We’re only one week away from our annual Bay Area life sciences forum, State of the Biotech Union—and this is your last chance to save $120. This special event takes place on Tuesday, December 6th, at the Amgen campus in South San Francisco. This year, we’re holding a series of post-election discussions to assess where … Continue reading “Saver Rate Ends Today for State of the Biotech Union”
Category: National
Celgene Invests More in GNS Healthcare For Machine Learning Software
Celgene has made a second investment in GNS Healthcare and is tapping into the firm’s data analytics software to boost Celgene’s drug discovery and development efforts. Under an agreement announced Tuesday, Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) has licensed the rights to use GNS Healthcare’s “Reverse Engineering and Forward Simulation” software. The technology crunches reams of health data—from … Continue reading “Celgene Invests More in GNS Healthcare For Machine Learning Software”
100state’s Growth Highlights Increasing Popularity of Coworking
Launching a technology business out of a garage may put it in some esteemed company, but in certain areas at certain times of year—like Wisconsin in November—the founders would probably want to move their workspace inside. For a startup that’s budget-conscious but would rather not work from a private residence, one option is leasing shared office … Continue reading “100state’s Growth Highlights Increasing Popularity of Coworking”
The Journey to a Machine That Transcribes Speech as Well as Humans
As a student at the elite Tsinghua University in the early 1980s, Xuedong Huang confronted the same challenge as all other Chinese computer users. “In China, typing was fairly difficult with a Western keyboard,” says Huang, now a Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) distinguished engineer and its chief speech scientist. To answer that challenge, he helped develop … Continue reading “The Journey to a Machine That Transcribes Speech as Well as Humans”
Amicus Shares Fall On Another Bump in Rough Road To U.S. Fabry Nod
After more than a decade of ups and downs, Amicus Therapeutics in May won its first drug approval, of Fabry disease pill migalastat (Galafold), in Europe. But the Cranbury, N.J. company won’t see the drug sold in the U.S. for at least a few more years. Amicus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FOLD]]) said this afternoon that the FDA … Continue reading “Amicus Shares Fall On Another Bump in Rough Road To U.S. Fabry Nod”
Natural Pesticides Maker Marrone Bio Gets EPA Nod on Biofumigant
A biological fumigant developed by Marrone Bio Innovations is one step closer to joining the pest-control toolkit of strawberry farmers after clearing a key regulatory hurdle. Marrone Bio (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MBII]]) announced Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency has registered the Davis, CA-based company’s biofumigant, called MBI-601 EP. The biofumigant was developed to control and suppress … Continue reading “Natural Pesticides Maker Marrone Bio Gets EPA Nod on Biofumigant”
Bluebridge Sells Business Units for $8M to Focus on Emplify’s Growth
Bluebridge, a Fishers, IN-based software company specializing in mobile apps for churches, employers, and tourism entities, announced last week that it sold off two of its business units in order to devote its energy to Emplify, its fast-growing employee engagement app. PushPay‘s e-church division, based in Redmond, WA, acquired Bluebridge Churches, while Tucson, AZ’s Simpleview … Continue reading “Bluebridge Sells Business Units for $8M to Focus on Emplify’s Growth”
Today Only: Save $120 for The State of Cybersecurity on 12/8
Join us next Thursday, December 8, for The State of Cybersecurity, where you’ll hear the who’s who of business and tech leaders address questions about data security, IT strategy in the age of cyber threats, and much more. It all starts at 1:30pm at WGBH in Boston. And to save you a little extra cash, … Continue reading “Today Only: Save $120 for The State of Cybersecurity on 12/8”
Iris Plans Uses Telemedicine to Innovate Delivery of End-of-life Care
Austin—Iris Plans is using telemedicine for an often overlooked part of health care: advanced care planning. Iris recently announced a partnership with the University of Utah Health Plans, and is now providing technology-enabled advanced care planning for about 50,000 members. Iris has created an online office where doctors, nurses, or social workers can advise patients … Continue reading “Iris Plans Uses Telemedicine to Innovate Delivery of End-of-life Care”
Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?
Scientists are engineering a new living thing: a radically modified version of the lowly bacterium E. coli. In an article in Science from August, researchers at Harvard University described an ongoing project to build the genetic code of E. coli from scratch, but with major revisions to create a new strain unlike any in existence. The modified E. coli is … Continue reading “Should We Rewrite the Human Genome?”
Cybersecurity Firm Proficio Raises $12M in Private Equity Round
Proficio, a Carlsbad, CA-based startup providing cybersecurity protection services for middle market companies, has raised $12 million in an investment round led by Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors. The Los Angeles-based private equity firm provided funding from its Kayne Partners Fund Group, which invests in high-growth technology businesses. Proficio, founded in Irvine, CA, in 2010, specializes … Continue reading “Cybersecurity Firm Proficio Raises $12M in Private Equity Round”
Cellectar Announces $8M Stock Offering, Sending Shares Lower
Another day, another stock offering from Cellectar Biosciences. The Madison, WI-based biotech, which announced a $3.3 million stock offering in September 2015 and then said in April that it had raised $8 million from investors, now says it’s raising another $8 million in an offering that’s expected to close on Nov. 29. Cellectar’s pipeline includes … Continue reading “Cellectar Announces $8M Stock Offering, Sending Shares Lower”
MSU Foundation Invests $5M in Red Cedar Ventures Fund
Michigan State University faculty and students working to get their startups to market have a new tool in their arsenal: Red Cedar Ventures, a $5 million fund created by the MSU Foundation. Dave Washburn, executive director of the MSU Foundation, says Red Cedar Ventures will deploy money to university entrepreneurs or those commercializing university inventions … Continue reading “MSU Foundation Invests $5M in Red Cedar Ventures Fund”
Two More Deaths In Trial Halt Juno’s Top CAR-T Treatment Again
Juno Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:JUNO]]), a developer of experimental “CAR-T” cancer therapies derived from a patient’s own immune cells, reported this morning that two more patients have died during a trial of its most advanced product, a treatment for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The Phase 2 trial, dubbed Rocket, is now on hold for … Continue reading “Two More Deaths In Trial Halt Juno’s Top CAR-T Treatment Again”
Boston Tech Watch: Dyn’s Payday, Self-Driving Car Tests, Akamai HQ
Before everyone bolts town for Thanksgiving, let’s take a look at some notable recent headlines in the Boston-area tech community: —This week’s big deal was Oracle’s acquisition of Dyn, the Manchester, NH-based Internet infrastructure firm targeted in a recent distributed denial-of-service attack that temporarily shut down many popular websites. The companies didn’t disclose financial terms, … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Dyn’s Payday, Self-Driving Car Tests, Akamai HQ”
Amyloid Hypothesis Takes a Hit As Lilly’s Alzheimer’s Drug Fails Again
Weeks earlier than expected, Eli Lilly delivered news this morning that will affect not just millions of patients with Alzheimer’s disease but also will rekindle fierce debate about the underlying cause of the memory-robbing disorder. Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) said that solanezumab, an experimental Alzheimer’s drug, failed a long-anticipated, high-stakes Phase 3 trial known as … Continue reading “Amyloid Hypothesis Takes a Hit As Lilly’s Alzheimer’s Drug Fails Again”
Tech Growth Stats, Assembly Bio, HomeAdvisor & More Indiana News
Here’s a look at innovation news from around Indiana: —Indianapolis-based Assembly Biosciences announced last week that it has launched Phase 1a/b clinical trials for ABI-H0731, its oral therapeutic for treating chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV). Assembly aims to improve on the current low cure rates for chronic HBV by targeting the disease’s core protein … Continue reading “Tech Growth Stats, Assembly Bio, HomeAdvisor & More Indiana News”
MoolaPitch’s Crowdfunding Site Connects WI Startups, Investors
In 2014, when Facebook announced it had spent $2 billion to purchase the virtual reality headset maker Oculus VR, the deal seemed to exemplify a basic formula for startup success: show the technology community a promising concept, raise money to support the work of turning that concept into a marketable product, and cash out. Not … Continue reading “MoolaPitch’s Crowdfunding Site Connects WI Startups, Investors”
Precision Medicine In Trump Era? California Presses Own Modest Program
[Updated, 11/22/16, 5:42 p.m. See below.] Among the many questions swirling around the incoming Trump administration is the fate of ambitious biomedical science projects that require federal funding. What will a Trump presidency and Republican control of Congress mean for the Precision Medicine Initiative and the Cancer Moonshot program, both championed by the Obama administration? … Continue reading “Precision Medicine In Trump Era? California Presses Own Modest Program”
Under Terrier, NASA’s JSC Seeks to Support Space Innovation
Houston—As chief technologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Douglas Terrier focuses in part on fostering innovation within his own organization. But his duties also involve seeking outside commercial partners that can use space technologies in other fields. “Our legacy system is the government invests in technology unique to NASA applications and somewhere down the road … Continue reading “Under Terrier, NASA’s JSC Seeks to Support Space Innovation”
The State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8: Here’s the Agenda
2017 is shaping up to be a dramatic year indeed. In technology, business, and government, one of the most crucial problems to work on is cybersecurity. The current cyber threat landscape affects everything from corporate and consumer data to the critical infrastructure our society runs on. On December 8, Xconomy is hosting a special conference … Continue reading “The State of Cybersecurity on Dec. 8: Here’s the Agenda”
Saver Rate Ends Today for Xconomy Intersect: Innovating Where Disciplines Collide
We’re just about two weeks away from Seattle Intersect: Innovating Where Disciplines Collide—and this is your last chance to save $50. This special event takes place on Thursday, December 8th, at 415 Westlake, in the middle of Seattle’s South Lake Union innovation neighborhood. Join us for a unique view of the crossroads from which the … Continue reading “Saver Rate Ends Today for Xconomy Intersect: Innovating Where Disciplines Collide”
The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences
We are at an incredible inflection point in the traditionally distinct fields of information technology and the life sciences. These broad disciplines are converging to advance fields of study like computational biology and systems biology, resulting in new forms of therapeutics and diagnostics that could have a monumentally positive impact on human health. At DFJ … Continue reading “The Convergence of Information Technology and the Life Sciences”
In Trump’s America, Does Immigration Remain an Engine for Growth?
There are plenty of constituencies looking ahead to Donald Trump’s presidency with trepidation, but perhaps none more so than immigrants. The words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty may call for the rest of the world to send us their huddled masses yearning to breathe free, but many in the American electorate apparently feel differently. … Continue reading “In Trump’s America, Does Immigration Remain an Engine for Growth?”
Sluggish Year for IPOs, But Signs Abound of Post-Election Surge
Uncertainty surrounding this year’s presidential election has kept U.S. IPO activity at a sluggish pace—so sluggish, in fact, that this year could end with the fewest IPOs and the lowest level of capital raised since 2009, according to PitchBook data for the first nine months of 2016. But this is no time to trash talk … Continue reading “Sluggish Year for IPOs, But Signs Abound of Post-Election Surge”
Syngenta, Bayer Try ‘Open Innovation’ to Find Next Big Agtech Idea
Agriculture is a more technical business than many people realize. Consider modern farm equipment: A John Deere tractor today contains more lines of code than a Boeing 747 jetliner, according to Syngenta’s Rick DeRose. Big agriculture companies like Syngenta (NYSE: [[ticker:SYT]]) are now coming to a realization of their own: Not all of the new … Continue reading “Syngenta, Bayer Try ‘Open Innovation’ to Find Next Big Agtech Idea”
What’s Hot in Boston Healthtech: The Photos
There are more questions than answers—maybe that’s the way healthcare will always be. Still, we need to ask them. And we did, at Xconomy’s What’s Hot in Boston Healthtech conference at the Broad Institute last Thursday. Some big themes emerged. “Wellness” is hard to define, and even harder to measure. Even with all the healthcare … Continue reading “What’s Hot in Boston Healthtech: The Photos”
IRobot Pushes Deeper Into Japan With $14M+ Purchase of Distributor
IRobot will take over the direct sales and distribution of its consumer robotics products in Japan after inking an agreement to acquire the iRobot-related distribution business of its Tokyo-based partner, Sales On Demand Corporation (SODC). The cash deal is valued between $14 million and $16 million, and primarily includes product inventory, iRobot said. SODC employees who … Continue reading “IRobot Pushes Deeper Into Japan With $14M+ Purchase of Distributor”
Oracle Acquires Dyn, Continuing Its New England Software Takeover
Oracle has a thing for buying up Boston-area software and networking companies. Usually, they’re pretty significant companies, too. Since 2010, the Redwood Shores, CA-based software giant (NYSE: [[ticker:ORCL]]) has acquired Phase Forward, Art Technology Group, Endeca, Acme Packet, and now Dyn. Oracle said Monday it is acquiring Dyn, an Internet infrastructure company based in Manchester, … Continue reading “Oracle Acquires Dyn, Continuing Its New England Software Takeover”
Acorda Leans on Parkinson’s Drugs After Post-Stroke Study Fails
Acorda Therapeutics has tried for some time to expand the use of its flagship drug, dalfampridine (Ampyra). Demonstrating that it could help people walk better after suffering a stroke was perhaps its biggest opportunity. But the Ardsley, NY, company is now scrapping those plans altogether. Acorda (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]) said this morning it will no longer … Continue reading “Acorda Leans on Parkinson’s Drugs After Post-Stroke Study Fails”
Despite Disruption for B-Schools, Haas Dean Sees Growing Benefits of Edtech
Surely, one of the most interesting business case studies an MBA class could chew over these days must be the challenging conditions facing business schools themselves. That thought popped into my head during a long talk with Richard Lyons, a recognized B-school leader who is dean of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Lyons (pictured) … Continue reading “Despite Disruption for B-Schools, Haas Dean Sees Growing Benefits of Edtech”
Dyn’s New CEO on Business and Security in the Age of “Volatile Internet”
Tumultuous times these are. Amid mounting security threats, cyber attacks, and fallout from the U.S. presidential election, someone’s got to keep an eye on the Internet infrastructure that the world’s businesses run on. One of those players is Dyn, a Manchester, NH-based provider of DNS (Domain Name System) services. But Dyn is in transition itself. … Continue reading “Dyn’s New CEO on Business and Security in the Age of “Volatile Internet””
Arrowhead, Microbes, Diabetes, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Stay current on the latest happenings in Wisconsin’s innovation community with these headlines: —Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, which is based in Pasadena, CA, but houses its R&D operations in Madison, WI, provided updates on some of its drug candidates and development programs at two recent industry conferences. At one of the meetings, Arrowhead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) shared preclinical … Continue reading “Arrowhead, Microbes, Diabetes, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
Seattle Week in Review: A Chill in the Air and a Flurry of Funding News
Winter is coming. Yes, I’m talking about the weather. Meanwhile, a flurry of tech news from the Seattle area emerged through the deafening cacophony of news and reaction to America’s new political reality. Read on for funding news from Tola Capital, Heptio, M87, Apptentive, Echo Health Ventures, and more. —Tola Capital, a Seattle-based venture fund, … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: A Chill in the Air and a Flurry of Funding News”
BidPal’s Online Tools Help Nonprofits on Giving Tuesday and Beyond
BidPal, the Indianapolis-based startup behind mobile bidding and fundraising software for nonprofits, has established an online resource center just in time for upcoming #GivingTuesday campaigns. (More on Giving Tuesday below.) Since its inception in 2008, the company has helped 2,800 organizations connect with more than 1 million donors to raise more than $1 billion. Karrie … Continue reading “BidPal’s Online Tools Help Nonprofits on Giving Tuesday and Beyond”
3 Questions as DraftKings, FanDuel Agree to Fantasy Sports Merger
At long last, it’s official: DraftKings and FanDuel are merging to create an online fantasy sports behemoth. DraftKings announced the tie-up on its website, after weeks of rumors and news reports based on anonymous sources. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but the news release calls the deal a “strategic merger of equals.” Here’s what we know … Continue reading “3 Questions as DraftKings, FanDuel Agree to Fantasy Sports Merger”
Cellectar Advances Drug Research With Pierre Fabre, Other Partners
Less than a year after Cellectar Biosciences announced a partnership with Pierre Fabre aimed at developing new cancer treatments, the collaboration appears to be bearing fruit. Madison, WI-based Cellectar (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLRB]]) said Thursday that it has created multiple tumor-targeting compounds and has already started using them in a series of studies. The compounds were made … Continue reading “Cellectar Advances Drug Research With Pierre Fabre, Other Partners”
Voice-Analysis Software Firm Cogito Gets $15M Round Led by OpenView
Cogito has drawn another investment in its voice-analysis software business, to the tune of $15 million. The Series B funding round comes almost exactly a year after the Boston-based firm closed a $5.5 million Series A round. By our count, Cogito has raised around $25 million total from investors and over $5 million in grants, … Continue reading “Voice-Analysis Software Firm Cogito Gets $15M Round Led by OpenView”
Seventh Sense Biosystems Sucks In $10M for Simple Blood-Draw Device
Investors have pumped another $10 million into Seventh Sense Biosystems, as the company awaits FDA clearance to begin selling its device that aims to make blood draws quick and painless. The Series C funding comes from earlier Seventh Sense backers Novartis, LabCorp, Polaris Partners, and Flagship Ventures. The Medford, MA-based firm has raised $40 million … Continue reading “Seventh Sense Biosystems Sucks In $10M for Simple Blood-Draw Device”
Bio Roundup: Trump’s Rx Silence, PCSK9 News, Amgen’s Migraines & More
Speculation swirled this week around the incoming U.S. president’s intent to make good on his angry campaign rhetoric on drug prices, while the Associated Press reported that naming-and-shaming—that is, Congress hauling executives into hearings and penning angry letters—certainly hasn’t done the trick. For one new kind of cholesterol drug, insurers and their agents have tried … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump’s Rx Silence, PCSK9 News, Amgen’s Migraines & More”
StartingBlock Madison Nets Federal Grant, Partners with Bunker Labs
The U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded a $471,875 grant to StartingBlock Madison, a still-to-be-built entrepreneurial center in Wisconsin’s capital city, the agency said on Tuesday. Scott Resnick, executive director of StartingBlock Madison, said that the grant will be paid out over three years. His organization plans to use the money to fund operations, including hiring … Continue reading “StartingBlock Madison Nets Federal Grant, Partners with Bunker Labs”
Biomed Researchers at San Antonio’s UT Health Pitch for $25K Awards
San Antonio — For biotech researchers, even a few thousand dollars in early funding can provide that extra runway that turns a simple (or complex) idea into a startup. At the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, that thinking created a fund that provides researchers who work at the university up to … Continue reading “Biomed Researchers at San Antonio’s UT Health Pitch for $25K Awards”
Check Out the Agenda for Xconomy Intersect in Seattle Dec. 8
We’re excited to hear from a great group of leading entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers at our next event in Seattle, Xconomy Intersect, coming up on Dec. 8. We’ve just released the agenda. Here are some highlights: The high-level idea behind this event is to look for the intersections—between industries, disciplines, and cultures—yielding impactful innovations now and … Continue reading “Check Out the Agenda for Xconomy Intersect in Seattle Dec. 8”
Bellicum, Molecular Templates Granted $32M for Immuno-Oncology Work
Austin — The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has awarded about $32 million in grants to two Texas immuno-oncology drug developers working on blood cancer treatments. Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BLCM]]) has been awarded $16.9 million to work on developing its T-cell therapy called BPX-501 for acute myeloid leukemia, says CPRIT, the cancer research … Continue reading “Bellicum, Molecular Templates Granted $32M for Immuno-Oncology Work”
Regeneron: It’s Still Wait Until 2017 For Big Heart Drug Study
With the American Heart Association’s annual meeting in New Orleans underway this week, there’s been plenty of talk about the prospects of so-called PCSK9 inhibitors, a new class of cholesterol lowering drugs that has struggled to gain traction in the market. Though evidence is being accumulated to prove their worth, the biggest piece of proof—data … Continue reading “Regeneron: It’s Still Wait Until 2017 For Big Heart Drug Study”
Houston’s TMCx Accelerator Debuts First Class of Device Startups
[Corrected 12/01/16, 10:19 am. See below.] Houston—The Texas Medical Center’s startup accelerator TMCx will host a demo day Thursday featuring medical device startups. The group of nine startups have been housed at TMCx over the last three months working on projects including devices for more precise spinal tap procedures, an exoskeleton for seniors and the physically … Continue reading “Houston’s TMCx Accelerator Debuts First Class of Device Startups”
How to Lower Drug Prices, Improve Care, and Save Pharma
I recently received a note from a longtime friend who questioned me on the issue of pharma pricing. I answered with the always-reliable alleviating-the-scourge-of-disease-through-the-miracle-of-modern-medicine defense of “free-market pricing.” My friend, who is not in the pharmaceutical business, responded: The fundamental flaw in your argument centers on the notion that there is any relevance to “market … Continue reading “How to Lower Drug Prices, Improve Care, and Save Pharma”
Deals, Digs, & Gigs: Boston Tech News on DraftKings, IBM, GE, & More
Here’s a smattering of recent moves—acquisitions, new offices, and key hires—in the Boston-area tech sector: NEW DEALS —Boston-based DraftKings and New York-based FanDuel have reached an agreement to merge their online fantasy sports companies, according to a report from Dan Primack that cited anonymous sources. Both companies declined to comment to Primack, who reports that … Continue reading “Deals, Digs, & Gigs: Boston Tech News on DraftKings, IBM, GE, & More”
Keeping Lead in Migraine Drug Race, Amgen Touts Data, Preps FDA Filing
The first of a new group of drugs meant to prevent migraines, not just treat their symptoms, could be headed for FDA review next year. Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]), of Thousand Oaks, CA, said Wednesday that an experimental drug named erenumab succeeded in the second of two Phase 3 trials—a 955-patient study in people with “episodic” … Continue reading “Keeping Lead in Migraine Drug Race, Amgen Touts Data, Preps FDA Filing”
ACA or Not, Accolade Sees Growing Demand For Healthcare Innovation
As if innovating in healthcare wasn’t difficult enough, companies engaged in the endeavor now face an uncertain landscape as the incoming Trump Administration takes aim at the Affordable Care Act. Healthcare IT company Accolade, one of the bigger recent arrivals to Seattle’s healthcare innovation cluster, is watching closely. So far, CEO Rajeev Singh sees little … Continue reading “ACA or Not, Accolade Sees Growing Demand For Healthcare Innovation”