Daily Business Report: February 22, 2024
Scripps cardiologist first in county to use
newly approved device targeting
heart cells to treat irregular heartbeat
Scripps Clinic cardiac electrophysiologist Douglas Gibson, MD, has become the first in San Diego County to treat a common irregular heartbeat with newly approved technology that targets specific cells in the heart without damaging surrounding tissue.
The procedure was performed on a 71-year-old San Diego man at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla on Feb. 20, about three weeks after the Farapulse pulsed field ablation system was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The technology had been granted breakthrough device designation by the FDA in 2019, a move that expedited its development and regulatory review.
Scripps was the only regional site to participate in the pivotal clinical trial that led to FDA approval of Farapulse, with Dr. Gibson being the lead investigator. Scripps Clinic cardiologists Nicholas Olson, MD, and Steven Mickelsen, MD, also have significant experience with the technology and will be offering pulsed field ablation to appropriate patients in their clinical practices.
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California voters will decide on Newsom’s mental health overhaul
By Jocelyn Wiener | CalMatters
Fallout from our state’s long history of breaking promises to people with serious mental illness is everywhere. It can be found under our overpasses and in our tent encampments, but also inside our jails and prisons, our emergency rooms, our schools, our homes. It flashes across our public opinion polls, which repeatedly list mental health as a top concern.
Increasingly, it makes its way into our political discourse. Referencing “our broken system,” Gov. Gavin Newsom in recent years has rolled out mental health policies with dizzying speed.
Now he’s promoting Proposition 1, a two-pronged March ballot measure that would fund a $6.4 billion bond for treatment beds and permanent supportive housing, while also requiring counties to spend more of their existing mental health funds on people who are chronically homeless. The measure makes promises of its own. “These reforms, and this new investment in behavioral health housing, will help California make good on promises made decades ago,” Newsom has said.
What are the promises that California has made to people with mental illness over the years? And why are so many people still suffering?
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San Diego County Real Estate Market
Single-family home sales dipped in January;
resales of condos and townhomes climbed
Sales of attached properties in San Diego County, consisting mainly of condominiums and townhomes, saw a welcome pickup in January, while single-family homes sales dipped, according to a reporty by the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors.
Resales of condos and townhouses increased by nearly 6 percent in January, compared to December, and were almost 12 percent higher than January of last year. Single-family purchases, on the other hand, were down 4 percent month-over-month, and 5-and-a-half percent lower than a year ago.
The median price of single-family resale homes in the county increased by 4 percent, to $980,000, which is more than 15 percent higher than last January. The price of attached homes was unchanged over the past month at $650,000 but is still more than 10 percent higher than in January 2023.
The most expensive single-family property sold in January in San Diego County was a home on Ocean Front in Del Mar. Built in 1960, the 2,380-square-foot home features 5 bedrooms, 7 baths, and closed on January 9 for $18.5 million.
California Western School of Law resumes Innocence Work
After a brief hiatus, innocence work has resumed at California Western School of Law (CWSL). Professor Amy Kimpel is still slated to begin her CWSL tenure as associate professor and executive director of California Western’s innocence program on July 1, 2024. In the interim, CWSL has partnered with California Innocence Advocates (Cal-IA) to continue the work of freeing the innocent and preparing zealous legal advocates. Cal-IA is a nonprofit corporation with a mission that aligns with the school’s: to free the wrongfully imprisoned in California, amplify the voices of the innocent, and help rebuild the lives of freed clients.
Megan D. Baca, the founder of Cal-IA, will serve as the interim director and managing attorney for the program, taking over the management of California Western’s innocence services. CWSL administration will be collaborating with Ms. Baca and Cal-IA attorneys to provide ongoing volunteer training opportunities for CWSL students.
Sid Voorakkara appointed to the San Diego Port Commission
Sid Voorakkara, a senior partner at ArroyoWest LLC, a minority-owned small business, has been appointed to the San Diego Port Commission by the City Council. Voorakkara also serves as a commissioner on California’s Commission on Health, Safety and Workers’ Compensation and is a board member at Jewish Family Service of San Diego.
He recently chaired the San Diego City Ethics Commission and was a member of the San Diego Community College Trustees Advisory Council.
San Diego State University to host 2024 STEM Festival
Set for Saturday, March 2, 2024, from 11 am – 5 pm at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego State University will return to the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering — this time, as a platinum sponsor. The free, family-friendly event will feature a range of youth-focused STEM presentations, interactive activities and engaging demonstrations, hosted by SDSU students, staff and faculty.
Science to engage thousands at Super STEM Saturday
Build and launch a rocket, view the surface of the sun, and discover how chemistry is better than magic. These are just a few of the more than 75 hands-on, interactive activities and demonstrations that will engage thousands of attendees at Super STEM Saturday on March 9 at Cal State San Marcos. This rain-or-shine science festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Children of all ages are invited to attend.
Stash McCollough joins The FACE Foundation as executive director
Stash McCollough has been named executive director of The FACE Foundation, a San Diego-based not-for-profit animal welfare organization that provides financial grants for animal owners who are unable to afford the cost of their pet’s emergency or critical care.
With more than 20 years of experience in values-based leadership positions and business operations, McCollough comes to FACE after serving as the director of guest service operations at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Safari Park. A graduate of SDSU’s Fowler School of Business, she has held executive level leadership positions in both non-profit and corporate/private environments, with a track record of successfully scaling businesses through innovative practices that accelerate mission-based reach. Additionally, she spent 10 years working in the Hawaiian Islands.
La Mesa to draft ordinance to reduce single-use plastics
The La Mesa City Council voted on Feb. 13 in favor of drafting an ordinance to reduce single-use plastics in the city. Following in the footsteps of other cities that have implemented ordinances in the county like Oceanside and Carlsbad, La Mesa approved the creation of an ad hoc committee to determine the next steps in addressing single-use plastics, according to Council members Patricia Dillard and Jack Shu. A second proposal brought forward by Dillard and Shu regarding the sale of plastic water bottles at city-sponsored events did not pass.
Cubic awarded contract from Naval Air Systems Command
Cubic Defense has secured a contract to maintain, upgrade and support deployment of the Full Motion Video System, known as KnightLink, for the Naval Air Systems Command’s MH-60 Sierra helicopter fleet. The KnightLink software provides a wide range of capabilities and video support including operational, vendor, flight test, laboratory aid and maintenance. The KnightLink hardware includes the KnightLink Weapons Replaceable Assemblies (WRAs) and applicable cabling.
TSIA announces launch of new TSIA Portal
TSIA (Technology & Services Industry Association), the leading subscription-based research and advisory firm for technology and service organizations, announced the launch of the new TSIA Portal, designed to give tech leaders access to a wealth of career-advancing and proprietary data, research, and insights. While access to the TSIA is free and open to all—members will continue to receive exclusive access to deeper data and insights via research reports, frameworks, and insights.
9amHealth raises $9.5 million in Series A
9amHealth, the leading virtual provider for cardiometabolic health, announced it has raised $9.5 million in a Series A extension round. The financing round was led by The Cigna Group Ventures, with additional support from existing institutional investors, including 7Wire Ventures, Define Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, and Founders Fund. This new capital will fuel 9amHealth’s growth strategy and product roadmap.
Avidity Biosciences’ muscular dystrophy therapy gets FDA OK
Avidity Biosciences Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Rare Pediatric Disease designation to AOC 1044, the company’s investigational therapy for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In addition to receiving Rare Pediatric Disease Designation, AOC 1044 has been granted Orphan Designation by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and Fast Track Designation by the FDA.
nRichDX to debut new products, present new data at San Diego meeting
nRichDX, best known for the development of its Revolution Sample Prep System, will be introducing new products, presenting new data, and exhibiting at the American Association for Cancer Research 2024 Annual Meeting April 5-10 at the San Diego Convention Center. The conference is dedicated to exploring and recognizing the latest discoveries in cancer research. nRichDX will exhibit in booth 3721 and co-present three posters on April 8-9.
TAVO Media Group sponsoring ACG CapCon24
TAVO Media Group, a full-service creative, marketing, advertising, and public relations agency, announced its sponsorship of the Capital Connection at ACG San Diego’s CapCon24 held Feb.21-22 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. This year’s conference promises to be a must-attend gathering for Private Equity firms, IBanks, C-level leaders, and service providers to middle-market companies. TAVO will participate with other conference sponsors, including Comerica Bank, US Bank, The San Diego Business Journal, Hibernia, and more.
Procede Software releases its Excede Barcode Scanning v4.0
Procede Software, a leading heavy-duty commercial vehicle dealer management system (DMS) and solutions provider, announced the release of Excede Barcode Scanning v4.0, which is compatible with Android-based barcode scanning devices. The move is designed to speed innovation and provide customers with a broader choice in the type of hardware they use. Procede will continue to support its Windows-compatible version of the solution, Excede Barcode Scanning v3.0, for customers that prefer to continue using their existing Windows-based devices.
Aya Healthcare receives Best of Staffing Client Award
Aya Healthcare, a large health care talent software and staffing company in the United States, won the Best of Staffing Client Award by Clearly Rated for providing superior service to health care systems and hospitals across the nation. This is the third year in a row Aya has earned this honor, receiving stellar reviews in categories such as easy-to-use technology, robust software features, quality of clinicians provided to the facility, overall fulfillment process and effective and efficient communication.
Resilience expands clinical and commercial drug manufacturing capabilities
National Resilience Inc., a technology-focused biomanufacturing company dedicated to broadening access to complex medicines, announced the expansion of the company’s clinical and commercial drug product manufacturing capabilities across its network. By scaling this capacity, Resilience aims to provide over 200 million units to its partners across its manufacturing network by 2025 in support of multiple modalities and therapeutic indications, including GLP-1.
