Life sciences companies across New England announced personnel moves, clinical trial updates, development deals, and funding this week.
—Lexington, MA-based Pulmatrix announced it had promoted its chief scientific officer Robert Clarke to the role of CEO. He replaces former CEO Robert Connelly, who left to head up Cambridge, MA-based WikiCell Designs, a food and beverage packaging tech company that just announced a new round of funding this week. Pulmatrix also released clinical trial data showing that its experimental treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) helped improve airway inflammation and mucus clearance.
—ProThera Biologics, an East Providence, RI-based developer of serine protease inhibitor-based treatments for inflammation and infections such as Anthrax, nabbed $750,000 in funding. The money included a $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health and a $250,000 equity investment from the Rhode Island-based Slater Technology Fund.
—Lebanon, NH-based ImmuNext announced it had inked a deal with Janssen Biotech to develop therapeutics that treat cancer by adjusting the immune system. ImmuNext could earn up to $150 million between an upfront payment and potential development and commercial milestones.
—Boston’s Tufts Medical Center revealed that it will hold its first ever “Innovation Day” next week, where investors can see life sciences, medical device, and healthcare IT projects at the organization that could be commercialized.
