There are a lot of factors involved in drug pricing that don’t enter my head when I’m seeing a patient. The three letters “PBM,” for example (pharmacy benefit manager), have never crossed my mind when I’m writing a prescription. Nor has the word “rebate.” Or the phrase “pay for delay.” Or “marketing exclusivity.” Basically, I … Continue reading “How Doctors Think About Drug Prices”
Category: National
Under Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Purdue Pumping Out Startups
[Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories examining tech transfer and innovation initiatives at Indiana colleges and universities.] During the 2012-2013 school year, Purdue University counted eight new startups built on technology licensed from the school. The next year, that number tripled. That’s a significant increase in university spinouts almost overnight, and … Continue reading “Under Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Purdue Pumping Out Startups”
Checkpoints In Lung Cancer, and Other Oncology News From Europe
The European Society for Medical Oncology’s annual conference wraps up in Copenhagen today. We’ve seen updates on heavyweight immunotherapy programs, potential options for patients with advanced breast cancer, and more. Here’s a quick roundup of the major news. LUNG CHECKS ESMO provided more evidence that the treatment of lung cancer is changing fast. Going into … Continue reading “Checkpoints In Lung Cancer, and Other Oncology News From Europe”
The Night Scott Heiferman Almost Smashed a Watermelon at NYTM
When the CEO of Meetup took the stage last week at the latest New York Tech Meetup (NYTM), there was a touch of expectation that something eye-opening might happen. Several years prior, Scott Heiferman—who is also the co-founder of NYTM—infamously took a sledgehammer to a new Apple iPad in order to call attention to changes … Continue reading “The Night Scott Heiferman Almost Smashed a Watermelon at NYTM”
Roundup: Purdue Patents, Knight Challenge, Remy International, More
Here’s a look at innovation news from around Indiana: —Last week, the Purdue Research Foundation announced that in 2016, the number of startups spun out of university-owned intellectual property had grown to a record-breaking 27. This year’s class was bigger than any of the previous years, “contributing to Purdue’s third straight year of record-breaking startup … Continue reading “Roundup: Purdue Patents, Knight Challenge, Remy International, More”
Echo Labs Wins “Quick Pitch” Contest with Digital Hybrid Microscope
By popular acclaim, San Diego-based Echo Laboratories founder Eugene Cho claimed top honors, and a $15,000 check, for his two-minute presentation last week in the 10th annual “Quick Pitch” competition, hosted by San Diego’s Tech Coast Angels. Cho made his case for Revolve, a digital instrument created for biology labs that combines the features of … Continue reading “Echo Labs Wins “Quick Pitch” Contest with Digital Hybrid Microscope”
Tour of Texas: Twyla, Firefly, Factom, DocSynk, Disruptors, & More
Let’s get caught up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. Austin: —Factom, a startup that uses blockchain technology to secure and verify data such as public records and business documents, has raised $4.2 million in a Series A round. Tim Draper, the venture capitalist who runs the investment firm Draper Associates, led the … Continue reading “Tour of Texas: Twyla, Firefly, Factom, DocSynk, Disruptors, & More”
Soundtrap Lands $6M for Collaborative Music & Audio Creation App
Soundtrap, a recording studio app that competes with Apple’s GarageBand, announced today it has raised $6 million to expand its reach in both the consumer and education markets. Like GarageBand, Soundtrap is easy to use and has been adopted for use in schools, Soundtrap CEO and co-founder Per Emanuelsson says. What differentiates Soundtrap is that … Continue reading “Soundtrap Lands $6M for Collaborative Music & Audio Creation App”
Seattle Week in Review: Amazon, AI, and Slipping Earth’s Gravity
Fall began in earnest this week, but the winds and rains that buffeted the Northwest are nothing compared to the fury of Hurricane Matthew. Time to hunker down for a review of the local tech news including: Amazon’s big contribution to UW, plans for a large Bellevue office, and partnership with KITT.AI; advances in the … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Amazon, AI, and Slipping Earth’s Gravity”
Defying Patient Pressure, Anthem Says No to Sarepta’s Duchenne Drug
A few weeks ago, Xconomy spoke with analysts and patient advocates who considered it unlikely that insurers would balk at a potential price of $300,000 a year for eteplirsen (Exondys 51), the first approved drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. That’s largely been the case so far, but today a significant outlier emerged—Anthem, one of the … Continue reading “Defying Patient Pressure, Anthem Says No to Sarepta’s Duchenne Drug”
Allergy Amulet Raises $1.1M for Device That Detects Food Allergens
Abigail Barnes is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish. Her food allergies have landed her in the hospital on six different occasions. She’s not alone: in the U.S., every three minutes a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency department. A few years ago, when Barnes was living in Vermont and attending law … Continue reading “Allergy Amulet Raises $1.1M for Device That Detects Food Allergens”
How Augmented Reality Is Transforming the Manufacturing Industry
For many Americans, the manufacturing industry brings to mind images of Industrial Revolution-era factories, World War II assembly lines, or perhaps even outsourced workshops overseas. But that picture is outdated. The truth is that the advanced technologies that are changing modern life are also revolutionizing the manufacturing industry in ways that are not yet widely … Continue reading “How Augmented Reality Is Transforming the Manufacturing Industry”
Bio Roundup: Theranos Cuts, Alnylam Stops, Nobel Eats Its Own & More
[Updated, 11:50 a.m. ET, see below] With the Caribbean and now the southeast U.S. coast bearing the brunt of Hurricane Matthew, we send our thoughts and more to those who have more pressing matters to worry about this week. But the show must go on. The biotech industry saw its own storms pass through, with … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Theranos Cuts, Alnylam Stops, Nobel Eats Its Own & More”
Indiana Biosciences Research Institute Hires Chief Scientific Officer
In 2013, the state’s government teamed up with Indiana-based biotech companies and university officials to unveil the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI), what organizers call the first industry-led collaborative life sciences research institute of its kind in the country. Since then, the IBRI has been busy raising funds and hiring a management team to get … Continue reading “Indiana Biosciences Research Institute Hires Chief Scientific Officer”
Brain Corp.’s First Product Is a Brain for Floor-Scrubbing Machines
San Diego’s Brain Corp. has a vision for developing the kind of technology that could some day be used to operate self-driving cars. Before getting out on the open road, however, the company wants to show its self-driving system can clean up a mess in aisle 3 at Jimbo’s. As an independent startup backed by … Continue reading “Brain Corp.’s First Product Is a Brain for Floor-Scrubbing Machines”
Bowles, Zielke Discuss Disrupting the Accelerator at Upcoming Event
Houston—In the last decade, accelerator programs to boost startups have spread across the country. In Texas, some of these organizations are now examining how accelerators might evolve in the near future. Some of those efforts will be the focus of the “Startups Disrupted” panel later this month at Xconomy’s upcoming Disruptors conference. The daylong forum, … Continue reading “Bowles, Zielke Discuss Disrupting the Accelerator at Upcoming Event”
Cybric Bags $5M to Automate & Align Cybersecurity Tools
Boston cybersecurity startup Cybric announced $5 million in new funding today, as investors place more bets on tech companies promising to make security tools more sophisticated and unified. Cybric says it closed a $6.3 million seed round. But that amount includes $1.3 million in funding announced in November 2015, a spokeswoman says. Cybric’s main backers … Continue reading “Cybric Bags $5M to Automate & Align Cybersecurity Tools”
Indiana VC Activity Down for Third Quarter, Up for the Year
According to a new quarterly report put together by Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association, Indiana’s VC and angel investment activity was down in the third quarter of 2016. A total of 19 funding deals worth $22.7 million were logged by Indiana companies during Q3 of 2016, according to PitchBook data. That’s a … Continue reading “Indiana VC Activity Down for Third Quarter, Up for the Year”
Siri Creators Score Again With Viv, Sold to Samsung in A.I. Race
Samsung entered the conversational artificial intelligence fray in a major way Wednesday with its purchase of Viv Labs, a San Jose, CA-based startup led by three of the key people behind virtual assistant Siri. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Viv’s roughly 30 employees will keep their jobs, Recode reported. Viv will work closely with … Continue reading “Siri Creators Score Again With Viv, Sold to Samsung in A.I. Race”
Amazon Pledges $10M to Expand UW Computer Science Program
The University of Washington is $10 million closer to its goal of a significantly expanded computer science program thanks to a gift from Amazon announced Thursday. The Seattle-based tech giant’s commitment to the $110 million public-private fundraising campaign for a new computer science building is its largest local contribution yet. Amazon, despite thousands of local … Continue reading “Amazon Pledges $10M to Expand UW Computer Science Program”
Intellia Execs Talk CRISPR’s Path Forward at Xconomy’s Oct. 20 Event
Earlier this year, Intellia Therapeutics became the second drugmaker using the landmark gene editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 to go public, after Editas Medicine. A third, CRISPR Therapeutics, could be on the way soon. Now comes the hard part. Getting past the hype and making safe, effective medicines. Over the past few decades, new drugmaking methods like … Continue reading “Intellia Execs Talk CRISPR’s Path Forward at Xconomy’s Oct. 20 Event”
Press Institute Teams with Newsela to Make Kids Savvier News Consumers
Web technologies have brought financial challenges and a tidal wave of media competitors to traditional news organizations in recent decades. Now a non-profit that has been championing newspapers since 1946 is using technology to bolster demand for high-quality journalism. The American Press Institute is working with educational technology company Newsela to teach school children how … Continue reading “Press Institute Teams with Newsela to Make Kids Savvier News Consumers”
Surviving an Exhausting Basketball Lesson With CoachUp’s CEO: Video
As I step onto the basketball court, I feel a flash of giddiness mixed with a tinge of nervousness. Just like when I was a kid, warming up before a game. I’m dressed in dark silver athletic shorts and a worn-out Marquette University basketball T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. My laptop is stowed in … Continue reading “Surviving an Exhausting Basketball Lesson With CoachUp’s CEO: Video”
Third-Quarter Report Shows Slowdown in VC Activity, & Top 10 Deals
Venture capital activity is gradually easing from last year’s peak, according to a new quarterly report put together by Seattle-based PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association. VC firms invested $14.99 billion in 1,810 U.S. deals (1,796 companies) during the third quarter that ended September 30, according to the inaugural “Venture Monitor” report released today. … Continue reading “Third-Quarter Report Shows Slowdown in VC Activity, & Top 10 Deals”
Denver Health IT Firm Welltok Picks Up $33.7M to Push Wellness Tools
Welltok has raised a $33.7 million Series E funding round to sign up more customers and further develop its software that aims to encourage healthy habits. The Denver-based health IT company sells its software, called CaféWell, to healthcare providers, insurers, government programs like Medicaid and Medicare, and employers. Those groups use it to incentivize their … Continue reading “Denver Health IT Firm Welltok Picks Up $33.7M to Push Wellness Tools”
Moxe Health Snags $5.5M to Connect Healthcare Insurers and Providers
Moxe Health, a Madison, WI-based startup whose digital tools help facilitate the flow of data between healthcare providers, insurers, and software applications, says it has raised $5.5 million from investors. Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: [[ticker:SFE]]), based in the Philadelphia area, led the round. Dan Wilson, Moxe’s founder and CEO, declined to name other funds or individual … Continue reading “Moxe Health Snags $5.5M to Connect Healthcare Insurers and Providers”
Alnylam Scraps RNAi Drug After Safety Problems, Shares Plunge
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has gone through more than a decade of twists and turns, trying to become the first company to bring an RNA interference drug, a method of “silencing” disease-causing genes, to market. And while the Cambridge, MA, company still may achieve that goal, it suffered a big setback this afternoon as safety concerns have … Continue reading “Alnylam Scraps RNAi Drug After Safety Problems, Shares Plunge”
With New Program, DARPA To Encourage Safety “Brakes” For Gene Editing
[Updated 10/6/16, 12:17 p.m. See below.] Drugs that use molecular scissors to snip out or replace defective genes. Altered mosquitoes meant to sabotage entire disease-carrying populations. Both are potential uses of genome editing, which thanks to the CRISPR-Cas9 system has spread throughout the world’s biology labs and is now on the doorstep of the outside … Continue reading “With New Program, DARPA To Encourage Safety “Brakes” For Gene Editing”
Healthtech Startup Curo Opens First U.S. Office in Ann Arbor
Curo Technologies, a Melbourne, Australia-based healthtech startup, announced this week that it is opening its first U.S. office in Ann Arbor, MI. Steve Hopkins, who will run the Ann Arbor office, said Curo’s decision to expand to Southeast Michigan makes good business sense, as it allows the company to tap into the area’s technical talent … Continue reading “Healthtech Startup Curo Opens First U.S. Office in Ann Arbor”
Is Your Organization Ready to Become an Ecosystem Driver?
[This article is co-authored by Stephanie Woerner.] Dominating business-to-consumer sales, Amazon seems ready to take over the world of business-to-business too. In its first year, Amazon Business generated $1 billion in sales. However, there is still room for competition. It’s not yet an ecosystem driver in B2B, although the longer it takes for other business … Continue reading “Is Your Organization Ready to Become an Ecosystem Driver?”
Elanco Reaches $885M Deal for Boehringer’s Pet Vaccines Portfolio
Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]), is filling out its pet products portfolio with a deal to acquire some dog and cat vaccines made by Boehringer Ingelheim. Greenfield, IN-based Elanco said Wednesday that it will pay $885 million for the U.S. cat, dog, and rabies vaccine portfolio of Vetmedica, the animal … Continue reading “Elanco Reaches $885M Deal for Boehringer’s Pet Vaccines Portfolio”
Organovo to Test “Patches” for Patients Awaiting Liver Transplants
San Diego-based Organovo (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONVO]]) said today it plans to use its 3D bio-printing technology to produce living human liver tissue “patches” that can be transplanted in patients with fatal liver disease. The idea is to help improve the function of failing livers, a stopgap measure that could extend the lives of patients on the … Continue reading “Organovo to Test “Patches” for Patients Awaiting Liver Transplants”
Factom Snags $4.2M Series A for Record-Encrypting Blockchain Tech
Austin—Factom, an Austin, TX-based company that uses blockchain technology to secure and verify data such as public records and business documents, has raised a $4.2 million Series A funding round led by Tim Draper, the noted venture capitalist who runs investment firm Draper Associates. The funding will be used to further develop Factom’s product line … Continue reading “Factom Snags $4.2M Series A for Record-Encrypting Blockchain Tech”
Realync Turns Apartment Hunting Into a Real-Time Video Experience
For most people looking to buy or rent property, the search starts online. Real estate firms and leasing agents adorn their websites with photos that show their properties in the best light. But to consumers browsing these websites, photos can’t replace the experience of seeing a site in person. Matt Weirich, CEO and co-founder of … Continue reading “Realync Turns Apartment Hunting Into a Real-Time Video Experience”
AI Software Startup DocSynk Nabs $1M in Seed Money From Naya Ventures
Dallas—Amazon offers us products we might like based on our previous purchases. Pandora creates music channels tailored to our preferences. Why can’t similar technology help us find a doctor, or help doctors’ offices know before a patient comes in if their insurance will pay for treatment? Those are some of the aims of Dallas-based DocSynk, … Continue reading “AI Software Startup DocSynk Nabs $1M in Seed Money From Naya Ventures”
San Antonio Firm Quirk Hires New CTO to Reboot Insurance Software
San Antonio—A company called Quirk & Co., which works in a sector known as wholesale insurance, has hired a new chief technology officer to retool software programs for the insurance groups it works with. Drue Placette started as the chief technology officer of San Antonio-based Quirk in August. A veteran of multiple startups in Austin … Continue reading “San Antonio Firm Quirk Hires New CTO to Reboot Insurance Software”
Microsoft Ventures Invests In Austin AI Startup Cognitive Scale
Austin—Microsoft Ventures has invested in Austin artificial intelligence startup CognitiveScale, filling out its Series B investment round to more than $25 million, the company reported Tuesday. Cognitive Scale would not reveal the amount Microsoft has invested. In August, the startup announced it had raised a total of $21.8 million in the Series B round from investors such … Continue reading “Microsoft Ventures Invests In Austin AI Startup Cognitive Scale”
Exact Sciences, Rockwell, & Gender Gaps: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Stay on top of the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community, starting with these recent headlines: —Madison-based Exact Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) said that Cologuard, the company’s stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer, is now included in a set of quality measures for colorectal cancer screening. The group of quality measures, known as the Healthcare Effectiveness Data … Continue reading “Exact Sciences, Rockwell, & Gender Gaps: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
In Cloud Security Move, Akamai Scoops Up Soha Systems
Akamai has announced its second acquisition in less than a week. The Cambridge, MA-based technology company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKAM]]) said Tuesday it has acquired Soha Systems, a startup based in Sunnyvale, CA. Terms of the all-cash deal were undisclosed. Soha makes software to help businesses remotely and securely access applications hosted in data centers and hybrid … Continue reading “In Cloud Security Move, Akamai Scoops Up Soha Systems”
With Epic Ties, HealthX Raises $20M First Fund, Reveals Investments
[Corrected 3/16/18 1:34 p.m. See below.] HealthX Ventures, a Madison, WI-based group that invests in early-stage healthcare technology companies, says that it has closed a $20 million fund. About 75 investors participated, says Dan Blake, a partner at the fund. HealthX, which says it seeks to put money into startups that are getting their “first rounds … Continue reading “With Epic Ties, HealthX Raises $20M First Fund, Reveals Investments”
Post FDA Approval, Sarepta Wheels and Deals for Combo Duchenne Drugs
Sarepta Therapeutics recently won the first FDA approval for a Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, eteplirsen (Exondys 51). But the future for patients with the complex, progressive, fatal genetic disease is likely to lie in combinations of therapies, and that’s something Sarepta has clearly decided to pursue through deal-making. For the second time in two weeks, … Continue reading “Post FDA Approval, Sarepta Wheels and Deals for Combo Duchenne Drugs”
Lyft, IBM, & Others Discuss the Convergence of AI and Marketing
What do artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other innovations have in store for the future of marketing? That was a key question addressed by a panel that included the chief marketing officers from Lyft, IBM Watson, and CVS Health. They gathered last week in New York at 1 World Trade Center to discuss changes consumers … Continue reading “Lyft, IBM, & Others Discuss the Convergence of AI and Marketing”
BioBridge Plans to Grow $7.8M into Large-Scale Stem Cell Production
San Antonio — A San Antonio life sciences nonprofit is working with three other organizations to learn how to produce larger volumes of stem cells, and has received $7.8 million from a military-based nonprofit group to do so. BioBridge Global and its subsidiary, GenCure, plan to develop a methodology for increasing the amount of clinical-grade stem … Continue reading “BioBridge Plans to Grow $7.8M into Large-Scale Stem Cell Production”
After the Election, Join Us to Discuss the State of the Biotech Union
How will the upcoming election affect biotech and healthcare? On December 6 in South San Francisco, Xconomy is gathering scientists, executives, investors, and other thought leaders to dissect the results and look ahead to 2017. Issues that are crucial to the health and wealth of the nation are in play on Election Day and beyond. … Continue reading “After the Election, Join Us to Discuss the State of the Biotech Union”
Still Stuck Below IPO Price, Merrimack Restructures, CEO Resigns
In the four years since going public, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals has brought its first drug to market, a treatment for pancreatic cancer. But disappointing sales, mounting losses, and a sagging share price have triggered sweeping changes at the Cambridge, MA, company. Merrimack president and CEO Robert Mulroy is resigning, effective immediately, as a result of a … Continue reading “Still Stuck Below IPO Price, Merrimack Restructures, CEO Resigns”
Gates Grant Helps Sirenas Extend Hunt for Drugs From Sea Organisms
San Diego-based Sirenas, which has developed technology to rapidly isolate and synthesize potential drug compounds from marine organisms, said it has received a $775,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funding is intended to generate new leads for treating neglected diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and cryptosporidium, according to Sirenas co-founder and CEO … Continue reading “Gates Grant Helps Sirenas Extend Hunt for Drugs From Sea Organisms”
Taking Aim at Alexion, Ra Pharma Heads to IPO Queue
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria may be an ultra-rare blood disease, but Alexion Pharmaceuticals makes over $2 billion a year by selling the only approved drug for it, eculizumab (Soliris). Ra Pharmaceuticals is one of those developing an alternative, and the Cambridge, MA, company is looking to Wall Street to help fund the clinical work. Ra filed … Continue reading “Taking Aim at Alexion, Ra Pharma Heads to IPO Queue”
Phytoption Aims to Solve Solubility Problems in Drugs and Food
Most people don’t think about how well an ingredient dissolves in a drug or a nutritional supplement but to the companies that make these products it can be a big problem. If an active ingredient or nutrient dissolves poorly into the product, much of it literally ends up flushed down the toilet. Phytoption wants to … Continue reading “Phytoption Aims to Solve Solubility Problems in Drugs and Food”
Roundup: Caringo, Aging 2.0, Disruptors Agenda, Cloud Sites, Trey Bowles
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Caringo, an Austin startup that makes software that can enable customers to manage, organize, and search extremely large amounts of data, has raised $8.8 million in a Series B round of funding, bring its total investment raised to $33 million. Investors include New Science … Continue reading “Roundup: Caringo, Aging 2.0, Disruptors Agenda, Cloud Sites, Trey Bowles”
TerrAvion’s Eye in the Sky For Growers, And Now, Ranchers
Robert Morris was a military drone platoon leader in Afghanistan, where he started thinking about the potential of aerial imagery in agriculture. He later became a chapter president of the Drone Industry Association, and explored the idea of setting up a business providing drone surveillance of farmland. Morris did go on to co-found an aerial … Continue reading “TerrAvion’s Eye in the Sky For Growers, And Now, Ranchers”