Seems like most of the Massachusetts life sciences industry is out in San Diego at BIO this week—along with Governor Patrick—plugging the newly signed $1 billion funding bill. But those left in town had a few bits of interesting news to share as well.
—Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts became the first health insurer to team up with the newly launched Google Health. Perhaps BCBSMA was inspired by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of the first two hospitals to link up with Google Health, which gives patients a secure online environment for managing their own health information.
—Clinical research and consulting firm Parexel International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PRXL]]), of Waltham, MA, put up $182 million for the U.K.’s ClinPhone, which provides voice response and electronic data capture for drug companies.
—Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) of Cambridge, MA, filed for in the U.S. and Europe for approval of a drug called Mozobil that would aid the treatment of lymphoma and other cancers by improving the efficiency of stem-cell harvesting.
—Boston’s American Well launched a 24/7 online healthcare marketplace which pairs patients and doctors for live medical consultations via webcam, instant messaging, or phone.
—With a shareholder vote to decide who will sit on Biogen Idec’s board finally at hand, nominee Alex Denner—a top strategist for activist investor Carl Icahn—told Bob about what he will do if he gets a seat. First priority: reinvigorating the Cambridge, MA, firm’s research operations.
