everything from genomic data to blood pressure readouts will be corralled by IT in the future.
—Vancouver, BC-based Tekmira Pharmaceuticals said this week it has found another new partner, Pfizer, that wants to use its RNA interference delivery technology. Terms weren’t disclosed, but it certainly gave CEO Mark Murray something new and interesting to talk about at the Innovation Northwest conference.
—Bothell, WA-based Acucela released some minor news, saying that its lead drug candidate for the “dry” form of age-related macular degeneration received “Fast Track” designation from the FDA. This means that the company, and its partner Otsuka Pharmaceutical, can turn in data on the drug as it becomes available rather than waiting until the whole package is complete—and it gives the company a chance to win an expedited regulatory review that’s sometimes given to drugs that treat serious conditions.
—We had an interesting story earlier in the week on how a couple of video game guys from Microsoft took what they learned about 3-D imaging and applied it to a software program to help doctors and patients read complex CT and MRI scans on a regular Windows PC. The technology from Redmond, WA-based FiatLux Imaging is available for use, and new CEO Max Lyon offered a glimpse into how he sees this becoming a business.
—We normally skip routine personnel news, but I made an exception for this one. One charismatic Bruce from Seattle biotech (Carter) is now being joined by another well-known biotech charmer named Bruce (Montgomery). The two Bruces are now colleagues on the board of Seattle-based ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ZGEN]]).
