For the past five years, Jigar Patel and a group of fellow Roche employees have been quietly developing drug discovery technology at the global pharma company’s outpost in Madison, WI. Now, they’re setting out on their own to see if their approach to identifying promising peptide-based therapies can have an impact on the sector. Patel … Continue reading “Roche Spinout Nimble Therapeutics Bags $10M to Find New Peptide Drugs”
Category: Boston
Exosomes Head to Wall Street As Codiak Biosciences Lines Up IPO
Do Wall Street investors believe that exosomes, the tiny bubbles once thought to be just cellular garbage bins, may be the key to treating a slew of potential diseases? The coming IPO for Codiak Biosciences will present a test case. Codiak, a Cambridge, MA, company run by former Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) research chief Doug Williams, … Continue reading “Exosomes Head to Wall Street As Codiak Biosciences Lines Up IPO”
Another $568M, and a $7B Valuation, for Automation Firm UiPath
UiPath, which helps businesses automate tedious digital processes such as billing and inventory control, announced today it raised $568 million from investors who agreed on a $7 billion valuation for the company. New York-based UiPath is one of the automation software companies that have been raking in capital recently as they compete for enterprise customers … Continue reading “Another $568M, and a $7B Valuation, for Automation Firm UiPath”
Finding Your Startup Lawyer: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know
Successful management of any new enterprise, regardless of industry, is a process demanding of concerted effort to realize opportunity with a finite set of resources. As an entrepreneur, perfecting your vision, securing and managing funds, building a team, marketing and selling, and executing on plan, all while navigating unexpected obstacles, likely occupy your every day. … Continue reading “Finding Your Startup Lawyer: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know”
Boston Tech Watch: Workbar, Modo, Locus Robotics, Zagster & More
Robots, autonomous vehicles, virtual reality laboratories, and lab product e-commerce all brought in venture cash this week. This and much more in the week’s Boston tech news: —Self-driving car startup Optimus Ride has raised $20 million of what it hopes to be a $60 million round, according to SEC documents filed this week by the … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Workbar, Modo, Locus Robotics, Zagster & More”
Bio Roundup: Biogen’s Strategy, Drug Price Convo, NASH News & More
The road to every new drug approval is littered with the remains of earlier failures. Biopharmaceutical companies don’t like to talk about the failures. But it’s earnings season now, so some of them don’t have much choice. Biogen’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) earnings call this week was the first since its Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab failed in a Phase … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Biogen’s Strategy, Drug Price Convo, NASH News & More”
Histogenics Exec Kelley Moves To X4 Pharma as Chief Medical Officer
Lynne Kelley has joined X4 Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:XFOR]]) as chief medical officer, the same post she held at her former company, Histogenics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HSGX]]). Kelley’s experience also includes positions at Senseonics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SENS]]), Becton Dickinson (NYSE: [[ticker:BDX]]), Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: [[ticker:KMB]]), and Boston Scientific (NYSE: [[ticker:BSX]]). Cambridge, MA-based X4’s lead drug, Mavorixafor, is being prepared for … Continue reading “Histogenics Exec Kelley Moves To X4 Pharma as Chief Medical Officer”
Roswell, Organovo & More: Xconomy Awards Innovation at the Intersection Finalists
[Corie Lok and Frank Vinluan co-authored this article.] Whether they’re 3D printing human tissues, encoding data in DNA, or securing medical devices against cyber attacks, the finalists in the Innovation at the Intersection category of the Xconomy Awards San Diego are showing how to bring different disciplines to bear on tough problems in regenerative medicine, … Continue reading “Roswell, Organovo & More: Xconomy Awards Innovation at the Intersection Finalists”
After NASH Drug’s 2nd Failure, Gilead Pins Hopes on Combo Therapies
[Updated 1:49 p.m. ET. See below.] An experimental Gilead Sciences treatment for the severe fatty liver disease NASH failed to beat a placebo in Phase 3 testing—the second time the drug has failed in a late-stage clinical trial. Gilead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) developed its drug selonsertib to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, more commonly referred to as NASH, … Continue reading “After NASH Drug’s 2nd Failure, Gilead Pins Hopes on Combo Therapies”
To Help Boost Female-led Startups, More Women Join Investor Ranks
Houston—Men have long leveraged their networks to succeed in business, and the tech industry has been no exception. Women, finding themselves outside of the club, are now creating their own networks to do the same. Katelyn O’Shaughnessy already had a solid track record, selling TripScope, a travel startup she co-founded in 2013, to Travefy two … Continue reading “To Help Boost Female-led Startups, More Women Join Investor Ranks”
Announcing Net@50: The Roots and Future of the Internet
The first short message went out over Arpanet, the precursor to the internet, 50 years ago this year—and it changed everything. Much of the change has been wonderful—as the internet has revolutionized communication, commerce, and access to information, in the process transforming and improving the lives of billions of people. But as we are ever … Continue reading “Announcing Net@50: The Roots and Future of the Internet”
Rackspace Hires Dallas Transit Exec Jones to Replace Eazor as CEO
San Antonio—Rackspace said Wednesday it has hired Kevin Jones, who most recently ran Dallas-based bus and transportation contracting business MV Transportation, as its CEO. Jones replaces Joe Eazor, who had held the top job at Rackspace since mid-2017. Apollo Global Management, which took San Antonio-based Rackspace private in a $4.3 billion acquisition in 2016, didn’t … Continue reading “Rackspace Hires Dallas Transit Exec Jones to Replace Eazor as CEO”
Cybersecurity Firm Digital Guardian Gets $30M Boost, Hires Execs
Digital Guardian is taking in a chunk of capital and adding a slate of new executives to push its cybersecurity software, amid businesses’ renewed concerns over digital attacks and need to comply with the latest privacy and data protection mandates. The Waltham, MA-based company closed on $30 million in new funding led by private equity … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Firm Digital Guardian Gets $30M Boost, Hires Execs”
Biogen, Taking Its Crisis “Seriously,” Keeps Focus on Neuroscience
[Updated, 1:00 pm ET, see below.] A month after the failure of its once-promising Alzheimer’s disease drug aducanumab shattered its share price, Biogen is trying to pick up the pieces. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) hosted a conference call Wednesday morning detailing its quarterly results. But financials aside, the call was about the Cambridge, MA, company’s future … Continue reading “Biogen, Taking Its Crisis “Seriously,” Keeps Focus on Neuroscience”
The Designer’s AI Apprentice: Starck & Autodesk Create “AI Chair”
Can an artistic genius and a whip-smart computer get along? French designer Philippe Starck—whose work is a mainstay of museum exhibitions—decided to find out. About two years ago, Starck heard that 3D engineering software company Autodesk (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ADSK]]) was using artificial intelligence software to churn out images of possible products, guided by the design specifications … Continue reading “The Designer’s AI Apprentice: Starck & Autodesk Create “AI Chair””
Censinet Takes Off With $7.8M to Track Cyber Risks in Healthcare
Censinet, a Boston startup helping hospitals and other healthcare providers manage the cyber risk of their hundreds of third-party vendors, has launched its system and announced $7.8 million in funding to double its headcount in a year, further develop its platform, and market its software. The Series A funding round is led by Boston-based HLM … Continue reading “Censinet Takes Off With $7.8M to Track Cyber Risks in Healthcare”
Join Xconomy for Our 8th Annual Napa Summit, June 13-14
Google. Amazon. Genentech. Those are some of the companies you’ll hear from at this year’s Napa Summit, the Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth. This is our most special event of the year—the eighth year we’ve held it—and it’s limited to about 100 VIP guests. We’ll tackle big trends, challenges, and opportunities in areas … Continue reading “Join Xconomy for Our 8th Annual Napa Summit, June 13-14”
SPECIAL REPORT: 2019 Blockchain Outlook — Reality Check
After a breakout year in 2017, the blockchain sector suffered a series of blows in 2018, from crashing cryptocurrency prices to increased regulatory scrutiny of crypto ventures and deepening skepticism about whether the technology was actually useful. Now, the industry has entered a crucial phase where blockchain developers need to overcome the limitations of the … Continue reading “SPECIAL REPORT: 2019 Blockchain Outlook — Reality Check”
Can We Afford to Be Cured? A Conversation With ICER’s Steve Pearson
[Corrected, 4/23/19, 7:10 p.m. See below.] New cell and gene therapies bring the possibility of cures once hardly imaginable. But the potential cures could also cost millions of dollars, like Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]), the owner of the gene therapy Zolgensma, has suggested in advance of an imminent FDA approval decision. As public backlash against high … Continue reading “Can We Afford to Be Cured? A Conversation With ICER’s Steve Pearson”
Aptiv Expands Driverless Car Testing, Opens Chinese Mobility Center
Aptiv, a global automotive technology company, announced last week that it has opened a new innovation hub in China—the fastest growing front in the self-driving tech wars. The new entity is called the China Autonomous Mobility Center, and as a result of the move, Shanghai joins Aptiv’s roster of driverless car testing locations, which also … Continue reading “Aptiv Expands Driverless Car Testing, Opens Chinese Mobility Center”
Boston Tech Watch: Algorand, Owl Labs, Cyber Madness & Zapata
This week a blockchain startup opened its system to the public; a quantum computing company raised big bucks; and Raytheon’s cybersecurity business set up shop in Boston. Read on for more. —Blockchain technology startup Algorand has opened a test network to the public for businesses and developers to tinker with and give feedback. The company … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Algorand, Owl Labs, Cyber Madness & Zapata”
Bio Roundup: Nationwide’s Rise, a Surgeon’s Quest, CRISPR USA & More
Persistence and perseverance were the themes of two of our top stories this week. First there’s the story of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Columbus, Ohio, hospital chose to invest in gene therapy when the field was in its darkest days. After some ups and downs, the team it put in place helped advance some of … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Nationwide’s Rise, a Surgeon’s Quest, CRISPR USA & More”
KSQ Therapeutics Taps Blueprint’s Wolf for Chief Medical Officer
KSQ Therapeutics has appointed Beni Wolf to serve as chief medical officer. Wolf joins Cambridge, MA-based KSQ from Blueprint Medicines, where he was senior vice president, clinical development. His experience also includes posts at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MACK]]), ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]), Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]), and Genentech. Cambridge, MA-based KSQ also named Douglas Pagán chief financial … Continue reading “KSQ Therapeutics Taps Blueprint’s Wolf for Chief Medical Officer”
Humatics, Vecna Partner to Improve Navigation of Self-Driving Robots
Humatics, a Waltham, MA-based startup developing microlocation technology for use in robots and autonomous vehicles, has a new partnership underway with Boston-based Vecna Robotics. Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed, but Humatics co-founder and CEO David Mindell describes the relationship as a joint marketing partnership. “We bring customers to them and vice-versa,” he … Continue reading “Humatics, Vecna Partner to Improve Navigation of Self-Driving Robots”
Former Sigilion Exec Paul Wotton Named Obsidian Therapeutics CEO
Obsidian Therapeutics has appointed Paul Wotton to serve as its new CEO. Wotton succeeds CEO Michael Gilman, who had been splitting his time between Obsidian and Arrakis Therapeutics. Gilman is now CEO of Arrakis full-time. Wotton is the former president and CEO of Sigilon Therapeutics. Cambridge, MA-based Obsidian is developing cell and gene therapies incorporating … Continue reading “Former Sigilion Exec Paul Wotton Named Obsidian Therapeutics CEO”
Redox Wrangles $33M to Become Healthcare’s Go-To Data Integrator
[Updated 5/3/19, 12:55 pm CT. See below.] As hospitals and clinics have shifted from paper-based records to digital systems, one of the biggest challenges has been sharing patient data between healthcare providers, and between providers and outside software applications. This “interoperability” problem has created a market for companies such as Redox, a Madison, WI-based startup … Continue reading “Redox Wrangles $33M to Become Healthcare’s Go-To Data Integrator”
It’s Tough to Find Drugs to Bind to RNA: Arrakis Nabs $75M to Help
Arrakis Therapeutics has been scouting elusive pharmaceutical quarry: small molecules able to “drug” RNA, the molecular messengers that carry the genetic instructions for proteins. Most drugs in use today act on proteins. But CEO Michael Gilman says targeting the genetic blueprints could prevent RNA from translating those instructions into disease-causing proteins in the first place. … Continue reading “It’s Tough to Find Drugs to Bind to RNA: Arrakis Nabs $75M to Help”
$100M for Talaris Gives Surgeon a Shot to Reinvent Organ Transplants
When Novartis dissolved its gene and cell therapy unit a few years ago, a bunch of projects the Swiss pharma giant had incubated were tossed aside. One of them was the work of surgeon Suzanne Ildstad, who has spent decades trying to develop a new way to improve the health outcomes of patients who need … Continue reading “$100M for Talaris Gives Surgeon a Shot to Reinvent Organ Transplants”
PathAI Raises $60M in Quest to Be AI Assistant in the Exam Room
AI-for-disease-diagnosis startup PathAI closed a $60 million Series B round led by New York-based growth equity investor General Atlantic to improve its “pathology research platform” and fuel development into “new tools and medical devices.” PathAI partners with pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic laboratories to develop tools to aid doctors diagnose diseases in patients and help physicians … Continue reading “PathAI Raises $60M in Quest to Be AI Assistant in the Exam Room”
Cyber Madness Photos & Takeaways: Honeypots, Espionage Plots & More
There are many front lines in the battle to secure cyberspace for any given business: hackers, nation states, corporate espionage, supply chain security, AI-powered cyber tools, and ratcheting-up risks with the Internet of Things. All these facets—together with the tech companies carving a path through the dangers to take control in the ever-shifting state of … Continue reading “Cyber Madness Photos & Takeaways: Honeypots, Espionage Plots & More”
Janssen’s Scott Plevy Joins Synlogic as Chief Scientific Officer
Synlogic (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SYBX]]) has appointed Scott Plevy to serve as chief scientific officer. A gastroenterologist, Plevy was most recently a vice president in gastroenterology disease at Janssen Research & Development. Cambridge, MA-based Synlogic is developing drugs that employ engineered microbes to treat metabolic and inflammatory diseases, as well as cancer.
Seattle’s Outreach Joins Unicorn Ranks With $114M Funding Round
Another tech “unicorn”—privately controlled startups valued at $1 billion or more—has been minted following sales software company Outreach’s latest venture funding round, a $114 million deal. Seattle-based Outreach develops customer relationship management tools designed to improve communication between salespeople and their prospective clients. Launched in 2013, the startup says its most recent round of financing … Continue reading “Seattle’s Outreach Joins Unicorn Ranks With $114M Funding Round”
Kaleido Bio Names Johan van Hylckama Vlieg Chief Scientific Officer
Johan van Hylckama Vlieg has been appointed chief scientific officer of Lexington, MA-based Kaleido Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:KLDO]]). Van Hylckama Vlieg was most recently vice president for microbiome and human health innovation at Danish bioscience company Chr. Hansen. He is scheduled to start his new role at Kaleido on July 1. In other moves, Clare Fisher … Continue reading “Kaleido Bio Names Johan van Hylckama Vlieg Chief Scientific Officer”
Flagship Pioneering Unveils Kintai’s Gut Approach to Treating Disease
The gastrointestinal system is often viewed as a barrier to drugs. Conditions ideal for breaking down food also break down drugs in ways that can limit how well they work. Interaction with the gut microbiome can also diminish a drug’s efficacy or boost its toxicity. Paul-Peter Tak, a former GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]) executive who is … Continue reading “Flagship Pioneering Unveils Kintai’s Gut Approach to Treating Disease”
Alzheimer’s, Gene Therapy & More: Agenda For “What’s Hot” on May 21
The gene therapy boom. The frustration of failure after failure in Alzheimer’s disease. The critical interplay between venture firms and “crossover” investors in a volatile, unpredictable macro-environment. The growing need for (and role of) diversity initiatives within the life sciences community—and the personal stories behind them. These are just some of the topics Xconomy will … Continue reading “Alzheimer’s, Gene Therapy & More: Agenda For “What’s Hot” on May 21”
How an Ohio Kids’ Hospital Quietly Became Ground Zero for Gene Therapy
[Updated, 4/22/19, see below] If a once-modest regional hospital and its new biotech allies have their way, the capital of Ohio could one day rival America’s other biomedical hubs. “Our goal is to make Columbus the center of the universe for gene therapy,” says Doug Ingram, CEO of Sarepta Therapeutics. Sarepta (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRPT]]) is based … Continue reading “How an Ohio Kids’ Hospital Quietly Became Ground Zero for Gene Therapy”
Alnylam Makes Case For 2nd RNAi Drug at Big Liver Disease Meeting
The “attacks,” as they’re known, are debilitating and even possibly fatal. A patient with the ultra-rare genetic disease acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is struck with excruciating abdominal pain and rushes to a doctor’s office or hospital for some type of pain relief—even a surgery—to feel better. And then another attack could come, and another, driving … Continue reading “Alnylam Makes Case For 2nd RNAi Drug at Big Liver Disease Meeting”
Lyft, Uber, and the Changing Disclosure Rules For Unicorn IPOs
When a much-watched tech company such as Lyft, Uber, or Pinterest files for an initial public stock offering, people eagerly scour the sudden trove of information that such a private business must finally disclose when it begins to offer shares to the general public, rather than only to sophisticated inside investors such as venture capital … Continue reading “Lyft, Uber, and the Changing Disclosure Rules For Unicorn IPOs”
Thwarting Opposition, Bristol Gets Shareholder OK for $74B Celgene Buyout
The early opposition has turned out to be just noise. Shareholders of Bristol-Myers Squibb today approved the pharma giant’s planned buyout of Celgene, paving the way for a deal that will create one of the largest biopharma organizations in the world, and send ripples throughout the sector. Bristol (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) said Friday that more than … Continue reading “Thwarting Opposition, Bristol Gets Shareholder OK for $74B Celgene Buyout”
Toyota, Ford, GM, and SAE Form Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium
The SAE World Congress Experience, a three-day conference featuring discussions, networking, and exhibits of new technologies pertaining to the mobility industry, took place in Detroit this week and covered a ton of topics. SAE, originally known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, began in 1905 and was intended to be an umbrella organization for the … Continue reading “Toyota, Ford, GM, and SAE Form Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium”
Bio Roundup: EASL Does It, Alnylam’s BFF, Gene Therapy Deals & More
A major conference devoted to liver disease kicked off with updates from the race for approval of the world’s first drug to treat a form of advanced liver disease called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. The gene therapy field continued to attract venture cash and industry interest, and it was a busy week in Washington for … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: EASL Does It, Alnylam’s BFF, Gene Therapy Deals & More”
Boston Tech Watch: Tufin, Facebook, RightHand, Diameter & Jebbit
[Updated 4/15/19, 10:50 AM. See below.] A cybersecurity IPO could raise up to $124 million for an Israeli-based company with its US headquarters in Boston. Facebook’s Boston office wants to map the world’s population in high def, starting with Africa. More venture cash is flowing into Bay State startups. Read all this and much more … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Tufin, Facebook, RightHand, Diameter & Jebbit”
Former Shire R&D Head Busch Named Cyclerion Chief Innovation Officer
Cyclerion has appointed Andreas Busch to serve as chief innovation officer. Busch most recently worked at Shire, where he was executive vice president and chief scientific officer. His experience also includes posts at Bayer, Hoechst, and Sanofi-Aventis. Cambridge, MA-based Cyclerion, which recently spun out of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRWD]]), is developing drugs based on nitric … Continue reading “Former Shire R&D Head Busch Named Cyclerion Chief Innovation Officer”
AskBio Reels In $235M to Advance Gene Therapy Clinical Trials
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) has raised $235 million in financing to support its research and development of gene therapies for rare, genetic disorders. The funding came from TPG Capital and Vida Ventures, which together invested $225 million and gained a minority stake in the Research Triangle Park, NC, company. Concurrent with that investment, AskBio’s founders and … Continue reading “AskBio Reels In $235M to Advance Gene Therapy Clinical Trials”
Affectiva Raises $26M to Get Self-Driving Cars to Know Your Mood
The vision of a hands-off, self-driving car demands much more than accurate computer vision that senses cars, trees, lanes, pedestrians, bicyclists, roads, potholes—all in sun, rain, and snow. But the automotive industry that always seems to be barreling toward smarter autonomous vehicles also wants the car to know exactly what’s going on in the cabin. … Continue reading “Affectiva Raises $26M to Get Self-Driving Cars to Know Your Mood”
Senators Grill Pharmacy Benefit Execs About Skyrocketing Drug Prices
Executives from five of the companies that negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurers testified Tuesday before the Senate finance committee. It was the latest in a series of hearings centered on the rising cost of prescription medication, which has captured attention on both sides of the political aisle and is likely to become a … Continue reading “Senators Grill Pharmacy Benefit Execs About Skyrocketing Drug Prices”
Sobriety Pays: DynamiCare Gamifies Staying Clean for Recovering Addicts
[Corrected 5/22/19, 4:27 pm ET. See below.] Eric Gastfriend was looking for his next tech startup idea after leaving his video game startup Happy Cloud and finishing an MBA at Harvard Business School when the inspiration came from a source close to home. A relative was entering rehab for alcohol abuse for the second time, … Continue reading “Sobriety Pays: DynamiCare Gamifies Staying Clean for Recovering Addicts”
VC Trends in 2019: More Money, Fewer Deals But Women Still Get Less
[Updated 11:23 a.m. See below.] If you’ve been following venture capital trends, what you expected to happen in the first quarter of 2019 did: More money is being invested in fewer deals, and women founders still are getting less of it than men. Venture firms sent $32.6 billion into startups nationally during the first three … Continue reading “VC Trends in 2019: More Money, Fewer Deals But Women Still Get Less”
RiskLens Raises $20M for Software That Quantifies Cyber Risk
RiskLens, a developer of software for assessing, communicating, and managing cyber risk, announced Monday it has raised more than $20 million from investors. Spokane, WA-based RiskLens says it plans to use some of the proceeds from the Series B funding round to expand its sales, marketing, engineering, and professional services teams. They’ll work to try … Continue reading “RiskLens Raises $20M for Software That Quantifies Cyber Risk”
Translate Bio Names Richard Wooster Chief Scientific Officer
Richard Wooster has been appointed chief scientific officer of Translate Bio (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TBIO]]). Wooster was most recently president of research & development and chief scientific officer at Tarveda Therapeutics. His experience also includes senior roles at GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]). When Wooster joins Lexington, MA-based Translate Bio in May, the company says that scientific founder and … Continue reading “Translate Bio Names Richard Wooster Chief Scientific Officer”