Gemstone Biotherapeutics Receives ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund Investment

Baltimore, MD (Aug. 28, 2019) – Gemstone Biotherapeutics, a clinical stage biotech company developing innovative, evidence-based products for scar-free skin regeneration, has received a $250,000 investment from the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø (ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø) ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund. The investment is part of Gemstone’s bridge funding round.
 
Each year, more than 30 million patients in the U.S. need a skin biopsy or excision to diagnose or treat skin disease. Gemstone’s products work with the body’s natural healing mechanisms to restore healthy, stretchy, scar-free skin. The platform technology has the potential to transform the dermatology market with high-impact, functional, and aesthetic benefits for patients and cost savings for the health care industry.

“Gemstone’s platform of technologies is targeting a growing market in a field where advancement has remained largely stagnant for the past few decades,” said Claire Broido Johnson, managing director of the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund. “In supporting this startup we’re investing in entrepreneurship in ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø and the future of healthcare.”

“We are pleased to welcome the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund as a partner in Gemstone’s growth,” said Emily P. English, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Gemstone Biotherapeutics and University of ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø, College Park alumna. “As a ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø alum, I value the connection to and support from the University System as we transition from a preclinical company to a clinical-stage company.”

Gemstone Biotherapeutics Chief Executive Officer Emily P. English, PhD earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from University of ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø, College Park, and Chairman of the Board, David Oros, earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø, Baltimore County. Founded in 2013, the Baltimore-based company is built on an exclusive intellectual property license with Johns Hopkins University.

The $10 million ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund, which was established by the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Board of Regents to support promising commercial opportunities arising from advances in research and intellectual property at ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø campuses, has previously invested in six other startups: , , , , and . The Fund is designed to fill gaps in the funding pipeline to push ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø’s most innovative ideas into the marketplace.


About Gemstone Biotherapeutics
Gemstone Biotherapeutics is a clinical stage biotech company developing innovative, evidence-based products for scar-free skin regeneration. Gemstone’s products have been bioengineered to target the healing cascade that stimulates rapid skin regeneration to restore healthy, stretchy, scar-free skin. The Company’s platform technology has the potential to transform the dermatology market with high-impact, functional and aesthetic benefits for patients and cost savings for the health care industry. For additional information, please visit .

About the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund
The ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund is a new initiative of the ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø (ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø) to provide late seed investment funding for promising technology ventures that come out of any of the twelve constituent ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø institutions, its research parks, and its students, faculty, or graduates. With a $10 million commitment from the System already in place, the Fund co-invests with venture capitalists, foundations, and angel investors.


Contact – ϡȱÁÔÆæÍø Momentum Fund
Claire Broido Johnson
Phone: 410-706-3361
Email: cbjohnson@usmd.edu

Contact – Gemstone Biotherapeutics
Emily English
Email: eenglish@gemstonebio.com

 

Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu