12 N.H. biomed firms win U.S. grants

Twelve New Hampshire biomedical companies have been awarded a total of $2.6 million in grants to help develop new medical therapies.According to U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the grants were created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as part of the Therapeutic Discovery Project program, which is designed to help small biotechnology companies in New Hampshire and across the country produce new and cost-saving therapies. “New Hampshire has long been a leader in the development of cutting-edge medical technologies and therapies,” said Shaheen. “These grants will make sure that these innovative companies and entrepreneurs can continue to grow and invest, which will keep our state competitive in this emerging industry and create jobs for New Hampshire families.”Shaheen said the Therapeutic Discovery Project is designed to aid projects that show significant potential to produce new therapies, address unmet medical needs, reduce the long-term growth of health care costs or advance the goal of curing cancer within the next 30 years.The grants cover up to 50 percent of the cost of qualifying biomedical research and are only available to firms with fewer than 250 employees. To provide an immediate boost to U.S. biomedical research and the small businesses that conduct it, the grants are effective for investments made in 2009 and 2010. The companies receiving grants are: • Adimab Inc, Lebanon • Allyon Solutions LLC, Hanover • Alternative System Concepts Inc., Windham • Balch Hill Medical Inc, Hanover • Celdara Medical, Lebanon • Design Mentor Inc, Pelham • ImmuRX: Lebanon • Kaonyx Labs LLC, Durham • Mantis Enterprises LLC, North Hampton • Microwave Imaging System Technologies Inc., Hanover • Novoculi Inc., Hanover • Xemed LLC, Durham — JEFF FEINGOLD/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW