Last week, Chinese researcher He Jiankui stunned the world with his claim to have created the world’s first gene-edited humans. He said he had used CRISPR-Cas9 to change the DNA of the embryos of twin girls, to make them immune to HIV infection, then implanted them in their mother’s womb. He announced on video the … Continue reading ““JK Told Me He Was Planning This”: A CRISPR Baby Q&A with Matt Porteus”
Category: Boston
Enzyme Health Adds $1.7M for Clinician Telemedicine Job Marketplace
Austin—A new telehealth-focused startup, Enzyme Health, has raised a $1.7 million seed funding round to build out its marketplace for doctors and nurse practitioners looking for new online gigs. Enzyme Health connects clinicians with the companies that provide telemedicine services to patients, with the aim of helping doctors and nurse practitioners find more freelance work … Continue reading “Enzyme Health Adds $1.7M for Clinician Telemedicine Job Marketplace”
BCMA Day: At ASH ‘18, Cell Therapies For Myeloma Take Center Stage
The treatment landscape for multiple myeloma, a deadly cancer of the bone marrow that affects about 30,000 Americans every year, has changed significantly over the past decade. And more changes look to be on the way. Take the results of a Phase 3 study just reported today at the American Society of Hematology’s (ASH) yearly … Continue reading “BCMA Day: At ASH ‘18, Cell Therapies For Myeloma Take Center Stage”
Event-Stream Hack Is Not Cause For Panic About Open-Source Security
News last week that event-stream, the popular open-source code library managed by NPM, had been compromised by a hacker (or hackers) looking to steal Bitcoin led some to question the underlying security of the open-source components that they are using in their software. According to reports, a hacker gained control of the event-stream package by … Continue reading “Event-Stream Hack Is Not Cause For Panic About Open-Source Security”
15Five Lands $8M to Provide Coaching Software to More Managers
[Updated 12/4/18 9:20 am. See below.] San Francisco-based performance management startup 15Five, whose mission is to torpedo annual performance reviews for workers and replace them with supportive weekly coaching by managers, announced today it raised $8 million in a Series A funding round. 15Five gets its name from the feedback and coaching process that its … Continue reading “15Five Lands $8M to Provide Coaching Software to More Managers”
Superpedestrian Rolls Out Smarter, Hardier E-Scooter for Sharing
It’s the diagnosis of Superpedestrian CEO Assaf Biderman that bike- and scooter-share startups know far too little about bikes and scooters. His Cambridge, MA-based transportation technology startup is announcing its foray into scooter sharing today with what it says is a smart, durable, and efficient scooter of its own. Biderman sees the feverish industry—crowded with … Continue reading “Superpedestrian Rolls Out Smarter, Hardier E-Scooter for Sharing”
Brain Corp. Agrees to Power More Walmart Self-Driving Floor Scrubbers
Early next year the floors of hundreds of Walmart stores will be cleaned by self-driving scrubbing machines powered by software developed by San Diego’s Brain Corp. On Monday, Brain said Walmart (NYSE: [[ticker:WMT]]), the world’s largest retailer, will be using BrainOS, its proprietary operating system, in 360 such autonomous machines by Jan. 31, the end … Continue reading “Brain Corp. Agrees to Power More Walmart Self-Driving Floor Scrubbers”
ASH 2018: Three Up, Two Down as Big Blood Disease Meeting Rolls On
[Updated 4:37 p.m. See below.] Last week, Xconomy previewed the American Society of Hematology’s big meeting in San Diego, the largest medical gathering in the country on blood diseases. We took a deep dive into five specific disease areas under scrutiny, from lymphoma to hemophilia to sickle cell disease and more. News related to those … Continue reading “ASH 2018: Three Up, Two Down as Big Blood Disease Meeting Rolls On”
GSK Pays $5.1B For Tesaro, Setting Up “PARP” Battle With Rival AstraZeneca
GlaxoSmithKline on Monday agreed to pay $5.1 billion for Tesaro, becoming the latest firm to bet on a new type of cancer drug that has shown promise treating multiple tumor types but has yet to become a blockbuster seller. GSK (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]) said it will pay $75 per share in cash for Waltham, MA-based Tesaro … Continue reading “GSK Pays $5.1B For Tesaro, Setting Up “PARP” Battle With Rival AstraZeneca”
Volvo Expands In Silicon Valley As Auto Innovation Goes West
As GM announced a wave of auto plant closures in the North American heartland this week at the cost of thousands of jobs, Sweden’s Volvo Cars was expanding its U.S. presence, both in Silicon Valley and at a new South Carolina factory. Like Detroit-based GM (NYSE: [[ticker:GM]]), which is shifting its attention from traditional auto manufacturing … Continue reading “Volvo Expands In Silicon Valley As Auto Innovation Goes West”
Boston Tech Watch: Gradifi, Numerated, Jibo, Corvus, Botkeeper
A wave of cash for finance and insurance tech startups, a robotic assistant goes dark, and a medical transportation startup’s move across the Bay State make up the latest in Boston technology news. Read on for details. —The former head of PayPal’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PYPL]]) Boston office, David Chang, has been named CEO of Gradifi, a … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Gradifi, Numerated, Jibo, Corvus, Botkeeper”
Bio Roundup: CRISPR Babies, Blood Diseases, Big Cancer Nod & More
This was one of those weeks when the world seemed to slip into a new era with no going back. A Chinese researcher, He Jiankui, claimed he helped bring to life two genetically engineered babies, twin girls with a gene disabled to make them immune to HIV infection. Even though the technology He used—in vitro … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CRISPR Babies, Blood Diseases, Big Cancer Nod & More”
Women Inspire NYC’s Tech Startups to Dream Bigger
As a native New Yorker, it may not come as much of a surprise that growing up I wanted to work in finance. In fact, I put myself through NYU Stern while working for companies like IBM, Prudential, and Merrill Lynch, and joined Goldman Sachs upon graduation. You could say I had made it in … Continue reading “Women Inspire NYC’s Tech Startups to Dream Bigger”
Coinbase Backs Flipside Crypto Amid “Healthy” Currency Selloff
(Updated 11/29/18, 11 a.m. with additional funding details) The crash in digital currency values has tossed fuel on the already raging fire of skepticism around many crypto projects, which are suspected as scams masquerading as a technology of tomorrow. But the price retreat—and the accompanying losses to crypto speculators—are welcome news to Dave Balter, CEO … Continue reading “Coinbase Backs Flipside Crypto Amid “Healthy” Currency Selloff”
Alkermes Schizophrenia Drug Heads To FDA, But Questions Linger
Alkermes got some much-needed good news on Thursday, announcing that an experimental schizophrenia drug fared better than a staple drug for the debilitating disease in a closely watched study. But is that benefit big enough for doctors to prescribe the drug, if it’s approved, over cheap generics? Alkermes (NYSE: [[ticker:ALKS]]), of Dublin, Ireland, and Waltham, … Continue reading “Alkermes Schizophrenia Drug Heads To FDA, But Questions Linger”
Aras Adds $70M from Goldman Sachs to Grow Product Software
Aras, a “product lifecycle management” software company based in Andover, MA, has raised $70 million in a Series D investment round led by Goldman Sachs. The deal is aimed at beefing up Aras’s enterprise software capabilities and expanding its reach farther around the globe. Earlier investors Silver Lake Kraftwerk and GE Ventures joined in the … Continue reading “Aras Adds $70M from Goldman Sachs to Grow Product Software”
ViaCyte Raises $80M to Prep for the Clinic Now, Perhaps an IPO Later
ViaCyte is recruiting patients for clinical trials testing its experimental stem cell-based diabetes treatment. Now it has $80 million to support that work, and also prepare for something more: a possible IPO. The financing, a Series D round of investment, includes so-called crossover investors that back both public and private companies. CEO Paul Laikind told … Continue reading “ViaCyte Raises $80M to Prep for the Clinic Now, Perhaps an IPO Later”
BlueRock Therapeutics Adds Min Wang to C-Suite
Min Wang has been appointed chief legal and administrative officer of Cambridge, MA-based BlueRock Therapeutics. Wang was most recently general counsel and corporate secretary of Agios Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AGIO]]). Her experience also includes posts at Genentech and Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]). BlueRock, which develops regenerative medicines for tough-to-treat diseases, launched in late 2016 backed by $225 … Continue reading “BlueRock Therapeutics Adds Min Wang to C-Suite”
Under Fire, He Jiankui Says He’s “Proud” to Help Make CRISPR’d Babies
[Updated, 11/28/18, 12:20pm ET. See below.] Is there another CRISPR baby on the way? In his first public appearance since his stunning claim, released on YouTube Sunday, that he helped bring the first genome-edited humans into the world, He Jiankui, a genomics researcher at Southern University of Science and Technology of China in Shenzhen, said … Continue reading “Under Fire, He Jiankui Says He’s “Proud” to Help Make CRISPR’d Babies”
Roche Gains Place in NASH Race with Purchase of Jecure Therapeutics
Roche is acquiring San Diego startup Jecure Therapeutics, with hopes of turning Jecure’s early research into a drug or drugs that treat the liver disease NASH. Through its South San Francisco, CA-based Genentech division, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant will acquire Jecure, whose work has yet to reach clinical studies, the companies announced Tuesday. No financial … Continue reading “Roche Gains Place in NASH Race with Purchase of Jecure Therapeutics”
Vertex Hits Again in CF as First Three-Drug Combo Succeeds in Phase 3
Vertex Pharmaceuticals already dominates the landscape of treatments for cystic fibrosis, and its position got even better today. Vertex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) said that a cocktail of three of its cystic fibrosis drugs succeeded in two late-stage studies, bolstering the company’s chances to potentially offer a treatment that addresses up to 90 percent of patients who … Continue reading “Vertex Hits Again in CF as First Three-Drug Combo Succeeds in Phase 3”
Ireland to Sequence 400K Genomes With New Precision Medicine Effort
Ireland is the latest country to undertake an ambitious national project to sequence the genomes of a sizable chunk of its population. Genomics Medicine Ireland (GMI), a population genomics company based in Dublin (pictured), announced today that it is receiving $225 million in “near-term” investment (up to a total of $400 million with milestone payments) … Continue reading “Ireland to Sequence 400K Genomes With New Precision Medicine Effort”
X4 Pharma Heads to Nasdaq Via Reverse Merger with Arsanis
A tough setback for Arsanis has given privately held X4 Pharmaceuticals the chance to go public. Arsanis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ASNS]]) and X4, two Boston-area biotech firms, agreed Tuesday morning to merge in a deal that will enable X4 to become a publicly traded company. The combined company will keep the X4 name and be led by … Continue reading “X4 Pharma Heads to Nasdaq Via Reverse Merger with Arsanis”
ImmunoGen CFO David Johnston Resigns, Will Depart at End of Year
David Johnston, CFO of ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]) since 2013, has resigned effective immediately, the Waltham, MA-based company announced Monday. In a securities filing, ImmunoGen said Johnston he will remain an employee through the end of the year and then will serve as a paid consultant for up to 12 months. While ImmunoGen searches for Johnston’s … Continue reading “ImmunoGen CFO David Johnston Resigns, Will Depart at End of Year”
Takeda’s David Kerstein Joins Anchiano as Chief Medical Officer
David Kerstein has joined Anchiano Therapeutics as the company’s chief medical officer. Kerstein comes to Anchiano from Takeda Pharmaceutical (OTCMKTS: [[ticker:TKPYY]]), where he was senior medical director of oncology clinical research. Anchiano, which splits its operations between Cambridge, MA, and Jerusalem, Israel, develops cancer drugs. The company’s most advanced compound, inodiftagene vixteplasmid, is in a … Continue reading “Takeda’s David Kerstein Joins Anchiano as Chief Medical Officer”
Genetic Medicine: FDA OKs 2nd Cancer Drug That Targets DNA, Not Tissues
[Updated 11/26/18. See below.] Going deeper into the new world of genetic medicine, the FDA has for the second time approved a drug that targets a tumor’s DNA fingerprint, no matter where in the body that cancer is found. And more could be on the way. The drug is larotrectinib (Vitrakvi), from Loxo Oncology (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “Genetic Medicine: FDA OKs 2nd Cancer Drug That Targets DNA, Not Tissues”
As It Aims to Go Public, Seismic Taps Former ServiceNow Exec as CFO
Seismic, one of San Diego’s most prominent enterprise software companies, has tapped a member of the team behind one of the region’s most successful tech startup stories to prep for its own prospective market debut. The software developed by Seismic, part of the relatively new sales enablement industry, helps marketing and sales teams manage, automate … Continue reading “As It Aims to Go Public, Seismic Taps Former ServiceNow Exec as CFO”
FDA Halts Clinical Test of Zafgen Diabetes Drug, Stock Price Tumbles
The FDA has ordered Zafgen to suspend a mid-stage study testing its experimental diabetes drug, an apparent precautionary move. A clinical hold halts patient enrollment and also stops already enrolled patients from receiving the study drug due to a potential safety risk. No safety problems have been reported for the drug, ZGN-1061, so far. But … Continue reading “FDA Halts Clinical Test of Zafgen Diabetes Drug, Stock Price Tumbles”
Necessity Vs. Innovation-Based Entrepreneurs
What makes someone an entrepreneur? Most simply defined, an entrepreneur is a person who identifies a need and starts a business to fill that void. But others will argue that a “true” entrepreneur must come up with an innovative new product or service and then operates their business to sell and profit from that innovation. … Continue reading “Necessity Vs. Innovation-Based Entrepreneurs”
Robots and Tax Breaks: How Plus One Robotics Started in San Antonio
San Antonio—Toyota opened a large-scale manufacturing plant in San Antonio, TX, in 2006, where both humans and computer-controlled Yaskawa robots began to build Tundra and Tacoma trucks. Erik Nieves moved to San Antonio because someone had to install, program, and maintain those robots. Nieves was the man for the job: Not only was he originally … Continue reading “Robots and Tax Breaks: How Plus One Robotics Started in San Antonio”
ASH 2018: A Guide to the Latest for Blood-Borne Cancers and More
[Note: Ben Fidler co-authored this report.] This weekend, San Diego will host the annual American Society of Hematology conference, the largest U.S. medical gathering to get the latest on blood diseases, and a venue for updates on some of the most cutting-edge biotechnologies that only a few years ago seemed like science fiction. Using the … Continue reading “ASH 2018: A Guide to the Latest for Blood-Borne Cancers and More”
Diversity in Venture Capital: Scenes From Culture Shifting Weekend
While women and minorities make up 70 percent of the population, less than two percent of the tens of trillions of dollars in the asset management industry are entrusted to women or minorities. In recent years, gains have been made among women in venture capital. Diversity beyond gender, though, continues to lag. That’s part of … Continue reading “Diversity in Venture Capital: Scenes From Culture Shifting Weekend”
Formlabs Competitor DWS Sues in Latest 3D Printing Patent Fight
Italian 3D printing technology firm DWS Systems is suing Formlabs for infringing its stereolithography patent, marking the Somerville, MA-based company’s latest legal battle over the technology in its popular 3D printer models. DWS filed the counterclaim in U.S. District Court in Virginia in response to an earlier lawsuit by Formlabs to consolidate a slew of … Continue reading “Formlabs Competitor DWS Sues in Latest 3D Printing Patent Fight”
Immigrants Are Key to Winning the AI Arms Race
If we want to create jobs and economic opportunity here in the U.S., we’re going to need immigrants. Not only have they pioneered our country’s greatest achievements, bringing you everything from hot dogs to YouTube, but today they serve at the cutting edge of our foremost industries. Nowhere is this more true than in the … Continue reading “Immigrants Are Key to Winning the AI Arms Race”
Flatiron Health, Quentis, Rgenix & More at New York Biotech: How to Make It Here
We’re bringing the New York biotech community together once again on Tuesday, December 18 for our latest life sciences event—New York Biotech: How to Make it Here. At Riverpark at the Alexandria Center, leaders from Flatiron Health, Quentis Therapeutics, Rgenix, and the Partnership Fund for New York City will talk through how they’ve been trying … Continue reading “Flatiron Health, Quentis, Rgenix & More at New York Biotech: How to Make It Here”
Thanksgiving Pie, Brought to You By “Chuck” the Warehouse Robot
Robots may not have taken all of our jobs (yet), but they are already starting to nibble at our volunteer hours at holiday bake sales. And this one has a taste for pie. Chuck, the creation of Waltham, MA-based 6 River Systems, was sizing up Community Serving’s 26th annual Pie in the Sky bake sale … Continue reading “Thanksgiving Pie, Brought to You By “Chuck” the Warehouse Robot”
Silvergate Bank Files for IPO to Grow Cryptocurrency Services
Silvergate Bank has transformed itself in recent years from a typical business bank to one of the financial institutions of choice for digital currency companies. Now the cryptocurrency-friendly bank, which is headquartered in La Jolla, CA, is preparing to go public. On Tuesday it set a $50 million price target, according to documents filed with … Continue reading “Silvergate Bank Files for IPO to Grow Cryptocurrency Services”
How Blockchain Is Finding a Place at Your Thanksgiving Table
The food we buy in grocery stores and restaurants has a story to tell about where it came from and each step it took on its journey to your dinner table. Blockchain technology can help tell that tale. The story many food companies want to tell these days is about safety. Earlier this year, an … Continue reading “How Blockchain Is Finding a Place at Your Thanksgiving Table”
Agbio Startup Cibus Files for an IPO to Support Gene-Editing R&D
Cibus, which has developed a proprietary gene-editing technology that tweaks crops’ DNA to improve yield, is planning to make its public market debut. The San Diego-based biotech set a preliminary $100 million target for its IPO in documents filed with securities regulators Friday. That figure will change as the company determines how many shares it … Continue reading “Agbio Startup Cibus Files for an IPO to Support Gene-Editing R&D”
Jason Ryan of Foundation Medicine Joins Magenta’s C-Suite
Magenta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MGTA]]) has appointed Jason Ryan to serve as chief operating and financial officer, effective Jan. 1. Ryan is joining Cambridge, MA-based Magenta from Foundation Medicine, where he was CFO. Magenta, which is developing treatments for autoimmune diseases, blood cancers, and genetic diseases, completed its IPO in June.
Plant-Based Burger Maker Beyond Meat Cooks Up Plans for an IPO
We’ll soon find out if Wall Street has the appetite for investing in alternative meat technology. Beyond Meat, a maker of plant-based meat products, has filed for an IPO. The El Segundo, CA-based company set a preliminary target of $100 million for the stock offering, a figure that will likely change as the company moves … Continue reading “Plant-Based Burger Maker Beyond Meat Cooks Up Plans for an IPO”
X·CON 2018: Photos From Three Innovation Days in November
On November 4-6, Xconomy organized a meeting of the minds—an elite gathering of leaders in technology, business, healthcare, education, and energy—to discuss and demonstrate the key trends in their fields, heading into next year. Our expert speakers and attendees at X·CON 2018 tackled everything from the impact of artificial intelligence on enterprises to the emerging … Continue reading “X·CON 2018: Photos From Three Innovation Days in November”
Human Space Travel as a Platform to Accelerate Biomedical Innovation
A manned mission to Mars is slated for as early as 2024, but there are serious health risks that must be mitigated in order for such a mission to be successful. The most pressing risk identified by NASA is radiation exposure. Instead of stunting our spirit of exploration, there is an urgent need to develop effective radioprotection strategies to … Continue reading “Human Space Travel as a Platform to Accelerate Biomedical Innovation”
Wonolo Scores $32M to Expand Blue-Collar Gig Workers’ Marketplace
Wonolo, which runs a marketplace where companies can find fill-in staffers for jobs like stocking store shelves and warehouse chores, announced Monday that it raised $32 million in a Series C funding round led by Bain Capital Ventures. Bain Capital also invested this year in another tech startup focused on blue collar workers: UpKeep, which … Continue reading “Wonolo Scores $32M to Expand Blue-Collar Gig Workers’ Marketplace”
Boston Tech Watch: Bento, MassChallenge, Apprenti, DUST, Chaossearch
[Updated 11/16/18, 2:15 pm. see below] Accelerators and apprenticeships, venture deals and partnerships. Here’s a roundup of Boston technology news bits from the week. Read on: —Nonprofit tech accelerator MassChallenge is toying with launching a for-profit entity to help alumni of the program “further accelerate their growth.” It’s unclear what form that entity might take, … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Bento, MassChallenge, Apprenti, DUST, Chaossearch”
Bio Roundup: Moderna’s IPO, Arena’s Comeback, E-Cig Survey & More
Thanksgiving is around the corner and this week delivered a bounty of deals that have a number of life science companies expressing their thanks a little early. One deal saw a company land a whopping $800 million upfront for a rights to a drug still in clinical testing. Another biotech landed a $98 million investment … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Moderna’s IPO, Arena’s Comeback, E-Cig Survey & More”
Silicon Valley Advisory: Make Talent Retention Personal
It took me by complete surprise. Here I was thinking we were on the same page, that we were doing some good things together and, despite some challenges, we made a pretty good team. So, when one of my brightest early talent employees walked into my office to tell me he was leaving, I asked … Continue reading “Silicon Valley Advisory: Make Talent Retention Personal”
Now With Siemens, Low-Code Firm Mendix Still Plotting Its Own Course
If you thought Siemens’ $730 million purchase of Boston-based business app developer Mendix would have locked the digital company’s focus onto the factory floor, CEO Derek Roos wants you to know you’re wrong. The reality, Roos claims, is that the Mendix deal is more about transforming Siemens. “Why would Siemens buy a horizontal, industry-agnostic cloud … Continue reading “Now With Siemens, Low-Code Firm Mendix Still Plotting Its Own Course”
Sigilon Therapeutics Names Deya Corzo Chief Medical Officer
Deya Corzo has been appointed chief medical officer of Sigilon Therapeutics. Corzo comes to the Cambridge, MA, drug developer from women’s health company Sojuournix, where she was senior vice president of R&D and chief medical officer. Her experience also includes posts at uniQure (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QURE]]) and Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]). Sigilon has developed a way to … Continue reading “Sigilon Therapeutics Names Deya Corzo Chief Medical Officer”
Nebula Genomics Touts Free DNA Sequencing to Coax Health Data Sharing
A growing number of startups are trying to encourage people to share genomic and other health data for research purposes by offering them some form of compensation. Now, as competition in this young sector ramps up, one of the big questions is what type of incentive will attract the most individuals. The latest experiment comes … Continue reading “Nebula Genomics Touts Free DNA Sequencing to Coax Health Data Sharing”