Corporate Report: June 28

Naples' Back to Nature launches non-GMO verified juices
Naples-based Back to Nature Foods Co. LLC plans to release its reformulated line of all-natural 100% juice pouches in stores this summer. The juices will be offered in apple, fruit punch and berry flavors, and the company says all its juices have been verified by the Non-GMO Project. The new juice pouches contain no added sugar, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors.

“We reformulated to create a superior tasting juice and redesigned the packaging to better align with Back to Nature branding across our other categories,” Vincent Fantegrossi, president and CEO of Back to Nature Foods Co. LLC, says in a press release.

Back to Nature Foods Co. is a manufacturer of all-natural and organic cookies, crackers, granolas, nuts, trail mixes and juices.

Sempermed releases technology to dispense single glove
Clearwater glove manufacturer Sempermed USA is introducing a new single-glove dispensing system. The company says the new way in which the disposable gloves are packed and dispensed will reduce waste, wrinkling and clumping.

“Through our personal experiences, we have discovered the market is in desperate need for improved packing methods, and we are happy to be presenting the disposable glove community with the newest technology in glove dispensing,” Brooke Rosenberg, director of marketing, says in a press release.

The new dispensing system is being offered in the StarMed Ultra Nitrile Powder Free Examination brand.

Sempermed USA plans to expand that technology to its Tender Touch Nitrile Powder Free Examination gloves this summer.

Premier Biomedical signs research deal with U.S. Army medical center
St. Petersburg-based Premier Biomedical Inc. has reached a cooperative research and development agreement with the U.S. Army Clinical Investigation Regulatory Office to investigate the company's medical treatments. William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, will be the test site for new treatments focused on preventing suicidal thoughts and clinical depression and therapies for traumatic brain injury-induced illnesses, including posttraumatic stress disorder.

As part of the agreement, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) will have unlimited access to Premier Biomedical's technologies at the original licensing cost for life. At the same time, Premier Biomedical will have direct access to the DOD's technical expertise in advanced modeling and clinical testing.

“Our focus is on isolating the molecular compounds believed to be the pathophysiologic basis of major incurable diseases,” William Hartman, president and CEO of Premier Biomedical, says in a press release. “Our next step with [William Beaumont Army Medical Center] is to advance our technology testing beyond the laboratory into viable treatments to relieve the suffering of human patients.”

Senior Home Care grows telemonitoring program
Clearwater-based Senior Home Care is expanding its telemonitoring program into Spring Hill.

Senior Home Care launched telemonitoring in July 2012 to monitor home health patients who are at high-risk for health problems. The program combines clinical home health visits with a specialized medical device, the Cardiocom's Commander Flex, which allows the firm to easily remotely monitor patient vital signs.

The company will now offer in-home patient telemonitoring from five of its 29 Florida Medicare-certified agencies, including Gainesville, Naples, Fort Myers, Winter Haven and Spring Hill.

Senior Home Care Inc. in Florida and its sister company, Synergy Home Care in Louisiana, have nearly 50 branches and 1,800 employees.

Be Creative Studios rebranding The Heart Institute
Be Creative Studios of Sarasota was recently chosen to rebrand The Heart and Vascular Institute of Florida - South in St. Petersburg. The cardiovascular group in Pinellas County is now called The Heart Institute and has unveiled a new name and logo.

HCA Physician Services recently purchased the center.

The Heart Institute is one of the largest cardiovascular groups in Tampa Bay, with three locations, 16 cardiologists and more than 85 employees.

Grey Wolf Productions hires JoTo PR
Clearwater-based JoTo PR has signed on to promote Grey Wolf Productions. Grey Wolf Productions, based in Oklahoma, handled the casting and production of the upcoming film, “Skid.” Based on a novel by Christian author Rene Gutteridge, “Skid” recently wrapped filming and is awaiting a release date.

Moffitt Cancer Center creates Advinus partnership
Moffitt Cancer Center announced a strategic partnership with Advinus Therapeutics to bring its discoveries to clinics. Two potential targeted cancer therapies, Rb:Raf-1 disruptor and ROCK inhibitor, developed by Moffitt scientists, are the first set of therapies to be shared.

The Rb:Raf-1 disruptor treatment inhibits the cellular signaling pathways involved in cell growth, blood vessel creation and the spread of cancer cells. Similarly, the ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase) inhibitor reduces the expression of a protein found in a more aggressive form of breast cancer.
The collaboration also calls for early stage clinical trials of oncology drugs provided by Advinus at Moffitt.

Advinus is focused on translating early medical discoveries into potential products. Advinus has created a separate legal entity, Advinus Canada, to advance discovery programs primarily from academia and has selected the Rb:Raf-1 and ROCK programs from Moffitt's Chemical Biology and Molecular Medicine program as part of the first set for 2013.

“The new era of pharmaceutical research and development is going to witness innovative models for globally networked partnerships that will extract the best each partner has to offer,” Rashmi Barbhaiya, CEO and managing director of Advinus, says in a press release. “The Moffitt-Advinus collaboration is established along these lines with an aim to identify novel drug candidates to meet clinical needs and generate a benchmark for return on investment for pharmaceutical research and development.”

E's Best Barbecue Sauces expands to five states, 40 locations
One-year-old Palmetto-based sauce company E's Best Barbecue LLC has expanded the number of retailers carrying the Killer and Smoky finishing sauces to a total of 40 locations in five states, including 10 new locations in the last six weeks.

New retailers in Florida include Ryan's Meats in St. Petersburg, Harr's Surf & Turf in Palm Harbor, two Crowder Brothers Ace Hardware locations in Lakeland and The Meat House in Winter Park. The company added two new locations in North Carolina and one each in Alabama and Virginia.

“What we have found over the last year is that there is always room on the shelves for a very good product,” E's Best Barbecue president Elmer Hilker, says in a press release.