BioNTX BIO BREAK Returns to Fort Worth
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On a beautiful fall evening, the Fort Worth life sciences community came together for an Oktoberfest-themed BIO BREAK at Boehringer Ingelheim, marking our first gathering since the summer hiatus and the 2026 iC³ Summit.
The evening brought a fantastic turnout of industry professionals, partners and friends, reconnecting over great conversations, new relationships and a shared commitment to advancing the North Texas life sciences ecosystem.
A special thank you to our sponsors, RSM and Vista Bank, and our gracious host, Boehringer Ingelheim, for helping make the evening such a success. Their continued engagement reflects the collaborative spirit that makes our community so special.
As we move into the final months of 2026, the momentum is real, and opportunities to connect, collaborate and grow continue across our region.
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Supporting the Next Generation
of Life Sciences Talent
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BioNTX recently participated in UNT's Broaden Your Scope career event, an initiative designed to introduce students to the diverse career opportunities available across the life sciences industry.
The event brought together students and industry professionals to discuss career pathways in biotechnology, diagnostics, research, manufacturing, and other areas that advance human health and innovation. Through meaningful conversations and career exploration, students gained valuable insight into how their scientific education can be applied across a broad range of industries and roles.
BioNTX was proud to support this effort and help showcase the many opportunities available within North Texas' growing life sciences ecosystem.
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UNT Health Fort Worth and BioLabs Partner to
Advance Life Sciences Innovation in North Texas
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UNT Health Fort Worth and BioLabs at Pegasus Park have established a strategic partnership to strengthen collaboration between academic research, biotechnology startups and industry across North Texas. The agreement will support research commercialization, startup growth, workforce development and research partnerships by connecting BioLabs companies with UNT Health’s scientific expertise, specialized facilities and innovation resources.
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BioFuture Conference:
Save $200 on Registration with BioNTX
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BioFuture is designed to spark discussions and collaborations that will help define the next era of healthcare. The conference convenes therapeutic innovators, policymakers, investors, pharma leaders, advisors, and strategic partners for high-level programming, one-to-one meetings, and networking.
BioNTX members can receive $200 off BioFuture registration. Please contact Jacqueline Ho at jho@biontx.org to request the exclusive discount code.
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BIO BREAK: Connect, Collaborate, Innovate
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BIO BREAK brings the life sciences community together for an evening of connection and conversation. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, share insights on emerging trends, and explore ideas driving collaboration and innovation across the ecosystem. The event is designed to strengthen professional relationships and support a more connected life sciences community in the region.
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FORT WORTH
November 3, 2026
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AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo Expand Cancer Drug Collaboration with Summit Therapeutics
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AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo have partnered with Summit Therapeutics to evaluate Datroway, a targeted cancer drug, in combination with ivonescimab across multiple cancer types, including lung and breast cancer. The collaboration is expected to begin with a Phase III clinical trial for first-line triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of breast cancer.
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ClearSight Therapeutics Receives
U.S. Patent Notice of Allowance
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ClearSight Therapeutics, a Dallas/Fort Worth-based company, has received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for its ophthalmic formulation technology using quaternary chitosan derivatives to treat ocular diseases. The allowance covers 26 claims related to composition and methods.
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Colossal Biosciences Wins 2026 Gizmodo Science Fair
for Genetic Engineering Breakthroughs
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Colossal Biosciences was recognized for advances in genomic reconstruction, gene editing, and synthetic embryo development. Its work includes genetically engineered dire wolf-like pups and cloned red wolves designed to restore genetic diversity, with potential applications for endangered species conservation and biodiversity restoration.
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Island Pharmaceuticals Advances Galidesivir
Toward Potential FDA Approval for Marburg Virus
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Island Pharmaceuticals is advancing its antiviral candidate Galidesivir through the FDA’s Animal Rule pathway for Marburg virus. If approved, the drug could qualify for a priority review voucher and potential US government stockpile contracts, creating significant commercial opportunities.
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Johnson & Johnson Reports Two-Year ICOTYDE Results
Showing Sustained Psoriasis Improvement
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Johnson & Johnson announced Phase 3 results showing sustained skin clearance and itch improvement through 112 weeks in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with ICOTYDE. The study found no new safety signals, supporting its potential as a long-term treatment option for adults and adolescents.
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Solaris Endovascular Appoints New Japan
General Manager and Head of Manufacturing
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Solaris Endovascular appointed Eizo Nishimura as General Manager, Japan, and Zaragoza “ZB” Briseño Jr. as Head of Manufacturing to support global expansion and manufacturing growth. The company is also advancing its Solaris DE investigational drug-eluting covered stent, which demonstrated 92.7% target lesion primary patency at six months in the DEScover study.
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Avantor Expands Single-Use
Bioprocessing Solutions Across Asia Pacific
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Avantor is expanding access to its RIM® single-use bioprocessing portfolio across Asia Pacific, offering biopharmaceutical manufacturers regional access to bags, tubing, assemblies, and other manufacturing solutions. The expansion leverages Avantor’s Changzhou, China, facility to support supply reliability and operational efficiency.
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SciSure Partners With Amass to Bring
Scientific Intelligence Into Laboratory Workflows
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SciSure is partnering with Amass to integrate scientific intelligence into its Scientific Management Platform, beginning with its electronic laboratory notebook. The integration enables researchers to connect their experiments with external scientific evidence, including literature, patents, clinical trials, and regulatory information, helping them investigate results, evaluate hypotheses, and guide future research.
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WuXi Biologics Passes FDA GMP Inspection
at China Manufacturing Site
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WuXi Biologics announced that its Wuxi Mashan drug substance and drug product manufacturing facilities successfully passed a two-week FDA GMP inspection. The result reinforces the company’s regulatory compliance record and its ability to reliably supply commercial biologics to the U.S. market.
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TCU Medical Students Share Personal Stories
of Resilience Through Serious Health Challenges
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The Burnett School of Medicine at TCU has launched a video series, “How I Literally Survived Medical School,” featuring students who navigated medical training while living with chronic conditions and facing near-death experiences. The series highlights their personal challenges and the support they received from faculty and staff throughout their journeys to becoming physicians.
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UT Arlington Receives Grant to Develop
AI Tools for Eye Disease Research
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Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington are developing AI-powered tools to identify biological regulators that influence eye health and disease. Supported by a four-year, $1.96 million National Eye Institute grant, the project aims to uncover disease mechanisms and help researchers identify promising targets for future diagnostics and targeted therapies.
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UT Dallas Professor Receives Tech Titans Award
for Nonaddictive Pain Drug Research
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Dr. Theodore Price, director of UT Dallas’ Center for Advanced Pain Studies, received the Technology Inventor Award at the 2026 Tech Titans Awards for his research into nonaddictive pain treatments. His work includes developing MNK inhibitors for chronic pain through 4E Therapeutics, a UT Dallas spinout acquired by Eli Lilly earlier this year.
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UT Southwestern Receives Statewide Award
for Expanding Cancer Screening Access
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Dr. Keith Argenbright, director of UT Southwestern’s Moncrief Cancer Institute, received the 2026 Texans Conquer Cancer Award in Population Health from CPRIT for his leadership in expanding cancer screening and prevention services across Texas. Through community-based programs serving more than 100 rural and medically underserved counties, his team provides screenings to approximately 30,000 uninsured and underinsured Texans annually.
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FUNDING & MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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Brain Research & Innovation Network:
Grant Initiative of Texas (BRING IT)
Applications due November 13, 2026
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The Rainwater Charitable Foundation has launched the Brain Research & Innovation Network: Grant Initiative of Texas (BRING IT) to support brain health and dementia research across Texas. The initiative will provide approximately 20 one-year seed grants of up to $100,000 each to Texas-based academic and nonprofit teams, helping advance promising research and prepare projects for future funding through the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT).
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities
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Venture Dallas 2026 Conference
Venture Dallas brings together founders, investors, and business leaders to showcase the DFW Metroplex as a major innovation hub. The conference features high-level keynote speeches, concurrent panel discussions, curated networking, and live startup pitches
October 22nd | Dallas, TX
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2026 Fall Policy Summit and
Luminary Awards Dinner
THBI's annual Fall Policy Summit is a half-day conference with conversations focused on the latest ground breaking research, state and federal policy initiatives, and updates on what Texas biotech is doing to put patients at the forefront of innovation.
October 23rd | Austin, TX
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MedCity INVEST Digital Health 2026
INVEST Digital Health will bring together healthcare futurists, novel employers, payers, providers, and forward-thinking investors and entrepreneurs
October 29th | Dallas, TX
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The Texas Life Science Forum is the premier life science and healthtech event in Texas that brings together members from industry, emerging life science companies, academic and investors.
November 10th - 11th | Houston, TX
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Thank you for your support!
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