Neurocrine Biosciences, which looked like it was stuck perpetual retrenchment-mode, just pulled off its second big deal in two days. Yesterday, the San Diego biotech agreed to grant German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim worldwide rights to experimental diabetes drugs. Neurocrine will get an upfront payment of $10 million and milestone payments of up to $225 … Continue reading “San Diego’s Neurocrine Biosciences Scores Second Big Deal in Two Days”
Author: Denise Gellene
Brain Cells’ Antidepressant Disappoints in Clinical Study, Otonomy Hears the Sound of Money, Cognionics Wins Startup Competition, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
A spate of financings dominated the headlines in the past week. We’ve got it summarized for you here. —Brain Cells’ experimental antidepressant was no better than placebo in a mid-stage clinical trial, but the results hinted the drug might help people with a combination of depression and anxiety. Thecompany hasn’t decided what to do next, … Continue reading “Brain Cells’ Antidepressant Disappoints in Clinical Study, Otonomy Hears the Sound of Money, Cognionics Wins Startup Competition, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Neurocrine Inks Deal with Abbott
Abbott Laboratories will pay Neurocrine Biosciences (NASDAQ:[[ticker:NBIX]]) of San Diego up to $575 million for exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Neurocrine’s experimental oral drug for endometriosis, a painful condition in which uterine tissue grows outside the womb. Neurocrine will receive $75 million upfront, up to $500 million in milestone payments, and royalty payments on … Continue reading “Neurocrine Inks Deal with Abbott”
Syndax’s Breast Cancer Drug Advances, Arena Raises Equity Financing, BeneChill Recruits a CEO, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
The pace of life sciences news slowed in the past week, but we know from experience the lull is temporary. You can catch up on the headlines here. —A raft of studies from provided additional evidence that a urine test from Gen-Probe (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GPRO]]) might help eliminate the need for additional biopsies in men with … Continue reading “Syndax’s Breast Cancer Drug Advances, Arena Raises Equity Financing, BeneChill Recruits a CEO, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Illumina Slashes Cost of Individual Genome Sequencing Service
[Updated 6/11/10 12:05 am. See below.] The cost of getting your genome sequenced continues to drop. San Diego’s Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) has lowered the cost of its individual sequencing service to $19,500 from $48,000. The company is offering a discounted price of $9,500 for people with serious medical conditions who could potentially benefit from having … Continue reading “Illumina Slashes Cost of Individual Genome Sequencing Service”
Gen-Probe Prostate Cancer Test Looks Promising
Gen-Probe (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GPRO]]) appears to be on the right track with its experimental prostate cancer test, judging from a raft of recent clinical studies in men being screened for prostate cancer. The research, presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in San Francisco last week, provided additional evidence that Gen-Probe’s PCA3 urine … Continue reading “Gen-Probe Prostate Cancer Test Looks Promising”
Pathway Genomics’ Marketing Plan for Genetic Tests Draws More Heat
Pathway Genomics’ plan to take genetic testing to the people continues to go badly awry. A House panel disclosed yesterday that it is investigating personal genetic tests sold over the Internet by San Diego-based Pathway and two other companies. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., sent the companies letters seeking information about the accuracy of the tests … Continue reading “Pathway Genomics’ Marketing Plan for Genetic Tests Draws More Heat”
Sequenom Restarts Down Syndrome Test, Cytori Upbeat About Cardiac Study, Pathway Genomics Mass Markets Genome Tests, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
The sector was firing on all burners in the past week with fresh developments in devices, drug development, wireless health, and weight loss (just ask Larry Smarr). You can catch all the latest here. —Sequenom (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SQNM]]), which scrubbed the launch of its diagnostics test for Down syndrome a year ago over “mishandled data,” is … Continue reading “Sequenom Restarts Down Syndrome Test, Cytori Upbeat About Cardiac Study, Pathway Genomics Mass Markets Genome Tests, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Sequenom Raises $51.6 Million As It Prepares to Restart Down Syndrome Test
Sequenom can cross off another item on its long to-do list. The San Diego-based developer of diagnostic tests is announcing today that it has raised $51.6 million in a private placement, an important step toward regaining the confidence of investors. The much-needed funds will go toward R&D, product commercialization and general corporate purposes, Sequenom (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Sequenom Raises $51.6 Million As It Prepares to Restart Down Syndrome Test”
Sotera Wireless Prepares to Take Pulse of Market for Vital-Signs Device
As representatives of the emerging mobile health industry convene for their annual summit today in La Jolla, it seemed both timely and appropriate to revisit San Diego-based Sotera Wireless. The company, which was founded six years ago as Triage Wireless, jumped onto our radar screen in April after the medical device company successfully raised nearly … Continue reading “Sotera Wireless Prepares to Take Pulse of Market for Vital-Signs Device”
Cytori Heartened by Cell Therapy in Two Small Studies of Cardiac Patients
San Diego-based Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CYTX]]) is announcing encouraging results this morning from two small, placebo-controlled studies of its fat-derived regenerative cell therapy in cardiac patients. The double-blind studies, which were conducted in Europe, should pave the way for a larger test in heart attack patients, the company says. The first study involved 27 chronic … Continue reading “Cytori Heartened by Cell Therapy in Two Small Studies of Cardiac Patients”
Avalon Raising New Fund, Althea Technologies Gets Altus Assets, Trancon Pharmaceuticals Nabs Financing, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
We saw a spate of deal-making in the past week. Those developments and more are summarized for you here. —Avalon Ventures, one of the few San Diego venture capital firms that continues to invest in early-stage life sciences companies, embarked on fund-raising for its ninth venture fund with the intention of raising $150 million from … Continue reading “Avalon Raising New Fund, Althea Technologies Gets Altus Assets, Trancon Pharmaceuticals Nabs Financing, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
San Diego’s Cibus Inks Deal with Flax Growers Eager to Avoid GMO Flak
San Diego’s Cibus Global is uniting with Canada’s flax growers to develop a crop strain resistant to glyphosate, the active ingredient in the widely used weed killer Roundup. Flax, also known as linseed, is a major crop grown for both its seeds and fibers, with various parts of the plant used to make linen and … Continue reading “San Diego’s Cibus Inks Deal with Flax Growers Eager to Avoid GMO Flak”
Anadys Reports Interim Hep C Drug Data, Ligand Collects Milestone Payment, Phenomix’s Diabetes Drug Shows Promise, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Progress on the drug development front dominated the headlines in the past week, although one company, Phenomix, also had some bad news. Get those details and more here. —Phenomix announced that diabetic patients who took its experimental drug dutogliptin in a clinical trial saw statistically significant drops in their blood sugar. But the company is … Continue reading “Anadys Reports Interim Hep C Drug Data, Ligand Collects Milestone Payment, Phenomix’s Diabetes Drug Shows Promise, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
For San Diego Biomedical Firms with Stakes in Swine Flu, It’s Time for a Check-Up
As swine flu raced through colleges and communities last summer and fall, at least five San Diego companies with flu-related products or research programs saw their share prices surge. Investors were betting that swine flu, the predominant circulating flu virus in the U.S., presented a real opportunity for these companies. Now comes the reckoning. The … Continue reading “For San Diego Biomedical Firms with Stakes in Swine Flu, It’s Time for a Check-Up”
Histogen Sees Hair-Raising Results, Avalon Ventures Mulls Raising a New Fund, AtheaDX Closes Funding Round, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
We heard in the past week from key experts who shared their views on the funding climate and the potential of emerging computational technologies. Our recap follows. —Histogen said its Hair Stimulating Complex produced “statistically significant” new hair growth after one year among the 24 balding patients who participated in a clinical trial conducted in … Continue reading “Histogen Sees Hair-Raising Results, Avalon Ventures Mulls Raising a New Fund, AtheaDX Closes Funding Round, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Life Sciences in San Diego Gets Analytical: A Chat with Paul A. Rejto, Head of Computational Biology at Pfizer Oncology
San Diego’s role in computer analytics dates back to at least 1969, with the founding of Science Applications Inc., now SAIC, which used computer models to predict the effects of nuclear blasts for the Government. Today, a life sciences industry that didn’t exist in San Diego 40 years ago is embracing increasingly powerful computational tools … Continue reading “Life Sciences in San Diego Gets Analytical: A Chat with Paul A. Rejto, Head of Computational Biology at Pfizer Oncology”
Is Bioinformatics in San Diego’s Future? A Chat with UC San Diego Expert Lucila Ohno-Machado
One notion that emerged at Xconomy’s event in San Diego last week was that biomedical informatics might have a promising role to play in the region’s economic future. There is no consensus on this as yet, as Luke discovered when he talked with Illumina CEO Jay Flatley. Among the true believers is UC San Diego’s … Continue reading “Is Bioinformatics in San Diego’s Future? A Chat with UC San Diego Expert Lucila Ohno-Machado”
CareFusion Hits Acquisition Trail, Cadence Pharmaceuticals Enlists Manufacturing Expertise, Medsphere Systems Sees Explosion in Bookings, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
The integration of information technology and life sciences is well underway in San Diego, judging from the past week’s headlines. We’ve summarized it all here. —Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) CEO Jay Flatley chatted with Luke about the outlook for the gene-sequencing business, among other things. Flatley has an interesting take on the business potential of bioinformatics … Continue reading “CareFusion Hits Acquisition Trail, Cadence Pharmaceuticals Enlists Manufacturing Expertise, Medsphere Systems Sees Explosion in Bookings, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Medsphere Systems Markets Open Source Electronic Health Records System
Experts agree that electronic medical records can lower costs and improve care. Yet just 10 percent of U.S. hospitals keep any computerized records, according to a survey in the New England Journal of Medicine last year. The biggest reason is cost: depending on the size of the hospital, the price of a digitized record system … Continue reading “Medsphere Systems Markets Open Source Electronic Health Records System”
NextImage Medical of San Diego Aims to Lower Workers Comp Costs
Insurers spend $30 billion annually on workers compensation claims; lost productivity saps another $60 billion from the economy. San Diego-based NextImage Medical is focused on changing this picture by taking aim at a key bottleneck that adds to costs: delays associated with radiology exams. CEO Liz Griggs says injured workers face waits of two to … Continue reading “NextImage Medical of San Diego Aims to Lower Workers Comp Costs”
San Diego’s Somaxon Readies to Wake Up Market for New Sleeping Pill
Somaxon Pharmaceuticals overcame two regulatory delays to win FDA approval to market its insomnia drug doxepin (Silenor). Now comes the hard part. San Diego-based Somaxon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SOMX]]) is entering a prescription sleeping pill market in which name-brand products have been steadily losing ground to the lower-cost generics preferred by managed care plans. So right out … Continue reading “San Diego’s Somaxon Readies to Wake Up Market for New Sleeping Pill”
Cyntellect Raises $3 Million
Cyntellect, a San Diego-based company working on technologies to analyze, purify and process cells, raised $3 million from the sale of debt, equity and options or warrants, according to an SEC filing. The company announced last November it had raised $15.5 million. Early investors in the 13-year-old company include Bru II Venture Capital Fund, Iceland … Continue reading “Cyntellect Raises $3 Million”
FDA Approves Somaxon Insomnia Pill, Torrey Pines Investment Raises Funds, Innovation Economy Shows Signs of Life, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Regulatory and funding headlines dominated a light week. It’s summarized for you here. —Torrey Pines Investment raised $30 million for a second venture fund that aims to raise a total of $150 million. The money will be used to finance acquisitions and development or co-development of drug candidates from pharmaceutical or biotech companies. —Connect, a … Continue reading “FDA Approves Somaxon Insomnia Pill, Torrey Pines Investment Raises Funds, Innovation Economy Shows Signs of Life, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Startup Elcelyx Raises $1.2 Million
Elcelyx Therapeutics of San Diego has raised $1.2 million of a planned $2.2 million equity offering, according to an SEC filing. The document says the company’s president is Alain D. Baron, entrepreneur in residence at Morgenthaler Ventures in Menlo Park. Morgenthaler partner Ralph “Chris” Christofferson is an Elcelyx board member, according to the filing.
Sequenom Speaks Out, Amylin Receives a Setback, Somaxon Awaits FDA Decision, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Regulatory news dominated the headlines in the past week. We have it summarized for you here. —Sequenom (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SQMN]]) said a lack of adequate controls, protocols and supervision were to blame for the mishandled data that led the company to scrub its launch of a diagnostic test for Down syndrome. Sequenom shares lost 76 percent … Continue reading “Sequenom Speaks Out, Amylin Receives a Setback, Somaxon Awaits FDA Decision, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
West Wireless Names CEO, Amylin Pharmaceuticals Awaits FDA Deadline, Life Technologies In Cancer Research Partnership, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Things were hopping over the past week in San Diego. Get into the rhythm here. —San Diego’s West Wireless Health Institute named Donald Casey chief executive officer. Casey was formerly worldwide chairman of Johnson & Johnson’s comprehensive care group. The Institute was founded last year with a $45 million gift from telemarketing and communications entrepreneurs … Continue reading “West Wireless Names CEO, Amylin Pharmaceuticals Awaits FDA Deadline, Life Technologies In Cancer Research Partnership, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
San Diego’s Acadia Pharmaceuticals Updates Plans for Experimental Parkinson’s Drug
Acadia Pharmaceuticals of San Diego and its Canadian partner Biovail are continuing to move ahead with pimavanserin. The experimental drug, you might recall, failed last September in a trial testing it as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease-related psychosis. Pimavanserin is Acadia’s lead drug candidate, which may help explain why Acadia (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACAD]]) and its partner … Continue reading “San Diego’s Acadia Pharmaceuticals Updates Plans for Experimental Parkinson’s Drug”
FDA Says Novalar Brochure for Dental Drug is Misleading
[Updated 2/26/10, 1:30 pm. See below.] The FDA has told San Diego-based Novalar to stop using a misleading patient brochure promoting the company’s injectible dental drug, phentolamine mesylate, which is intended to help dissipate the prolonged numb sensation of dental anesthetic. The brochure omits and minimizes the risks of the drug while overstating its benefits, … Continue reading “FDA Says Novalar Brochure for Dental Drug is Misleading”
La Jolla Pharmaceutical: Going, Going, But Not Quite Gone
Staying in business was a challenge for La Jolla Pharmaceutical. Going out of business may be harder still. After its lead drug candidate bombed last year in a clinical trial, La Jolla Pharmaceutical had few options. It proposed liquidation, but too few of its investors voted, so the plan failed due to lack of a … Continue reading “La Jolla Pharmaceutical: Going, Going, But Not Quite Gone”
Anadys Hep C Drug Shows Promise, Synthetic Genomics Recruits Illumina Exec, ProActa Gets Funds, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
There was a smorgasbord of announcements in the last week. Get your fill here. —Anadys Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ANDS]]) said preliminary findings from a mid-stage trial in hepatitis C patients showed that a drug cocktail consisting of its experimental drug ANA598, interferon, and ribavirin was about as effective after 12 weeks as interferon and ribavirin alone. … Continue reading “Anadys Hep C Drug Shows Promise, Synthetic Genomics Recruits Illumina Exec, ProActa Gets Funds, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Cadence’s Manufacturing Woes Detailed; Black Eye for Baxter?
San Diego-based Cadence (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CADX]]) disclosed two weeks ago that the FDA could not approve the company’s pain reliever because of manufacturing problems, but the company didn’t provide any details. Now the FDA inspection report on the manufacturing plant has surfaced—and the details aren’t pretty. The FDA found numerous deficiencies in the production process and … Continue reading “Cadence’s Manufacturing Woes Detailed; Black Eye for Baxter?”
San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange Provides Networking, Support for Early-Stage Startups
With hundreds of biotechnology companies and thousands of people employed in life sciences, San Diego has a large, informal network of people with deep knowledge across a wide range of skills. The Torrey Pines mesa, among the densest biotech clusters in the world, “acts like one big biotech incubator,” says Scott Thacher, CEO of Orphagen … Continue reading “San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange Provides Networking, Support for Early-Stage Startups”
Another Setback for Cadence, Stimulus Funds Help Fuel Life Sciences Jobs, Tioga Gets More Funding for Drug Trial & More San Diego Life Sciences News
Some local biotechnology companies landed funding deals during the past week. We’ve got that and other highlights below. —Tioga Pharmaceuticals raised $18 million in private equity to fund a late-stage clinical trial of asimadoline, its experimental drug for irritable bowel disorder. —San Diego received $4.95 million of $225 million in stimulus funding awarded nationwide to … Continue reading “Another Setback for Cadence, Stimulus Funds Help Fuel Life Sciences Jobs, Tioga Gets More Funding for Drug Trial & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
San Diego’s Tioga Pharmaceuticals Raises $18 Million to Develop IBS Drug
Tioga Pharmaceuticals, a virtual company based in San Diego with just two fulltime employees, is announcing today it has raised $18 million in private equity to fund a late-stage clinical trial of asimadoline, its experimental drug for irritable bowel disorder. A new investor, Genesys Capital Partners of Toronto, joined current stakeholders Forward Ventures, New Leaf … Continue reading “San Diego’s Tioga Pharmaceuticals Raises $18 Million to Develop IBS Drug”
Cadence Pharmaceuticals’ Pain Reliever Handed Second Regulatory Setback
Cadence Pharmaceuticals’ plans to market an intravenous form of acetaminophen received another regulatory setback today. The FDA told the San Diego-based company that it could not approve the drug because of manufacturing problems at a plant where the drug is made. The company’s shares dove nearly nine percent to close at $9.46. Cadence (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CADX]]) … Continue reading “Cadence Pharmaceuticals’ Pain Reliever Handed Second Regulatory Setback”
Halozyme Pursues Anti-Cellulite Drug, Optimer’s Antibiotic Kills C. Difficile Germs, Tragara Pharmaceuticals Raises Funds & More San Diego Life Sciences News
There was a steady flow of drug development and funding news from San Diego’s life sciences industry over the past week. Here are the highlights. —Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HALO]]) CFO Kurt Gustafson talked with me about the experimental anti-cellulite drug that company is testing in preclinical studies. —Connect, a non-profit that supports local technology and … Continue reading “Halozyme Pursues Anti-Cellulite Drug, Optimer’s Antibiotic Kills C. Difficile Germs, Tragara Pharmaceuticals Raises Funds & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Lifevantage Raises $2.6 Million
Lifevantage (OTCBB: [[ticker:LFVN]]), a San Diego-based nutraceuticals company, raised $2.6 million of a $5 million securities offering that included debt and options, warrants or other rights to acquire another security, according to a regulatory filing. The filing didn’t say how the funds would be used.
San Diego’s Halozyme Therapeutics Seeks Biotech Cure for Cellulite
Cellulite is the bane of women everywhere. Caused by the irregular tightening of connective fibers between the muscle and skin, cellulite mars the rump and thighs with uneven dimples and bulges, as if a layer of cottage cheese lies just below the skin. Cosmetic creams and lotions can make the skin look smoother by inducing … Continue reading “San Diego’s Halozyme Therapeutics Seeks Biotech Cure for Cellulite”
San Diego’s aFraxis Studies Drug Candidates to Treat Fragile X Syndrome
Fragile X syndrome is the second leading cause of mental retardation, after Down syndrome. Caused by a defect on the X chromosome, the syndrome affects boys more frequently and severely than girls; one-third of men with Fragile X are autistic and have trouble with communication and social interaction. There is no cure or specific medical … Continue reading “San Diego’s aFraxis Studies Drug Candidates to Treat Fragile X Syndrome”
A Contract Services Cluster Emerges, the Burnham Gets a Big Donation, Somaxon Resubmits Sleep Drug Application, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
San Diego’s life sciences sector had a busy week. Allow me to recap it for you. —Working with Assay Depot, a San Diego-based online marketplace for CRO services, Bruce found 144 companies in San Diego that provide contract services to life sciences companies, providing a glimpse of what appears to be a thriving new sector. … Continue reading “A Contract Services Cluster Emerges, the Burnham Gets a Big Donation, Somaxon Resubmits Sleep Drug Application, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
San Diego’s Halozyme Injects New Life into Old Drugs
Smart companies are cautious about fiddling with successful products. So I was intrigued to learn that Roche was reformulating its blockbuster breast cancer drug trastuzumab to include an enzyme from San Diego-based Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HALO]]). Last week I caught up with Halozyme CFO Kurt Gustafson, who offered some insight into why companies like Roche … Continue reading “San Diego’s Halozyme Injects New Life into Old Drugs”
Somaxon Revises FDA Application
San Diego-based Somaxon said it submitted a revised application for its experimental sleeping pill doxepin (Silenor) to the FDA today, with a decision expected by March 21. The revised application addressed the agency’s questions about the efficacy of the drug in non-elderly adults, according to a Somaxon press release. The FDA has rejected Somaxon’s application … Continue reading “Somaxon Revises FDA Application”
A Baldness Update from Histogen; Sequenom Agrees to Settle a Suit; the Life Sciences Job Outlook Improves & More San Diego Life Sciences News
There were new developments over the past week in some big ongoing stories. —Histogen CEO Gail Naughton told Bruce the San Diego-based biotech expects to report results from a one-year follow-up of study of its experimental baldness treatment by the end of this month. Histogen plans additional clinical studies on volunteers with male-pattern baldness—all of … Continue reading “A Baldness Update from Histogen; Sequenom Agrees to Settle a Suit; the Life Sciences Job Outlook Improves & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Roche Prepares to Make Devices for Drug Using Halozyme Therapeutics Technology
San Diego-based Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HALO]]) received some good news today. Its partner Roche announced plans to invest $182 million in two European factories that will produce a device designed to deliver a drug formulated with Halozyme’s enzyme technology. The Roche drug is trastuzumab (Herceptin), which is used to treat women with an aggressive form … Continue reading “Roche Prepares to Make Devices for Drug Using Halozyme Therapeutics Technology”
San Diego Biotechs Seem Poised to Start Hiring, But Chemists Will Face a Tough Time
Indications are that employment in San Diego’s life sciences industry appears to be stabilizing, good news after a tumultuous year in which hundreds of experienced scientists and business professionals lost their jobs. Recruiter Meredith Dow says layoffs appear to have slowed and some startups, for the first time in months, are beginning to talk about … Continue reading “San Diego Biotechs Seem Poised to Start Hiring, But Chemists Will Face a Tough Time”
New Machine From San Diego’s Illumina Intensifies Race for Faster, Cheaper Genome Decoder
The cost of sequencing a person’s genome continues to fall. Illumina this week introduced a machine that can sequence an individual’s genome for under $10,000. That is one percent of the $1 million it cost to decode a human genome three years ago. The announcement pushes San Diego-based Illumina to the forefront in an intense … Continue reading “New Machine From San Diego’s Illumina Intensifies Race for Faster, Cheaper Genome Decoder”
VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Raises More Funds, Genzyme Declares a Truce, Adventrx Charts Comeback, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
A flurry of financing deals made it a good week for San Diego’s life sciences industry. Get the highlights here. —VentiRx Pharmaceuticals, which is working on drugs for allergies and cancer, raised additional funds of $25 million, bringing the total received in its Series A round to $51.6million. The company is based in San Diego … Continue reading “VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Raises More Funds, Genzyme Declares a Truce, Adventrx Charts Comeback, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Scandal, Swine Flu, Shareholder Disputes, and More: 2009 Was Quite a Year for San Diego’s Life Sciences Industry
Covering the life sciences in San Diego is never dull, and the news flow last year provided plenty of drama. What follows are some highlights from the past year: — Embattled tools company Sequenom (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SQNM]]) scuttled the debut of a non-invasive prenatal Down syndrome test amid a data-mishandling scandal. CEO Harry Stylli was fired … Continue reading “Scandal, Swine Flu, Shareholder Disputes, and More: 2009 Was Quite a Year for San Diego’s Life Sciences Industry”
Cool Device from San Diego’s BeneChill May Improve Odds for Cardiac Arrest Victims
Research over the last several years has shown that lowering the temperatures of unconscious cardiac arrest patients improves their odds of survival without brain damage. This intervention commonly begins in the hospital because most temperature-lowering technologies (water-filled blankets, blood-cooling machines) are not suited for use by ambulance crews. San Diego-based BeneChill wants to put temperature-lowering … Continue reading “Cool Device from San Diego’s BeneChill May Improve Odds for Cardiac Arrest Victims”