Today marks the debut of two local IT firms on the Nasdaq: Lexington-based BladeLogic and Woburn’s Monotype Imaging Holdings. For six-year-old BladeLogic (BLOG), it’s a really good day. Shares of the maker of data-center-automation software opened at $24.25—well above the $17 offering price and the initial $12 to $14 estimate—and closed at $25.07. Investors in … Continue reading “Today’s IPOs: You Win Some, You Lose Some”
Author: Rebecca Zacks
Rebecca is Xconomy's co-founder. She was previously the managing editor of Physician's First Watch, a daily e-newsletter from the publishers of New England Journal of Medicine. Before helping launch First Watch, she spent a decade covering innovation for Technology Review, Scientific American, and Discover Magazine's TV show. In 2005-2006 she was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT. Rebecca holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Brown University and a master's in science journalism from Boston University.
New England’s Top 10 Q2 Venture Deals
Yesterday we told you about the largest second-quarter venture deals in Massachusetts. Today we’re feeling more expansive, so below are the top 10 for New England. (Thanks again to Dow Jones VentureOne for the data, and for double-checking it before we hit the “publish” button.) One thing’s for sure, the Connecticut biomedical scene is bustling. … Continue reading “New England’s Top 10 Q2 Venture Deals”
Startup Profile: HealthTalker Wants to Harness the Power of Patients to Spread the Word About Prescription Drugs
Next month marks an important anniversary for the pharmaceutical industry, and for HealthTalker founder Andy Levitt: In August 1997 the FDA eased restrictions on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs so that the ads could actually say what the drugs were for. Remember those Claritin ads that spread like ragweed that summer? Blame Levitt. He was … Continue reading “Startup Profile: HealthTalker Wants to Harness the Power of Patients to Spread the Word About Prescription Drugs”
Something’s up at Sermo. Maybe CEO Daniel Palestrant Will Tell Us What it Is…
Something’s up at Sermo. I gather this about 15 minutes into my visit to the Kendall Square startup when CEO Daniel Palestrant excuses himself for an impromptu “three minute” call with his board—as if there is such a thing—leaving me to hang out with Sermo Director of Communications Greg Shenk and several of the staff … Continue reading “Something’s up at Sermo. Maybe CEO Daniel Palestrant Will Tell Us What it Is…”
Ariad Inks Cancer-Drug Deal with Merck, Hopes to Realize $1 Billion
Cambridge-based Ariad Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has formed a major joint development and commercialization collaboration with Merck; the deal focuses on an Ariad cancer-drug candidate, AP23573, that’s now in Phase 1 and 2 trials. In a conference call, Ariad chairman and CEO Harvey Berger called the agreement a “transformation event for the company” and … Continue reading “Ariad Inks Cancer-Drug Deal with Merck, Hopes to Realize $1 Billion”
Public Offerings, Robotic Arm Aids, Automatic Ice Cream, & More
The last few days have seen a flurry of news from local tech companies. Here are a few of the items that piqued our interest—and our appetites: —The board of India’s Megasoft Limited approved a deal to acquire Bedford, MA-based Boston Communications Group for $65 million, potentially ending what has been a rough ride for … Continue reading “Public Offerings, Robotic Arm Aids, Automatic Ice Cream, & More”
How Big a Deal is Roche and Alnylam’s Big Deal?
The news wires are buzzing with today’s announcement of a deal between Alnylam and Roche that will give Roche nonexclusive access to Alnylam’s technology for developing RNAi-based therapeutics. The deal involves cash, equity, and royalties that could total over $1billion—a figure that some analysts who talked to us and other media outlets said seemed high. … Continue reading “How Big a Deal is Roche and Alnylam’s Big Deal?”
Phase III Trial Yields More Bad News for Genzyme
For the second time this week, Genzyme is announcing disappointing clinical-trial results. In a Phase 3 study, tolevamer liquid—a polymer-based treatment for Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea—failed to perform against the standard antibiotic treatment. Bloomberg has a nice summary of the trial and how it fits into Genzyme’s recent efforts to diversity its pipeline. Genzyme shares … Continue reading “Phase III Trial Yields More Bad News for Genzyme”
IPOs, CFOs, Clinicals, and More
The last few days have been surprisingly busy, given the nice weather and the impending holiday. Here are a few items you might have missed: —In a tie with San Jose, the Boston area topped the list for most VC-backed IPOs (6) in the second quarter of 2007. —Boston Scientific launched a new neuromodulation device … Continue reading “IPOs, CFOs, Clinicals, and More”
CombinatoRx Pulls the Plug on Arthritis Drug
Kendall Square-based CombinatoRx announced today that it is discontinuing development of CRx-150 after the drug candidate targeting rheumatoid arthritis performed poorly in a Phase 2 clinical trial. A combination of the antidepressant amoxapine and the cardiovascular drug dipyridamole, CRx-150 did offer some pain-control benefit compared to placebo, the company said, but failed to meet clinical … Continue reading “CombinatoRx Pulls the Plug on Arthritis Drug”
Newcomer Alert: Brian Moon Arrives from the U.K. to Tap Local Talent
Product-design and technology-consulting firm Cambridge Consultants (the other Cambridge) announced late last week that it was moving its U.S. headquarters and its previously U.K.-based CEO, Brian Moon, to Kendall Square. The company’s U.S. staff, which was until now based in Boston’s Fort Point Channel, is set to quadruple in size in three to five years. … Continue reading “Newcomer Alert: Brian Moon Arrives from the U.K. to Tap Local Talent”
Mixed Feelings on State Funding for Stem Cells
A month after Gov. Deval Patrick announced a planned billion-dollar funding initiative to bolster stem cell research in Massachusetts, the local research community is still awaiting details. But a representative of the governor’s office stopped by a symposium today at the law firm of Nixon Peabody today to give some hints. Jon Mahoney, industry director … Continue reading “Mixed Feelings on State Funding for Stem Cells”
Newcomer Alert: Patrice Milos Joins Struggling Helicos
Following on the heels of last month’s disappointing IPO, Helicos BioSciences is making a new addition to its executive suite: Pfizer veteran Patrice Milos. Milos, most recently the executive director of Pfizer Global Research and Development, will serve as Helicos’s VP and CSO. Alan Louie, research director at Health Industry Insights, says the hire is … Continue reading “Newcomer Alert: Patrice Milos Joins Struggling Helicos”