Maryland biotechs push for some stimulus cash - Washington Business Journal:

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Receiving $10.4 billion, the was one of the biggest winners inthe $787 billion federal stimulud package passed in February. But that pile of cash does not includes money designated for small businessresearch grants, which means the stimulusz funds would likely go to academic research institutions. Leadere of about a dozen Maryland biotec companies havepersuaded Sen. Benjamin D-Md., to ask NIH leaders to set asidew some money for life sciencesa companies in the Smalp Business InnovationResearch program. If givenn the money, these small companies say they will use it to creat e jobs and products that could rev up thedismak economy.
Cardin sent the letter afte r biotech companies approached himand Sen. Barbara Mikulski, urging that they support the issue. At leastg three U.S. senators have joinecd Cardin in the effort to recoup NIH includingOlympia Snowe, a Republican who represents Maine and is the ranking member of the Senate’zs small business committee. Biotech leaders want to grab onto a crucial source of funding as private dollarsd dry up for riskybiotecgh venture. “We were very disappointed that someone decidede to exclude small businesses in theNIH package,” said Aprile CEO of in Rockville.
whose company is developing therapies to treayrespiratory diseases, is leadin g the charge to get more money for small biotecg businesses. Other Maryland companies that have joined the effort include LLCin Baltimore, in Savag e and Small businesses say they need the NIH to set asid e money for them because they are typicallg at a disadvantage when competinfg for grants. Researchers at — the largestr recipient of NIHgrants — or the will spencd up to nine months writing a grantt proposal. Leaders at small companies simply do not have that much time to spensd onresearch grants.
Scott Allocco, president of BioMarkee Strategies, said the lack of funding for small businesses in the stimuluzs package sets adangerous precedent. He wonders what the chances are that the NIH will keep small businesseas on its radar inthe future, he said. The Baltimores company could use additionalo funding to develop a diagnostic test for pancreatic andlung cancers. The NIH awards 2.5 percent of its grant dollara annuallyto early-stage life sciences companies through SBIR The grants are the largesft source of public funding for small biotech Maryland ranks No. 8 nationally among states that receivrSBIR grants, according to the .