MedImmune's Scott Carmer to chair BioHealth Innovation

Scott Carmer has been named chair of BioHealth Innovation, a new non-profit partnership based in Maryland, US, that aims to support the commercialisation of biohealth innovations and increase regional access to early-stage funding.

Carmer, who is currently executive VP at AstraZeneca's Maryland-based subsidiary MedImmune, will use his experience in healthcare to direct BioHealth's mission to act as an intermediary between government and industry to accelerate local innovation.

It will focus on areas such as biotech, biopharma, medical devices and e-health to boost Maryland's economy.

Richard Bendis, the president and CEO of Innovation America, has been appointed interim CEO of BioHealth.

He said: "[W]hat we need is an integrated commercialisation ecosystem to turn such research assets into economic success by fostering the next generation of 'MedImmunes' here.

“We are grateful for MedImmune's strong support and Scott's leadership to help us advance early-stage research from laboratories to market with the founding of new start-up companies."

As well as his role at MedImmune, Carmer has prior experience at Genentech where he served as VP of rheumatology sales and marketing. Previously he was executive director of global marketing at Amgen. He has also held several positions at GlaxoSmithKline.

Commenting on BioHealth's potential, Carmer said: "Our goal is to better connect the local innovation resources to turn this region into a global biohealth powerhouse that attracts entrepreneurs and investments."

Other members of the board include Dr Kenneth, chair of Noble Life Sciences and Jerry Parrott, VP, corporate communications and public policy at Human Genome Sciences.

Academia and public services are also represented, including Ronald Daniels, president of Johns Hopkins University; William Kirwan, chancellor, University System of Maryland; and Thomas Street, assistant chief administrative officer, Montgomery County, Maryland.