A number of new technologies, from immunotherapy to targeted medicines and diagnostics, have all helped change cancer care the past few years. But not all cutting-edge technologies are available to patients who seek treatment at smaller clinics. OneOncology, an unusual new startup being launched this morning, aims to help cancer patients in community settings gain … Continue reading “With OneOncology, Flatiron and Cancer Docs Aim to Boost Community Care”
Category: Boston
Andrew Cheng Departs Gilead Sciences for Akero Therapeutics CEO Post
Andrew Cheng has been appointed president and CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Akero Therapeutics. Cheng comes to Akero following a nearly 20-year career at Foster City, CA-based Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]), where he was most recently chief medical officer and executive vice president. Cheng will be based in San Francisco, which will be the location for … Continue reading “Andrew Cheng Departs Gilead Sciences for Akero Therapeutics CEO Post”
Don’t Fear the Robot: Humatics, Eckhart Push Factory Automation Tech
The state of American manufacturing has become an increasingly hot topic of conversation since the 2016 presidential election laid bare the discontent felt by workers and business owners alike. However, companies like Algonac, MI-based Eckhart and Cambridge, MA-based Humatics see an opportunity to reinvigorate American manufacturing through so-called “Industry 4.0” technologies—automated, connected, and collaborative tools … Continue reading “Don’t Fear the Robot: Humatics, Eckhart Push Factory Automation Tech”
Aileron Therapeutics Promotes Manuel Aivado to CEO
Manuel Aivado has been appointed president and CEO of Aileron Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALRN]]). He has also been elected to the Watertown, MA-based company’s board of directors. Aivado, who was Aileron’s chief medical and scientific officer, joined the company in 2014. Aileron started looking for a new CEO in May, after Joseph Yanchik suddenly resigned after … Continue reading “Aileron Therapeutics Promotes Manuel Aivado to CEO”
U.S. Court Affirms Broad’s CRISPR Patent; No Word of Berkeley Appeal
On the heels of a federal court victory, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT is calling for the end of a long and winding legal fight over the ownership of the landmark genome editing system CRISPR-Cas9. The widespread ability for humans to manipulate their own DNA and that of many other organisms has arrived, … Continue reading “U.S. Court Affirms Broad’s CRISPR Patent; No Word of Berkeley Appeal”
Agenda Posted for Boston’s Life Science Disruptors on Oct. 17
Our sixth installment of Boston’s Life Science Disruptors event is coming up on October 17 at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research in Kendall Square. You don’t want to miss this unique blend of candid stories from some of New England’s most radical biotech company leaders, founders, and VC backers. You’ll get insights and … Continue reading “Agenda Posted for Boston’s Life Science Disruptors on Oct. 17”
The Personalization Summit 2018
From the event organizer’s website: “For the fifth year in a row, Evergage is hosting The Personalization Summit! Each year, The Summit offers world-class keynote speakers, engaging breakout sessions, and relationship building & networking opportunities. Attendees will learn personalization strategies and techniques, trends and best practices, and actionable ideas and real-world use cases to improve … Continue reading “The Personalization Summit 2018”
FDA, Following EMA, Nixes Amicus’ Plans for Speedy OK of Pompe Drug
The FDA has rejected plans from Amicus Therapeutics to seek speedy approval of an experimental drug for Pompe disease, calling instead for more data the Cranbury, NJ, company hopes to accrue over the next year. The FDA told Amicus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FOLD]]) that its “current clinical package is not sufficient” to support what’s known as accelerated … Continue reading “FDA, Following EMA, Nixes Amicus’ Plans for Speedy OK of Pompe Drug”
Robotic Kitchen Startup Spyce Grabs $21M to Open More Restaurants
[Updated 9/10/18, 4:18 pm. See below.] Spyce plans to open more restaurants along the East Coast featuring its “robotic kitchen” system, thanks to a fresh infusion of $21 million in venture capital. The Somerville, MA-based startup’s Series A funding round was led by Collaborative Fund and Maveron, according to an announcement Friday. Other investors in … Continue reading “Robotic Kitchen Startup Spyce Grabs $21M to Open More Restaurants”
Bio Roundup: A Gene Editing 1st, China Rises, Schenkein Steps Away
If you’re still recovering from a Labor Day hangover or busy searching for the identity of the anonymous writer of the anti-Trump op-ed for the New York Times, you may have missed a few biomedical firsts. This week brought the first sliver of human data from an in-body gene editing procedure, and the results were … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: A Gene Editing 1st, China Rises, Schenkein Steps Away”
Boston Tech Watch: Nuance, Relayr, Markforged, Grapevine & More
Time to catch up on recent Boston-area tech headlines: —Relayr, a Boston-based company developing software and services for connected devices, is being acquired for $300 million by German insurance and reinsurance company Munich Re through its Hartford Steam Boiler subsidiary. Munich Re said Relayr will help it create new business models for the “industrial Internet … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Nuance, Relayr, Markforged, Grapevine & More”
Akcea to Cut Staff 10% in Wake of FDA Rejection of Rare Disease Drug
Akcea Therapeutics is laying off 10 percent of its workforce, a move that follows the FDA’s rejection of the company’s rare disease drug last week. Cambridge, MA-based Akcea (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKCA]]) said in a regulatory filing Thursday that the board of directors approved the reorganization plan on Sept. 2. Affected employees were notified Thursday. As of … Continue reading “Akcea to Cut Staff 10% in Wake of FDA Rejection of Rare Disease Drug”
Rheos Medicines Taps Roche’s Sanjay Keswani for CEO Post
Sanjay Keswani has been appointed CEO of Rheos Medicines. He succeeds Abbie Celniker, the Cambridge, MA, biotech’s interim CEO and a partner at Third Rock Ventures. Celniker will remain on the Rheos board of directors. Keswani comes to Rheos from Roche, where he was senior vice president and global head of neuroscience, ophthalmology, and rare … Continue reading “Rheos Medicines Taps Roche’s Sanjay Keswani for CEO Post”
Harvard Spinout 28-7 Launches with $65M for MicroRNA Cancer Drugs
Tackling tumors head-on isn’t the only way to treat cancer. New cancer biotech 28-7 Therapeutics, a Harvard spinout, is researching an approach that targets cellular fragments that play key roles in cancer growth, and it now has $65 million in funding to advance its work. MPM Capital and Novartis Venture Fund co-led the investment in … Continue reading “Harvard Spinout 28-7 Launches with $65M for MicroRNA Cancer Drugs”
Tech Transfer Leader Barrow Leaving UMass, Launching Consulting Firm
Abigail Barrow, a long-time technology transfer leader at the University of Massachusetts system, is leaving UMass and starting a consulting firm called Cambridge Innovation Partners, she said in an e-mail to Xconomy. Barrow’s departure was first reported by the Boston Business Journal. Barrow told Xconomy her new firm will focus on “supporting the development of … Continue reading “Tech Transfer Leader Barrow Leaving UMass, Launching Consulting Firm”
With Cronos Deal, Ginkgo Brings Synthetic Bio Approach to Cannabis
In a partnership that gives new meaning to mixing pot and beer, Canadian cannabis company Cronos Group has teamed with synthetic biology firm Ginkgo Bioworks to try and develop better ways of producing the chemical compounds of cannabis in a lab. Employees of Boston-based Ginkgo use robotic systems and software to design and test custom-made … Continue reading “With Cronos Deal, Ginkgo Brings Synthetic Bio Approach to Cannabis”
The Winners of the 2018 Xconomy Awards Are…
This year’s nominees and finalists for the Xconomy Awards were even more impressive than last year’s (if that’s possible), making it that much tougher for our judges and the editors to pick the winners. There were multiple deserving winners in each category. But after much discussion and debate, we decided that these winners represent the … Continue reading “The Winners of the 2018 Xconomy Awards Are…”
Drift Snaps Up Siftrock to Power E-mail Marketing Tools
Software firm Drift has acquired a startup called Siftrock to help expand its marketing and sales automation offerings. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed in a Tuesday press release announcing the deal. Drift touted the acquisition of the Seattle-based startup during its annual “Hypergrowth” event in Boston, where Drift is headquartered. The company also announced partnerships … Continue reading “Drift Snaps Up Siftrock to Power E-mail Marketing Tools”
Working with Patients and a Fresh $80M, Fulcrum Eyes a 2019 IPO
Fulcrum Therapeutics, a Cambridge, MA, startup run by the former CEO of Epizyme, has closed an $80 million Series B round that lays the groundwork for a likely IPO next year, its CEO says. The new funding, led by Foresite Capital, comes from a wide array of crossover investors, such as Fidelity Management and Research, … Continue reading “Working with Patients and a Fresh $80M, Fulcrum Eyes a 2019 IPO”
Westlake Bio Unveils $320M Fund to Put Los Angeles on the Biotech Map
Los Angeles has long been in San Francisco’s shadow when it comes to life sciences investment. But a new venture capital firm led by industry veterans is trying to cast the City of Angels in a new light. Westlake Village BioPartners is launching today with $320 million in committed capital. The Los Angeles-based firm is … Continue reading “Westlake Bio Unveils $320M Fund to Put Los Angeles on the Biotech Map”
After a High-Speed Decade, Agios CEO David Schenkein to Step Aside
David Schenkein, the longtime CEO of Agios Pharmaceuticals, will step aside next year after transforming what was once a high-risk Cambridge, MA-based startup into a public biotech with over 500 employees and two drugs on the market. Schenkein’s replacement will be Jacqualyn Fouse, former president and chief operating officer of Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) and a … Continue reading “After a High-Speed Decade, Agios CEO David Schenkein to Step Aside”
OpsGenie, Backed by Battery Ventures, Grants $295M Sale to Atlassian
Another Boston IT deal to report today: Atlassian says it has signed an agreement to acquire OpsGenie for an estimated $295 million, which includes $259 million in cash and the remainder in restricted shares of Atlassian (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TEAM]]). The planned acquisition seems to be a great return for Boston-based OpsGenie’s investors. The six-year-old startup appears … Continue reading “OpsGenie, Backed by Battery Ventures, Grants $295M Sale to Atlassian”
Behind the Deal: Under VMware, CloudHealth Aims to Be Household Name
The excitement and sense of triumph were palpable Thursday at CloudHealth Technologies, as the company held a party celebrating its recent move to a new headquarters on the 20th floor of a downtown Boston skyscraper. The source of the heightened atmosphere was no mystery—the enterprise software startup was also reveling in its planned sale to … Continue reading “Behind the Deal: Under VMware, CloudHealth Aims to Be Household Name”
Assembla Buys Belgian Startup MyGet for Code Management and Security
San Antonio—Assembla, a company that San Antonio investment firm Scaleworks acquired in 2016, has bought Belgium-based startup MyGet for an undisclosed price. MyGet offers a service that helps automate a process in software development known as package management. The company sells its service to thousands of customers globally, including Johnson Controls, Microsoft, and BMW, according … Continue reading “Assembla Buys Belgian Startup MyGet for Code Management and Security”
Bio Roundup: Pfizer’s Rare Results, U.K.’s CAR-T No, IPO Go-Go & More
Before you head out for the final summer getaway, catch up on the week’s headlines. Pfizer upped the ante in the field of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) treatment, where competition to treat the rare disease has grown increasingly complex. We’ll start with what was—and wasn’t—in Pfizer’s data release Monday, top up with more ATTR news, then … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Pfizer’s Rare Results, U.K.’s CAR-T No, IPO Go-Go & More”
Wireless Internet Firms Take On Big Telecoms in Cities and Suburbs
If you’re a city dweller, and unhappy with the big company that provides your Internet connection, chances are good there’s a scrappy little outfit that thinks it can do better for you. Metropolitan areas have become target territories for the wireless Internet service providers, or WISPs, that for a long time have been the only … Continue reading “Wireless Internet Firms Take On Big Telecoms in Cities and Suburbs”
Boston Tech Watch: Humana, SmartBear, Nexamp, Veritas & More
This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking a massive healthcare analytics acquisition, a new technology incubator from health insurer Humana, a Mitsubishi subsidiary’s latest investments in the local energy sector, and more deals. Read on for details. —Verscend Technologies said it completed its $4.9 billion acquisition of Atlanta-based Cotiviti (NYSE: [[ticker:COTV]]), a union of companies … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Humana, SmartBear, Nexamp, Veritas & More”
Vecna Robotics Grabs $13.5M as Logistics Robots Stay Hot
Vecna Technologies’ logistics robotics business has raised $13.5 million in venture capital, according to a filing with the SEC. The funding for Vecna Robotics marks the first outside equity investment in any of 20-year-old Vecna’s businesses. Last year, Vecna completed a reorganization in which it split its various products and services into separate businesses operating … Continue reading “Vecna Robotics Grabs $13.5M as Logistics Robots Stay Hot”
Rivaling Google, Web-Mining Diffbot Opens Its Knowledge Graph to All
Diffbot, a tech startup that continuously scours the Web to assemble a “knowledge graph” of billions of facts in context, announced today that it’s opening up the searchable resource to the public—with starter rates as low as a cable TV bill. Mountain View, CA-based Diffbot gleans unstructured data scattered across websites, ads, blog posts, videos, … Continue reading “Rivaling Google, Web-Mining Diffbot Opens Its Knowledge Graph to All”
RootPath Raises $7M to Bring Cancer Cell Therapy to Solid Tumors
The concept of turning a patient’s own immune cells into a cancer therapy has made strides, with the past year seeing FDA approvals of two such treatments for blood cancers. But these cell therapies don’t work for everyone, and they can cause dangerous side effects. They also haven’t yet worked on solid tumors. RootPath wants … Continue reading “RootPath Raises $7M to Bring Cancer Cell Therapy to Solid Tumors”
RNAi Hits Europe as EMA Follows FDA, Approves Alnylam Drug
The first medicine that uses RNA interference, a method cells employ to mute a gene before it can make a harmful protein, has made its way to Europe. Three weeks after the FDA approved patisiran (Onpattro), from Alnylam Pharmaceuticeuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]), for a rare and deadly disease called hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR), the European Medicines … Continue reading “RNAi Hits Europe as EMA Follows FDA, Approves Alnylam Drug”
With $500M Toyota Deal, Uber Sheds Go-It-Alone Driverless Car Goal
When an autonomous Uber car being tested in Arizona collided with a pedestrian last March, it resulted in the first known fatality caused by a driverless vehicle. The accident had a jarring effect on the entire mobility industry, but Toyota was one of the few players that took direct action in the wake of the … Continue reading “With $500M Toyota Deal, Uber Sheds Go-It-Alone Driverless Car Goal”
Editas Chief Medical Officer Gerald Cox to Depart at End of Year
Gerald Cox, chief medical officer of Editas Medicine (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EDIT]]), will step down at the end of 2018, the gene editing company announced Monday, after the markets closed. Cambridge, MA-based Editas gave no reason for Cox’s departure, but said that a search for his successor is underway. Cox joined Editas in 2016, a few months … Continue reading “Editas Chief Medical Officer Gerald Cox to Depart at End of Year”
SoftBank Taps Affectiva to Boost Pepper Robot’s Emotional IQ
Teaching robots to recognize human emotions and react appropriately is one of the grandest ambitions in robotics. Companies have made progress on this front in recent years, thanks in part to advances in machine learning, computer vision, speech recognition, and related technologies. But there is a long way to go. Now, one of the big … Continue reading “SoftBank Taps Affectiva to Boost Pepper Robot’s Emotional IQ”
Puls Snags $50M to Grow On-Call Repair Service for Smartphones, IoT
Puls Technologies, whose on-demand technicians repair broken smartphones and install connected home devices, announced today it has raised $50 million to expand its reach as a unified source of device maintenance and consumer support. San Francisco-based Puls, founded in 2015, offers to dispatch technicians quickly to a customer’s home or office to replace malfunctioning parts, … Continue reading “Puls Snags $50M to Grow On-Call Repair Service for Smartphones, IoT”
Tetraphase Pharma’s Antibiotic Wins FDA Approval for Gut Infections
A Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals antibiotic has earned FDA approval, adding a new treatment to the effort to address drug-resistant infections. The FDA decision for the Tetraphase (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TTPH]]) drug, eravacycline (Xerava), covers complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) in adults. It’s the first drug approval for the Watertown, MA-based drug developer, and shares of the company rose 5.5 … Continue reading “Tetraphase Pharma’s Antibiotic Wins FDA Approval for Gut Infections”
FDA Gives Thumbs-Down to Rare Disease Drug from Ionis, Akcea
The FDA has rejected the rare-disease drug volanesorsen (Waylivra), which is being developed by Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IONS]]) and its subsidiary Akcea Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKCA]]). Ionis, based in San Diego, and Akcea, in Cambridge, MA, had high hopes for approval after a committee of outside experts in May recommended the drug by a 12-8 vote. … Continue reading “FDA Gives Thumbs-Down to Rare Disease Drug from Ionis, Akcea”
Eyeing Approval, Pfizer Touts Tafamidis Study, but Details Lacking
[Updated, 8/28/18, 1:30pm ET. See end of story.] Drug giant Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) could soon join a budding U.S. competition to treat the rare disease transthyretin amyloidosis, in which a common protein goes haywire and builds up into dangerous deposits in the heart and nerves. Pfizer today presented results from a late-stage study of its … Continue reading “Eyeing Approval, Pfizer Touts Tafamidis Study, but Details Lacking”
VMware Acquiring Cloud Analytics and Management Startup CloudHealth
[Updated and corrected, 5:13 p.m. See below.] VMware has agreed to acquire CloudHealth Technologies, a Boston-based company that VMware wants for its service that lets businesses analyze and manage the cost, usage, security, and performance of private and public cloud computing options. Palo Alto, CA-based VMware (NYSE: [[ticker:VMW]]) didn’t disclose the terms of the deal. A … Continue reading “VMware Acquiring Cloud Analytics and Management Startup CloudHealth”
After iRobot Split, Endeavor Rides Growth in Military Robot Spending
[Corrected 8/27/18, 10:45 am. See below.] United we stand, divided we fall. But sometimes, the opposite is true. That’s the way things seem to be playing out for iRobot (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]) and Endeavor Robotics, iRobot’s former defense and security business, which was carved out and sold to private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners two years … Continue reading “After iRobot Split, Endeavor Rides Growth in Military Robot Spending”
Beam, Celsius & Arrakis at Boston’s Life Science Disruptors Oct. 17
For the sixth year in a row, Xconomy will hold our fall Boston life sciences event, “Boston’s Life Science Disruptors”, on Wednesday October 17 at MIT’s Koch Institute in Kendall Square. Join us for this unique event featuring candid stories from some of New England’s most radical biotech company leaders, founders, and VC backers who … Continue reading “Beam, Celsius & Arrakis at Boston’s Life Science Disruptors Oct. 17”
Bio Roundup: EpiPen Shortage, Bluebird’s Bet, Biotech IPOs & More
It’s back-to-school season and that means it’s time to load up on school supplies. For many students and schools, one crucial item is in high demand but hard to come by: the EpiPen. Some schools stock the epinephrine autoinjectors so they can respond quickly to a student’s allergic reaction to food. Though the autoinjectors are … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: EpiPen Shortage, Bluebird’s Bet, Biotech IPOs & More”
Eventbrite Targets $200M IPO as Tech, Biotech Markets Remain Hot
Event tech service Eventbrite is hoping to raise $200 million in an initial public offering during what has already been a busy year for IPOs. San Francisco-based Eventbrite lets users list and sell tickets to any type of event, from fundraisers to music festivals—for a fee on each ticket. The company had $201.6 million in … Continue reading “Eventbrite Targets $200M IPO as Tech, Biotech Markets Remain Hot”
FDA Approves Kala Pharmaceuticals Drug for Post-Surgery Eye Pain
Kala Pharmaceuticals has won FDA approval for a drug developed to treat pain and inflammation following eye surgery. While the approval is new, the drug, loteprednol etabonate (Inveltys), is not. Kala’s drug is a new formulation of a Bausch Health (NYSE: [[ticker:BHC]]) topical steroid that is approved to treat pain and inflammation after eye surgeries. … Continue reading “FDA Approves Kala Pharmaceuticals Drug for Post-Surgery Eye Pain”
Bluebird Bio Turns to Gritstone’s A.I. to Find TCR Cancer Targets
Bluebird Bio is betting that artificial intelligence technology from Gritstone Oncology can find new targets for cancer drugs, and the companies have struck a partnership to develop multiple cell therapies. Cambridge, MA-based Bluebird (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BLUE]]) develops gene and cell therapies. In cancer, the company focuses on a type of cell therapy called T-cell receptor therapy … Continue reading “Bluebird Bio Turns to Gritstone’s A.I. to Find TCR Cancer Targets”
Google, Dell EMC, Esther Dyson Join XCON 2018 Lineup
While the weather’s on the cool side, get ready for November. We at Xconomy are cooking up a special treat in Boston this fall: a three-day conference on technology and transformation called XCON 2018. It’s happening November 4, 5, and 6 at three different venues: Café ArtScience, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and Google’s Kendall … Continue reading “Google, Dell EMC, Esther Dyson Join XCON 2018 Lineup”
Vestigo Raises $58.9M Debut Fintech Fund as Early-Stage Deals Drop
Vestigo Ventures, a Boston-area venture firm that backs early-stage financial technology companies, said Thursday it has raised $58.9 million for its debut investment fund. That’s a small amount, but it’s still likely welcome news for young fintech startups. Global venture capital investments in the sector reached a record $16.6 billion last year, but the number … Continue reading “Vestigo Raises $58.9M Debut Fintech Fund as Early-Stage Deals Drop”
MIT’s Susan Hockfield Talks Impact of Merging Biology and Engineering
When Susan Hockfield (pictured) became president of MIT in 2004, she soon made her mark as the first life scientist to lead the university. She championed the convergence of biology, engineering, and physical sciences research to bring about the next breakthroughs not just in medicine, but also in energy and other areas. During her tenure … Continue reading “MIT’s Susan Hockfield Talks Impact of Merging Biology and Engineering”
After Launching Women’s Mentor Network, Lisa Suennen Sets Sail from GE
Lisa Suennen, a high-profile life-sciences investor, is leaving a top post at GE Ventures after two years. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Suennen is widely known for her investment work as well as her writing—her blog is called “Venture Valkyrie“—and podcasting about people, companies, and industry trends, notably the gender equity gap among … Continue reading “After Launching Women’s Mentor Network, Lisa Suennen Sets Sail from GE”
Kaleido Bio Promotes Alison Lawton to CEO, Joshua Brumm to COO
Alison Lawton, president and chief operating officer of Kaleido Biosciences, has been appointed CEO of the microbiome therapies developer. Lawton succeeds Michael Bonney, who will now serve as executive chairman of Kaleido’s board of directors. Bedford, MA-based Kaleido also promoted CFO Joshua Brumm to COO. The company says Brumm will continue to oversee finance in … Continue reading “Kaleido Bio Promotes Alison Lawton to CEO, Joshua Brumm to COO”