When Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]) shut down its Allston, MA, bioreactor plant in June after discovering viral contamination, it was clear that there would be worldwide shortages of its best-selling enzyme replacement therapies, agalsidase beta (Fabrazyme) and imiglucerase (Cerezyme), and that there would be a hit to the company’s bottom line. The company got … Continue reading “Genzyme Says Supplies, Sales of Two Enzyme Drugs Will Be Even Lower Than Previously Predicted”
Category: Boston
Candescent Healing Raises $21.5M
Candescent Partners, an Boston investment firm, has raised $21.5 million in equity and mezzanine debt through a newly formed company called Candescent Healing to acquire an operator of 12 outpatient wound care facilities called the Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine, which has corporate offices on Long Island, Stephen Jenks, a founder and managing … Continue reading “Candescent Healing Raises $21.5M”
Mzinga Ups Financing, Fuses Products
Mzinga of Burlington, MA, said today that it has raised $10 million in new capital this month, including a previously disclosed $6.1 million financing and a more recent add-on. New investors Acadia Woods Partners and BlueCrest Venture Finance Master Fund joined existing investors W Capital Partners and Shared Capital Partners in the rounds. Mzinga also … Continue reading “Mzinga Ups Financing, Fuses Products”
Momenta Prices $40M Stock Offering
Momenta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:[[ticker:MNTA]]), a Cambridge, MA-based developer of generic and original biotech drugs, reports this morning that it has priced an offering of 4 million shares of its common stock at $10.75 per share. The offering, which is due to close on September 28, is expected to net the company $40.6 million. The stock offering … Continue reading “Momenta Prices $40M Stock Offering”
Four Boston Startups Make Their DEMO Debuts in San Diego
Company presentations and new product launches officially began yesterday in San Diego at the “launchpad for emerging technology” otherwise known as the DEMOfall 09 conference. More than 550 demonstrators, attendees, and others have registered for the three-day event, according to organizers. In the main event that ends today, company founders get 6 minutes on stage … Continue reading “Four Boston Startups Make Their DEMO Debuts in San Diego”
Humedica Wants to Dose U.S. Healthcare Crisis with Clinical Analytics, Raises $30M from Investors
Imagine a national repository of detailed information on patient populations organized by their disease types, treatments received, and other metrics—similar to a U.S. Census for healthcare. Hospitals could use this trove of data to track the quality and costs of care. Pharmaceutical companies could gain new insight into how their products are consumed. Humedica, a … Continue reading “Humedica Wants to Dose U.S. Healthcare Crisis with Clinical Analytics, Raises $30M from Investors”
Biogen Idec Still Pursuing Facet Acquisition, Helicos Gets $10M Reprieve, Seaside Collects $30M for Autism Drug Development, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New England’s diagnostics developers provided more than their fair share of life sciences news this week. —Rick Jones, CEO of Cambridge, MA-based Ascent Therapeutics, talked with Ryan about his startup’s progress developing new cancer drugs using so-called pepducin technology. Ascent’s lead candidate is emerging in recent tests as a potential rival to Genzyme’s plerixafor (Mozobil), … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Still Pursuing Facet Acquisition, Helicos Gets $10M Reprieve, Seaside Collects $30M for Autism Drug Development, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
Wireless 2.0: Vicious to Virtuous?
In the mid 1990s, three on-ramps led us on to the information superhighway: AOL, Prodigy and CompuServe. For a monthly fee, users were served up a customized version of the Web offered by one of these network providers. They took a walled garden approach, offering applications only through their services and limiting e-mails within their … Continue reading “Wireless 2.0: Vicious to Virtuous?”
Goby—Exploring the Web’s Depths So You Can Explore the World
It’s Friday, the weekend is beckoning, and you’ve got your Web browser open. As much as we’d love it if you spent the weekend reading Xconomy, there’s now a less sedentary option, from a Boston startup called Goby. It’s a search engine designed specifically to help you find fun things to do out in the … Continue reading “Goby—Exploring the Web’s Depths So You Can Explore the World”
Mzinga Receives $10,000,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c5cf65a2-8d05-4c95-ad71-ee6d24e34ad4&Preview=1 Date 9/23/2009 Company Name Mzinga Mailing Address 154 Middlesex Turnpike Burlington, MA 01803 Company Description Mzinga is the leading provider of business social media solutions to drive growth, innovation, and learning. Its combination of highly scalable technology, rich domain expertise, and moderation services enables businesses to harness the collective intelligence of … Continue reading “Mzinga Receives $10,000,000 New Financing Round”
Microsoft Buys Interactive Supercomputing
Microsoft (NASDAQ:[[ticker:MSFT]]) confirmed yesterday on its Windows Server Division Weblog that the company has purchased the technology assets of Interactive Supercomuting (ISC), a Waltham, MA, developer of parallel computing software. Financial details of the acquisition weren’t revealed. The Microsoft blog says that ISC’s CEO, Bill Blake, and his firm’s technical experts are moving into the … Continue reading “Microsoft Buys Interactive Supercomputing”
Boston-Power and Dr. Battery in Deal
Boston-Power, a Westborough, MA-based provider of next-generation lithium-ion batteries, reported yesterday that battery company Dr. Battery, of Vancouver, is now distributing Boston-Power’s long-lasting laptop replacement batteries for use with Acer, Dell, IBM/Lenovo, and Toshiba laptops. The batteries are based on Boston-Power’s Sonata battery technology used in the laptop replacement batteries that Hewlett-Packard sells under its … Continue reading “Boston-Power and Dr. Battery in Deal”
New England’s Vizit Turns the Digital Photo Frame from a Dumb Display into a Sophisticated Media Hub
The digital photo frame is one of those consumer-electronics categories that seems perpetually poised to take off, but never quite gets airborne. I bought a Ceiva frame for my grandmother back in 2001—it plugged into a phone line and downloaded new pictures from the Ceiva website every night at 3 a.m. Today, things are pretty … Continue reading “New England’s Vizit Turns the Digital Photo Frame from a Dumb Display into a Sophisticated Media Hub”
Microsoft Acquires Interactive Supercomputing for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=31612f82-cfed-4735-a8fe-ca9f14b81a23&Preview=1 Date 9/22/2009 Company Name Interactive Supercomputing Mailing Address 135 Beaver Street Waltham, MA 02452 Company Description Interactive Supercomputing Corporation develops Star-P, a software platform that is Delivering Interactive Parallel Computing Power to the Desktop. Website http://www.interactivesupercomputing.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount Undisclosed Transaction Round Proceeds Purposes M&A Terms Financial terms of … Continue reading “Microsoft Acquires Interactive Supercomputing for Undisclosed Sum”
Inverness Buys Free & Clear
Waltham, MA-based Inverness Medical Innovations (NYSE: [[ticker:IMA]]) said today that it has acquired Seattle-based Free & Clear for $100 million in cash, plus up to $30 million in potential follow-on payments based on Free & Clear’s 2010 revenues. Inverness manufactures consumer diagnostic tests such as pregnancy tests, and also provides wellness and disease management services … Continue reading “Inverness Buys Free & Clear”
$3M for Conduit Labs
Regulatory documents filed September 15 show that Conduit Labs, the Cambridge, MA-based maker of music-driven online games such as Loudcrowd, has collected $3 million in new equity financing. Conduit founder and CEO Nabeel Hyatt told Mass High Tech that the funding came from Charles River Ventures of Waltham, MA, and Prism VentureWorks of Westwood, MA, … Continue reading “$3M for Conduit Labs”
Biogen Tender Offer For Facet Begins
The Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) today began a $14.50-per-share tender offer for Redwood City, CA-based Facet Biotech (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FACT]]). Biogen initially proposed to acquire the California company, its partner in developing a new antibody drug for multiple sclerosis, on September 4, but Facet’s board rejected the deal, which is worth about $355 million … Continue reading “Biogen Tender Offer For Facet Begins”
PrimeraDx Raises $20 Million More for Molecular Diagnostics Tool
PrimeraDx, a four-year-old startup in Mansfield, MA, said today it has closed a $20 million Series C financing round to continue work on automated lab equipment that, according to the company, could vastly speed up a host of medical tests. New investor CHL Medical Partners of Stamford, CT, led the round. Existing investors Abingworth, Burrill … Continue reading “PrimeraDx Raises $20 Million More for Molecular Diagnostics Tool”
New VC in Boston: Arch Venture Partners Opens Small Office With Eye Toward Basic Science, Multidisciplinary Collaborations
[Updated, Sept. 22, 11:15 am. See end of story] You might have seen Alex Rives around town in the past year, particularly if you’ve spent time hanging out at coffee shops near MIT, Harvard Medical School, and other bastions of basic research. He’s the one invariably wearing dark jeans and a sport coat over a … Continue reading “New VC in Boston: Arch Venture Partners Opens Small Office With Eye Toward Basic Science, Multidisciplinary Collaborations”
Akamai Aims to Help Companies Switch to Virtual Desktops
More and more big companies are supplying their employees not with standard desktop PCs and office software, but with “virtualized desktops.” If your company has made the switch, then your desktop may still look the same, but your office programs are actually running in your company’s data center, where a server is feeding a screen … Continue reading “Akamai Aims to Help Companies Switch to Virtual Desktops”
Conduit Labs Receives $3,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=739f7d79-82fe-45a7-bfd3-599d53e76466&Preview=1 Date 9/21/2009 Company Name Conduit Labs Mailing Address One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge, MA 02142 Company Description We’re building cool social entertainment destinations for you and your friends. We are bored of the same old social networks, virtual worlds, and MMOs. We’ve been doing this kind of thing for a long … Continue reading “Conduit Labs Receives $3,000,000 New Round”
PrimeraDx Lands $20,000,000 Series C Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7b4b1005-8ab1-4ba5-ba38-64920c2a33ac&Preview=1 Date 9/21/2009 Company Name PrimeraDx Mailing Address 171 Forbes Blvd Mansfield, MA 02048 Company Description Primera is developing a proprietary gene expression analysis system, “STAR” (Scalable Transcription Analysis Routine) that combines into a single system the desirable features of both real-time PCR and DNA microarray technologies. Website http://www.primeradx.com Transaction Type Venture … Continue reading “PrimeraDx Lands $20,000,000 Series C Funding”
Need to Catch Up With Digital Natives? Check These Seven Projects to Spread Your Digital Wings
If you’re under 25 or so, you probably don’t need much training on how to share digital photos, make a digital sketch, create an animated cartoon, make a personalized online map, or the like. I wrote the last three installments of my World Wide Wade column for everyone else: The majority of everyday computer users … Continue reading “Need to Catch Up With Digital Natives? Check These Seven Projects to Spread Your Digital Wings”
SAIC Gets Robot Sub Contract
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, RI, has awarded a contract worth up to $19 million to San Diego-based Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) (NYSE: [[ticker:SAIC]]). Under the contract, which SAIC announced today, the company will perform training, modeling, simulation, and other support services for robot submarine research programs at the Navy’s Autonomous Undersea … Continue reading “SAIC Gets Robot Sub Contract”
Put Yourself On the Map, Build a Virtual House: Seven Projects to Stretch Your Digital Wings, Part Three
When I set out to write “Seven Projects to Stretch Your Digital Wings” two weeks ago, I really meant to put all seven projects into one column. But I’m famous around Xconomy for my inability to say anything briefly. If 800 words are good, then 1,600 words are even better—that’s my motto. The point being … Continue reading “Put Yourself On the Map, Build a Virtual House: Seven Projects to Stretch Your Digital Wings, Part Three”
A123 Plans $200M+ IPO, Seaside Sees $30M, Verivue Grabs $20.1M, & More Boston-Area Deals News
New England’s tech and life sciences companies have cut far too many deals to mention over the last week and a half, so we’re kicking it top-ten style for this installment of roundup. #10 GreenBytes of Ashaway, RI, completed an $8 million Series A financing from Waltham, MA-based Battery Ventures. The startup also unveiled a … Continue reading “A123 Plans $200M+ IPO, Seaside Sees $30M, Verivue Grabs $20.1M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”
MooBella Secures $18,000,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=666e543f-2927-4f25-8620-7ec5c0fe6877&Preview=1 Date 9/18/2009 Company Name MooBella Mailing Address 555 Constitution Drive Taunton, MA 02780-7365 Company Description Simply stated, MooBella is where taste meets technology. The MooBella team has created a multi-patented, fully automated ice cream process that will change ice cream forever! Fresh ice cream, on the spot, made to order. Smooth … Continue reading “MooBella Secures $18,000,000 Series A Funding Round”
“It’s All Here,” Massachusetts State Government Says in Business-Expansion Campaign
At Akamai headquarters in Cambridge, MA, today, state officials took the wraps off a cross-media campaign intended to promote Massachusetts as a place to study, live, work, vacation, or grow a business. The new website for the campaign—themed “It’s All Here“—brings together resources for entrepreneurs considering starting their companies in Massachusetts, students looking for jobs … Continue reading ““It’s All Here,” Massachusetts State Government Says in Business-Expansion Campaign”
Tysabri’s Tally of PML Cases Reaches 13
Biogen Idec and Elan’s fast-growing multiple sclerosis drug, natalizumab (Tysabri), has been connected to 13 cases of a potentially fatal brain infection, according to an FDA notice reported on today by Bloomberg News. Cases of progressive multifocal encephalopathy, or PML for short, have been adding up since the drug was re-introduced to the U.S. market … Continue reading “Tysabri’s Tally of PML Cases Reaches 13”
Optherion Sells $5M in Convertible Notes and Warrants
Optherion, a New Haven, CT-based developer of diagnostics an drugs for eye and kidney diseases, has raised $5 million in a planned $9.5 million convertible notes and warrants offering, according to an SEC filing. The company writes in the filing that the notes and warrants can be converted into capital stock under certain conditions. Colin … Continue reading “Optherion Sells $5M in Convertible Notes and Warrants”
Autism Gets a Boost: Seaside Therapeutics Raises $30M To Develop First Drugs That Might Work
Seaside Therapeutics, a stealthy biotech startup in Cambridge, MA, has raised $30 million to further develop research from MIT neuroscientist Mark Bear that has the potential to create the first drugs that treat the underlying neurological disorder at work in patients with Fragile X syndrome and autism. Seaside raised the money from a private, family … Continue reading “Autism Gets a Boost: Seaside Therapeutics Raises $30M To Develop First Drugs That Might Work”
Seaside Therapeutics Secures $30,000,000 New Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=a6b3300c-0ead-41b9-a696-eda08b116a8d&Preview=1 Date 9/17/2009 Company Name Seaside Therapeutics Mailing Address 840 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02139 Company Description Seaside founders understand the toll that brain development disorders, including autism and mental retardation, take on families and share the sense of frustration that effective therapeutics are still not available despite recent scientific advances. Seaside … Continue reading “Seaside Therapeutics Secures $30,000,000 New Round”
Google-Brightcove Acquisition Rumors Surface, Get Sunk
A report today that Google is in talks to acquire Cambridge, MA-based video hosting company Brightcove met with curt no-comment reactions from both companies, and has been flatly contradicted by one analyst. The report, which surfaced on Twitter Wednesday afternoon, came from Mark Glaser, a San Francisco-based freelance technology writer who is also executive editor … Continue reading “Google-Brightcove Acquisition Rumors Surface, Get Sunk”
Ginkgo BioWorks Tapped for $4.1M Synthetic DNA Effort
Boston-based synthetic biology startup Ginkgo BioWorks has been selected as one of two entities to support a Scottish initiative to find better ways to assemble synthetic DNA, according to ITI Life Sciences, which has committed $4.1 million to the effort. ITI Life Sciences is a unit of ITI Scotland, a firm that was formed in … Continue reading “Ginkgo BioWorks Tapped for $4.1M Synthetic DNA Effort”
New Speech Recognition Engine Under the Hood at Vlingo; Startup Dumps IBM and Nuance for AT&T
Vlingo, the Cambridge, MA-based startup that makes a suite of speech-to-text applications used by millions of iPhone, BlackBerry, and Nokia mobile device owners, is about to get a brain transplant of sorts. It said today that it will largely abandon a core speech-recognition engine developed by IBM and maintained by Nuance Communications in favor of … Continue reading “New Speech Recognition Engine Under the Hood at Vlingo; Startup Dumps IBM and Nuance for AT&T”
A Map of Venture Investments Around the U.S.
It’s no secret to those in the innovation community that venture-backed companies are central to America’s economic prosperity. But in its ongoing effort to help reinforce that message—perhaps particularly in light of its current efforts to fight President Obama’s idea of regulating venture capital firms as investment advisers—the National Venture Capital Association this morning released … Continue reading “A Map of Venture Investments Around the U.S.”
Sonian Closes Series A
Sonian, a Needham, MA, provider of cloud-based e-mail archiving services for businesses, announced on its website earlier this week that it has closed a $5.6 million Series A round of financing. The institutional investors in the round include Prism VentureWorks and SummerHill Venture Partners. Greg Arnette, founder and chief technology officer of Sonian, told me … Continue reading “Sonian Closes Series A”
Xconomy Forum: Peter Brooke and Terry McGuire Discuss A Global Vision for Venture Capital and Private Equity
Peter A. Brooke has been called “the Johnny Appleseed of venture capital.” The chairman and founder of Advent International and TA Associates, Brooke is one of the pioneers of the venture industry in New England and the first to successfully introduce venture capital and private equity globally. At the age of 80, he remains one … Continue reading “Xconomy Forum: Peter Brooke and Terry McGuire Discuss A Global Vision for Venture Capital and Private Equity”
Helicos Biosciences, Running Low on Cash, Snaps Up $10M Lifeline
[Update: 09/16/09, 11:15 am] Helicos Biosciences has gotten a lifeline, at least temporarily. The Cambridge, MA-based maker of genetic analysis instruments which hired an investment banker two weeks ago to seek “strategic alternatives” as it ran low on cash, has raised $10 million from new and existing investors and CEO Ron Lowy. [The deal includes … Continue reading “Helicos Biosciences, Running Low on Cash, Snaps Up $10M Lifeline”
Yale startup 3PrimiR Raises $2.1M
Westport, CT-based diagnostics startup 3PrimiR has raised $2.1 million of a proposed $4 million round of equity financing, according to an SEC filing. Yale scientists launched the startup based on their research that involves how mutations in micro RNA molecules can be used in cancer diagnostics, according to the Yale University Office of Cooperative Research … Continue reading “Yale startup 3PrimiR Raises $2.1M”
Ascent Therapeutics’ Blood Cancer Drug Could Rival Genzyme’s Mozobil
Ascent Therapeutics is advancing several of its proprietary “pepducin” drugs through early testing, with a lead candidate emerging as a potential rival to Genzyme’s drug plerixafor (Mozobil) for patients with certain types of blood cancer. Cambridge, MA-based Ascent is touting some of its early research at a biotechnology conference in Zurich, Switzerland this week in … Continue reading “Ascent Therapeutics’ Blood Cancer Drug Could Rival Genzyme’s Mozobil”
Nimbit’s MyStore Lets Bands Tap the Power of Facebook to Promote Music and Merchandise
It’s not getting any easier to write and perform great music. But for up-and-coming artists, it is getting easier to build a fan base—especially if they can get their fans to do part of the work for them. That’s the idea behind MyStore, a new Facebook application launched last week by Framingham, MA-based Nimbit. The … Continue reading “Nimbit’s MyStore Lets Bands Tap the Power of Facebook to Promote Music and Merchandise”
Acceleron Aims for Anemia Cure, Mascoma to Pump Out Biofuels For Chevron, Genzyme Chief to Head Boston Fed, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
This week saw the demise of a couple of New England life sciences firms and the rise of several others. —Luke profiled the efforts of Cambridge, MA-based Acceleron Pharma to bring its lead drug candidate to market as a treatment for anemia. Previous experiments suggested the drug, ACE-011, would actually cause anemia, but in its … Continue reading “Acceleron Aims for Anemia Cure, Mascoma to Pump Out Biofuels For Chevron, Genzyme Chief to Head Boston Fed, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”
3PrimiR Secures $2,100,000 New Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=126db216-6132-4daa-a8fc-647a62da57bc&Preview=1 Date 9/16/2009 Company Name 3PrimiR Mailing Address Undisclosed Westport, CT 06880 Company Description 3PrimiR is a Connecticut-based diagnostics startup. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,100,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed
Ultra Light Startups: Viral Marketing
How can startups tap into the powers of viral marketing to help their growth trajectory? That’s the main question posed by this forum, which brings together an elite group of panelists who will share lessons on how to identify opportunities for viral marketing, plan campaigns, and more. The session is moderated by Xconomy founder Bob … Continue reading “Ultra Light Startups: Viral Marketing”
Pervasis Therapeutics Secures $10M in New Financing
Pervasis Therapeutics, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of drugs to heal blood vessels, has raised $10 million of a proposed $17.4 million round of private equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The startup names the prolific MIT inventor Bob Langer among its board members. The SEC filing does not say who invested in the round, … Continue reading “Pervasis Therapeutics Secures $10M in New Financing”
Altus Pharma to Shut Doors
Waltham, MA-based Altus Pharmaceuticals, a developer of protein-based drugs, revealed in an SEC filing yesterday that it decided last week “wind down” the company’s operations. The company (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ALTU]]) is also ending a mid-stage clinical trial to test its growth hormone deficiency drug ALTU-238 in children. The firm plans to let go “substantially all” of its … Continue reading “Altus Pharma to Shut Doors”
Termeer to Chair Boston Fed Reserve
Henri Termeer, chairman and CEO of Cambridge, MA-based biotech firm Genzyme (NASDAQ:[[ticker:GENZ]]), has been named chairman of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the Federal Reserve reported yesterday. His term as chairman of the federal bank begins in 2010. Termeer is now serving as deputy chairman of the Fed board in Boston.
BeyondTrust Acquired by Symark
BeyondTrust, a provider of software for managing IT access privileges for large businesses, has has been acquired by Symark International, according to a press release. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but Dow Jones VentureWire has estimated the deal to be worth about $30 million, according to peHUB. The combined company will be called BeyondTrust and be … Continue reading “BeyondTrust Acquired by Symark”
Thermo Fisher Names New CEO
Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:[[ticker:TMO]]) said today that Marc Casper has been appointed to become president and CEO of the company on October 15. Casper now serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Waltham, MA-based Thermo Fisher, a maker of scientific research products that reported 2008 revenue of $10.5 billion. He will replace … Continue reading “Thermo Fisher Names New CEO”