What’s Inside: FDA Authorizes Updated COVID-19 Vaccines; Biocom California Welcomes New Board of Governors Members; Latest News in Bioprinting; and more.

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What’s Happening at Biocom California

Top Gun of the Boardroom

On September 8, our president and CEO Joe Panetta will receive the Community Impact Award amongst other 2022 Director of the Year honorees that are being recognized by the Corporate Directors Forum during their annual awards dinner. All honorees are nominated by their boardroom peers and have contributed in extraordinary ways to San Diego’s growth as a region.

New Members Added to Board of Governors

We are proud to announce that two industry leaders have joined our board of governors: Hala Madanat, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation at San Diego State University, and Thomas A. Briggs, partner at Jones Day, “As the life science community flourishes and evolves, it’s important we continue adding passionate and knowledgeable individuals to our board who can help us continue to support and meet the needs of the industry,” said Joe Panetta, Biocom California president and CEO. 

The advent of 3D printers has been a game changer for everyone from DIY project lovers to healthcare and foodtech companies, and the possibilities of what can be made with the machines are seemingly endless. In the biotech world, 3D printing can create living tissues, cells, and even organs. Earlier this summer, a team of surgeons successfully implanted what it says is the first 3D-printed ear onto a patient. Here is a roundup of our member companies who are continuing to innovate in the burgeoning field of bioprinting. Featured members include: Organavo; Prellis Biologics; UC San Diego; Viscient Biosciences; Advanced Biomatrix; and Johnson & Johnson.
 

Policy Perspective

CMS Hosts National Stakeholder Call on Inflation Reduction Act

On August 25, CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure hosted a national stakeholder call to discuss CMS’s implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The sweeping tax and climate measure signed into law on August 16 also allows Medicare to set prices for certain drugs. Discussion topics included how the IRA will impact the agency and its beneficiaries with respect to prescription drug pricing negotiations and capping the monthly cost of insulin. 

FDA Authorizes Updated Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines

The updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, which have been authorized for use as a single booster dose, contain two mRNA components of the virus: one of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and one in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant. Based on the data supporting each authorization, the bivalent vaccines are expected to provide increased protection against the currently circulating omicron variant and will be available to Americans in the fall.

Privacy Law Changes Could Pose Compliance Challenges

The California Legislature did not advance bills to extend important sunsets in the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), meaning provisions that exempt employee information and business-to-business transaction information will expire on January 1, 2023, subjecting all information to the provisions of the law. This means companies should build CCPA compliance programs for their human resources information and business transactions before the new requirements go into effect. All companies are strongly advised to consult legal counsel and make their best efforts to comply. While legislative action is still theoretically possible before the sunsets expire, it is extremely unlikely that any action is taken in time to make the changes. For more information, contact our Senior Director of State Government Affairs, Fielding Greaves.

California Legislature Rejects Ban on Confidential Settlements

The State Assembly rejected a bill that would ban nondisclosure provisions in settlement agreements where certain conditions were present. The bill fell far short of the votes needed to pass, meaning the long-standing process of entering confidential settlement agreements, which protect company’s intellectual property and ease the burden on courts, can continue. Biocom California and a coalition of trade groups and companies defeated the measure and were strongly opposed all year. For more information, contact our Senior Director of State Government Affairs, Fielding Greaves.

Heather Hutt Appointed Councilmember for LA’s 10th District

Heather Hutt was appointed on August 26 to take over Los Angeles’ City Council District 10 seat vacated by Mark Ridley-Thomas. Hutt has been serving as the seat’s non-voting caretaker and Chief of Staff since Ridley-Thomas stepped down in October. She previously served as State Director for then-Senator Kamala Harris and as District Director for former State Senator Isadore Hall.

UC Plan Update and Community Planning Group Reform in San Diego

A new set of proposed development scenarios will be heard at the University Community Plan Update Committee on September 20. Biocom California staff holds a seat on the committee and is advocating for policies that allow continued growth of San Diego’s life science hub. Community Planning Group reform, Councilmember Joe LaCava’s effort to expand access to local groups that provide input on construction projects, goes to the city council on September 13. 

State Launches First-Ever Housing Policy Review in San Francisco

On August 9, the Department of Housing and Community Development announced it will be conducting a review of housing policy in San Francisco, which according to self-reported data has the longest timelines in the state for advancing housing projects to construction. The process is expected to take at least nine months.

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