CBSA + BIO Host Webinar on COVID-19 Innovation Pipeline

On May 21, Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) partnered with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) to host a webinar about the COVID-19 global development pipeline and how Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem is advancing solutions to address the health crisis.


During the webinar, BIO unveiled a first-of-a-kind, interactive tracker of new treatments and vaccines in the COVID-19 pipeline. The tool identifies funding sources from the onset of each project and pinpoints the locations of companies discovering these important innovations. The tracker also organizes and categorizes projects in ways that will help public and private sector funders more strategically and holistically assess and prioritize programs to speed their advancement. 

Key Takeaways:

  • In the fight against COVID-19, there are more than 500 unique compounds in development aimed directly at the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  • Private-sector innovators are responsible for more than 90% of vaccines and therapeutics in development to protect individuals and communities from COVID-19.
  • More than 70% of COVID-19 R&D is being undertaken by small companies. 
  • More than 50% of this important work originated on American soil. 

During the webinar, participants also heard from leaders in Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem about how their innovative technologies are supporting the response to COVID-19.

  • Brava Diagnostics and MBio Diagnostics are collaborating to advance the development of their point-of-care immunoassay to detect COVID-19 and their human-host biomarker assays to help direct treatment decisions for COVID-19 patients.
  • PharmaJet is expanding manufacturing capacity for their needle-free vaccine delivery system and partnering with biopharmaceutical companies on over 14 COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
  • Terumo BCT received the first device FDA Emergency use Authorization (EUA) to treat acute respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients. In addition, the company’s Pathogen Reduction Technology System is being used to treat convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients in parts of the world.

Thank you to our speakers for sharing the solutions being developed and deployed by life sciences innovators in Colorado and around the world.

Thank you to BIO for their partnership on this event.

For those who were unable to join the discussion, you can watch the full recording here.

Categories: CBSA News