Pascal Touchon has been appointed president and CEO of Atara Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ATRA]]). He is also joining the South San Francisco company’s board of directors. He succeeds Isaac Ciechanover, who announced earlier this year that he would step down as president, CEO, and board member. Atara said Ciechanover will serve as a special advisor to … Continue reading “Atara Bio Appoints Pascal Touchon as Isaac Ciechanover’s Successor”
Category: San Francisco
Immunotherapy Is Now Here For Breast Cancer. What Are Its Prospects?
Drugs that rev up a patient’s immune system have changed how we treat cancers of the skin, lung, and more, offering people whose tumors have spread a chance to live longer than ever thought possible. But until this year, the field had nothing for breast cancer, which kills more women than any other cancer type. … Continue reading “Immunotherapy Is Now Here For Breast Cancer. What Are Its Prospects?”
The Biotech IPO Queue Grows Longer as Five More Companies File
The biotech IPO train is rolling onward, with five more companies climbing aboard. The companies, ranging from a late-stage firm looking to finance Phase 3 studies to preclinical companies laying the groundwork for their first drug trials with human subjects, submitted their paperwork to the SEC late Friday—just before the start of Memorial Day weekend. Here’s … Continue reading “The Biotech IPO Queue Grows Longer as Five More Companies File”
With Sliver of Data, BioMarin to Seek OK for Hemophilia Gene Therapy
A gene therapy for hemophilia could be on the market by the end of next year, according to its developer BioMarin Pharmaceutical, if regulators agree that a tiny amount of data show enough promise. San Rafael, CA-based BioMarin (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BMRN]]) said this morning that a single dose of the therapy, valoctocogene roxaparvovec—known in shorthand as … Continue reading “With Sliver of Data, BioMarin to Seek OK for Hemophilia Gene Therapy”
Stoke Therapeutics Preps IPO to Bring Dravet Syndrome Drug to Clinic
After Stoke Therapeutics closed $90 million in financing last fall, CEO Ed Kaye signaled his biotech would seek more cash through an IPO soon. The preclinical-stage biotech is now officially on a path to the public markets. In paperwork filed late Thursday with the SEC, Bedford, MA-based Stoke set a preliminary $86 million target for … Continue reading “Stoke Therapeutics Preps IPO to Bring Dravet Syndrome Drug to Clinic”
Second US Gene Therapy, Approved for Rare Muscle Disease, to Cost $2M
The FDA today has made Zolgensma, a Novartis treatment for the rare genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy, the second approved gene therapy in the US. The news marks a milestone for SMA patients, who have only one other approved medicine available. But it comes with a cost: At $2.125 million, Zolgensma’s price tag creates a … Continue reading “Second US Gene Therapy, Approved for Rare Muscle Disease, to Cost $2M”
Bio Roundup: Zolgensma Watch, Brain Cancer Blues, Peloton Payout & More
Patients, doctors, family members, and drug-price watchdogs continued to wait for the expected approval of Zolgensma, a Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]) gene therapy for the rare inherited disease spinal muscular atrophy. Originally developed at a children’s hospital in Ohio, Zolgensma will be a litmus test for the nascent field. If approved this week or next, it … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Zolgensma Watch, Brain Cancer Blues, Peloton Payout & More”
Scoop Partners with Bedrock to Bring Carpooling Service to Detroiters
Scoop, the app-based carpooling service headquartered in San Francisco, landed in Detroit this week and will now facilitate rides for residents living in seven Motor City ZIP codes that encompass downtown, Midtown, Corktown, and neighborhoods to the immediate east and west of downtown. When Scoop enters a new market, its approach involves partnering with a … Continue reading “Scoop Partners with Bedrock to Bring Carpooling Service to Detroiters”
Nektar Forms New Company Inheris to Take Reins on Pain, CNS Drugs
If Nektar Therapeutics wins FDA approval this summer for an opioid painkiller it designed to be less addictive than other opioids, another company will usher the new product onto the market. San Francisco-based Nektar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NKTR]]) announced Thursday that it formed Inheris Biopharma to take the reins on pain drug NKTR-181, as well as several … Continue reading “Nektar Forms New Company Inheris to Take Reins on Pain, CNS Drugs”
Ideaya and Bicycle Therapeutics IPOs Raise $110M for Cancer Drug R&D
Ideaya Biosciences and Bicycle Therapeutics priced their IPOs late Wednesday, raising a combined $110 million to continue clinical trials of their respective experimental cancer drugs. South San Francisco-based Ideaya raised $50 million. The company priced its offering of 5 million shares at $10 apiece, well below the targeted price range of $13 to $15 per … Continue reading “Ideaya and Bicycle Therapeutics IPOs Raise $110M for Cancer Drug R&D”
Cala Health Secures $50M to Launch Anti-Tremor Wrist Device
Cala Health announced this week it raised $50 million in a Series C financing that will fund the market introduction of its wristwatch-like device that delivers nerve stimulation as a remedy for tremors of the hands. New investors Novartis, Baird Capital, LifeSci Venture Partners and TriVentures participated in the fundraising round, and were joined by … Continue reading “Cala Health Secures $50M to Launch Anti-Tremor Wrist Device”
Agrilyst Rebrands as Artemis, Lands $8M for Indoor Farming Software
Agrilyst, an agtech startup that has commercialized software that helps manage indoor farms and greenhouses, is unveiling a new name and additional capital. The company is now called Artemis and it has raised an $8 million Series A round of funding. Astanor Ventures and Talis Capital co-led the investment announced Wednesday. Other investors include New … Continue reading “Agrilyst Rebrands as Artemis, Lands $8M for Indoor Farming Software”
With $120M, AlloVir Faces Big Test of Cell Therapy to Fight Infection
In healthy people, viruses are kept in check by the immune system. But for immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing transplant procedures, a viral infection is potentially deadly. AlloVir is developing a cell therapy intended to control infections while a patient’s immune system recovers. Houston-based AlloVir is preparing its lead candidate for late-stage testing and … Continue reading “With $120M, AlloVir Faces Big Test of Cell Therapy to Fight Infection”
California Life Sciences Fueled by Education, Established Companies
New medicines, devices, and diagnostics produced by the life sciences community in California are giving clinicians better tools to fight disease and improve quality of life for patients around the world. Emerging technologies, such as stem cell and gene therapies, are beginning to make their mark. According to the California Life Sciences Association (CLSA)’s latest … Continue reading “California Life Sciences Fueled by Education, Established Companies”
AI Startup Clinc Snags $52M Series B to Expand Offices, Markets
Ann Arbor, MI-based startup Clinc, which is focused on developing conversational artificial intelligence software for use in chatbots, has raised $52 million in a Series B round, the company announced this week. The round was led by Insight Partners, with participation from DFJ Growth, Drive Capital, and Hyde Park Venture Partners. As part of the … Continue reading “AI Startup Clinc Snags $52M Series B to Expand Offices, Markets”
Sebastian Thrun and Udacity Launch New Self-Driving Nanodegree
[Corrected 5/21/19, 11:04 am. See below.] Sebastian Thrun first made his mark on autonomous vehicle development at the dawn of that industry, when he led a Stanford team whose robot car Stanley won the $2 million DARPA Grand Challenge in 2005 by racing driverless through the Mojave Desert for 132 miles. These days, Thrun seems … Continue reading “Sebastian Thrun and Udacity Launch New Self-Driving Nanodegree”
Guardicore Raises $60M and Moves US HQ to Boston From San Francisco
US-Israeli cybersecurity startup Guardicore is moving its American headquarters from San Francisco to Boston after hiring a Massachusetts marketing executive and raising a $60 million funding round. The Tel Aviv-based company’s decision to run American operations from Boston is a well-worn path for high-tech firms, with more than 200 Israeli-founded businesses employing more than 9,000 … Continue reading “Guardicore Raises $60M and Moves US HQ to Boston From San Francisco”
Auth0 Gets “Unicorn” Status as It Raises $103M for Security Tools
Auth0, a Bellevue, WA-based developer of user identification and login tools for software makers and large businesses, announced Monday it has raised $103 million in new financing. Under the terms of the deal, investors valued Auth0 at more than $1 billion, putting it among the ranks of tech startup “unicorns.” Sapphire Ventures, based in Silicon … Continue reading “Auth0 Gets “Unicorn” Status as It Raises $103M for Security Tools”
HAP Partners With Livongo on Tech-Enabled Diabetes Compliance Program
As digital health applications continue to grow in popularity, yet achieve only mixed results, one area in which tech-enabled tools have found success is among diabetes patients. Health Alliance Plan (HAP), a Detroit-based nonprofit health insurance provider, wants to leverage that success with a new program in partnership with Mountain View, CA-based Livongo, maker of … Continue reading “HAP Partners With Livongo on Tech-Enabled Diabetes Compliance Program”
Eiger Bio’s Apelian Gives Notice, Takes CEO Job at Private Biotech
David Apelian, chief operating officer and executive medical officer at Eiger BioPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EIGR]]) for the past 17 months, is stepping down. The Palo Alto, CA, drug developer said Friday that Apelian accepted an offer to become CEO of an unnamed private biotech company. Apelian, whose last day will be June 14, will remain on … Continue reading “Eiger Bio’s Apelian Gives Notice, Takes CEO Job at Private Biotech”
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Buying Supercomputer Pioneer Cray for $1.3B
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise will pay $1.3 billion to acquire Cray, a Seattle business that develops software used in supercomputers and other high-powered machines. High-performance computing technologies, such as those developed by Cray, are seen as central to sorting through “the explosion of data” resulting from innovations in areas like artificial intelligence and data analytics, HPE says. … Continue reading “Hewlett Packard Enterprise Buying Supercomputer Pioneer Cray for $1.3B”
Bio Roundup: Generic Drugs Graft, ASCO Ahead, ElevateBio Rises & More
Generic drugs are supposed to give consumers more choices and a counterweight to more costly branded medications. During his tenure as FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb often spoke about generics as a market force that could help tame climbing drug prices. But such tools only work when companies play fair. A lawsuit is now claiming that … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Generic Drugs Graft, ASCO Ahead, ElevateBio Rises & More”
ASCO Abstracts: Breast Cancer, Precision Treatments in the Spotlight
The world’s biggest annual cancer conference is just around the corner. Data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting each year can change medical practice and make or break companies whose drugs are under the microscope. That’s what makes even the “abstracts,” or snippets of data revealed a few weeks before the meeting, … Continue reading “ASCO Abstracts: Breast Cancer, Precision Treatments in the Spotlight”
Karat Gets $28M for Software, Team That Assess Job-Seeking Engineers
Karat, a Seattle-based startup that uses a combination of software and a stable of freelance interviewers to help tech companies assess job applicants, announced Wednesday it has raised $28 million in new funding. Tiger Global Management led the Series B funding round, Karat says. Other participating investors included return backers Norwest Venture Partners and 8VC. … Continue reading “Karat Gets $28M for Software, Team That Assess Job-Seeking Engineers”
Ginkgo Eyes Antibiotics With Deal for Warp Drive’s Gene “Mining” Tech
Microbes designed by Ginkgo Bioworks are used in consumer products such as fragrances and beverages, and they’re undergoing research for applications in agriculture and medicine. The synthetic biology company has been pushing to expand its technology to more uses, and its latest deal moves the firm further into pharmaceutical research. Boston-based Ginkgo said Wednesday that … Continue reading “Ginkgo Eyes Antibiotics With Deal for Warp Drive’s Gene “Mining” Tech”
Eyeing Future IPO, A Rarity for SD Software Firms, Tealium Adds $55M
San Diego has had plenty of businesses go public in recent years, but most have been life sciences companies. Now software startup Tealium, which has about 215 employees at its San Diego headquarters, announced Wednesday it has added $55 million in a Series F financing. Eleven-year-old Tealium has now hauled in more than $160 million … Continue reading “Eyeing Future IPO, A Rarity for SD Software Firms, Tealium Adds $55M”
Endpoint Security Company CrowdStrike Files Publicly for IPO
CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity company that identified the two Russian government-linked hacker groups that invaded the Democratic National Committee (DNC)’s network during the 2016 presidential campaign, filed publicly for an initial public offering on Tuesday. Sunnyvale, CA-based CrowdStrike sells cloud-based security software and related services by subscription to businesses. Founded in 2011, the company adapted traditional … Continue reading “Endpoint Security Company CrowdStrike Files Publicly for IPO”
Weather Tech Q&A: Understory CEO on “Ground Truth,” Climate Change
[Updated 5/17/19, 3:56 pm ET. See below.] As climate change brings more extreme and unpredictable weather, the stakes for improving the ability to track and forecast atmospheric conditions are rising. That has contributed to a growing interest in startups developing technologies for weather monitoring and analytics. The latest to cash in is Understory, a Madison, … Continue reading “Weather Tech Q&A: Understory CEO on “Ground Truth,” Climate Change”
Respond Raises $20M to Advance Automated Response to Cyberattacks
In business sectors such as warehouse operations, automation may put a company’s current employees out of work in some cases. In the cybersecurity sector, automation can take up a multitude of tasks without displacing any staffers—because there aren’t enough qualified humans right now to fill all the jobs. That’s according to Bay Area cybersecurity company … Continue reading “Respond Raises $20M to Advance Automated Response to Cyberattacks”
ElevateBio Gets $150M to Grow a Crop of Gene & Cell Therapy Startups
When a biotech startup is ready to test an experimental therapy it faces a pricey choice: Should it make its drug in-house, or hire a contract manufacturer? The decision is particularly expensive for companies developing complex gene and cell therapies, which need to make large batches of engineered viruses to test their work. A new … Continue reading “ElevateBio Gets $150M to Grow a Crop of Gene & Cell Therapy Startups”
Milestones of Innovation 17: ‘Golden Spike’ Heralds Era of Cheap Steel
One hundred fifty years ago May 10, around mid-day, railroad promoters from two coasts clumsily drove the final spikes of America’s first transcontinental railroad near Promontory Point, Utah. Two of the spikes used that day were made of gold. The blows themselves triggered a telegraphic message to the world. The joining of the Central Pacific … Continue reading “Milestones of Innovation 17: ‘Golden Spike’ Heralds Era of Cheap Steel”
ClassDojo CEO: Never Too Early for Kids to Learn About Mindfulness
If you felt a positive disturbance in The Force today, it may have been due to ClassDojo’s Mindful Moment. At 11am local time, millions of kids from schools in 180 countries are participating in the “world’s biggest virtual mindfulness class.” The course comes with a downloadable lesson plan from ClassDojo, a San Francisco-based educational technology … Continue reading “ClassDojo CEO: Never Too Early for Kids to Learn About Mindfulness”
Tech Ethics, Regulation & Strategy: Here’s the Napa Summit Agenda
With Uber’s long-awaited IPO, Facebook’s mounting controversies, and ongoing debates over drug pricing and safety issues, come a great responsibility. A big story in the innovation community now is about the ethics and regulation of tech and life sciences. What are the right ways to safeguard the public, hold corporations accountable, and maintain economic growth? … Continue reading “Tech Ethics, Regulation & Strategy: Here’s the Napa Summit Agenda”
Bio Roundup: Rare Disease Showdowns, Prices on TV, Dealmania & More
The market for drugs for rare or “orphan” diseases continues to grow. An April report from Evaluate Pharma predicted sales of orphan drugs to rise 12 percent a year between now and 2024, when they will account for an estimated 20 percent of worldwide prescription drug sales. The field has gotten so competitive that multiple … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Rare Disease Showdowns, Prices on TV, Dealmania & More”
Uber Completes $8.1B Public Market Debut in Spite of Tumultuous Past
[Updated 5/10/19, 5 pm ET. See below.] Ride-hailing giant Uber secured $8.1 billion in new capital late Thursday as it priced an initial public offering that set its market capitalization at $82.4 billion, according to calculations by The New York Times and other news outlets. Uber announced late Thursday it will sell 180 million shares … Continue reading “Uber Completes $8.1B Public Market Debut in Spite of Tumultuous Past”
Two Days, Five Biotech IPOs, and $359M Raised for Clinical Trials
It will be hard to top last year’s flurry of biotech companies joining the public markets, but this week is shaping up to be the busiest for life science IPOs in recent memory. Five biotechs priced their IPOs and at least one more is coming. According to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital, 47 IPOs have … Continue reading “Two Days, Five Biotech IPOs, and $359M Raised for Clinical Trials”
Mobility News: Cruise’s New Cash, Tesla’s Pivot to Robotaxis & More
As the mobility industry waits with baited breath to see how Uber’s IPO will play out on Friday, there is plenty of news being made elsewhere in the sector. Cruise scored another massive investment, Toyota AI Ventures opened a new fund, scooters continue to rev up, and more. Read on for details. —Our own Bernadette … Continue reading “Mobility News: Cruise’s New Cash, Tesla’s Pivot to Robotaxis & More”
Goldfinch Bio Lands $55M From Gilead in Kidney Drug R&D Pact
Goldfinch Bio set out to build a database of patients with kidney diseases, which it could study to understand the biology and genetics of kidney disorders in order to develop better drugs. The biotech startup is making headway on its research and its approach now has some outside validation. Gilead Sciences is partnering with Goldfinch … Continue reading “Goldfinch Bio Lands $55M From Gilead in Kidney Drug R&D Pact”
Lyft Posts $1.1B Loss for Q1 in First Earnings Report Post-IPO
Newly public ride-hailing company Lyft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LYFT]]) filed its first-quarter earnings results Tuesday, reporting a 95 percent increase in revenue compared with the same period in 2018, but a net loss of nearly $1.14 billion. That first-quarter loss includes $894 million of stock-based compensation and other expenses triggered by the completion of Lyft’s IPO on April … Continue reading “Lyft Posts $1.1B Loss for Q1 in First Earnings Report Post-IPO”
SMA, Migraine Data Lead Neuro Highlights from AAN Meeting
The American Academy of Neurology meeting in Philadelphia is rolling on through the end of this week. There has been plenty of news to digest already. New clinical data could herald cutting-edge treatments for migraine, the rare disease spinal muscular atrophy, the deadly neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and more. Xconomy previewed the conference last … Continue reading “SMA, Migraine Data Lead Neuro Highlights from AAN Meeting”
Flexe Gets $43M to Expand On-demand Warehousing and Fulfillment Tools
Flexe, a Seattle-based company that provides on-demand warehousing and fulfillment services, announced Tuesday it has raised $43 million in new funding. Flexe says it plans to use some of the proceeds from the Series B round for product development, and to more that double its current headcount. San Francisco-based Activate Capital and New York-based Tiger Global … Continue reading “Flexe Gets $43M to Expand On-demand Warehousing and Fulfillment Tools”
Linux Foundation’s Open Source Automotive Software Project Takes Off
When we last covered the Linux Foundation’s Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) project—a collaborative, cross-industry, nonprofit effort to develop a common, open-source software stack for the connected car—it was 2016 and the automotive industry was just beginning to warm up to development partnerships that could advance autonomous vehicles and other mobility services. Three years later, and … Continue reading “Linux Foundation’s Open Source Automotive Software Project Takes Off”
Exabeam Raises $75M To Compete With Splunk, Other Security Leaders
Landing its second shot of new capital in less than a year, cybersecurity startup Exabeam announced today it secured $75 million in a Series E funding round co-led by new investor Sapphire Ventures and returning investor Lightspeed Venture Partners. San Mateo, CA-based Exabeam says the cash boost will fund its competitive push in a cybersecurity … Continue reading “Exabeam Raises $75M To Compete With Splunk, Other Security Leaders”
Verve Has Top Cardio-Geneticist, $58.5M to Aim CRISPR at Heart Attacks
A new startup wants to edit out the world’s biggest killer. Prominent cardiologist and geneticist Sekar Kathiresan is heading up a new company, Verve Therapeutics, that will develop gene-altering medicine to prevent heart attacks. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. “Imagine an injection, once in life, that safely … Continue reading “Verve Has Top Cardio-Geneticist, $58.5M to Aim CRISPR at Heart Attacks”
Bellicum Pharma’s Grossman Joins Arcus Bio as Chief Medical Officer
William Grossman has joined Arcus Biosciences (NYSE: [[ticker:RCUS]]) as chief medical officer, the same position he held at his former company, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BLCM]]). Grossman’s experience also includes positions at Genentech, AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]), and Biothera. Hayward, CA-based Arcus, which raised $120 million in its IPO last year, has several cancer drugs in early-stage … Continue reading “Bellicum Pharma’s Grossman Joins Arcus Bio as Chief Medical Officer”
Bio Roundup: Head and Spine Previews, Biogen Moves, IPO Dreams & More
America continues to suffer from healthcare headaches. Our convoluted private-public insurance system was under scrutiny this week from Democrats, holding a “Medicare for All” hearing in the House, and from Republicans, as several GOP-led states and the Trump administration asked a federal court to sweep away Obamacare. Several companies also want to reduce headaches. This … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Head and Spine Previews, Biogen Moves, IPO Dreams & More”
At Big Neuro Meeting, Migraine Drug Competitors to Make Oral Arguments
The first new class of migraine drugs in decades won FDA approval last year. But the companies who commercialized these new therapies and their potential competitors are already planning new, more convenient versions, taken as pills instead of injectoins just below the skin, and they will present key data in the next few days at … Continue reading “At Big Neuro Meeting, Migraine Drug Competitors to Make Oral Arguments”
Nohla’s Christianson Joins Rainier Therapeutics as Chief Technical Officer
Gary Christianson has been appointed chief technical officer of San Leandro, CA-based Rainier Therapeutics. Christianson was most recently chief operating officer at Nohla Therapeutics in Seattle. His experience also includes posts at Cascadian Therapeutics and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]). Rainier, formerly known as BioClin Therapeutics, has advanced its lead drug candidate vofatamab to Phase 2 testing … Continue reading “Nohla’s Christianson Joins Rainier Therapeutics as Chief Technical Officer”
Beyond Meat’s IPO Bags $241M to Make Plant-Based Burgers Mainstream
A Beyond Meat burger is coming to a location near you—and soon. The food technology company’s upsized IPO has raised $241 million to finance plans to bring its plant-based “meat” to more grocery stores and restaurants across the country. Beyond Meat priced its IPO Wednesday evening at $25 per share, which was the high end … Continue reading “Beyond Meat’s IPO Bags $241M to Make Plant-Based Burgers Mainstream”
SMA Moment: Will Gene Therapy Shift Treatment, Costs of Muscle Disease?
This is a big moment for people diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, a rare and potentially lethal genetic disorder that destroys muscles. For decades, there was no way to change the trajectory of their disease. They now have one marketed medicine, and this month, chances are they’ll have another: a gene therapy that … Continue reading “SMA Moment: Will Gene Therapy Shift Treatment, Costs of Muscle Disease?”