Author: Luke Timmerman

Luke is an award-winning journalist specializing in life sciences. He has served as national biotechnology editor for Xconomy and national biotechnology reporter for Bloomberg News. Luke got started covering life sciences at The Seattle Times, where he was the lead reporter on an investigation of doctors who leaked confidential information about clinical trials to investors. The story won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and several other national prizes. Luke holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and during the 2005-2006 academic year, he was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.

Dendreon CEO Mitch Gold: Seattle Biotech Has An Anchor Tenant Again

The impact of today’s FDA approval of Dendreon’s prostate cancer drug is being covered exhaustively from every angle on the Web. There’s the company saga, the benefit for prostate cancer patients, the boost to the field of cancer immunotherapy research, and the stock market surge. But one thing that’s not lost on Dendreon CEO Mitch … Continue reading “Dendreon CEO Mitch Gold: Seattle Biotech Has An Anchor Tenant Again”

Dendreon Sets Provenge Price at $93,000, Says Only 2,000 People Will Get it in First Year

[Updated: 12:55 pm Pacific] Dendreon’s groundbreaking new immune-booster for prostate cancer helps men live longer, and it will not be cheap. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) said it is planning to charge $93,000 per patient for the new drug. The product, sipuleucel-T (Provenge) will cost $31,000 per infusion, and patients will get three infusions … Continue reading “Dendreon Sets Provenge Price at $93,000, Says Only 2,000 People Will Get it in First Year”

Dendreon Makes History: FDA Approves First Active Immune-Booster to Fight Cancer

[Updated: 11:05 am Pacific] Scientists have been dreaming for a century about therapies that actively harness the power of the body’s immune system to kill cancer cells like an invading virus or bacteria. Today, Seattle-based Dendreon has made history by winning the first-ever FDA approval for this kind of cancer-fighter. Shares climbed 15 percent to … Continue reading “Dendreon Makes History: FDA Approves First Active Immune-Booster to Fight Cancer”

Entrepreneurs at UW Business Plan Competition Show Drive for Cleantech, Biotech, High Tech

The University of Washington’s president, Mark Emmert, has been talking about making the state’s biggest institution of higher education an “entrepreneurial university.” While Emmert is on his way out, the startup fire was still burning bright yesterday when I was on campus to serve as a judge for the UW’s 13th annual Business Plan Competition. … Continue reading “Entrepreneurs at UW Business Plan Competition Show Drive for Cleantech, Biotech, High Tech”

The Vertex Alumni: Where Are They Now?

[Updated: 1 pm, 11/26/11] Vertex Pharmaceuticals was a pretty audacious place, even by biotech standards, when it was founded twenty years ago. It started when a senior chemist from Merck, Joshua Boger, quit that job and assembled a small band of chemists that aimed to beat the Big Pharma companies at their own game of … Continue reading “The Vertex Alumni: Where Are They Now?”

Accelerator’s Mirina Advances, Qliance Nabs Bezos Bucks, Spiration Adds $6.5M Debt, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

There was quiet before the storm this week, as Dendreon is eagerly awaiting the FDA’s decision by May 1 on whether it will clear the company’s prostate cancer drug for sale. Buckle your seat belts for that one. —Accelerator’s microRNA startup, Mirina, has made enough progress in its early days that it has secured an … Continue reading “Accelerator’s Mirina Advances, Qliance Nabs Bezos Bucks, Spiration Adds $6.5M Debt, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

H. Stewart Parker Joins WBBA

H. Stewart Parker, the founder and longtime CEO of Seattle-based Targeted Genetics, has agreed to join the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association as a part-time commercialization adviser to local life sciences researchers and entrepreneurs. Parker, who has inspired and mentored a generation of biotech professionals in Seattle, resigned from Targeted Genetics in November 2008 after … Continue reading “H. Stewart Parker Joins WBBA”

Lycera Keeps Its Investors Happy, Snags $11M to Pursue New Autoimmune Drugs

Lycera has taken an important early step in its journey of developing new treatments for autoimmune diseases. The startup, with operations in Plymouth, MI, and Cambridge, MA, has nailed down an $11 million cash infusion, which represents the second installment of a three-part, $36 million financing originally announced a year ago. The company secured the … Continue reading “Lycera Keeps Its Investors Happy, Snags $11M to Pursue New Autoimmune Drugs”

Celladon’s Gene Therapy Passes Heart Failure Trial; Maintains Suspense on Details

Celladon has some tantalizing news today for the world of gene therapy. The San Diego-based biotech company is announcing that its experimental treatment, which delivers a gene to help people with heart failure pump blood more efficiently, has met its primary goal of showing the treatment is more effective than a placebo. The trial enrolled … Continue reading “Celladon’s Gene Therapy Passes Heart Failure Trial; Maintains Suspense on Details”

Qliance Nails $6M From Bezos, Dell, Drew Carey for Primary Care That Avoids Insurance

Qliance Medical Management isn’t the richest startup in Seattle, but it may have the most star power behind it. The company, which deals directly with patients and doesn’t accept health insurance for primary care medical services, has nailed down another $6 million in venture capital from a group led by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and … Continue reading “Qliance Nails $6M From Bezos, Dell, Drew Carey for Primary Care That Avoids Insurance”

NuVasive Takes a Different Angle, Shakes Up Spinal Surgery Business

Writing about life sciences innovation around the country, I hear stories every day of companies that envision transforming medical standards of care through new drugs or devices. San Diego-based NuVasive is living the dream right now. NuVasive (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUVA]]), as its name suggests, has developed a less invasive way for surgeons to do spinal fusion … Continue reading “NuVasive Takes a Different Angle, Shakes Up Spinal Surgery Business”

Novartis Buys More Alnylam Shares

Pharmaceutical giant Novartis has exercised its right to buy 55,223 more shares of Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]), Alnylam said today in a statement. The purchases, for almost $1 million, allow Novartis to maintain a 13.4 percent ownership stake in the company, Alnylam said. The two companies began collaborating on RNA interference technology in … Continue reading “Novartis Buys More Alnylam Shares”

Alkermes Reveals Higher-Than-Expected Royalty on Diabetes Drug

Alkermes is usually cast on Wall Street as a supporting actor in the eagerly-anticipated debut of the once-weekly diabetes drug from Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals. But today, Waltham, MA-based Alkermes, stepped into the spotlight, announcing it stands to collect more cash from the drug than expected. Alkermes (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]) is reporting today it will … Continue reading “Alkermes Reveals Higher-Than-Expected Royalty on Diabetes Drug”

Accelerator’s MicroRNA Play, Mirina, Forges Ahead With One More Year of Cash

Mirina, one of the intriguing startups hatched in the past couple years at Seattle-based Accelerator, has passed a key test that will allow it to live to fight another day. The developer of microRNA-based therapies has secured an undisclosed “expansion round” of financing that will allow it to operate another 12 to 15 months, according … Continue reading “Accelerator’s MicroRNA Play, Mirina, Forges Ahead With One More Year of Cash”

Obesity Capsule From Gelesis, Made to Swell Up in the Stomach, Passes First Human Trial

There must be a million ideas to help the many millions of obese Americans lose weight. Today, doctors will get a glimpse at a first-of-its-kind treatment from Boston-based Gelesis, where scientists have created a capsule that expands in the stomach to make people feel full and eat less. Gelesis has said little about this idea … Continue reading “Obesity Capsule From Gelesis, Made to Swell Up in the Stomach, Passes First Human Trial”

AVI Biopharma Ousts CEO, CombiMatrix Drops Seattle Wing, Cell Therapeutics Cans 36 Workers, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

There was more than the usual amount of carnage this week on the Seattle biotech beat. —AVI Biopharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVII]]) ousted CEO Les Hudson as part of a boardroom coup. The board installed chief financial officer David Boyle as the interim CEO, and a company spokesman says Boyle has the board’s confidence and is a … Continue reading “AVI Biopharma Ousts CEO, CombiMatrix Drops Seattle Wing, Cell Therapeutics Cans 36 Workers, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

AVI Biopharma Ousts CEO Les Hudson in Boardroom Coup

[Update: 11 am Pacific] AVI Biopharma CEO Les Hudson has been ousted as part of a boardroom shakeup. The Bothell, WA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AVII]]) said today that chief financial officer David Boyle will take his place as interim president and CEO through an agreement with activist shareholders. AVI Biopharma director K. Michael Forrest is … Continue reading “AVI Biopharma Ousts CEO Les Hudson in Boardroom Coup”

Catabasis, Led by Sirtris Vets, Seeks to Fight Diabetes by Controlling Inflammation

One of the big ideas in diabetes research today is that inflammation is one of the major culprits. Tamp down inflammation, and maybe you can reduce the assault on blood vessels that leads to all sorts of complications like heart attacks, blindness, and amputations. If this can be proven over time, Cambridge, MA-based Catabasis Pharmaceuticals … Continue reading “Catabasis, Led by Sirtris Vets, Seeks to Fight Diabetes by Controlling Inflammation”

HemaQuest Pockets Full $12M to Treat Sickle Cell and Other Blood Disorders

Seattle-based HemaQuest Pharmaceuticals has nailed down a full Series B round of financing worth $12 million, according to a company statement. This means HemaQuest has secured a second installment of $6 million, after grabbing the first chunk of cash in late January, which we first reported based on a regulatory filing. The complete deal is … Continue reading “HemaQuest Pockets Full $12M to Treat Sickle Cell and Other Blood Disorders”

Phenomix Diabetes Drug Dumped by Forest Labs, After Hitting Clinical Trial Goals

[Correction: 4:40 pm Pacific 4/21/10] The folks at San Diego-based Phenomix are wrestling with some serious cognitive dissonance today, which is a fancy way of saying they got some serious bad news mixed in with some good news. First, the bad news. Phenomix’s U.S. partner, New York-based Forest Laboratories (NYSE: [[ticker:FRX]]), said today in its … Continue reading “Phenomix Diabetes Drug Dumped by Forest Labs, After Hitting Clinical Trial Goals”

Ligand Pockets $6.5M From Roche

San Diego-based Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LGND]]) said today it has earned a $6.5 million milestone payment from Switzerland-based Roche in connection with the advancement of a hepatitis C drug candidate into clinical trials. The product, RG7348, was the subject of a collaboration in 2008 between Roche and Metabasis Therapeutics, which Ligand acquired in January. Ligand … Continue reading “Ligand Pockets $6.5M From Roche”

Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Led By Women, Builds Platform for Improving Drugs for HIV, Cancer

Sometimes a company only raises a small sum of money, but it attracts our attention because it involves interesting people and a potentially big idea. That was true last week when I profiled Avelas Biosciences, the latest startup from UCSD Nobel laureate Roger Tsien, and it’s true this week of another small company in San … Continue reading “Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Led By Women, Builds Platform for Improving Drugs for HIV, Cancer”

CombiMatrix Cuts Mukilteo Facility, CEO Resigns, Shifts to Diagnostic Strategy

Big cuts are happening at Mukilteo, WA-based CombiMatrix (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CBMX]]). CEO Amit Kumar is stepping down, expenses are being cut, and the board is betting the future of the company on diagnostics, not on its traditional business of selling genetic analysis instruments to researchers. The company’s statement today is vague, but the news is clearly … Continue reading “CombiMatrix Cuts Mukilteo Facility, CEO Resigns, Shifts to Diagnostic Strategy”

NanoString Unveils MicroRNA Kit

NanoString Technologies, the Seattle-based maker of tools for genetic analysis, said today it has introduced a new product to analyze microRNA molecules on its nCounter instrument. MicroRNAs are tiny strings of RNA that don’t carry the instructions for making genes, but are thought to regulate the activity of important biological processes. NanoString is rolling out … Continue reading “NanoString Unveils MicroRNA Kit”

Will Your Doctor Carry an iPad? Xconomy Delves Into the Future of Health IT on May 12

Some of our regular readers have noticed we are on a Health IT kick around here at Xconomy. We launched a new Health IT website earlier this month, and our colleagues in Boston are gearing up for a big event on that theme there on April 26. Not to be outdone, Greg and I are … Continue reading “Will Your Doctor Carry an iPad? Xconomy Delves Into the Future of Health IT on May 12”

Avelas Biosciences, Startup from UCSD Nobel Laureate, Seeks to Spot and Bomb Tumors

Roger Tsien, the UC San Diego professor who won the 2008 Nobel Prize for chemistry, has spent his career creating ways to help scientists look inside living cells, using fluorescent molecular tags that only bind to certain structures. Now his vision is to apply some of what he’s learned to help surgeons remove tumors by … Continue reading “Avelas Biosciences, Startup from UCSD Nobel Laureate, Seeks to Spot and Bomb Tumors”

Mirabilis Nabs $1M for Ultrasound

Mirabilis Medica, the Bothell, WA-based developer of ultrasound technology to treat uterine fibroids, has raised $1 million in debt and options out of a financing round that could be worth $2 million, according to a regulatory filing. This company, which Xconomy profiled last June, said last year it had raised $11 million since inception from … Continue reading “Mirabilis Nabs $1M for Ultrasound”

New President at Sanford-Burnham

The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute said today it has promoted Kristina Vuori to president, from her previous position as executive vice president of scientific affairs. The San Diego-based research center said Vuori will continue to manage her cancer research laboratory and remain director of Sanford-Burnham’s National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center. John Reed will continue as … Continue reading “New President at Sanford-Burnham”

Anadys Shares Climb on Updated Look at Hepatitis C Drug Trial

Anadys Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ANDS]]) is on the roller coaster again. The San Diego-based biotech company’s shares are up 17 percent this morning after it reported on another interim analysis of its hepatitis C clinical trial at a medical meeting in Europe. Researchers found that 72 percent of patients who got Anadys’ experimental drug (ANA598) and … Continue reading “Anadys Shares Climb on Updated Look at Hepatitis C Drug Trial”

Taligen Adds Maraganore to Board

Taligen Therapeutics, the Cambridge, MA-based developer of treatments for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, said today it has added John Maraganore to its board of directors. Maraganore is the CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) a leader in developing RNA interference treatments. Separately, Taligen said it added two members to its management team: Sven … Continue reading “Taligen Adds Maraganore to Board”

Dendreon Hires HR Boss

Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]), the Seattle-based developer of immune-stimulating therapies for cancer, said today it has hired Richard Ranieri as its new senior vice president for human resources starting on April 19. Ranieri was formerly the executive vice president of human resources at Sepracor, which was acquired last September by Dainippon Sumitomo for $2.6 billion. Ranieri … Continue reading “Dendreon Hires HR Boss”

Genzyme Adds Whitworth to Board, Agrees to Add One More Director to Activist’s Liking

Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]]), the Cambridge, MA-based biotech giant, said today it has added Ralph Whitworth of Relational Investors in San Diego to its board, confirming a report from last night by the Wall Street Journal. Whitworth, who oversees a $6 billion fund that is one of Genzyme’s largest shareholders, will now have inside access to … Continue reading “Genzyme Adds Whitworth to Board, Agrees to Add One More Director to Activist’s Liking”

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals Pockets $7.7M out of $40M Venture Round

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals has just raised a load of cash. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company has raked in an initial $7.7 million in equity financing out of a venture round that could be worth as much as $39.7 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company, which lists an address at 161 First Street in Cambridge, … Continue reading “Catabasis Pharmaceuticals Pockets $7.7M out of $40M Venture Round”

Dendreon’s Pricing Question, UW’s $300M Stimulus Windfall, Cell Therapeutics Rejected by FDA, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

One of Seattle’s oldest biotech companies was rejected by U.S. drug regulators in the past week, while another is on pins and needles awaiting what most analysts expect will be an imminent FDA approval. —How much will people pay for a new prostate cancer drug that will help men live a median of four months … Continue reading “Dendreon’s Pricing Question, UW’s $300M Stimulus Windfall, Cell Therapeutics Rejected by FDA, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

Genzyme Adds Whitworth to Board, WSJ Says

Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]), the Cambridge, MA-based biotech giant, has agreed to add Ralph Whitworth, the prominent San Diego activist investor, to its board of directors immediately, according to a report this evening on the Wall Street Journal’s website, which cited a person familiar with the matter. Adding Whitworth could make things more difficult for another … Continue reading “Genzyme Adds Whitworth to Board, WSJ Says”

PerkinElmer Buys Signature for $90M

PerkinElmer (NYSE: [[ticker:PKI]]), the maker of scientific instruments based in Waltham, MA, said today it has agreed to acquire Spokane, WA-based Signature Genomic Laboratories for about $90 million in cash, according to a regulatory filing. The move will enable PerkinElmer to strengthen its genetic testing services and expand into molecular diagnostics, particularly cancer diagnostics, according … Continue reading “PerkinElmer Buys Signature for $90M”

Dendreon’s Big Question: How Much Will People Pay for Provenge?

How much will people in the U.S. pay for a new prostate cancer drug that helps dying men live a few months longer? This is one of the tricky questions Seattle-based Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) is wrestling with these days. The decision will have a significant impact on how successful Dendreon is for years to come. … Continue reading “Dendreon’s Big Question: How Much Will People Pay for Provenge?”

Alkermes Files Drug App With FDA

Alkermes (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]), the Waltham, MA-based biotech company, is announcing today it has filed an application with the FDA to start marketing a long-lasting version of naltrexone (Vivitrol) for people who are addicted to opioid-based narcotics. The Alkermes treatment, a once-monthly injection, is already approved by the FDA for treating alcohol dependence. Alkermes has asked … Continue reading “Alkermes Files Drug App With FDA”

Wings, the Medical Device Angel Network, Poised for Lift-Off at Initial Meeting

The Northwest’s new medical device angel investing network, called Wings, is showing more signs that it is starting to get off the ground. Three local medical device startups have been picked by the Wings selection committee to give 10-minute talks at the angel network’s inaugural invitation-only meeting this Wednesday. The entrepreneurs made it through a … Continue reading “Wings, the Medical Device Angel Network, Poised for Lift-Off at Initial Meeting”

Mersana Strikes Deal With Teva Worth up to $334M for Long-Lasting Cancer Drug

Mersana Therapeutics has snagged its first big partnership. The Cambridge, MA-based company that makes drugs last longer in the bloodstream has formed an alliance with Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries that could be worth as much as $334 million over time for developing a new polymer-based drug for cancer and other diseases. Mersana isn’t saying how … Continue reading “Mersana Strikes Deal With Teva Worth up to $334M for Long-Lasting Cancer Drug”

Avalon Stakes Claim as Survivor Among San Diego Biotech VCs

Nobody will ever confuse San Diego’s Sorrento Valley for Sand Hill Road. And that’s not a bad thing if you’re one of the guys at Avalon Ventures. “The story is really that Avalon is now one of just two really active life sciences venture funds in San Diego, which is the third largest biotech hub … Continue reading “Avalon Stakes Claim as Survivor Among San Diego Biotech VCs”

UW Pulls in $300M From Stimulus, Places Big Bet for the Future on Genomics

The woman in charge of spinning University of Washington technology out into the business world, Linden Rhoads, boldly predicted a year ago that UW would pull in $300 million from the federal stimulus. Now one of UW’s top genome scientists, Debbie Nickerson, has confirmed the number, and says a big chunk of the loot is … Continue reading “UW Pulls in $300M From Stimulus, Places Big Bet for the Future on Genomics”

Cell Therapeutics Shareholder Meeting Postponed, After FDA Rejection

Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CTIC]]) apparently has had enough humiliation for one day. The Seattle-based biotech company postponed a special shareholder meeting this morning at its headquarters along Elliott Bay, after announcing that the FDA rejected the application for its only cancer drug with a shot at reaching the U.S. market anytime soon. About a dozen … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Shareholder Meeting Postponed, After FDA Rejection”

Cell Therapeutics Lymphoma Drug Fails to Win FDA Approval

Cell Therapeutics suffered what I called a “humiliating public beatdown” last month in front of an FDA advisory committee, and now the FDA has made it official in writing. The Seattle-based biotech company said its application to market a new lymphoma drug in the U.S. has been formally turned down by the FDA. The FDA … Continue reading “Cell Therapeutics Lymphoma Drug Fails to Win FDA Approval”