Company Roundup: Celgene, SHI International, AMERI Holdings

Celgene: In a move that will energize the biotech industry in New Jersey, Celgene Corporation (Summit) announced plans to open the Thomas O. Daniel Research Incubator & Collaboration Center, offering entrepreneurs up-to-date lab spaces and resources. The incubator will also support scientists and companies with potentially transformational ways to accelerate medical discoveries and innovations.

The incubator has the potential to bolster the entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Jersey, creating a global epicenter for biotechnology by seeding innovation in life sciences, the company said in a statement.  New Jersey hosts a multitude of biopharmaceutical leaders that are committed to medical innovations and have strong manufacturing capabilities. The state is home to a majority of the world’s top 20 research-based biopharmaceutical companies, and to over 3,000 life-science establishments. In addition, 13 teaching hospitals, five research universities and four medical schools are located in New Jersey, the company noted. “Based on this wealth of life sciences talent, the state is well-positioned to drive innovation and possibly cures for the 21st century.”

Located on the Celgene Summit West Research campus, the facility houses 16,000 square feet of shared and fully equipped lab facilities.

“When it comes to the challenges we face in healthcare, the facts are clear and compelling that medical innovation is the solution, not the problem,” said Robert J. Hugin, executive chairman of Celgene, in a press release. “That is why Celgene is excited to offer an innovative environment for promising scientists and start-up companies to cultivate their ideas and medical discoveries. … Hosting the incubator at Celgene aligns with our mission to pursue bold science and provide potentially transformational treatments that will ultimately benefit patients, healthcare and society.” Celgene is taking applications from companies and entrepreneurs who want to use the facility.

SHI International: Somerset-based SHI International Corp. has acquired eTelligent Solutions Inc. (St. Petersburg, Fla.), which makes a cloud-based technology-asset-management platform that will “add depth and breadth to SHI’s already comprehensive asset lifecycle services,” SHI said in a release.

SHI and eTelligent Solutions (ESI) have been strategic partners for four years. SHI said that this acquisition finalizes an integration of tools and systems that had been developing naturally between the two companies. This unification of ESI’s asset management platform and SHI’s consulting expertise will help SHI continue to lead the industry in shaping how customers acquire and manage their technology assets, SHI said.

The asset-management platform allows customers to record, track, manage and optimize their hardware and software licenses through the complete life cycleof an asset and beyond. While engaging in smart procurement practices, customers can simultaneously manage security, data, and compliance risks, while maximizing the value that their technology investments deliver.

SHI is an $8.5 billion provider of tech products and services, led by Thai Lee, president and CEO. 

AMERI Holdings:  AMERI Holdings, Inc.  (also known as “Ameri100”), a Princeton-based SAP cloud, digital and enterprise services company, is going into blockchain. The company will be offering blockchain functionality designed to transform its customers’ approaches to supply chain management. A hallmark of blockchain is that it delivers greater transparency and accountability at every step of a customer’s supply chain transaction.

AMERI Holdings will develop its expanded offerings by establishing an in-house blockchain practice, forming new strategic partnerships with blockchain technology companies and acquiring startup companies that offer blockchain functionality.

The initial focus will be on bringing greater supply chain visibility, traceability and vendor contract simplification (smart contracts) to the company’s customers in the manufacturing, aerospace and retail sectors, the company said in a release. These sectors cumulatively comprise the largest segment of the company’s customer base, and are at the forefront of blockchain technology adoption.

Brent Kelton, the company’s CEO, stated,  “With the deployment of blockchain solutions, customers can expect to see increased transparency and greater efficiency in the management of their complex supply chains that should yield substantial time and cost savings. As enterprises move to deploy new technologies like blockchain, this expansion of our best-in-class solutions is an investment in the company’s future success.”