Daily Business Report-March 19, 2018
Mayor Kevin Faulconer receives Forge-branded pitchfork from Forge Therapeutics CEO Zak Zimmerman. (Photo courtesy of World Trade Center San Diego, affiliate of San Diego Regional EDC)
Forge Therapeutics Expands
Footprint in San Diego
San Diego-based Forge Therapeutics, a biotech startup combating antibiotic resistant “superbugs,” is doubling its local footprint and is the newest tenant at Alexandria Real Estate’s Torrey Ridge Science Center. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held March 12 at the center.
The biotech startup’s expansion is due in part to an international deal signed during a World Trade Center-organized trade mission to the U.K. in October 2017
In London, CEO Zak Zimmerman announced a partnership with the U.K. team at Evotec, dubbed the BLACKSMITH platform. The international partnership allows Forge to work around the clock to brings its life-saving science to market.
In the U.S. alone, more than 23,000 die annually due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or ‘superbugs.’ Forge Therapeutics is changing that through the creation of a novel class of antibiotics that are targeting gram-negative bacteria, a class of bacteria with ‘bulletproof’ membranes that are resistant to traditional antibacterial interventions. The secret behind the life-saving science lies in metal-dependent enzymes or metalloenzymes. Zimmerman’s team has assumed the role of the blacksmiths of modern medicine; they are using chemistry to target these naturally occurring metals that help combat antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Forge’s expansion comes at a time when telling the story of innovative, expanding companies is more important than ever.
“The national rhetoric around trade has not made it easy for businesses to create international partnerships, but supporting local companies as they expand overseas leads to economic growth and creates jobs here in San Diego. I hope that success stories, like Forge’s and other groundbreaking companies in San Diego, can help change that,” said Rep. Scott Peters.
“By expanding its footprint and doubling its workforce, Forge is strengthening our city’s reputation as a leader in medical research and innovation. Success stories like this demonstrate how important it is that we are creating the kind of environment where companies like this can grow and thrive,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
___________________
Alan Nevin Receives International Fellow
Award from Lambda Alpha International
Alan Nevin, director of economic and market research for San Diego-based Xpera Group, has received the International Fellow award from Lambda Alpha International (LAI), the honorary society of distinguished professionals in all fields related to the use and development of land. Nevin is one of only 28 members to be named Fellow in the society’s 81 years. The organization was founded in 1937.
An LAI International Fellow is a member whose efforts have significantly advanced the purposes, organization, or growth of LAI. Nevin is considered the “Dean of Real Estate Feasibility Research” in Southern California. He was elected Fellow during the society’s semi-annual Land Economics Weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Nevin has been a long-time member of LAI, currently serving on its executive board, and previously serving as president of the San Diego chapter. He is the author of “The Great Divide – The True Story of America Tomorrow” and produces the U.S. Economic Forecast.
___________________
Edith Eva Eger: Auschwitz Survivor
A native of Hungary, Edith Eva Eger was just a teenager in 1944 when she experienced one of the worst evils the human race has ever known. As a Jew living in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, she and her family were sent to Auschwitz, the heinous death camp. Her parents were sent to the gas chambers but Edith’s bravery kept her and her sister alive. Today, Eger, a psychologist, is a prolific author and a member of several professional associations. She has a clinical practice in La Jolla and holds a faculty appointment at the University of California, San Diego. She has appeared on numerous television programs and was the primary subject of a holocaust documentary that appeared on Dutch National Television. She will speak at the Leadership Conference March 23 as part of San Diego Women’s Week sponsored by the North San Diego Business Chamber. Women’s Week runs March 19-21-23. Click here for the schedule.
___________________
San Diego State University
Hosts Kyoto Prize Winner
As part of the annual Kyoto Prize Symposium, San Diego State University will host renowned engineer Takashi Mimura, who received the 2017 Kyoto Prize — Japan’s highest private award for global achievement — in Advanced Technology.
Mimura, a Japanese semiconductor engineer, invented the high electron mobility transistor, or HEMT, which has overcome fundamental speed limitations associated with conventional semiconductors. HEMT technology has opened new frontiers in high-frequency electronics for applications ranging from satellite broadcasting and wireless phone networks to automotive collision-avoidance systems, representing a pivotal contribution to information and communications technology.
___________________
Enhance Water Efficiency
During National Fix a Leak Week
As part of national Fix a Leak Week activities that start today, home and business owners across the region can take advantage of free water-use checkups and other water-saving resources offered by the San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies.
WaterSmart Checkups provide site-specific recommendations from certified irrigation professionals to enhance water-use efficiency. Single-family home surveys include indoor and outdoor water-use assessments, while commercial checkups focus on outdoor water use. Property owners decide if and when to make upgrades. Free appointments are available year-round at www.watersmartcheckup.org.
___________________
Freeway Call Boxes Going
the Way of Landline Telephones
SANDAG began removing call boxes along urban highways throughout the San Diego region this month and will continue to do so through June, reflecting a decrease in call volume due to the increase in cell phone ownership.
“It’s a sign of the times,” said SANDAG Vice-Chair and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. “Most people now own cell phones and don’t need a roadside call box in emergencies. The decrease in call volume proves that. It is time to reduce the cost of maintaining call boxes where cell phone signal strength is strong and dependable”
In October 2017, the SANDAG Board of Directors approved a plan to reduce the number of call boxes in the region from 1,259 to 379. The plan calls for removing all urban call boxes and one-third of rural call boxes. In the rural areas, the overall frequency of call boxes will be reduced, while retaining all call boxes in areas where cell phone signals are weak.
Roadside signs will be installed in place of some of the removed call boxes with a message to call 511 for roadside assistance. Motorists can call 511 from a cell phone, say “Roadside Assistance,” and be connected to a live operator, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The call center can handle all languages through a translation service.
