NEW YORK– Deerfield Management Company, a New York City-based healthcare investment firm, today announced the grant recipients of its XSeed Award, a new program designed to support early-stage life science startups. Each of the five New York City-based award winners, a majority of which were women or other underrepresented founders, will receive a $100,000 grant to further projects focused on infectious diseases.
The 2021 recipients of Deerfield’s inaugural XSeed Award are:
- Dr. Chandrabali Ghose-Paul, Founder and CEO of Bioharmony Therapeutics, for her work with next-gen antimicrobial therapies for lethal, drug-resistant bacterial infections
- Dr. Ashiwel Undieh, The City College of New York, for his work with platform nanotechnology for enhanced formulation and delivery of mRNA vaccines
- Dr. Jonathan Lai, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, for his work with alphavirus-associated arthritis
- Dr. Julie Magarian Blander, Professor of Immunology at Weill Cornell Medicine, for her work with pan-coronavirus vaccines
- Dr. Andras Fiser, Dr. John Blanchard, Dr. Simone Sidoli, and Dr. Johanna Daily, all from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, for their work to identify effective drug combinations for the treatment of K. pneumoniae
“This year has been unlike any other in so many ways, not the least of which is the unprecedented advancement of medical science,” said Joseph Pearlberg, MD, Ph.D., Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Deerfield. “Our inaugural group of XSeed Awardees will support some of New York City’s most talented researchers and scientists with a focus on developing cures for infectious diseases. As we begin to rebound from the pandemic, we cannot become complacent – support for new ideas and vaccines should remain a global priority.”
The XSeed Award was created by Deerfield as a result of the partnership announced in September 2019 between NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Deerfield to develop the Cure life science campus. The 12-story vertical campus is bringing together innovators from academia, government, industry, and the not-for-profit sectors under one roof to advance human health and accelerate the fight against disease. Occupants will benefit from state-of-the-art laboratories, engineering and computing space, as well as amenities and support services.
“New York City has all the critical pieces to become a world-class life sciences hub, including diversity, and it’s imperative that we strategically support underrepresented minority groups to ensure equity throughout our efforts to grow the sector,” said NYCEDC Acting President Rachel Loeb. “Together with Deerfield, we are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs across all sectors and from all backgrounds. This critical financial support complements the services provided within the Cure campus and is a natural extension of our partnership.”
The Cure campus is part of LifeSci NYC, a $500 million commitment to establish New York City as a global leader in the life sciences. The opening of the Cure includes the relocation of Deerfield’s corporate headquarters to the site at 345 Park Avenue South in New York City (from its past location of 780 Third Avenue). With this endeavor, Deerfield has invested to create the transformative life sciences campus. In addition, Deerfield announced its programmatic efforts at the Cure, starting with a virtual lecture series led by experts covering topics, including COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence: Engaging with the Community for Improved Uptake and “Are you OK?” Having Conversations about Mental Health at Work.
“Congratulations to the recipients of the inaugural XSeed Awards! The Life Sciences is a growing industry in New York City, one that can help grow our economy and employment base as we recover from the pandemic. More importantly, we need to continue to ensure that these 21st Century job and entrepreneurship opportunities are inclusive, providing access to innovators from underrepresented communities. I look forward to seeing Deerfield’s initiatives and LifeSci NYC programs catapult New York City to the forefront of innovation and diversity in biotech,” said Councilwoman Carlina Rivera.
“The grants awarded to New York City-based life science startups will bring immense return on our investment. This is a tremendous step forward for developing the life science vertical campus as New York City becomes a global leader in advancing human health and fighting against diseases”, said Council Member Paul A. Vallone.
