Ernest Pharmaceuticals Wins Lever's Western Mass Health Technology Challenge

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BOSTON—Ernest Pharmaceuticals won $50,000 and Organicin Scientific won $25,000 in Innovation Grant funding after competing in Lever's Western Mass Health Tech Challenge.
 
The two startups were selected from among four finalists by a panel of expert judges.
 
The Challenge is funded in part by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MSLC), an economic development investment agency dedicated to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences throughout the state. Lever and MLSC have partnered since 2016, with the Western Mass Health Tech Challenge representing the seventh in a collaborative series of acceleration programs.
 
"The competitiveness of the companies we've seen has increased each year we've run this program," said Lever's Executive Director, Jeffrey Thomas. "To me, this demonstrates the increasing strength of the western Massachusetts startup ecosystem."
 
"We are incredibly proud to see the continued growth of the entrepreneurial community in Western Massachusetts," said MLSC Vice President of Industry Strategy and Investments Carla Reimold, Ph.D. "Organizations such as Lever are key collaborators to supporting our life sciences ecosystem. Congratulations to our winners and the robust pool of startups which competed in this year's challenge."
 
Ernest Pharmaceuticals seeks to create a novel bacterial platform that revolutionizes cancer treatment success through innovations in intracellular macromolecule delivery. They are based in Hadley, Massachusetts.
 
CEO and Co-Founder, Nele Van Dessel said "Participating in the Western Mass Health Technology Challenge enabled us to validate our business model and resulted in many new connections that can push Ernest Pharmaceuticals forward. With the help of this prize, we can perform the necessary safety studies to get our therapies into clinical trials. The Challenge brought us one step closer to our final goal, developing cancer treatments for advanced solid tumors. We are grateful to Lever for this opportunity and their guidance during this competition".
 
Organicin Scientific, Inc. discovers and develops bacteriocins to prevent disease and improve health. In the face of antimicrobial resistance, there is an urgent need for antibiotic alternatives that can mitigate disease challenges, in both agriculture and human health.
 
Both finalists participated in a question and answer session after their presentations with the audience that included Jennifer Griffin, Partner, Strategy & Investor Relations at Mission BioCapital; Jonathon George, Senior Associate at Flare Capital Partners; and Efe Sumer, Senior Investment Associate | Industry Strategy and Investments at the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
 
 
 

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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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