit types and floor plans ranging from studio, one bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments with two floors of indoor/outdoor amenity spaces, in addition to an expansive rooftop deck that provides unparalleled views of the skylines of Tysons and Reston, as well as the Blue Ridge Mountains. The retail space is anchored by Panera Bread, WesBanco and World of Beer.

“This acquisition represents our commitment to expansion of our BLVD portfolio of best-in-class mixed-use apartment properties in transit-oriented locations that offer upscale urban lifestyle, proximity to major employment centers and ease of access to downtown Washington, DC and the entire Washington Metropolitan region” said Chris Clemente, CEO of CHCI. “As demonstrated by our ability to entitle, develop, and acquire in-demand real estate assets in areas with barriers to entry, coupled with the significant development pipeline we control in the high growth Dulles Corridor, I am confident that CHCI is well-positioned to continue expanding assets under management and its recent pattern of growth of profitability”.  

Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, Duball, LLC and arranged the debt for the buyer. Jorge Rosa, TJ Liberto, Shaun Weinberg, and Bill Collins handled the sale and Marshall Scallan and Michael Zelin led the financing. Bill Collins commented “The Duball team is a valued client of ours and they did a great job developing The Upton which is a perfect fit for Comstock with their focus on high quality, transit-oriented investments. This is the second large deal we’ve closed with the Comstock team and we’re looking forward to completing more in the future as they accelerate their acquisitions program.” 

This transaction brings CHCI’s acquisition volume of income-producing properties to nearly $400 million since 2019. CHCI’s management expertise of mixed-use residential, retail, and office properties, and commercial parking garage operations makes this latest acquisition an immediately synergistic addition to its managed portfolio. With its continuing focus on such immediately accretive acquisitions as well as continuing development of its extensive controlled development pipeline, CHCI continues to significantly increase its total assets under management in accordance with its long term growth objectives.  

About BLVD Forty Four 

BLVD Forty Four, formerly The Upton, is a luxury 15-story, mixed-use and transit-oriented multifamily community located at the Rockville Metro Station. The property consists of 263 multifamily, approximately 16,000 square feet of street-level retail, and a Park X commercial parking garage that serves BLVD Forty Four and the surrounding community. Built in 2015, BLVD Forty Four’s amenity package includes a lobby with 24-hour concierge service, a modern fitness center with TRX studio, and an expansive penthouse social lounge. The property includes an expansive resort style rooftop deck with multiple social gathering areas, a large swimming pool, multiple grilling stations, and an outdoor television lounge. The property provides residents a number of walkable amenities and accessible community events at Rockville Town Center throughout the year. Residents have access to 180,000 sq. ft. of retail, restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as seasonal festivals, holiday events and the largest seasonal outdoor ice-skating rink in Montgomery County.

Source: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/10/20/2317850/0/en/Comstock-Acquires-The-Upton-in-Rockville-Maryland.html