In June biotechnology companies from around the world will gather in San Diego for the 2017 BIO International Convention, which is billed as the global event for biotechnology.

Each year organizers hold the Buzz of BIO competition to identify the industry’s most innovative companies. Three young North Carolina life science companies are competing in this year’s contest.

Winners will be selected by popular vote from two categories: Pipelines of Promise and Technologies of Tomorrow. But voting ends at 5 p.m. today.

Two winners, one from each category, will be chosen based on the highest number of votes received. Each winner will earn the opportunity to speak about its company to a broad and diverse audience through a company presentation opportunity and promotion to industry leaders.

Innovate Pharmaceuticals

Innovate Pharmaceuticals, based in Raleigh, is vying in the Pipelines of Promise category.

Innovate is focused on developing novel gastroenterology medicines. The company currently has drug candidates for celiac disease and ulcerative colitis. Innovate has all global rights to the products, which are backed by more than 150 patents worldwide.

On April 3, the Triangle Business Journal announced that Innovate would receive one of its 2017 Life Sciences Awards, which honor organizations making major advancements in this field. Those awards will be presented on May 5.

T3D Therapeutics

Also competing in the Pipelines of Promise category is RTP’s T3D Therapeutics. The company, which received $300,000 in early loan funding from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, is developing its lead drug product candidate T3D-959 as a potential “first-in-class” medicine for Alzheimer’s and orphan neurodegenerative diseases. The company’s medicine targets dysfunctional glucose and lipid metabolism inherent in neurodegeneration.

Catalent Biologics

North Carolina is represented in the Technologies of Tomorrow category by Catalent Biologics, which operates its Center of Excellence for Analytical Services in Morrisville. It is also home to Catalent’s inhalation franchise including product development and clinical and commercial manufacturing.

You can vote each of the last two days of the contest for these innovative North Carolina companies at:

http://convention.bio.org/buzzofbio/voting.aspx