BISMARCK – Nine grants have been awarded totaling $4.9 million to foster the growth of the bioscience industry in North Dakota., according to Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.

Organizations receiving grants are:

– Genovac Antibody Discovery, LLC, $1.45 million to support the commercial development and production of multiple therapeutic, diagnostic and research antibody products.

– SafetySpect Inc, $1 million for several hardware and software improvements to the CSI-D platform to enable it to be used commercially.

– Agathos Biologics, $900,000 to create new materials and methods for research and biomanufacturing and use them for drug development to address unmet medical needs and increase the availability of genetic medicines to more patients.

– Lincoln Therapeutics, LLC, $712,000 to develop intranasal ketamine as a safer, fast acting, non-addicting analgesic to improve battlefield pain management.

– Checkable Medical, $300,000 to run a clinical study to support the first over-the-counter test for Strep A.

– Krampade, $200,000 to manufacture a high protein, high potassium powdered drink mix.

– National Agriculture Genotyping Center, $125,000 to upgrade the current biotechnology used for variety identification and certification of spring wheat and barley.

– CorVent Medical, Inc., $113,000 to enhance an existing ventilator product, demonstrate feasibility and build prototypes for testing and validation.

– WoundExam Corp., $100,000 to develop WoundAssure, a multi-mode imaging technology that will monitor changes in wounds in patients at high risk of complications from diabetic ulcers. Grant applications were reviewed and scored by a committee made up of Goehring, a representative from the bioscience association of North Dakota and a representative from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.