[Updated 12:01 pm, 6/11/18. See below.] The retreat underway in cybersecurity from the ramparts of the outward-facing firewall has spurred a crop of tech startups promising answer for the threat of hackers that in many cases can no longer be denied entrance to networks. This fallback stance has been the adoption of a “zero trust” … Continue reading “Trust No One: Edgewise Raises $11M to Segment and Secure Networks”
Category: Boston
Artizan Bio Taps Synlogic’s Paul Miller for Chief Scientific Officer
Paul Miller has joined Artizan Biosciences as chief scientific officer, the same position he held at Synlogic (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SYBX]]). Miller’s experience also includes senior roles at AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) and Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]). New Haven, CT-based Artizan Bio, a spinout of Yale University, is developing drugs that target the gut microbiome.
With Yale Tech and $12M, Artizan Aims for Root Cause of Gut Disease
A number of startups are targeting the gut microbiome as a way to potentially treat disease, but identifying specific microbes at the root of illness is a challenge. Although software that analyzes troves of biological data helps, the trillions of gut microbes make the research like looking for a needle in a haystack, says James … Continue reading “With Yale Tech and $12M, Artizan Aims for Root Cause of Gut Disease”
Merck Bags Tilos, Adding an Immunotherapy Booster to Its Arsenal
Cancer immunotherapy leader Merck continued to roll up oncology assets with a deal this morning to acquire privately held Tilos Therapeutics. Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) didn’t disclose how much it will pay up front for Tilos, a Lexington, MA, startup developing drugs for cancer, fibrosis, and autoimmune diseases. But the overall payout could reach $773 million … Continue reading “Merck Bags Tilos, Adding an Immunotherapy Booster to Its Arsenal”
3 Tips to Boost Security, Trust With Increasingly Remote Workforce
Employers are increasingly offering remote work options as a differentiator to attract top talent in today’s competitive hiring market. And, with modern technology at their fingertips, employees have come to expect a seamless working experience whether they’re home, in the office, or on the road. These new expectations, coupled with the increase of contract and … Continue reading “3 Tips to Boost Security, Trust With Increasingly Remote Workforce”
Tealium CEO, Founder Among San Diego’s Entrepreneurs of the Year
Two executives at software company Tealium were recognized Thursday with a regional “Entrepreneur of the Year” award from EY for their leadership of the rapidly growing San Diego-based tech firm, which recently raised $55 million in outside investment. Tealium CEO Jeff Lunsford and Mike Anderson, its founder and CTO, were jointly given the Software category … Continue reading “Tealium CEO, Founder Among San Diego’s Entrepreneurs of the Year”
Vertex Pharma Shells Out $420M to Move Into Muscular Dystrophy
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is committing $420 million in a pair of deals that expand the company’s research scope to experimental genetic treatments for two forms of muscular dystrophy. Boston-based Vertex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) announced late Thursday that it reached an agreement to pay $245 million up front to acquire Exonics, a company using gene editing techniques to … Continue reading “Vertex Pharma Shells Out $420M to Move Into Muscular Dystrophy”
Boston Tech Watch: IKEA and Ori, Skyworks and Huawei & Massport and Turo
[Updated 6/7/19, 9:50 am. See below.] Quite a range of topics in this week’s batch of Boston technology news: robot furniture, male fertility, airport car rental spats, as well as the usual deals and acquisitions. Read on for more: —Boston-headquartered robotics startup Ori Living and IKEA are collaborating on a line of furniture for small … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: IKEA and Ori, Skyworks and Huawei & Massport and Turo”
Bio Roundup: ASCO Wrap, Bluebird’s EU Tap, CRISPR Baby Risk & More
Welcome to conference week. That’s not an official moniker, but is there any busier time on the biopharma calendar? As the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting wrapped up in Chicago, the annual BIO conference kicked off in Philadelphia, and a deep dive into diabetes begins today in San Francisco. With half the biopharma world, … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: ASCO Wrap, Bluebird’s EU Tap, CRISPR Baby Risk & More”
Agios Chief Scientific Officer Scott Biller to Retire at End of Year
Scott Biller, chief scientific officer of Agios Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AGIO]]) since 2010, is retiring at the end of this year. The Cambridge, MA-based company said that Biller will continue as an advisor through the end of 2020. Agios, which develops drugs to treat cancer and rare diseases, is searching for Biller’s successor. Last year, Agios … Continue reading “Agios Chief Scientific Officer Scott Biller to Retire at End of Year”
BlueRock’s Lodie Joins Gamida Cell as Chief Scientific Officer
Gamida Cell (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GMDA]]) has appointed Tracey Lodie to serve as its chief scientific officer. She succeeds Tony Peled, who will move to the newly created chief technology officer position. Lodie comes to Gamida Cell from BlueRock Therapeutics, where she was senior vice president, translational immunology. Gamida Cell, which is based in Israel and maintains … Continue reading “BlueRock’s Lodie Joins Gamida Cell as Chief Scientific Officer”
Cerf, Kahn, Perlman, Hillis & More at Net@50: Get Tix to Historic Event
How did the internet arise to change the world—and where is it heading? Given the state of technology and society, what are the best ways to curtail the spread of misinformation (among other challenges) and the harm it can bring? At the World Frontiers Forum and Xconomy, we can’t promise to cover everything, but we … Continue reading “Cerf, Kahn, Perlman, Hillis & More at Net@50: Get Tix to Historic Event”
Ex-Vertex Pharma Exec Patricia Hurter to Join Lyndra as CEO
Patricia Hurter is joining Lyndra Therapeutics to become the Watertown, MA, company’s CEO. She will start her new role on Sept. 3. Hurter’s experience includes serving as senior vice president of pharmaceutical and preclinical sciences at Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]). Lyndra’s current CEO, Amy Schulman, will become executive chair of the company’s board. Lyndra is … Continue reading “Ex-Vertex Pharma Exec Patricia Hurter to Join Lyndra as CEO”
ASCO 2019: The Long Game, Targeted Pills, First-Ever Buzz & More
The American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago has wrapped up for another year. Last week, we featured two stories that you wouldn’t find at the ASCO frenzy: Immunotherapy’s lack of progress in treating breast cancer, and one woman’s risky bet of tens of millions of dollars from her personal fortune to speed drug … Continue reading “ASCO 2019: The Long Game, Targeted Pills, First-Ever Buzz & More”
Apple Touts New Privacy Moves as Antitrust Probes Loom for Big Tech
Both the House leadership and the Trump administration are preparing to challenge the power of Google, Facebook, and other big tech companies by launching antitrust investigations into their allegedly anticompetitive business practices, as the Washington Post detailed it this week. But the growing concern about the pervasive control of tech giants in arenas such as … Continue reading “Apple Touts New Privacy Moves as Antitrust Probes Loom for Big Tech”
What’s Hot in Boston Biotech 2019: The Photos
From gene therapy’s renaissance to the uncertain future of Alzheimer’s treatments, it’s a challenging but exciting time in the life sciences. Xconomy’s recent What’s Hot in Boston Biotech forum gathered a stellar group of industry leaders to dissect and reflect on many of the sector’s most urgent issues—and have a bit of fun, too. Check … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech 2019: The Photos”
Bayer and Arvinas Join Forces in $115M Pharma & Ag Research Alliance
Bayer is committing $115 million to Arvinas in a partnership focused on turning the biotech’s technology for getting rid of harmful proteins into new products for both human health and agriculture. According to the deal announced Tuesday, the German life sciences and agtech giant will pay New Haven, CT-based Arvinas (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARVN]]) more than $60 … Continue reading “Bayer and Arvinas Join Forces in $115M Pharma & Ag Research Alliance”
Study: Gene Edits in CRISPR Babies Could Boost Risk of Earlier Death
The Chinese scientist He Jiankui, who revealed last fall that he used CRISPR gene editing to try to make twin newborn girls immune to HIV infection, might have also given them a higher risk of death. That’s according to a new study from University of California, Berkeley data scientists who analyzed the records of more … Continue reading “Study: Gene Edits in CRISPR Babies Could Boost Risk of Earlier Death”
Bluebird Bio’s Gene Therapy for Blood Disease Wins European Approval
Bluebird Bio has won regulatory approval for its first gene therapy, a treatment for the rare blood disease beta thalassemia. Cambridge, MA-based Bluebird said Monday that the European Commission’s regulatory nod for its therapy, Zynteglo, is a conditional approval, meaning the decision was made with less data than typically required for new drugs. Such approvals … Continue reading “Bluebird Bio’s Gene Therapy for Blood Disease Wins European Approval”
Boston Tech Watch: LearnLaunch, Starry, Bodeswell, HqO & Pillo
A wave of funding crashed on Boston startups this week, as well as a major acquisition of a cybersecurity and threat intelligence company. Read on for more of this week’s Boston-area tech news. —Kytopen, a Cambridge, MA-based technology company engineering testing and manufacturing systems for cell therapy, raised $3.6 million in seed funding from MIT’s … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: LearnLaunch, Starry, Bodeswell, HqO & Pillo”
Bio Roundup: Opioids in Court, IPO Parade, Brain Cancer Bet & More
[Corrected 5/31/19, 8:48 am ET. See below.] Pharmaceutical companies that make or market opioids have found themselves in legal hot water, and much of the heat is coming from Oklahoma. This week, a trial began litigating Johnson & Johnson’s responsibility for opioid addiction in the Sooner State. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]) entered the Norman, … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Opioids in Court, IPO Parade, Brain Cancer Bet & More”
Quantum Computing 101: Brilliant, Google, Microsoft Training Workers
From Microsoft and IBM to Alphabet’s unit X and Canada’s D-Wave Systems, companies are racing to build powerful quantum computers that may solve problems beyond the capacity of the most sophisticated conventional processors, and do it much faster. It’ll be some years before such uber-computers are robust and reliable enough for broad commercial use. But … Continue reading “Quantum Computing 101: Brilliant, Google, Microsoft Training Workers”
Alnylam Pharma Promotes Kevin Fitzgerald to Chief Scientific Officer
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) has promoted Kevin Fitzgerald, its head of research, to senior vice president and chief scientific officer. Fitzgerald joined Cambridge, MA-based Alnylam in 2005. In other moves, Alnylam appointed Kelley Boucher senior vice president and chief human resources officer. Boucher was most recently vice president and head of global human resources for … Continue reading “Alnylam Pharma Promotes Kevin Fitzgerald to Chief Scientific Officer”
Vertex Selects Drug Combo, a Potential Therapy for 90% of CF Patients
[Updated, 12:57 p.m. See below.] Vertex Pharmaceuticals is already a leader in cystic fibrosis therapies. The company is placing its bet on an experimental drug that could strengthen its dominant position. Vertex said it will file for regulatory approval of VX-445, an experimental drug that the company estimates could treat up to 90 percent of … Continue reading “Vertex Selects Drug Combo, a Potential Therapy for 90% of CF Patients”
With $35M, Whole Biome Eyes 2020 Launch of Medical Food for Diabetes
Diabetes treatments available today include shots and pills intended to restore the hormone balance that leads to healthy blood sugar levels. Whole Biome aims to accomplish the same thing—but with a capsule that targets the gut microbiome. Whole Biome is preparing to launch its product early next year. To support those plans, the San Francisco-based … Continue reading “With $35M, Whole Biome Eyes 2020 Launch of Medical Food for Diabetes”
Agenda Posted for Net@50 on July 16 at MIT Media Lab
Come celebrate milestones the internet has made over the past 50 years at a special event called Net@50 on July 16 in Cambridge, MA, organized by the World Frontiers Forum and Xconomy. An afternoon forum at the MIT Media Lab will explore the big issues and challenges surrounding the internet. And a gala dinner at … Continue reading “Agenda Posted for Net@50 on July 16 at MIT Media Lab”
Can Tiny Drug Doses (and One Woman’s Fortune) Fight the Most Vicious Cancer?
When the brain goes bad, modern medicine is often powerless to help. That’s the case for Alzheimer’s disease, where drug after drug has failed, and the only approved treatments are marginally helpful at best. The same seems increasingly clear for the most common and aggressive type of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme. Its origins are mysterious, … Continue reading “Can Tiny Drug Doses (and One Woman’s Fortune) Fight the Most Vicious Cancer?”
To Catch Early Cancer, and Rivals, Thrive Banks on Hopkins Blood Test
The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the odds of survival, and the race is on to detect the earliest traces of the disease from an otherwise healthy person’s blood sample. A new entrant in that race has emerged today. Thrive Earlier Detection has raised $110 million in financing from biotech investors Third Rock Ventures … Continue reading “To Catch Early Cancer, and Rivals, Thrive Banks on Hopkins Blood Test”
Recorded Future Bought for $780M in Latest Boston Cybersecurity Deal
Recorded Future is being acquired by tech investor Insight Partners in a $780 million all-cash deal, the cyber-threat intelligence company announced this morning. Insight Partners, a New York-based venture capital and private equity firm, led a $25 million round of funding that Recorded Future raised in October 2017. At the time, the cash put the … Continue reading “Recorded Future Bought for $780M in Latest Boston Cybersecurity Deal”
CrowdStrike IPO: Cybersecurity Firms Defend Themselves, and You
Of the many risks facing a cybersecurity company that’s trying to raise money through an initial public offering, here’s one that might surprise some investors: cyber attacks. Cybersecurity is important for everyone as hackers and governments continue to develop new and unique ways of stealing or compromising private information, which is more accessible than ever. … Continue reading “CrowdStrike IPO: Cybersecurity Firms Defend Themselves, and You”
Vertex Exec Sepp-Lorenzino Named Intellia Chief Scientific Officer
Laura Sepp-Lorenzino has joined Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NTLA]]) as executive vice president and chief scientific officer. She comes to the Cambridge, MA, drug developer from Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]), where she was vice president, head of nucleic acid therapies, research leadership, as well as a member of the company’s external innovation team. Her experience also … Continue reading “Vertex Exec Sepp-Lorenzino Named Intellia Chief Scientific Officer”
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?”
Bodeswell Wants Financial Planning to Be a Game With “Real Loot”
There’s no shortage of financial software companies offering to plug into bank and investment accounts, chart out spending and income graphics, and let users construct monthly budgets or savings goals. Familiar names like Intuit’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTU]]) Quicken and Mint have been joined by apps like Personal Capital, You Need A Budget, Wally, Cinch, and other … Continue reading “Bodeswell Wants Financial Planning to Be a Game With “Real Loot””
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”
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”
Boston Tech Watch: Robin, Markforged, Air Force AI & CozyKin
The Air Force and MIT partner on AI research. Meeting room tech raises more dough. “Autopilot” for 3D printers. And robot companies teaming up to fill your next ecommerce order. Read on for more of what went down this week in Boston tech news. —Robin Powered, a Boston startup building workplace desk- and meeting room-booking … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Robin, Markforged, Air Force AI & CozyKin”
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”
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”
Former Arsanis CEO René Russo Tapped to Lead Akrevia Therapeutics
René Russo has been appointed CEO of Akrevia Therapeutics. She is also joining the Cambridge, MA, company’s board of directors. Russo was most recently CEO of Arsanis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ASNS]]), a biotech that combined operations with X4 Pharmaceuticals in a reverse merger earlier this year. Launched last year with $30 million in financing, Akrevia is developing … Continue reading “Former Arsanis CEO René Russo Tapped to Lead Akrevia Therapeutics”
Celsius Therapeutics Adds Greg Ryslik and Michael Boretti to C-Suite
Greg Ryslik has been appointed chief data officer of Celsius Therapeutics. He joins the Cambridge, MA-based company from Mindstrong Health, where he was vice president of data science. His experience also includes posts at electric carmakers Faraday Future and Tesla (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TSLA]]). In other moves, Celsius appointed Michael Boretti, formerly vice president of business development … Continue reading “Celsius Therapeutics Adds Greg Ryslik and Michael Boretti to C-Suite”
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”
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”
Voyager’s CSO Dinah Sah to Retire, Omar Khwaja Expands Role
Dinah Sah is retiring from her position as chief scientific officer of Voyager Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VYGR]]). In her place, the Cambridge, MA-based gene therapy developer said that Chief Medical Officer Omar Khwaja will take on an expanded role as chief medical officer and head of research and development. The changes will happen June 28, but … Continue reading “Voyager’s CSO Dinah Sah to Retire, Omar Khwaja Expands Role”
Animal Bio Picks Tufts’ Rentko for Chief Veterinary Medical Officer
Ginny Rentko has been appointed chief veterinary medical officer of Animal Biosciences, a subsidiary of Boston-based Life Biosciences. Rentko comes to Animal Bio from Tufts University, where she was medical director of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Animal Bio is developing therapeutics and supplements intended to help pets live longer.
MedCo Touts New Data for Long-Lasting Heart Drug as Reckoning Looms
The Medicines Co. and partner Alnylam Pharmaceuticals have presented new evidence supporting the long-term use of their RNA-based cholesterol lowering therapy inclisiran, which is meant to be a longer lasting alternative to a new crop of heart drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors. At a medical meeting in Miami, Medicines Co. (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MDCO]]) reported that 290 patients … Continue reading “MedCo Touts New Data for Long-Lasting Heart Drug as Reckoning Looms”
Nomination Deadline Extended for Xconomy Awards Boston
We’ve received a lot of great nominations for this year’s Xconomy Awards Boston, but we’ve had several people ask for more time to get their nominations in. So we are extending the deadline until Friday, May 24 at 5pm eastern. This will be the final deadline—please get your nominations in soon for the top people, … Continue reading “Nomination Deadline Extended for Xconomy Awards Boston”
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”