$1M gift to UM nursing school

The University of Maryland School of Nursing said it received a $1 million pledge from Mary Catherine Bunting to establish a scholarship for Maryland residents enrolled in the school's Clinical Nurse Leader program. Bunting, a retired nurse practitioner and teacher, graduated from the UM nursing school in 1972. A grand- daughter of pharmacist George A. Bunting, founder of the Noxzema Chemical Co., Bunting has made substantial donations to many local organizations, including the College of Notre Dame of Maryland School of Pharmacy and Mercy Medical Center. Mercy has named its 18- story replacement hospital facility, now under construction in downtown Baltimore, in her honor.

Giant has Healthy Ideas

Giant Food LLC, a supermarket chain based in Landover, announced the launch of Healthy Ideas, a new, on-shelf symbol to help customers easily identify healthy foods. Giant Food said it has placed Healthy Ideas symbols on more than 3,000 items and shelf tags in all of its 182 stores in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Delaware. The symbol identifies foods that have less fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. It also ensures that foods bearing the symbol are a good source of at least one nutrient (protein, fiber, vitamins A or C or the minerals calcium or iron).

Feds OK Carrollton for funds

Carrollton Bancorp, of Baltimore, the parent company of the Carrollton Bank, said it received preliminary approval from the U.S. Treasury Department to participate in the Capital Purchase Program, created by the federal government to stabilize the nation's financial system. The company will issue up to $9.2 million in senior preferred stock, and warrants to purchase up to $1.4 million of common stock, to the Treasury Department. The stock will pay a 5 percent annual dividend for five years and 9 percent each year thereafter.

Big payoff for Osiris

Osiris Therapeutics Inc., of Columbia, a biotechnology company that uses adult stem cell therapy to treat damaged tissue, said it received a $5 million payment for reaching the first threshold related to the July 2008 sale of its Osteocel business unit to NuVasive Inc., a San Diego, Calif.-based spinal medical device company. Osteocel is a stem cell material used in bone grafts. Under the sale agreement, Osiris received a cash payment of $35 million, to be followed by up to $50 million in milestone payments, depending on fulfillment of certain conditions. The $5 million represents the initial milestone payment that Osiris will receive from NuVasive.