Many vaccines are made from either a weakened virus or a protein taken from a virus. But so far, scientists haven’t had much luck developing such vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes an infection that is typically mild but can become deadly in infants and older adults. Icosavax is taking a different route … Continue reading “Icosavax Lands $51M to Bring Vaccine for Respiratory Virus to Clinic”
Category: National
Nuance Spinout Cerence Vies With Tech Giants in Voice-AI for Auto
A new mobility company, Cerence, is making its public-market debut Wednesday, and its first CEO, Sanjay Dhawan, says he’s been meeting with more than 50 investors in recent weeks to talk up its prospects. Cerence is a spinout from pioneering speech recognition company Nuance Communications (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]), and it will carry on the work of … Continue reading “Nuance Spinout Cerence Vies With Tech Giants in Voice-AI for Auto”
Viscient Bio Proposes Organovo Merger to Tackle NASH and Go Beyond
[Updated 5:58 p.m. PT. See below.] Organovo, a company developing technology to 3D print human tissue, announced two months ago that its dwindling cash is leading it to explore options that include merging with another firm. The San Diego biotech now has an offer from a familiar face close to home. Viscient Biosciences, a seven-person … Continue reading “Viscient Bio Proposes Organovo Merger to Tackle NASH and Go Beyond”
Bayer and Arvinas Appoint John Dombrosky CEO of Joint Venture Oerth
The Bayer and Arvinas (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARVN]]) joint venture announced in July now has a name and a chief executive. Oerth Bio (pronounced “Earth”) will be led by CEO John Dombrosky. Dombrosky joins Oerth from Agtech Accelerator, where he has been CEO for the past three years. His experience also includes roles at Syngenta, Thomson Reuters, … Continue reading “Bayer and Arvinas Appoint John Dombrosky CEO of Joint Venture Oerth”
Can Ford’s Self-Driving Car Business Improve Austin’s Traffic Woes?
Austin — There are so many great things about working from home. Spending all day with your pets is up there, but not having to commute is probably the best. It’s particularly nice to avoid commuting by car in a city like Austin, TX, that’s notorious for its heavy traffic. The situation is so bad … Continue reading “Can Ford’s Self-Driving Car Business Improve Austin’s Traffic Woes?”
Molecular Assemblies Raises $12M to Advance Enzymatic DNA Synthesis
Biologists have been using artificially created DNA, produced through what’s known as chemical DNA synthesis, as a research tool for decades. Now, as demand for engineered DNA rises, a handful of startups are vying to become the go-to provider for researchers looking for improved versions of the DNA sequences. Molecular Assemblies is among the companies … Continue reading “Molecular Assemblies Raises $12M to Advance Enzymatic DNA Synthesis”
Biogen’s Ehlers Leaving for Apple Tree, Steps Into Limelight as CEO
Michael Ehlers, Biogen’s executive vice president of research and development, is leaving for a job in venture capital and an opportunity to lead a gene therapy startup. Ehlers has been appointed chief scientific officer and venture partner of New York-based Apple Tree Partners. He’ll also become CEO of one of the firm’s portfolio companies, Limelight … Continue reading “Biogen’s Ehlers Leaving for Apple Tree, Steps Into Limelight as CEO”
We’re Beginning to Realize the Cloud’s Full Potential at the Edge
Amazon Web Services (AWS), the first “public cloud” offering third-party data storage and compute services, launched in March 2006, and by 2012, there were multiple credible competitors. The hype was strong. Back then, cloud evangelists were predicting that essentially everything in the enterprise data center would migrate to one of just a few public clouds. … Continue reading “We’re Beginning to Realize the Cloud’s Full Potential at the Edge”
ESMO 2019: PARP and Prostate, SeaGen’s Win, KRAS Update & More
The European Society for Medical Oncology meeting has wrapped up in Barcelona, the last major clinical cancer conference until December’s annual ASH meeting for blood diseases. We’ve highlighted a few top stories for you. Amid all the fuss over cell, gene, and immunotherapies these days, an old-fashioned small-molecule class of drug called PARP inhibitors have … Continue reading “ESMO 2019: PARP and Prostate, SeaGen’s Win, KRAS Update & More”
Dova Pharmaceuticals Agrees to Sobi Acquisition, Shares Jump 38%
In the past three years, Dova Pharmaceuticals has completed a company launch, gone public, and won its first drug approval. Now the biotech is in line to be acquired by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi). According to deal terms announced Monday, Dova (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DOVA]]) stockholders will receive $27.50 per share up front, a 36 percent premium … Continue reading “Dova Pharmaceuticals Agrees to Sobi Acquisition, Shares Jump 38%”
Beam Therapeutics Preps IPO and Sheds Light on Its Gene-Editing Drugs
A number of gene-editing companies have joined the public markets in recent years. Beam Therapeutics, which is developing a CRISPR-based technology intended to offer even more precise genomic edits, aims to become the latest one. Cambridge, MA-based Beam filed its IPO paperwork with securities regulators late Friday. The company set a preliminary $100 million target … Continue reading “Beam Therapeutics Preps IPO and Sheds Light on Its Gene-Editing Drugs”
At Venture Summit, 3 Takeaways For Entrepreneurs From VC Phil Black
No one would argue that San Diego is overflowing with venture capitalists in the way, say, the San Francisco Bay Area is. In fact, the region’s relative dearth of investors is often bemoaned by local entrepreneurs. But, at least once yearly, that changes, and the community gets to hear insights from prominent outside VCs firsthand. … Continue reading “At Venture Summit, 3 Takeaways For Entrepreneurs From VC Phil Black”
Biotech Roundup: Vaping Toll Rises, NASH News, Akcea Shakeup & More
Lung injuries linked to electronic cigarettes have topped 800 cases, including 12 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public health officials aren’t sure whether the injuries are from legally sold products made by companies such as Juul, or from black-market items such as those that allow users to “vape” the active … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Vaping Toll Rises, NASH News, Akcea Shakeup & More”
Medallia Acquires Hospitality Software Startup Zingle for $42M
[Updated 2:40 p.m. 9/27. See below.] Zingle, a startup whose software is used by hospitality, travel, and retail industries to more easily and quickly connect with their customers via messaging, has been acquired for about $42 million in cash by Medallia, a publicly traded software company in San Francisco. The Medallia (NYSE: [[ticker:MDLA]]) IPO earlier … Continue reading “Medallia Acquires Hospitality Software Startup Zingle for $42M”
Meissa Scores $30M to Test Vaccine for Dangerous Respiratory Virus
No vaccine is yet available for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes lung infections that, while usually mild, can be deadly for very young children. Biotech startup Meissa Vaccines, which aims to fill that treatment gap, announced today it raised $30 million to fund early-stage clinical trials for its experimental RSV vaccine. Morningside Ventures, a … Continue reading “Meissa Scores $30M to Test Vaccine for Dangerous Respiratory Virus”
Enanta Steps Forward in NASH Race, With Unclear Prospects
Enanta Pharmaceuticals late Wednesday became the latest of a number of companies to tout an emerging potential therapy for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, the fatty liver disease that is fast becoming a global epidemic. But it’s unclear whether the experimental treatment can stand out from the crowd. Enanta (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ENTA]]) said the higher of two tested doses of … Continue reading “Enanta Steps Forward in NASH Race, With Unclear Prospects”
Report: IPO Activity Picking Back Up Following Quiet, Volatile Q3
While the headlines may be dominated by news of WeWork putting its IPO on hold after reports about its questionable corporate governance, the overall initial public offering market is doing just fine. So far, 127 US companies went public in the first nine months of the year and the amount they raised already topped three … Continue reading “Report: IPO Activity Picking Back Up Following Quiet, Volatile Q3”
CyberFortress Adds $3M Seed Round for Cybersecurity Insurance Tech
San Antonio—[Updated 12:22 p.m. See below.] CyberFortress, a cybersecurity company focused on the insurance industry, closed a $3 million seed funding round co-led by New York venture firm Greycroft and Austin, TX-based LiveOak Venture Partners. Founded in 2018 in San Antonio, CyberFortress is still developing its product, which will insure e-commerce businesses. The company’s plans … Continue reading “CyberFortress Adds $3M Seed Round for Cybersecurity Insurance Tech”
MedCo Preps for FDA Filing as Cholesterol Drug Clears Last Two Tests
The Medicines Co. this morning inched closer to bringing a twice-yearly cholesterol-lowering drug to market, touting a positive result in two more Phase 3 studies. Without providing details, MedCo (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MDCO]]) said that the experimental medicine, inclisiran, hit all of its main and secondary goals in two Phase 3 studies called ORION-9 and ORION-10. Like … Continue reading “MedCo Preps for FDA Filing as Cholesterol Drug Clears Last Two Tests”
TigerGraph Raises $32M to Extend Graph Database Use to Businesses
TigerGraph, one of the companies advancing the use of graph databases for faster analysis of the connections among people and things, announced today it raised $32 million in Series B funding round led by private equity investor SIG. The new capital brings TigerGraph’s fundraising total to $65 million. Redwood City, CA-based TigerGraph says it’s now … Continue reading “TigerGraph Raises $32M to Extend Graph Database Use to Businesses”
Amazon Launches Virtual Clinic to Help Its Employees Get Healthcare
Amazon has created a new service where its employees can get treatment and advice for non-emergency health issues, according to a website the tech giant recently brought online. Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) says the program, Amazon Care, combines telemedicine services, in-person visits with licensed clinicians, and prescription medication delivery. Amazon Care is currently “being piloted for … Continue reading “Amazon Launches Virtual Clinic to Help Its Employees Get Healthcare”
Drug Pricing: Innovation, Investment, and the Public Good
The US biotech and life sciences industry has a long and proud history of driving medical innovations that have improved healthcare outcomes across a wide range of diseases and the overall quality of life for people worldwide. For too long, however, the industry’s narrative has been dominated and defined by partisans with a specific agenda … Continue reading “Drug Pricing: Innovation, Investment, and the Public Good”
Katerra To Make Ultra-Strong Wood Panels at New Factory in WA
[Updated 9/23/19, 6:29 pm. See below.] Construction tech firm Katerra, a 4-year-old Bay area startup with a big fundraising total, a big backer, and big ambitions, officially opened a big factory today in eastern Washington state. Katerra’s activities in the construction field range from project management software and design to the manufacture of pre-fabricated structural … Continue reading “Katerra To Make Ultra-Strong Wood Panels at New Factory in WA”
FDA Decision Expands Market for Exact Sciences’ Cologuard Test
Exact Sciences has taken another step toward ramping up sales of its flagship product, a non-invasive, stool-based screening test for colorectal cancer. The FDA has approved the test, Cologuard, for eligible, average-risk patients ages 45 and older, which expands the market that Madison, WI-based Exact can address with its product. The Monday decision by the … Continue reading “FDA Decision Expands Market for Exact Sciences’ Cologuard Test”
Akcea Shakes Up Management and Shows Three Executives the Door
Akcea Therapeutics has already been struggling to turn its two products into commercial winners. Now it will have to do so during a massive management transition. Akcea (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AKCA]]) said Monday that CEO Paula Soteropoulos, president Sarah Boyce and chief operating officer Jeff Goldberg have left the company. Akcea’s board of directors has appointed Damien … Continue reading “Akcea Shakes Up Management and Shows Three Executives the Door”
An Entrepreneur’s Quest to Make Seattle a Genome Sciences Hub
Ivan Liachko turned postdoctoral research at the University of Washington into a company whose genomics tools are now found in laboratories researching human, animal, and plant health. His firm, Phase Genomics, was one of the first startups to come out of UW’s genome sciences department. As a first-time entrepreneur working from UW’s incubator more than … Continue reading “An Entrepreneur’s Quest to Make Seattle a Genome Sciences Hub”
Flagship’s Omega Aims to Take Epigenetic Drugs a Step Further
A biotech startup called Omega Therapeutics debuts this morning touting a new approach to developing medicines based on epigenetics, a field of research that has tantalized drug makers for years but produced mixed results. Can the fledgling company surpass previous efforts and develop epigenetic drugs for a slew of different diseases? Cambridge, MA-based Omega was … Continue reading “Flagship’s Omega Aims to Take Epigenetic Drugs a Step Further”
Enough with the Insanity. We Need to Fix Cybersecurity Now
The year 2019 has been another dreadful period for cyberattacks. The most notorious lowlights include: —More than 40 municipalities, including Baltimore, Albany and 22 cities in Texas alone, have seen their computer systems crippled by ransomware attackers demanding millions of dollars. —In one of the largest data breaches ever, a hacker broke into a Capital One server with a … Continue reading “Enough with the Insanity. We Need to Fix Cybersecurity Now”
Q&A: New Rady Dean Ordóñez on School’s Growth, Startups, Ethics & More
Under Bob Sullivan, the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego matured into its teenage years. Sullivan became Rady’s founding dean in 2003, ahead of the fall 2004 enrollment of the school’s charter MBA class. Rady School is marking its sweet sixteen under a new leader, Lisa Ordóñez. Most recently vice dean of academic … Continue reading “Q&A: New Rady Dean Ordóñez on School’s Growth, Startups, Ethics & More”
Bio Roundup: Pelosi’s Reveal, Alder’s Deal, Biogen’s Fails & More
Boston, San Francisco, and a few other metro areas might dominate the US life sciences, but some weeks, all bio-related eyes are on the nation’s capital. Health concerns about vaping continue to mount, and the feds could get involved. Meanwhile, try to find someone in the federal government who isn’t involved in the drug-price debate. … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Pelosi’s Reveal, Alder’s Deal, Biogen’s Fails & More”
Boston Tech Watch: DataRobot, IBM-MIT, Firefly, Aliro, Embr & More
More money is flowing into AI research at MIT, thanks to an expansion of the Institute’s partnership with computing giant IBM; DataRobot announces its $200 million-plus funding round; a tech startup aims to democratize access to quantum computers: these items and more in the week’s Boston tech news roundup. —Concierge medicine service Firefly Health has … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: DataRobot, IBM-MIT, Firefly, Aliro, Embr & More”
Amazon Sets Electric Vehicle, Carbon Footprint Goals Amid Criticism
Amazon unveiled a new series of ambitious, long-term sustainability goals on Thursday that would continue the company’s efforts to make its operations more environmentally friendly. Under what Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) has dubbed “The Climate Pledge,” the tech giant said it has ordered 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from Rivian, a Michigan startup Amazon has backed previously. … Continue reading “Amazon Sets Electric Vehicle, Carbon Footprint Goals Amid Criticism”
Pelosi, Dems Unveil Price Plan: Are 25 Drugs Enough for Negotiation?
With the 2020 election just over a year away, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has unveiled the Democratic Party’s answer to public discontent over high prescription drug prices. A preview of the plan was leaked last week. Today’s announcement doesn’t stray far. The new plan would have the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services … Continue reading “Pelosi, Dems Unveil Price Plan: Are 25 Drugs Enough for Negotiation?”
New Deals May Double $240M Funding For MIT-IBM AI Lab, Director Says
When MIT and IBM launched a joint research lab in 2017, the New York-headquartered company pledged $240 million over a decade to chip away at the fundamental obstacles keeping artificial intelligence from transforming industries like healthcare and cybersecurity. Now, the Cambridge, MA-based MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab is growing in personnel, funding, partners, and square feet, … Continue reading “New Deals May Double $240M Funding For MIT-IBM AI Lab, Director Says”
High-Flying Ginkgo Nets Another $290M to Program Cells Like Computers
Ginkgo Bioworks, a synthetic biology specialist that has become worth billions, has raised another $290 million to expand the breadth of a technology that tinkers with a cell’s genetic code and reprograms it—like programming a computer. Boston-based Ginkgo uses a combination of software and robotic systems to design organisms. It started out making microbes engineered … Continue reading “High-Flying Ginkgo Nets Another $290M to Program Cells Like Computers”
Eying “Extra” DNA As Cancer Driver, Boundless Bio Debuts With $46M
In the nucleus of human cells sit our chromosomes, comprised mainly of tightly wound DNA. In some cells, however, some pieces of genetic material that exist within the nucleus are not attached to a chromosome—and a new company, Boundless Bio, believes these “extra” pieces of DNA play a key role in driving some especially aggressive … Continue reading “Eying “Extra” DNA As Cancer Driver, Boundless Bio Debuts With $46M”
WI Watchlist: MSI Data, Cellular Dynamics, WARF, Redox, & More
It’s time to catch up on recent news in Wisconsin’s innovation community. Read on for details. —MSI Data, a Milwaukee-based business that develops software for organizations in the equipment distribution and service contractor industries, said it received an investment from Luminate Capital Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm. The amount was not disclosed. Launched … Continue reading “WI Watchlist: MSI Data, Cellular Dynamics, WARF, Redox, & More”
Aliro Technologies Lands $2.7M to Help Developers Go Quantum
It’s still a ways off before visions of all-powerful encryption-breaking quantum computers come to pass. But the new quantum technologies here today are already beginning to make a dent in the world of high-performance computing. Imperfect as these computers may be—now classified as noisy intermediate-scale quantum—they are becoming more attractive for enterprises that seem always … Continue reading “Aliro Technologies Lands $2.7M to Help Developers Go Quantum”
Gilliland to Step Down as Head of Fred Hutch in 2020
Gary Gilliland, who has led Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as president and director for the past four-plus years, plans to step down in 2020, the nonprofit organization announced Tuesday. He joined the research center, which is often abbreviated as Fred Hutch, in 2015. Under his leadership, the organization has increased its endowment and … Continue reading “Gilliland to Step Down as Head of Fred Hutch in 2020”
HMS’s $36M Deal to Buy VitreosHealth Combines Complementary Firms
One Texas-based healthcare software business has acquired another in an all-cash deal worth $36.5 million, the companies announced late Monday. Irving, TX-based HMS Holdings (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HMSY]]) acquired VitreosHealth, which is located in neighboring Plano, TX. Both cities are suburbs of Dallas. The companies worked together previously, and analysts that track the digital health sector said … Continue reading “HMS’s $36M Deal to Buy VitreosHealth Combines Complementary Firms”
Automated Trucking Company TuSimple Adds $120M More From Investors
UPS, the global package delivery giant, took a minority stake this summer in TuSimple, a self-driving trucking company, but didn’t reveal financial details. On Tuesday, the San Diego startup revealed that investment was part of an extended Series D financing round that now totals $215 million. In February, the company said it had raised $95 … Continue reading “Automated Trucking Company TuSimple Adds $120M More From Investors”
Amplyx Inks Novartis Deal for Another Compromised-Immune System Drug
Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, which is testing a new type of drug against life-threatening infections acquired by patients with compromised immune systems, has acquired the rights to another drug that could also be of use in treating those with limited ability to fight off sickness. On Monday, the clinical-stage San Diego biotech company announced it had added … Continue reading “Amplyx Inks Novartis Deal for Another Compromised-Immune System Drug”
Lundbeck Paying Nearly $2B for Alder to Follow Migraine Rivals to Market
Denmark’s neuroscience-focused pharma firm Lundbeck has agreed to pay $1.95 billion to acquire Seattle-based Alder BioPharmaceuticals to boost its late-stage pipeline and biologics capabilities. Barely a year at the helm, Lundbeck CEO Deborah Dunsire (pictured) is making her second major acquisition as she continues to look for new growth drivers to offset generics erosion of … Continue reading “Lundbeck Paying Nearly $2B for Alder to Follow Migraine Rivals to Market”
Why Menlo Ventures Backed Construction Tech Firm Fieldwire
[Corrected 9/17/2019, 8:58 a.m, and 9/18/19, 4:53 p.m. See below.] Fieldwire, whose mobile app helps builders and construction crews coordinate their work, announced today it has lined up a total of $33.5 million across two newly disclosed fundraising rounds. The San Francisco-based construction tech company says it raised $8.5 million in a Series B funding … Continue reading “Why Menlo Ventures Backed Construction Tech Firm Fieldwire”
Advisory Body Backs Aimmune Peanut Allergy Drug, Next Up: the FDA
A panel of independent advisors to the FDA voted on Friday to recommend approval of an experimental peanut allergy drug from Aimmune Therapeutics. But concern about the risks of an allergic reaction to the therapy led the committee of mostly physicians to also recommend a safety plan to ensure that clinicians, patients, and their families … Continue reading “Advisory Body Backs Aimmune Peanut Allergy Drug, Next Up: the FDA”
BACEless: Eisai, Biogen Pull Plug on Alzheimer’s Drug in Final Stage
Add another once-promising Alzheimer’s disease drug to the scrap heap. Eisai and Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) are halting a Phase 3 test after an independent safety review concluded the risks of experimental Alzheimer’s drug elenbecestat outweigh the benefits. The companies did not explain what the independent board found. Some drugs that work the same way have … Continue reading “BACEless: Eisai, Biogen Pull Plug on Alzheimer’s Drug in Final Stage”
Cloudflare’s $525M IPO Emboldens Already-Confident Internet Booster
[Updated 9/13/19, 11:40 am ET. See below.] Cloudflare has had its share of controversy, and is in a market with a wide range of more established competitors, from Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud to Cisco Systems and Palo Alto Networks. But the business software company still felt confident enough that Wall Street would welcome … Continue reading “Cloudflare’s $525M IPO Emboldens Already-Confident Internet Booster”
Boston Tech Watch: Neural Galaxy, Link Ventures, & More Epstein Fallout
The funding deals ramped up this week in Boston, and the drip, drip, drip of details about the MIT Media Lab and Jeffrey Epstein continued to form an unwelcome puddle for university administrators. Read on for all the details. —Joi Ito, the director of MIT Media Lab embattled by his fundraising connections with convicted sex … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Neural Galaxy, Link Ventures, & More Epstein Fallout”
Bio Roundup: Award Winners, Lung Data, Dems on Drug Pricing & More
For decades, advanced lung cancer was a quick death sentence. That’s no longer a given, thanks in part to the arrival of immunotherapy. If a medical meeting in Barcelona this week was any indication, more help could be on the way. Targeted medicine isn’t new to lung cancer, but only a fraction of patients have … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Award Winners, Lung Data, Dems on Drug Pricing & More”
Booming CS Demand Brings Ex-Acquia CEO Back to His UW Roots
Tom Erickson was ready to retire to Australia. But then the Wisconsin native and veteran technology executive got an offer from his alma mater that he decided he couldn’t pass up. This month, the University of Wisconsin-Madison named Erickson founding director of its School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS). The school, part of … Continue reading “Booming CS Demand Brings Ex-Acquia CEO Back to His UW Roots”