Category Archives: AZBio News

‘Dream Team’ stands up to melanoma cancer

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 December 14, 2011:

Joe Caspermeyer, Biodesign Institute via http://asunews.asu.edu/20111214_melanomadreamteam

ASU’s Deirdre Meldrum and Joshua LaBaer, of the Biodesign Institute, have been named to the new Melanoma Dream Team created by Stand Up to Cancer, the Melanoma Research Alliance and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The collaborative Dream Team project, involving scientists from top research institutions across the country, is focused on developing targeted, personalized therapies for a subtype of skin cancer that is difficult to treat. The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute will lead the $6 million national and international study.Continue reading→

SBIR and STTR Reauthorized for Six Years

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Today the SBIR was reauthorized for a period of 6 years, ending September 30, 2017.  This  includes STTR, and what was the Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP), now to be known as the Commercialization Readiness Program (CRP).  The reauthorization was included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA) HR.1540.

The bill has been sent to the President to sign the bill into law, and he has said he would.Continue reading→

Opportunity to comment on new reporting rule at CMS

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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Contact: CMS Office of Public Affairs
202-690-6145

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SUNSHINE;

RULE INCREASES TRANSPARENCY IN HEALTH CARE

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS ) announced today a proposed rule that will increase public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers.  This is one of many steps under the Affordable Care Act designed to increase transparency in the health care system, which can lead to better care at lower costs.Continue reading→

One step closer on the road to SBIR Reauthorization

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The SBIR/STTR program has not been reauthorized yet but we are one step closer as the December 16th deadline approaches.

Monday (December 12, 2012) word of a Senate/House compromise was announced that may lead to a positive outcome that would reauthorize the SBIR/STTR program for six years.  This would be a huge improvement over the multiple short term extensions we have seen  in recent years. Continue reading→

Making Sense of the Medical Device Tax

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Estimated at $20B, the Medial Device Tax was included in the Affordable Care Act that was signed into law by President Obama in 2010. The amount is based on a 2.3% excise tax that will be levied on the total revenues of a company, regardless of whether a company generates a profit, starting in 2013.

While many industry groups including AZBio, AdvaMed, and MDMA have been sharing information on why this tax is unwise and have worked to explain the negative effects that it could have on innovation and patient care, there is always the possibility that it will not be repealed before 2013.

Ernst and Young recently published a Tax Note on the Medical Device Tax that gives a comprehensive overview of what it is, who it affects and how they will be affected.  The tax note is provided below as published by E&Y and is shared with permission.Continue reading→