Glyscend was selected as a winner of the Johnson & Johnson World Without Disease QuickFire Challenge and awarded $500,000 for continuing efforts to bring innovative solutions to patients. Glyscend was selected as one of three winners from over 470 applications from entrepreneurs, researchers, and start-up companies from across the globe. Applications were assessed on the quality of technology, value proposition, business and milestone plans, as well as the potential for solutions to cross the pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer health sectors. The official award was hosted by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS, and Janssen Research and Development and announced at Partnering for Cures conference in New York City on Monday, November 14^th.

Maryland-based Glyscend Inc. is developing transformative therapies for metabolic diseases (such as type 2 diabetes and obesity) by reducing the concept of bariatric (gastric bypass) surgery into a pill. While type 2 Diabetes has traditionally been treated with oral and injectable drugs, these therapies compound over a patient’s lifetime causing weight gain and potentially leading to greater insulin resistance. Bariatric surgery has been shown to have a profound beneficial effect, not only on obesity but also on type 2 diabetes independent of weight loss. Based on the insights from these surgeries, Glyscend is developing the first orally-administered intestinal barrier which mimics the intestinal bypass portion of bariatric surgery, thus providing the therapeutic benefits of this surgery in a pill form. Glyscend has roots in the Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design (CBID) program at Johns Hopkins University.