Boston- and Cambridge-based tech and life sciences firms cut the usual assortment of deals this week, but their brethren further out in New England were unusually active as well. —Marathon Technologies raised a $7 million round of equity financing from undisclosed investors. The Littleton, MA-based firm makes disaster-recovery software for virtual and physical servers. —Norwalk, … Continue reading “VMware Springs for SpringSource, Turbine Takes $6.7M, CombinatoRx Teams With Clinical Data, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
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.
Biogen Idec Faces Suit From Partner Elan, Genzyme Wins European Approval for Stem-Cell Boosting Drug, Alnylam Teams with Tekmira, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
This week we had the usual mix of news on partnerships, clinical trials, and the like, as well as some fascinating in-depth discussions with key players in the life sciences arena. —Antibiotic developer Rib-X Pharmaceuticals announced that the oral form its experimental antibiotic radezolid passed a mid-stage clinical trial as a treatment for a common … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Faces Suit From Partner Elan, Genzyme Wins European Approval for Stem-Cell Boosting Drug, Alnylam Teams with Tekmira, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Akamai And Delve Dig Into Online Video, Cardiorobotics Snags $11.6M for Snake-Like Surgery Robot, Longworth Collects $122M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
New England tech and life sciences firms forged several interesting new partnerships this week. —Apperian, a Boston-based startup developing enterprise-oriented iPhone applications, raised $1 million in a Series A venture round led by CommonAngels of Lexington, MA. —Cambridge, MA-based Akamai (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKAM]]) teamed with Seattle’s Delve Networks to provide a new online platform for publishing … Continue reading “Akamai And Delve Dig Into Online Video, Cardiorobotics Snags $11.6M for Snake-Like Surgery Robot, Longworth Collects $122M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Genzyme Faces Lawsuit and Competition, Vertex Gathers More Cash for Telprevir, Cardiorobotics Corrals $11.6M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Lots to report this week, and lots of it has to do with Genzyme’s manufacturing trials and tribulations. —An investor from Florida filed suit against Genzyme (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]), charging that the Cambridge, MA-based biotech behemoth didn’t quickly enough disclose problems at two of its manufacturing plants. —The FDA informed Genzyme that it would re-inspect one of … Continue reading “Genzyme Faces Lawsuit and Competition, Vertex Gathers More Cash for Telprevir, Cardiorobotics Corrals $11.6M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Athenahealth’s Park Named HHS CTO
Todd Park, co-founder of Watertown, MA-based Athenahealth (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ATHN]]) and San Mateo, CA-based Maria Health, has been tapped to serve as chief technology officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Athenahealth announced. To satisfy government requirements, Park will resign this month from his post on the board of Athenahealth, a provider of … Continue reading “Athenahealth’s Park Named HHS CTO”
FDA to Re-inspect Genzyme Plant
Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) announced today that the FDA will re-inspect the biotech giant’s Allston manufacturing facility, which was closed in June after a viral contaminant was spotted. Genzyme said it had finished sanitizing the plant, which produces two of its best-selling drugs, last week. In today’s press release, the company says the FDA … Continue reading “FDA to Re-inspect Genzyme Plant”
Vertex Scores $105M For Asian Telaprevir Rights, Avila Avails Itself of $30M, IBM Picks Up Ounce Labs, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Is it just me, or is the roundup of New England technology and life sciences deals news getting a little longer each week? —Matrix Partners of Waltham, MA, reportedly raised $600 million for two new funds. A $450 million main fund is to be invested in software, mobile, consumer Internet, communications, and systems startups, and … Continue reading “Vertex Scores $105M For Asian Telaprevir Rights, Avila Avails Itself of $30M, IBM Picks Up Ounce Labs, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Joule Debuts Biofuel Technology, Genzyme Cleans House, Avila Banks $30M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New England’s life sciences companies gave us a number of cool new technologies and interesting deals to talk about this week. —Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) finished cleaning up its Allston, MA-based plant after a viral contamination which caused 6-to-8 week supply shortages of two of its best-selling drugs. —–Archemix, also of Cambridge, forged an … Continue reading “Joule Debuts Biofuel Technology, Genzyme Cleans House, Avila Banks $30M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
$8M More for Acquia, Novartis-Alnylam Collaboration Continues, Virtualization Firm Akiba Acquires $6.53M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
I’ve got a nice variety of deals—particularly venture financings—to tell you about this week. —Swiss drug giant Novartis opted to extend a collaboration with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ALNY]]) of Cambridge, MA, for a fifth year. Under the extension, Novartis will continue to fund certain RNA interference research and development efforts at Alnylam through October 2010. —Software … Continue reading “$8M More for Acquia, Novartis-Alnylam Collaboration Continues, Virtualization Firm Akiba Acquires $6.53M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Xconomy Boston Is On The (Very Short) Move
Posting will be light from Xconomy Boston today, as we’re busy hauling our stuff three blocks down Rogers Street to our new headquarters at 101 Rogers Street. That’s right, we’re moving form 10 Rogers St., Suite 101, to 101 Rogers St., Suite 402—let the confusion begin! I can’t tell you how lucky we feel, particularly … Continue reading “Xconomy Boston Is On The (Very Short) Move”
$50M for ConforMIS, $8.2M for ConnectEDU, $7.25M for MedVentive, & More Boston-Area Deals News
I’m happy to say that the last week has provided a number of venture financings to talk about, and a few other deals as well. —Waltham, MA-based North Bridge Venture Partners committed to participating in a planned $5 million Series A round of financing for MC10. The newbie firm, formed last year and housed in … Continue reading “$50M for ConforMIS, $8.2M for ConnectEDU, $7.25M for MedVentive, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
ConforMIS Corrals $50M, Oscient Files for Bankruptcy, Vertex Peddles Rights to Milestone Payments, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New England’s life sciences companies produced a couple of sizeable venture deals this past week, but they also faced some significant challenges. —Rapid Micro Biosystems closed a Series A financing round worth $18.6 million. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, TVM Capital, Quaker BioVentures, and VIMAC Milestone Medica Fund provided the backing for the Bedford, MA-based … Continue reading “ConforMIS Corrals $50M, Oscient Files for Bankruptcy, Vertex Peddles Rights to Milestone Payments, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
EMC Prevails in Data Domain Bidding War, New Funds for Excel and 5AM, Sonian Sees $4.1M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
There’s not one but two venture-fund closings to report this week. More below on those, and the rest of the week’s deals news from New England’s life science and tech firms. —Hopkinton, MA-based EMC (NYSE: [[ticker:EMC]]) won a protracted bidding war with rival NetApp over software maker Data Domain. After EMC increased its offer for … Continue reading “EMC Prevails in Data Domain Bidding War, New Funds for Excel and 5AM, Sonian Sees $4.1M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Biogen Idec Buys MS Drug Rights, Immuneering Models Cancer Drug Responses, Hologic Wins Contraceptive Device Approval, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Perhaps New England’s life sciences companies were busy building arks this past week, because the news flow was a heck of a lot lighter than the rainfall. There are still a few interesting developments to report, though. —Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec (NASDAQ:[[ticker:BIIB]]) agreed to pay $110 million up front, plus up to $400 million in … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Buys MS Drug Rights, Immuneering Models Cancer Drug Responses, Hologic Wins Contraceptive Device Approval, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Hologic Device Approved by FDA
Bedford, MA-based Hologic (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HOLX]]) announced that the FDA has approved its permanent contraception device, called Adiana. Offering a less-invasive alternative to tubal ligation—a surgical procedure that is one of the most common forms of contraception worldwide—the device can be inserted via catheter through the vagina in a 15-minute procedure. Hologic gained European approval for … Continue reading “Hologic Device Approved by FDA”
LogMeIn Pulls Off a $107 million IPO, CombinatoRx To Pair With Neuromed, CloudSwitch Turns on $8M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Finally, an IPO! That, and the rest of the week’s deals news from New England’s tech and life sciences industries below. —Lexington, MA-based Highland Capital Partners reportedly pushed the close of its eighth venture fund back from late June until mid-July to give limited partners more time to contribute. PE Hub’s Dan Primack wrote that … Continue reading “LogMeIn Pulls Off a $107 million IPO, CombinatoRx To Pair With Neuromed, CloudSwitch Turns on $8M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
New England Firms Poised for Biogeneric Future, Tobin Bids Boston Scientific Adieu, Biogen Idec Reports Tenth PML Case, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Ryan and Luke did a couple of great in-depth stories this week—on the burgeoning business of biogenerics and on a young company out to take on the big boys of cancer with a new mouse model for the disease. —Ryan took a look at the Boston-area biotech companies that are poised to become key players … Continue reading “New England Firms Poised for Biogeneric Future, Tobin Bids Boston Scientific Adieu, Biogen Idec Reports Tenth PML Case, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
EMC Extends Data Domain Offer, ClickFuel Tanks Up with $2.5M, Auriga Measures $2.75M, & (a Little) More Boston-Area Deals News
Just a few deals to report from last week—perhaps New England’s tech and life sciences firms were all too busy attending XSITE? —Auriga Measurement Systems, a wireless instrumentation and design company in Lowell, MA, raised $2.75 million in additional seed funding from undisclosed investors. Ohio-based White Oak Partners put $1.5 million into Auriga in 2007. … Continue reading “EMC Extends Data Domain Offer, ClickFuel Tanks Up with $2.5M, Auriga Measures $2.75M, & (a Little) More Boston-Area Deals News”
Xconomy HQ is Bursting at the Seams; Xconomy’s Pages Won’t Be Quite as Full as Usual
I’m extremely pleased to report that Xconomy’s headquarters in Cambridge are jam packed this week, since everybody flew in from our Seattle and San Diego offices for the inaugural XSITE—Xconomy Summit on Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship—yesterday at Boston University. It’s a rare treat to have everybody together and, fortuitously, we’re also coming up on the … Continue reading “Xconomy HQ is Bursting at the Seams; Xconomy’s Pages Won’t Be Quite as Full as Usual”
Merck and Roche Back Adimab, Viral Contamination Closes Genzyme Plant, Interlace Ties on $20.5M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Three big pharmaceutical firms partnered with two New England life sciences companies this past week, and one ended a partnership. —Ryan learned that some 60 of the 240 people who were employed by Lexington, MA-based Indevus Pharmaceuticals when it was acquired for $370 million by Endo Pharmaceuticals in March will be laid off. Chadds Ford, … Continue reading “Merck and Roche Back Adimab, Viral Contamination Closes Genzyme Plant, Interlace Ties on $20.5M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Aileron Piles on $40M, GenArts Lights Up Lucasfilm’s Screens, Taris Takes on $15M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Deal flow was on the slow side this past week, but there was at least one whopper of a transaction, namely… —Aileron Therapeutics, the Cambridge, MA-based developer of a new class of drugs called “stapled peptides,” raised $40 million in venture capital, bringing its total raised to date to about $61 million. The new round … Continue reading “Aileron Piles on $40M, GenArts Lights Up Lucasfilm’s Screens, Taris Takes on $15M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Icahn Bags Two Biogen Board Seats, Pharma Giants Add $40M to Aileron Coffers, Pulmatrix Proceeds With Tests of Flu-Blocking Aerosol, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Ryan and Luke profiled some extremely interesting companies this week. More on those, and the rest of the week’s New England life sciences news, below. —Billionaire investor Carl Icahn succeeded—at least partially—in his attempt to gain representation on the board of Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]). Roxanne reported live from the highly contentious annual … Continue reading “Icahn Bags Two Biogen Board Seats, Pharma Giants Add $40M to Aileron Coffers, Pulmatrix Proceeds With Tests of Flu-Blocking Aerosol, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
E Ink Scooped up by Taiwanese Display Maker, EMC Battles NetApp For Data Domain, Polatis Picks Up $8M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
The B word (billion) cropped up in not one but two deals in this week’s New England tech and life sciences news. —Cambridge, MA-based E Ink agreed to be acquired for $215 million by Taiwan-based display manufacturer Prime View International. The Taiwanese firm was already a partner of E Ink’s on the manufacture of its … Continue reading “E Ink Scooped up by Taiwanese Display Maker, EMC Battles NetApp For Data Domain, Polatis Picks Up $8M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
GSK Cuts Deal with Concert to the Tune of a Potential $1B, Celldex Inks $94.5M CuraGen Acquisition, Aveo Touts Kidney Cancer Drug Data, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Many of New England’s drug developers were down in Florida this week for the big annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Here’s what they had to report, as well as the news from the firms that didn’t make the trek south. —Ryan profiled the efforts of Alnara Pharmaceuticals to develop an enzyme-replacement … Continue reading “GSK Cuts Deal with Concert to the Tune of a Potential $1B, Celldex Inks $94.5M CuraGen Acquisition, Aveo Touts Kidney Cancer Drug Data, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
38 Studios Snaps Up Big Huge Games, EMC Buy Configuresoft, Proteon Therapeutics Picks up $12M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Evidently the word of the week for many New England’s tech firms was acquisition. —Digital Lumens of Salem, MA, raised $6.3 million in a round of equity financing. The startup, whose investors were not named in the filing, aims to make lighting products that use only 10 percent as much energy as other products. —Natick, … Continue reading “38 Studios Snaps Up Big Huge Games, EMC Buy Configuresoft, Proteon Therapeutics Picks up $12M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Genentech Veteran Takes Agios’ Helm, E8 and MIT Take on Navigenics, Genzyme’s Mipomersen Takes Next Step, Alnylam Takes Advantage of Tekmira Technology, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New England’s life sciences firms reported a lot of encouraging clinical-trials news this week. —A cholesterol-lowering drug developed by Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) and Carlsbad, CA-based Isis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ISIS]]) reached its goals in a pivotal clinical trial. Genzyme intends to apply for approval of the drug, called mipomersen, first in a small population … Continue reading “Genentech Veteran Takes Agios’ Helm, E8 and MIT Take on Navigenics, Genzyme’s Mipomersen Takes Next Step, Alnylam Takes Advantage of Tekmira Technology, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Commemorative Day, Innovative Month
Barring any earth-shattering late-breaking news, my Xconomy colleagues and I will knock off a little early today and be back online next Tuesday after the Memorial Day holiday. We’re looking forward to a little R&R as we gear up for next month, which is so chock full of innovation-related events—including our own Xconomy Summit on … Continue reading “Commemorative Day, Innovative Month”
Elixir Sips $12M, Might Eventually Guzzle $500M; Evergreen Solar Offers $60M in Stock; BigBelly Bags $3.2M; & More Boston-Area Deals News
This week saw a variety of small-to-medium deals—and one potentially huge one. —Avila Therapeutics of Waltham, MA raised $5 million from existing investors in a debt and options financing that could reach up to $20 million, according to an SEC fling. Avila is developing drugs that form strong, covalent bonds with target proteins. —Ashaway, RI-based … Continue reading “Elixir Sips $12M, Might Eventually Guzzle $500M; Evergreen Solar Offers $60M in Stock; BigBelly Bags $3.2M; & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Biogen Idec Rebuts Icahn Attack, GlaxoSmithKline Quietly Spins Off Tempero Pharmaceuticals, Knome Launches Cheaper Sequencing Service, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New CEOs, new financings, new approvals, and new data—it was an interesting week for New England’s life sciences companies. —Cambridge, MA-based Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:[[ticker:MIPI]]) named a new president and CEO, Daniel Peters, just months after giving that post to co-founder John Babich. Babich will stay on as chief scientific officer of Molecular, which is … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Rebuts Icahn Attack, GlaxoSmithKline Quietly Spins Off Tempero Pharmaceuticals, Knome Launches Cheaper Sequencing Service, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Genzyme Targets Growth, Taligen Takes $26M, Icahn Lays Into Biogen Idec Management, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
A good number of New England life sciences firms took home new venture money this past week—in a couple of cases, in fairly large bags. —Luke gave an overview of how Cambridge, MA-based biotech powerhouse Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) plans to keep its revenues growing and its pipeline moving. Potentially important drugs for the company in … Continue reading “Genzyme Targets Growth, Taligen Takes $26M, Icahn Lays Into Biogen Idec Management, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Battery Ventures Backs ExactTarget, $22M for Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Ironwood Banks $40M in European Deal, & Much Much More Boston-Area Deals News
Sheesh there were a lot of deals last week! Let’s get to it. —Ironwood Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, MA, earned $40 million in upfront payments as part of a deal giving Barcelona, Spain-based Laboratorios Almirall European development and commercial rights to linaclotide, Ironwood’s experimental drug for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. The Spanish firm will potentially … Continue reading “Battery Ventures Backs ExactTarget, $22M for Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Ironwood Banks $40M in European Deal, & Much Much More Boston-Area Deals News”
Ironwood Inks $40M Deal with Laboratorios Almirall, CombinatoRx and Novartis Seek Combo Cancer Drugs, NABsys Nabs $4M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences Deals
This past week produced a cornucopia of life sciences news, including new partnerships, personnel and real estate changes, venture deals, and some intriguing science. —A team led by UMass Medical School researcher Michael Czech, co-founder of Worcester, MA-based RXi Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RXII]]), reported in the journal Nature that it has come up with an oral … Continue reading “Ironwood Inks $40M Deal with Laboratorios Almirall, CombinatoRx and Novartis Seek Combo Cancer Drugs, NABsys Nabs $4M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences Deals”
Acme Packet Packs Up Covergence, Thermo Buys Biolab, Q1 Was Kind to Mobile, & More Boston-Area Deals News
I’ve got several acquisitions to report this week, and some other interesting New England tech and life sciences deals as well. —Mobile Monday Boston released figures indicating that the first quarter of 2009 was the best in the last five quarters in terms of investment in Boston-area mobile technology companies. Eleven companies raised a total … Continue reading “Acme Packet Packs Up Covergence, Thermo Buys Biolab, Q1 Was Kind to Mobile, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Merck Makes GlycoFi Center of its Biogenerics Strategy, Biogen Says Tysabri Might Promote Remyelination, Stemgent Teams with Fate, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
Stem cells and RNAi were the subject of a couple of interesting alliances announced this week. More on those, and the rest of the week’s New England life sciences news, below. —Alkermes (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]), a maker of drugs for central nervous system disorders, addiction, and diabetes, signed a lease to move its headquarters from Cambridge, … Continue reading “Merck Makes GlycoFi Center of its Biogenerics Strategy, Biogen Says Tysabri Might Promote Remyelination, Stemgent Teams with Fate, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Atlas Backs ProtAffin
Waltham, MA-based Atlas Venture and Conshohocken, PA-based SR One, the venture arm of GlaxoSmithKline, co-led a €14.1 million ($18.4 million) Series B round of financing for ProtAffin, according to an announcement from the Austrian biotech startup. Return backers Aescap Venture, Entrepreneurs Fund, and Z-Cube joined the deal, the proceeds from which will be used to … Continue reading “Atlas Backs ProtAffin”
Let’s Talk About Tomorrow, People—at Next Week’s Xconomy Biotech Forum
My mental soundtrack the last few weeks has been heavily weighted toward Ziggy Marley’s cheestastic “Tomorrow People,” and I’ll tell you one of the reasons why: I’m getting really excited about our upcoming Xconomy Forum, called Tomorrow’s Biotech—Innovators and Innovations. I’ll confess to not quite getting what Mr. Marley meant by this idea of tomorrow … Continue reading “Let’s Talk About Tomorrow, People—at Next Week’s Xconomy Biotech Forum”
Brightcove Forges Adobe Alliance, Investors Give in to DemandWare’s $15M Demands, Fate Therapeutics and Stemgent Team Up on Stem Cell Tech, & More Boston-Area Deals News
There’s much to report from New England’s tech and life sciences sectors this week. Let’s get started. —Clarus Ventures of Cambridge, MA, joined with the likes of InterWest Partners and Arch Venture Partners to lead a $10 million Series A financing for Ann Arbor, MI-based Lycera. The startup is developing treatments for autoimmune diseases based … Continue reading “Brightcove Forges Adobe Alliance, Investors Give in to DemandWare’s $15M Demands, Fate Therapeutics and Stemgent Team Up on Stem Cell Tech, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Infinity Halts Trial of Lead Cancer Drug, Tysabri Sales Short of Projections, Myomo Slashes Staff, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
It’s not all bad news this week for New England’s life sciences firms (my headline notwithstanding), but there certainly were a few somber notes. —Infinity Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:[[ticker:INFI]]) of Cambridge, MA, halted a late-stage trial of its lead cancer drug among patients with relapsed forms of malignant stomach tumors after interim results showed that more patients … Continue reading “Infinity Halts Trial of Lead Cancer Drug, Tysabri Sales Short of Projections, Myomo Slashes Staff, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
A123Systems Counts to $69M, Sun Catalytix Out to Grow Seed From Polaris, Synageva Gets $30M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
Many different corners of New England’s innovation empire were heard from this week. —Return investors put $20 million in Branford, CT-based Marinus Pharmaceuticals, which plans to used the money to further development of ganaxolone, its drug for seizures and other disorders. Participants in the deal included Canaan Partners, Domain Associates, Foundation Medical Partners, and Sofinnova … Continue reading “A123Systems Counts to $69M, Sun Catalytix Out to Grow Seed From Polaris, Synageva Gets $30M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Biogen and Icahn Duel Again, Marinus Gets $20M, Vigilance Urged on Patent Reform, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
It was a relatively quiet week for New England’s life sciences firms, but with earnings reports from several key players due at the end of this week I’m guessing the next roundup will be a doozy. —Cambridge, MA-based Cerulean Pharma named Oliver Fetzer, a former executive at Lexington, MA-based Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CBST), as its new … Continue reading “Biogen and Icahn Duel Again, Marinus Gets $20M, Vigilance Urged on Patent Reform, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
A123Systems Gives Chrysler a Charge, Segway Scoots into GM Deal, Basho Banks $2M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
It’s only been a few days since last I rounded up the deals news from New England’s tech and life sciences firms, but there are still a few transactions worth mentioning. —Millennium, the Cambridge, MA-based subsidiary of Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, paid $4 million up front to Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGEN]]) for a worldwide license … Continue reading “A123Systems Gives Chrysler a Charge, Segway Scoots into GM Deal, Basho Banks $2M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Clinical Data Sheds Cogenics, Codon Devices Codes, Mass Medical Angels Revs Up, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
The news this week from New England’s life sciences sector is all across the spectrum, with a new angel group forming to launch new companies and several firms struggling (and in one case, failing) to survive. —Bob hosted a panel at the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center’s fifth annual Early-Stage Life Sciences Technology Conference and came … Continue reading “Clinical Data Sheds Cogenics, Codon Devices Codes, Mass Medical Angels Revs Up, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Radie Named TransMolecular CEO
Cambridge, MA-based TransMolecular, a developer of cancer drugs based on a molecule derived from scorpion venom, said today it has named Robert Radie as its president and CEO. Before joining TransMolecular as a business development consultant, Radie held leadership roles at Prestwick Pharmaceuticals, Morphotek, and Vicuron Pharmaceuticals.
Lilliputian Discovers $25M, Biovex Bags $40M, Clinical Data Cedes Cogenics to Beckman Coulter for $17M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
This past week saw a decent amount of venture dealmaking for Massachusetts tech and life sciences firms, with Woburn’s BioVex and Wilmington’s Lilliputian Systems scoring the biggest rounds. —Boston-area biotech startup TargAnox closed a $5.1 million Series A funding round led by Ascent Biomedical Ventures. Partners Innovation Fund contributed $250,000 to the round and helped … Continue reading “Lilliputian Discovers $25M, Biovex Bags $40M, Clinical Data Cedes Cogenics to Beckman Coulter for $17M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
Genzyme Shrinks Gene Therapy Effort, Expands Oncology; BioVex Raises $40M For Cancer-Fighting Viruses; Biogen Looks to Future of MS Franchise; & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
If you ever wanted to get the big picture on some of New England’s biggest biotechs, this was certainly a good week to do so. —Just six months after securing its $20 million first round of financing, Cambridge, MA-based Alnara Pharmaceuticals struck a deal putting a late-stage drug candidate into its pipeline. Alnara licensed the … Continue reading “Genzyme Shrinks Gene Therapy Effort, Expands Oncology; BioVex Raises $40M For Cancer-Fighting Viruses; Biogen Looks to Future of MS Franchise; & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
SpaceClaim Claims $7M
Concord, MA-based SpaceClaim, a maker of software for 3D direct modeling, announced today that it has raised $7 million in a deal led jointly by return investors including Borealis Ventures, Kodiak Venture Partners, Needham Capital Partners, and North Bridge Venture Partners. On the market since 2007 and now in their fourth release, SpaceClaim’s products are … Continue reading “SpaceClaim Claims $7M”
InStream Media Closes First Round
Waltham, MA-based inStream Media today announced it has closed its Series A funding round. Lexington, MA-based CommonAngels and Waltham MA-based Stage 1 Ventures led the round, the value of which was not disclosed. InStream’s “1to1 Ads” system allows brick-and-mortar retailers to deliver behaviorally targeted ads and discount offers to shoppers, in the form of customized … Continue reading “InStream Media Closes First Round”
Flybridge Backs FirstBest, Six Startups Blast off With LaunchCapital’s Help, Visible Measures Gains a $10M View, & More Boston-Area Deals News
We’ve got lots of venture financings to report this week. New England’s software firms are particularly well represented. —Medical test maker Claros Diagnostics of Woburn, MA, reportedly completed a $4 million second round of financing. Oxford Bioscience Partners, Bioventures Investors, Accelerated Technologies Partners, and Commons Capital have all previously backed the startup. —Flybridge Capital Partners … Continue reading “Flybridge Backs FirstBest, Six Startups Blast off With LaunchCapital’s Help, Visible Measures Gains a $10M View, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
New Execs for Exact, Sirtris, and Ischemix; New Deal for Biogen and Aveo; New Money for MedAptus and Claros; & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
The executive suites of several New England’s biotech and medical device companies saw new faces this week. —Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems (OTC:[[ticker:CYKN]]), a Foxborough, MA-based developer of devices to treat and aid patients with spinal injuries, revealed to the Boston Globe that it is shutting down. Earlier this year Cyberkinetics sold the rights to its Andara … Continue reading “New Execs for Exact, Sirtris, and Ischemix; New Deal for Biogen and Aveo; New Money for MedAptus and Claros; & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Investors Wire $10M to Quattro Wireless, NKT Therapeutics Nabs $8M, Still River Makes $33M Worth of Waves, & More Boston-Area Deals News
My much beloved Powerbook is about two reboots away from being utterly bricked, so this week’s roundup of New England tech and life sciences deals is going to be a lightning round. Let’s see how much I can tell you before the mortar sets… —Lexington, MA-based Pulmatrix reportedly raised $3 million in a bridge round … Continue reading “Investors Wire $10M to Quattro Wireless, NKT Therapeutics Nabs $8M, Still River Makes $33M Worth of Waves, & More Boston-Area Deals News”