Category: Boston

Novartis’ Owen Wallace Joins Fulcrum Tx as Chief Scientific Officer

Owen Wallace is leaving Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]) to become chief scientific officer of Cambridge, MA-based Fulcrum Therapeutics. At Novartis, Wallace was head of the company’s global discovery chemistry division. His experience also includes positions at Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]). Fulcrum aims to treat treat genetic conditions by developing drugs that … Continue reading “Novartis’ Owen Wallace Joins Fulcrum Tx as Chief Scientific Officer”

Bio Roundup: NIH Precision Boost, AHCA to Senate, New Drugs & More

Two dramatic healthcare stories played out this week. First, to the jubilation of the nation’s science community, Congress proposed to boost National Institutes of Health funding, not slash it as the Trump administration had outlined. Then the patchwork revival of the GOP’s healthcare plan, despite being panned by nearly every major medical group in the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: NIH Precision Boost, AHCA to Senate, New Drugs & More”

Announcing Xconomy Impact, June 22: Here’s What It’s About

This summer, we are convening some of the biggest names in technology and innovation to talk about how they plan to make a real impact on society. This is Xconomy Boston’s ninth annual tech conference in June, and it’s one of our top events of the year. This year’s conference is called Impact, and it’s … Continue reading “Announcing Xconomy Impact, June 22: Here’s What It’s About”

Boston Tech Watch: Polaris, NuTonomy, Techstars, The Engine & More

It’s time to catch up on the latest headlines from the Boston-area tech community: —Polaris Partners said it closed a $435 million fund, the firm’s eighth. Polaris invests in technology and healthcare ventures. —Delphi, Optimus Ride, and Navya have contacted Massachusetts officials about potentially testing autonomous vehicles on state roads, according to a report from … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Polaris, NuTonomy, Techstars, The Engine & More”

Keeping Focus on Cancer, Karyopharm Licenses Antiviral to Anivive

A compound that Karyopharm Therapeutics has tested as an antiviral for humans is getting a new home with Anivive Lifesciences, which plans to bring the drug to market as a cancer treatment for dogs. Anivive is paying $1 million up front to Newton, MA-based Karyopharm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:KPTI]]) for rights to the drug, verdinexor. If Anivive, … Continue reading “Keeping Focus on Cancer, Karyopharm Licenses Antiviral to Anivive”

With $75M Haul, Ovid Continues Flurry of Biotech IPOs

The recent biotech IPO surge continues. Ovid Therapeutics raised $75 million in an IPO late Thursday, becoming the fifth life sciences company to hit the Nasdaq in the past two weeks. Ovid (NASDAQ: [[ticker:OVID]]), a New York company developing drugs for rare brain diseases, sold 5 million shares at $15 apiece. Those numbers come in … Continue reading “With $75M Haul, Ovid Continues Flurry of Biotech IPOs”

Future At Stake, Zafgen Gives First Glimpse of New Obesity Drug Data

Zafgen took a big hit last year when two patient deaths forced it to abandon its most advanced drug, belaronib. The company is now looking to a new experimental weight loss drug for diabetics to turn its fortunes around, with the first glimpse at early data released this afternoon. Many caveats apply. The data are … Continue reading “Future At Stake, Zafgen Gives First Glimpse of New Obesity Drug Data”

VC Confidence Holds Steady in Quarterly Survey, But Reasons Change

In a survey of 29 Silicon Valley venture capitalists in December, the VCs mulled whether President-elect Donald Trump would buoy up their investment prospects with lower corporate taxes and government regulations, or worsen conditions by heightening global political instability and raising the risk of a major military conflict or economic downturn. That Q4 2016 edition … Continue reading “VC Confidence Holds Steady in Quarterly Survey, But Reasons Change”

Fuze Grabs $30M More, Upping Stakes for Possible IPO

Investors’ appetite for Fuze seems unquenchable. The Cambridge, MA-based software firm just tacked another $30 million onto a recent equity funding round, bringing the round’s total to $134 million. The new money comes from an undisclosed public pension fund based in the U.S. Fuze’s total venture capital haul now stands at $334 million. A Fuze … Continue reading “Fuze Grabs $30M More, Upping Stakes for Possible IPO”

If Budget Holds, NIH Precision Study Could Be Flush As Volunteers Arrive

Until this week, many U.S. government science agencies and programs seemed destined for a big haircut, plus the loss of a limb or two. That included the Precision Medicine Initiative, an ambitious long-term study with the goal of recruiting 1 million Americans to volunteer health data. But in staving off a government shutdown, Congress pushed … Continue reading “If Budget Holds, NIH Precision Study Could Be Flush As Volunteers Arrive”

Source: SmartBear Software Sold to Francisco Partners for $410M

SmartBear Software, a Somerville, MA-based provider of tools for software developers and testers, has sold a majority stake in the company to private equity firm Francisco Partners. The terms weren’t publicly disclosed, but a source with knowledge of the deal tells Xconomy the transaction has an enterprise value of $410 million. SmartBear Software was formed … Continue reading “Source: SmartBear Software Sold to Francisco Partners for $410M”

Some See Large EHR Vendors as Playing Catch-up in Population Health

Lawmakers may end up repealing the Affordable Care Act, but it has been the law of the land for enough time that some of the changes it has brought will likely leave a lasting mark on the healthcare industry. One of these changes is the shift away from fee-for-service payment models, where providers are paid … Continue reading “Some See Large EHR Vendors as Playing Catch-up in Population Health”

Cazalot to Lead Techstars Boston, Wants to Energize Local Community

The first thing to know about Clément Cazalot is that he is French. The second thing is that he co-owns a new French restaurant in Boston’s South End, called Frenchie. It has a killer wine list and excellent food, based on a recent visit. The tech startup community will also want to know that Cazalot … Continue reading “Cazalot to Lead Techstars Boston, Wants to Energize Local Community”

Pieris Adds Another Partner, Gets $45M in AstraZeneca Lung Drug Deal

A protein drug developer with roots in Germany continues to grow in Boston, MA, with the help of another partnership. Pieris Pharmaceuticals today cut a deal with AstraZeneca to develop a group of drugs for respiratory diseases, adding a new name to an already wide list of pharmaceutical partners. Pieris (NASDAQ: [[ticker:PIRS]]) gets $45 million … Continue reading “Pieris Adds Another Partner, Gets $45M in AstraZeneca Lung Drug Deal”

Friend & Flowers Return With Wasabi, Take on Amazon in “Hot Storage”

In the market for cloud storage and related tech services, there is Amazon—and then there’s everybody else. The Seattle-based company’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) Amazon Web Services business generated $12.2 billion in sales last year, and it controls an estimated 33 percent of the global market for cloud infrastructure services, according to a recent analysis by Synergy … Continue reading “Friend & Flowers Return With Wasabi, Take on Amazon in “Hot Storage””

Grab Your Ticket for What’s Hot in Boston Biotech on May 11th

Xconomy Boston— We are just a week away from “What’s Hot in Boston Biotech”—and we’re offering you a chance to save $80. Join us for an afternoon of spotlight talks, fireside chats, and panel discussions that will delve into a variety of the hot button topics affecting the life sciences industry. It all takes place … Continue reading “Grab Your Ticket for What’s Hot in Boston Biotech on May 11th”

Analysis: Trump’s First 100 Days Through the Tech Industry Lens

Donald Trump spent his 100th day in office in ways that would appeal to his working class base—holding a campaign-style rally in Harrisburg, PA, where he confirmed his campaign commitment to controlling immigration. Trump also signed an executive order to create a White House office of trade and manufacturing policy, which aims to protect American … Continue reading “Analysis: Trump’s First 100 Days Through the Tech Industry Lens”

Heymann and Bhowmik Launch Converge, Boston’s Latest Venture Firm

Boston’s tech investing landscape has changed a lot in the past couple of years, with a wave of new early-stage funds popping up. That activity continued this week with the unveiling of Converge, a new venture investing firm co-founded and led by Nilanjana Bhowmik and Maia Heymann. Bhowmik (pictured above, right) has been a general … Continue reading “Heymann and Bhowmik Launch Converge, Boston’s Latest Venture Firm”

IRobot, With Stock at Record High, Continues Down Smart Home Path

IRobot today announced new features intended to make its Roomba vacuums “smarter,” continuing the company’s sharper focus on consumer robotics and its goal of enabling the connected home. The Bedford, MA-based firm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IRBT]]) is adding Wi-Fi connectivity to its cheaper Roomba 600 and Roomba 800 series of autonomous vacuums, a capability that was previously … Continue reading “IRobot, With Stock at Record High, Continues Down Smart Home Path”

A.I.’s Role In Agriculture Comes Into Focus With Imaging Analysis

The imaging technologies scanning farms today trace their roots to the space race. In 1965, the U.S. Geological Survey proposed using satellites to observe the planet. Seven years later, NASA launched Landsat 1. Among that satellite’s accomplishments: an estimate of the corn and soybean acreage stretching from Iowa to Indiana. The eighth version of Landsat … Continue reading “A.I.’s Role In Agriculture Comes Into Focus With Imaging Analysis”

Magenta Nabs More Cash, Licenses Drug To Boost Transplant Pipeline

Magenta Therapeutics said today it has doubled its money with a $50 million Series B round led by GV, formerly Google Ventures. The Cambridge, MA-based startup spun out of Harvard University last year with nearly $50 million in launch money to develop improved bone marrow transplants. Magenta has also licensed a drug from Novartis that … Continue reading “Magenta Nabs More Cash, Licenses Drug To Boost Transplant Pipeline”

Nominations Open for the Inaugural Xconomy Awards

Like so much of the life sciences world, Xconomy has its roots in Boston and Cambridge. When the annual Biotech Week Boston convenes this September, we’ll be there, too, with our Life Science Disruptors forum, but also something new: The inaugural Xconomy Awards, highlighting some of the most influential people, startups, and other organizations in … Continue reading “Nominations Open for the Inaugural Xconomy Awards”

Bridj Runs Out of Gas After Deal With Car Company Falls Through

Bridj’s vision of transforming urban transportation is no more, after the Boston-based startup announced over the weekend that it’s shutting down. Bridj—which operated a transit service that used a private fleet of shuttle vans coordinated by mobile app—decided to wind down operations after a deal with an unnamed “major car company” fell through, CEO Matt … Continue reading “Bridj Runs Out of Gas After Deal With Car Company Falls Through”

Shire Sets Sights on Dry Eye Disease with Deal for Parion Drug

Shire is paying $20 million up front to acquire rights to a drug that Parion Sciences has developed as a potential treatment for dry eye disease. The deal calls for Shire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SHPG]]) to take the lead on further work on P-321, a compound that Durham, NC-based Parion has tested in early-stage clinical trials. If … Continue reading “Shire Sets Sights on Dry Eye Disease with Deal for Parion Drug”

The State of Cybersecurity Insurance Today

Cyber incidents are considered the No. 1 emerging risk for enterprises long-term. No surprise, then, that cybersecurity insurance policy premiums are approaching $2.75 billion a year. Some experts believe this figure will grow to roughly $20 billion by 2025. For scores of insurance companies cashing in on the booming corporate cybersecurity insurance market, it’s a … Continue reading “The State of Cybersecurity Insurance Today”

Entrepreneurs, VCs, Bio Builders Talk Seizing Momentum in NY on May 31

It’s going to take more than just a government initiative for New York to forge an identity as a top commercial hub for life sciences. It’s going to take great ideas, entrepreneurs taking risks, developers making space their companies can grow in, and investors gambling on their success. Some of these things are already happening, … Continue reading “Entrepreneurs, VCs, Bio Builders Talk Seizing Momentum in NY on May 31”

John Tucker Named President and CEO of scPharmaceuticals

Biopharmaceuticals company scPharmaceuticals has appointed John Tucker to the position of president and CEO. He has also been elected to the board of directors of the privately held company. Lexington, MA-based scPharmaceuticals has developed a drug delivery device that can administer medication just below the skin. The company’s lead product candidate is a subcutaneous formulation … Continue reading “John Tucker Named President and CEO of scPharmaceuticals”

Radius Nabs FDA OK For New Bone Drug With Rival Amgen Close Behind

At least one new treatment is on the way for osteoperosis patients, and possibly two before the end of the summer. Radius Health on Friday won FDA approval of an osteoperosis drug that, like a rival treatment from Eli Lilly, can help build up the strength of bones rather than just prevent them from becoming … Continue reading “Radius Nabs FDA OK For New Bone Drug With Rival Amgen Close Behind”

After Sarepta’s Surprising FDA Nod, CEO Kaye Plans to Resign

Ed Kaye was the chief medical officer of Sarepta Therapeutics for nearly six years before being thrust into the spotlight. In April 2015, CEO Chris Garabedian resigned, and Kaye took up the job of trying to notch the first-ever approval for a Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, eteplirsen (Exondys 51)—with the slimmest of data, no less. … Continue reading “After Sarepta’s Surprising FDA Nod, CEO Kaye Plans to Resign”

Veering Off Topic With Adelphic Co-founder Jennifer Lum

Next up in my ongoing series of offbeat chats with local tech execs and investors is Jennifer Lum. Lum is a leader in Boston’s mobile advertising sector, having co-founded or held a key position in three such startups—m-Qube (acquired by VeriSign), Quattro Wireless (bought by Apple), and Adelphic (recently purchased by Time subsidiary Viant). She … Continue reading “Veering Off Topic With Adelphic Co-founder Jennifer Lum”

Sarepta CEO Kaye Announces Plans to Resign

Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRPT]]) president and CEO Ed Kaye will resign on Sept. 20 “or some other future date” and will stay on as a board member and advisor afterwards, according to a regulatory filing. Kaye, Sarepta’s former chief medical officer, stepped in when ex-CEO Chris Garabedian resigned in 2015 and steered the company towards … Continue reading “Sarepta CEO Kaye Announces Plans to Resign”

Bio Roundup: Trumpcare Flails, Spinraza Sales, Batten OK & More

To judge the first 100 days of a new administration is, as many pundits have pointed out, an odd vestige of history, more convenient than significant. Which is why we’ll start this week’s roundup with our 99-day evaluation of the Trump administration—at least when it comes to healthcare and the life sciences. In healthcare, nothing … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trumpcare Flails, Spinraza Sales, Batten OK & More”

Hacking Back: Agari Turns the Tables on Next-Gen E-mail Scammers

What would happen if a total stranger with a poor command of English asked the payroll manager of an American corporation to send him the Internal Revenue Service Form W-2’s for the company’s entire staff? Answer: Some payroll managers would obligingly send the stranger a PDF of all the forms, containing the names, Social Security … Continue reading “Hacking Back: Agari Turns the Tables on Next-Gen E-mail Scammers”

Boston’s Life Science Disruptors

Disruption in biotech can come in different forms, from new technologies that can change the face of medicine, to ideas and initiatives that can challenge the status quo. Boston has both of these in spades, with ambitious biotech startups bent on transforming drug development and industry leaders unafraid to tackle the sector’s toughest issues. But … Continue reading “Boston’s Life Science Disruptors”

Gottlieb’s FDA Nomination Gets Committee Nod, Advances to Senate

Scott Gottlieb’s nomination to the top post of the FDA is on its way to the full U.S. Senate. The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee voted 14-9 on Thursday to approve Gottlieb’s nomination to become FDA commissioner. All of the Republicans on the committee voted for Gottlieb, along with two Democrats, Sen. Sheldon … Continue reading “Gottlieb’s FDA Nomination Gets Committee Nod, Advances to Senate”

Duchenne, SMA, and the Rise of Patient Power at “What’s Hot” on May 11

Two of the most noteworthy drugs to win FDA approval over the past year, eteplirsen (Exondys 51) and nusinersen (Spinraza), have something important in common: Patient groups have played a critical role in both of their stories. Eteplirsen, Sarepta Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRPT]]) Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, was a test case for the increasing power of … Continue reading “Duchenne, SMA, and the Rise of Patient Power at “What’s Hot” on May 11”

Will New Data Open “Bottlenecks” For Biogen’s Pricey Spine Drug?

Four months after its drug nusinersen (Spinraza) became the first ever approved to treat the rare genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy, Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) released study results Tuesday that could help more patients gain access to the expensive drug. The data, from a 126-patient study called CHERISH, provide the most detailed evidence to date that … Continue reading “Will New Data Open “Bottlenecks” For Biogen’s Pricey Spine Drug?”

Gates Foundation Leads $45.5M Round for Gerngross’s Biotech Arsanis

[Corrected 4/27/17, 11:57 p.m. See Below.] Arsanis, a Waltham, MA-based biotech co-founded by scientist and entrepreneur Tillman Gerngross to develop treatments for bacterial and viral infections, has raised a $45.5 million investment led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to finance a mid-stage clinical trial for its lead drug program. The Series D round of … Continue reading “Gates Foundation Leads $45.5M Round for Gerngross’s Biotech Arsanis”

Boston Tech Watch: Uber Driver Appeals, NFL Wearables, Drone IPO

[Updated 4/26/17, 2:58 pm. See below.] This week in Boston tech, we’re tracking appeals by Uber and Lyft drivers who failed state background checks; a deal between a local wearable device startup and the National Football League Players Association; an Australian IPO by a Massachusetts underwater drone company; and much more. Read on for details. … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Uber Driver Appeals, NFL Wearables, Drone IPO”

Barclays Techstars’ Jon Zanoff on Startups, Banks, and Fintech’s Future

Jon Zanoff is ready for a new nickname. Dubbed “The Mayor of Fintech,” Zanoff, the newly appointed managing director of the Barclays Techstars accelerator in New York, has certainly been entrenched in the financial technology industry long enough to deserve the title. For the past five years, he’s presided over Empire Startups, a New York-based … Continue reading “Barclays Techstars’ Jon Zanoff on Startups, Banks, and Fintech’s Future”

Joining G20, Troiano Is Latest Boston Tech Exec to Move Into VC

Mike Troiano doesn’t sit still. In fact, it’s hard to believe he has been chief marketing officer at enterprise IT firm Actifio for five years. But now he has taken a full-time position as a partner at G20 Ventures, the Boston venture capital firm founded by Bob Hower and Bill Wiberg. Troiano has some experience … Continue reading “Joining G20, Troiano Is Latest Boston Tech Exec to Move Into VC”

The Medicines Co., Alnylam Take Plunge, Outline Big Test For Heart Drug

The Medicines Co. and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals have come to a deal with the FDA on the big Phase 3 test for their RNA-based cholesterol-lowering drug, inclisiran, a potentially longer-lasting alternative to a new group of drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors. Medicines Co. (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MDCO]]) and partner Alnylam (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALNY]]) will collectively enroll 3,000 patients with atherosclerotic … Continue reading “The Medicines Co., Alnylam Take Plunge, Outline Big Test For Heart Drug”

Desktop Metal, Backed By $97M, Unveils Its First Metal 3D Printers

After a couple years of work, Desktop Metal took the wraps off its metal 3D printers this week. The startup has drawn $97 million from high-profile investors who are betting the technology could transform the way metal parts get developed and manufactured. So, what’s the big deal? Standard metal-making 3D printers are bulky, cost hundreds … Continue reading “Desktop Metal, Backed By $97M, Unveils Its First Metal 3D Printers”

Xconomy Awards

With the help of a stellar panel of judges, Xconomy will honor the people, companies, and organizations that make the Boston life sciences community one of the most vibrant innovation centers in the world.

HistoSonics Aims To Move Forward After Raising $8.5M, Naming New CEO

Changes are afoot at HistoSonics, the University of Michigan medical device spinout based in Ann Arbor, MI. The company has a new CEO, as well as a new focus on the treatment of solid-tumor cancers. Last month, HistoSonics also closed on a $8.2 million Series B round led by Wisconsin’s Venture Investors, with contributions from … Continue reading “HistoSonics Aims To Move Forward After Raising $8.5M, Naming New CEO”

Amid Automation Debate, A.I. Backers Tout Job Creation Potential

Rapid advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence technologies over the past decade have stoked concern that machines could eventually take over most, if not virtually all, human jobs. But there is another, more optimistic view of how the advance of A.I. and automation will impact the economy—one articulated by people like Mark Gorenberg (pictured right). … Continue reading “Amid Automation Debate, A.I. Backers Tout Job Creation Potential”

Becton Dickinson Aims Beyond Diabetes with $24B Bard Deal

In a medical technology merger with implications for the healthcare sector in the United States and beyond, Becton Dickinson is acquiring C.R. Bard for $24 billion to tap into the growing markets for products used in treating vascular conditions and cancer. Under the deal announced Sunday, Franklin Lakes, NJ-based Becton Dickinson (NYSE: [[ticker:BD]]) will pay … Continue reading “Becton Dickinson Aims Beyond Diabetes with $24B Bard Deal”

Pursuing Larger Rivals, NGM Bio Tries To Make Mark On Fatty Livers

[Corrected 4/25/17, 12:30 p.m. See below.] About 7,000 liver transplants occur in the U.S. each year. A condition that few people can pronounce, and no one has a treatment for, has become a main reason for those transplants. That’s why several rich, powerful drug companies are in the final expensive stage of testing new drugs … Continue reading “Pursuing Larger Rivals, NGM Bio Tries To Make Mark On Fatty Livers”

As Doctors Adopt Virtual Tools, Human Relationships Grow More Vital

Voice-controlled virtual assistants, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence technologies could all reshape the healthcare industry in the coming years, but forming strong relationships between patients and doctors will be more important than ever. That was a key takeaway from a panel discussion Thursday night at General Assembly’s space in downtown Boston. I moderated the chat … Continue reading “As Doctors Adopt Virtual Tools, Human Relationships Grow More Vital”