Category: National

Global Health Funding Booms, But Not Just From Gates, UW-Harvard Study Finds

[Updated: 7:05 pm Eastern] Wealthy donors like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have helped spark a movement that has almost quadrupled financial support for global health in the past two decades, yet much of the world’s financial support is being spread unevenly, and isn’t always getting to the poorest people in the neediest countries, … Continue reading “Global Health Funding Booms, But Not Just From Gates, UW-Harvard Study Finds”

Todd Dean of Keiretsu Forum on Northwest Angel Investing Strategy

The Keiretsu Forum is the world’s largest angel community, with 750-plus accredited members across 18 chapters from Barcelona to Bellevue. Since 2000, its members have invested more than $180 million in 200 companies spanning technology, healthcare, consumer products, real estate, and other sectors. So it’s high time I caught up with Todd Dean, the president … Continue reading “Todd Dean of Keiretsu Forum on Northwest Angel Investing Strategy”

Xconomy Survey Finds Cautious Economic XSITE-ment

Ladies and gentlemen, Xconomy readers have spoken, and the view is optimistic. We posed several questions about what the coming year will bring for the economy as people registered for our June 24 Xconomy Summit on Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (XSITE). The recovery, they think, will start soon: 24 percent of the first 130 respondents … Continue reading “Xconomy Survey Finds Cautious Economic XSITE-ment”

Qualcomm’s Don Jones and the Year of Inflection for Wireless Health

At the Wireless-Life Sciences Convergence Summit in San Diego a few weeks ago, healthcare industry veteran Rob McCray told me, “We may well look back and say 2009 was the year of inflection for wireless health.” By wireless health, he means healthcare information and services delivered via wireless networks and devices. The emerging industry certainly got off to … Continue reading “Qualcomm’s Don Jones and the Year of Inflection for Wireless Health”

HIV’s “Tireless Warrior,” Anthony Fauci, Calls for Transformation of TB Research

Anthony Fauci is known around the world as a leading scientist and advocate, starting in the early 1980s, for research to fight HIV. The Voice of America once called him a “tireless warrior” for the cause. Now, Fauci says, biologists need to channel their creative energy to fight another deadly bug that has been around … Continue reading “HIV’s “Tireless Warrior,” Anthony Fauci, Calls for Transformation of TB Research”

UW Stem Cell Startup is Born, Global Health’s “Davos” Arrives, MDRNA Unloads Debt, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

Center stage in Seattle life sciences moved to the waterfront this week, as 250 global movers and shakers in science, global health, and the pharmaceutical business gathered for the Pacific Health Summit. —The Pacific Health Summit, an invitation-only event of global health stars, in its fifth year, focused this year on multidrug resistant tuberculosis, as … Continue reading “UW Stem Cell Startup is Born, Global Health’s “Davos” Arrives, MDRNA Unloads Debt, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

A Hunky-Dory Week at Hunch—Questions and Answers with Caterina Fake, the Only “West Coasty” in a Roomful of MIT and Harvard Grads

It was a huge week for Hunch, the New York-based startup that’s experimenting with a new approach to answering life’s big and little questions—from “Which savings account should I use?” to “Which science fiction author would I like?” After more than two months in invitation-only preview mode, the site threw open its doors to the … Continue reading “A Hunky-Dory Week at Hunch—Questions and Answers with Caterina Fake, the Only “West Coasty” in a Roomful of MIT and Harvard Grads”

Trius Approaches Next Stage in Drug Development, China Partnerships a Hot Topic at CalAsia, Lpath Headed to Critical Juncture, & More San Diego Life Sciences News

We all look for milestones in life, but several San Diego biotechs are approaching important junctures where they’re expected to report positive results from their drug development studies. Read on to find out which ones, and to catch up on the rest of San Diego’s life sciences news. —San Diego’s Ardea Biosciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RDEA]]) reported … Continue reading “Trius Approaches Next Stage in Drug Development, China Partnerships a Hot Topic at CalAsia, Lpath Headed to Critical Juncture, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”

Madrona, Amazon Bet $4.4M on Animoto, a Startup With Roots at Bellevue High School

Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group has led a $4.4 million funding round for Animoto, a Web software startup based in New York that lets people automatically create professional-quality videos and slideshows from photos and music. Other investors in the round include Seattle-based Amazon, Palo Alto, CA-based SoftTech VC (run by Jeff Clavier), and Bruce Livingstone, the … Continue reading “Madrona, Amazon Bet $4.4M on Animoto, a Startup With Roots at Bellevue High School”

Norwich Ventures Sticking to Early-Stage Medical Device Deals Amid Late-Stage Trend

On the landscape of medical devices investing, much of the venture capital herd is running for later-stage deals nowadays. Norwich Ventures, on the other hand, is holding tight to its strategy of investing in early-stage medical device companies and preferably creating startups from scratch. In fact, there are several other uncommon traits of the Waltham, … Continue reading “Norwich Ventures Sticking to Early-Stage Medical Device Deals Amid Late-Stage Trend”

XSITE Agenda Complete: Speakers and Organizations Come From All Corners of The New England Innovation Ecosystem

We are incredibly excited about XSITE 2009—The Xconomy Summit on Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship happening next Wednesday at Boston University—and we are especially pumped today because we have just filled the last open speaker slot for the event. The more than 50 organizations participating in the event, listed below in alphabetical order, come from all … Continue reading “XSITE Agenda Complete: Speakers and Organizations Come From All Corners of The New England Innovation Ecosystem”

Optimum Energy Raises $4.5M, Eyes Expansion in Cleantech-IT for Commercial Buildings

Seattle cleantech company Optimum Energy has secured a commitment of up to $4.5 million in new equity funding, led by Columbia Pacific Advisors. The company has previously raised capital from private groups, and said it does not anticipate future funding rounds. Optimum Energy’s technology is being used by more than 50 large customers, including the … Continue reading “Optimum Energy Raises $4.5M, Eyes Expansion in Cleantech-IT for Commercial Buildings”

Arena Lines Up $100 Million in Final Push for Obesity Drug

After reporting comprehensive findings from its major study of obesity drug lorcaserin 11 days ago, San Diego’s Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARNA]]) said today it has arranged $100 million in debt financing with Deerfield Management, a significant shareholder. That should provide the means for Arena to take the drug through the FDA drug review process. In … Continue reading “Arena Lines Up $100 Million in Final Push for Obesity Drug”

Sanofi-Aventis Donates 100 Million Flu Vaccine Doses to WHO at Seattle Summit

Sanofi-Aventis, the Paris-based drugmaker that produces 40 percent of the world’s flu vaccines, is announcing today that it will donate 100 million doses of flu vaccine to the World Health Organization to help poor countries deal with the swine flu pandemic. The announcement is being made this morning in Seattle at the Pacific Health Summit, … Continue reading “Sanofi-Aventis Donates 100 Million Flu Vaccine Doses to WHO at Seattle Summit”

Inside a Life Sciences Industry Confab: Notes from Convergence

It didn’t bother me that my attendee badge was missing from the registration booth when I arrived at Convergence: The Life Sciences Leaders Forum in Newport, RI, last week. I suspect it was stolen by the same conference gremlins who bilked my badge at the NVCA annual meeting this spring, the 2007 BIO meeting in … Continue reading “Inside a Life Sciences Industry Confab: Notes from Convergence”

Lpath, a Developer of Lipid-Targeting Drugs, Nears a Fork in the Road

Is San Diego’s Lpath (OTC: [[ticker:LPTN]]) on the right path? The answer will emerge over the next several weeks as the biotechnology company wraps up a key clinical test of its experimental cancer drug. A successful outcome will position the cash-starved company to receive $39 million from development partner Merck Serono of Switzerland, enabling Lpath … Continue reading “Lpath, a Developer of Lipid-Targeting Drugs, Nears a Fork in the Road”

Johnson & Johnson, TB Alliance Form Partnership to Push New TB Drug Through Clinic

Johnson & Johnson, the diversified healthcare giant, is forming a partnership with the nonprofit TB Alliance to share expertise and resources needed to finish clinical trials aimed at developing the first new drug for tuberculosis in more than 40 years. The announcement from J&J (NYSE : [[ticker:JNJ]]) is being made this morning in Seattle at … Continue reading “Johnson & Johnson, TB Alliance Form Partnership to Push New TB Drug Through Clinic”

Dollars Not the Only Way to do Business, Especially in a Recession

In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt outlawed the hoarding of gold, ending its use as the basis of U.S. currency. Since then, the American (and the rest of the world) economy has relied on paper currency based on trust in a particular government and a currency’s value relative to other monetary systems around the world. Sometimes … Continue reading “Dollars Not the Only Way to do Business, Especially in a Recession”

Merck and Roche Back Adimab, Viral Contamination Closes Genzyme Plant, Interlace Ties on $20.5M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

Three big pharmaceutical firms partnered with two New England life sciences companies this past week, and one ended a partnership. —Ryan learned that some 60 of the 240 people who were employed by Lexington, MA-based Indevus Pharmaceuticals when it was acquired for $370 million by Endo Pharmaceuticals in March will be laid off. Chadds Ford, … Continue reading “Merck and Roche Back Adimab, Viral Contamination Closes Genzyme Plant, Interlace Ties on $20.5M, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

San Diego’s Wireless Industry Establishes Startup Incubator

At a time when communications startups are about as rare in San Diego as a newborn Panda at the zoo, the local wireless industry is delivering a nursery. CommNexus, the San Diego communications industry group, and San Diego-based Leap Wireless (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LEAP]]) are establishing a non-profit business incubator here to nurture startups developing communications technologies. CommNexus … Continue reading “San Diego’s Wireless Industry Establishes Startup Incubator”

CombiMatrix Reinvents Itself From Lab Toolmaker to Cancer Diagnostics Player

CombiMatrix tried for years to sell sophisticated genetic analysis instruments to laboratories, and essentially got overrun by big competitors like Santa Clara, CA-based Affymetrix and San Diego-based Illumina. But the little Mukilteo, WA-based company is still around, and hoping to flank the big boys in an emerging market that could be more lucrative—diagnostics for earlier … Continue reading “CombiMatrix Reinvents Itself From Lab Toolmaker to Cancer Diagnostics Player”

And the Winner Is…New England Innovation, at the MITX Technology Awards

The Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange, an organization of 7,500 New England professionals in the Internet and digital marketing and advertising fields, handed out its yearly Technology Awards for the sixth time last night. Meant to celebrate the local companies who are bringing the most innovative technologies to bear on real business problems, the awards … Continue reading “And the Winner Is…New England Innovation, at the MITX Technology Awards”

Specialized Capabilities Put San Diego on the Geospatial Map

Yash Talreja says most people don’t know that cell phones were around for 30 years before they became affordable, useful, and prevalent devices for ordinary consumers. Now he says the same thing is happening with geographic information systems, or GIS. “For 30 years, it was a very specialized area,” Talreja says. “It was used by … Continue reading “Specialized Capabilities Put San Diego on the Geospatial Map”

E Ink Investors May Try to Block Sale to Taiwanese Firm, Keep Company Independent

A group of E Ink investors with concerns about Prime View International’s move earlier this month to purchase the Cambridge, MA-based e-paper display company will likely try to prevent the sale when it comes up for a shareholder vote, according to a source familiar with the company. E Ink has roughly 100 separate shareholders; it’s … Continue reading “E Ink Investors May Try to Block Sale to Taiwanese Firm, Keep Company Independent”

Genzyme Halts Production at Allston Drug Plant After Virus Appears

[Updated: 12:45 pm Eastern] Bad news out of Genzyme this morning. The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]), the world’s largest maker of treatments for rare genetic diseases, said today it is shutting down production at one of its major drug manufacturing plants in Allston, MA after it found a virus that impairs cell growth. … Continue reading “Genzyme Halts Production at Allston Drug Plant After Virus Appears”

The DivX Story: From Downloading ‘The Matrix’ to Watching it on All Three Screens

DivX is a codec that packs large video files into a smaller size. It’s also the San Diego company that has commercialized the technology. CEO Kevin Hell talks of DivX moving towards “any online content on any device” as the next step in the evolution of consumer media, and “video freedom”, which means you will … Continue reading “The DivX Story: From Downloading ‘The Matrix’ to Watching it on All Three Screens”

Adimab Strikes Antibody-Discovery Deals with Merck and Roche

Tillman Gerngross is wont to say that the antibody-drug discovery technology his biotech startup, Adimab, is developing is a game-changer. Now it looks like two of the largest drug companies in the world might agree—Lebanon, NH-based Adimab plans to announce today that Merck & Co. and Roche have signed on as its first research collaborators. … Continue reading “Adimab Strikes Antibody-Discovery Deals with Merck and Roche”

Seattle’s Pacific Health Summit, the “Davos” of Global Health, Zeroes in on Tuberculosis

Movers and shakers in global health—including a lot of people not named Bill & Melinda—will be buzzing around the Seattle waterfront this week for what some people like to call the “Davos” of global health. Like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland—another picturesque setting with mountains and water nearby—the Pacific Health Summit is an … Continue reading “Seattle’s Pacific Health Summit, the “Davos” of Global Health, Zeroes in on Tuberculosis”

WiTricity Charges Up For Electric Vehicle Market

Imagine that after a long day on the road, you drive your new electric car into your garage, the battery almost drained. But you don’t worry about running a cord to the charging station and plugging into your vehicle—the garage takes care of recharging for you, without you doing a thing. When you leave for … Continue reading “WiTricity Charges Up For Electric Vehicle Market”

Xconomy Seattle Celebrates First Anniversary Digging up News on Innovation in the Northwest

We move fast around here at Xconomy Seattle, so there isn’t much time to look back or celebrate. Today we’re making an exception. It’s been exactly one year since we took a deep breath, pushed the button, and published the first edition of Xconomy Seattle. There’s truly never been a dull moment since we fired … Continue reading “Xconomy Seattle Celebrates First Anniversary Digging up News on Innovation in the Northwest”

Talyst Raises $8M, MDRNA Sells Stock for $10.5M, Sonosite Buys CardioDynamics & More Seattle-Area Deals News

Deals this week involved companies working in everything from pharmaceuticals and cleantech, to search engines and mobile software.  Most of these deals were small, even those made by bigger companies. —Bellevue, Wa-based Talyst clinched $8 million in funding from investors last month, but the details were only revealed last week.  Talyst, which develops medication management … Continue reading “Talyst Raises $8M, MDRNA Sells Stock for $10.5M, Sonosite Buys CardioDynamics & More Seattle-Area Deals News”

Boston Venture Firms Dominate New Mentoring Program for New York Startups

If you want to build a program to nurture early-stage startups in New York City through regular meetings with investors, legal and financial advisors, and experienced CEOs, where do you turn for mentors and sponsors? To Boston, naturally. Of the 11 founding members of the new First Growth Venture Network, five—Battery Ventures, Charles River Ventures, … Continue reading “Boston Venture Firms Dominate New Mentoring Program for New York Startups”

Flagship Ventures Taps Carbeck to Work on Hush-Hush Startup Project

Jeff Carbeck, a co-founder of Boston-area startups Arsenal Medical and Nano-Terra, has recently begun working with Flagship Ventures as a consultant on a confidential startup project, firm spokeswoman Kelly Friendly tells Xconomy. Friendly says she’s unable to provide details about the startup project on which the former Princeton professor is working. Carbeck also declined to … Continue reading “Flagship Ventures Taps Carbeck to Work on Hush-Hush Startup Project”

Novartis Backing Enlight Biosciences

Swiss drug giant Novartis has joined a cadre of big pharmaceutical companies that are supporting Boston-based Enlight Biosciences, a startup focused on developing technologies to improve drug discovery and development efforts, Enlight founding CEO David Steinberg confirmed. Enlight has also recruited another unnamed large pharma firm into the group recently, says Steinberg, but he wouldn’t … Continue reading “Novartis Backing Enlight Biosciences”

Thoughts on Bing and Search Engines of the Future, From UW Computer Scientist Dan Weld

Dan Weld spends a lot of time thinking about the Web and how to get the best information out of it. Weld is a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington and a serial entrepreneur, having co-founded Netbot, AdRelevance, and Nimble Technology. He is also a venture partner with Seattle-based Madrona … Continue reading “Thoughts on Bing and Search Engines of the Future, From UW Computer Scientist Dan Weld”

MadCap Competes by Innovating, VC Partners See Influx of Foreign Investment, Qualcomm’s Media Flo Begins Delayed Network Expansion, & More San Diego BizTech News

While tech deals remained scarce last week in San Diego, Qualcomm served up some of the biggest news by launching the delayed expansion of its Media Flo network and signaling an increase in its wireless chip sales, at least in the current quarter. More on all that, and the rest of last week’s San Diego … Continue reading “MadCap Competes by Innovating, VC Partners See Influx of Foreign Investment, Qualcomm’s Media Flo Begins Delayed Network Expansion, & More San Diego BizTech News”

Gates, Allen Beat Deadline for Battle of the Tech Bands—Did You?

Alas, the deadline has come and gone. Finis. At the stroke of midnight on Friday night, the doors officially closed on any new band submissions for Xconomy’s Battle of the Tech Bands. The big event is happening on July 30, at the WTIA Annual Summer Celebration at the Pyramid Alehouse in Seattle. You can beg, … Continue reading “Gates, Allen Beat Deadline for Battle of the Tech Bands—Did You?”

Getting Better Answers Faster: Providence Software Startup Dynadec Goes Way Beyond the Traveling Salesman Problem

Say you’re running an oil company and you operate dozens of offshore drilling platforms. You have a fleet of gas-guzzling helicopters to transport the hundreds of technicians who commute every day from the shore to their rig or from one rig to another—but the numbers traveling and their destinations change every day depending on what … Continue reading “Getting Better Answers Faster: Providence Software Startup Dynadec Goes Way Beyond the Traveling Salesman Problem”

Q&A With Hui Cai on Biotech in the Asia Pacific Region: Sharing Risks and Building Sustainable Businesses

As cross-pacific partnerships multiply among life science companies in California and Asia, San Diego biotech companies are increasingly interested in learning how to do business in China, India, and other countries. At least 250 representatives of the international life science community are expected to gather for CalAsia, a two-day conference that begins today at the … Continue reading “Q&A With Hui Cai on Biotech in the Asia Pacific Region: Sharing Risks and Building Sustainable Businesses”

Nobel Laureate Mario Capecchi Encourages Postdocs, and Third Graders, To “Dream Big”

Mario Capecchi performs open-heart surgery in third-grade classrooms. He revels in answering the questions he gets as he reveals the wonders of the pumping heart to the children. Of course, the surgery is performed on a mouse, but it’s hard to imagine a better way to get kids asking questions about biology than by closing … Continue reading “Nobel Laureate Mario Capecchi Encourages Postdocs, and Third Graders, To “Dream Big””

High Tech for a Historic City—A 21-Year-Old Web Entrepreneur’s View of the Big Computing Center Planned for His Home Town

Civic leaders, economic visionaries, and passionate residents often claim that their city is the next to rebound. I say with confidence that my city is next in line for metamorphosis. Some find their new meaning through the arts and other organic movements, but in most recent accounts, it seems, a few deserving cities are staged … Continue reading “High Tech for a Historic City—A 21-Year-Old Web Entrepreneur’s View of the Big Computing Center Planned for His Home Town”

BigBelly Strikes Big Agreement with Waste Management

If you’re a company that makes high-tech public waste bins and you’re looking for a partner to get them distributed nationally, there aren’t many bigger than Waste Management (NYSE: [[ticker:WMI]]), the Houston, TX-based waste hauler and environmental services company with more than 20 million commercial, residential, municipal, and industrial customers in North America. That’s why … Continue reading “BigBelly Strikes Big Agreement with Waste Management”

Poker, Children’s Books, & Going to California—A Seattle Entrepreneur Roundup

A few random rumblings from around the tech community today: —Some notables from the Seattle startup scene are heading to Las Vegas next week to compete in the World Series of Poker. Dave Schappell of TeachStreet, Andy Liu of BuddyTV, Davis Bae of the Bae Law Group, and a few others will be bringing it … Continue reading “Poker, Children’s Books, & Going to California—A Seattle Entrepreneur Roundup”

Innovation A-Brewin’ At The XSITE Pre-Party

Two weeks before the best damn innovation conference on either side of the Charles, Xconomy and friends flocked to the Cambridge Brewing Company Wednesday night, and Kendall Square was awash in a spirit of brotherhood and appreciation of innovation. Incidentally, there was plenty of beer. Judging by the levels in the taps (and glasses), the … Continue reading “Innovation A-Brewin’ At The XSITE Pre-Party”

Partners HealthCare to Spin Off Startup Offering Web-based Health-Monitoring Services, Seeks CEO and Investors

Partners HealthCare System, the largest hospital group in Boston, is launching a startup that will commercialize a health self-monitoring system developed by Partners’ Center for Connected Health, Xconomy has learned. The planned launch of the company follows a successful pilot trial of its initial Web-based service, called SmartBeat, which allows workers to report and track … Continue reading “Partners HealthCare to Spin Off Startup Offering Web-based Health-Monitoring Services, Seeks CEO and Investors”

Aileron Piles on $40M, GenArts Lights Up Lucasfilm’s Screens, Taris Takes on $15M, & More Boston-Area Deals News

Deal flow was on the slow side this past week, but there was at least one whopper of a transaction, namely… —Aileron Therapeutics, the Cambridge, MA-based developer of a new class of drugs called “stapled peptides,” raised $40 million in venture capital, bringing its total raised to date to about $61 million. The new round … Continue reading “Aileron Piles on $40M, GenArts Lights Up Lucasfilm’s Screens, Taris Takes on $15M, & More Boston-Area Deals News”

Talyst, With $8M in New Funding, Sets Sights on Its Next Healthcare-IT Business

It might be too early to call Bellevue, WA-based Talyst a success, but its story certainly makes for a compelling case study. The company closed $8 million last month from existing investors OVP Venture Partners, Ignition Partners, and AIG Global Investment Group, but didn’t make an announcement. Why? Things have been too busy. “We raised … Continue reading “Talyst, With $8M in New Funding, Sets Sights on Its Next Healthcare-IT Business”

Trius Looks to Cut a Deal, Gears Up For Final Stage of Trials with New Antibiotic

San Diego-based Trius Therapeutics saw what it wanted from a clinical trial of its new antibiotic against deadly MRSA infections, and now it’s gearing up this summer to take its game to a higher level. Trius reported earlier this week some impressive results from a trial of 188 patients with complicated skin infections who took … Continue reading “Trius Looks to Cut a Deal, Gears Up For Final Stage of Trials with New Antibiotic”

German Web 2.0 Clothing Retailer Spreadshirt Finds Boston Fits It to a T

When you’re a technology reporter and you stumble across the same startup two or three times in quick succession, it’s the journalism gods telling you to write a story. I first stumbled across Spreadshirt on Tax Day, April 15. (As I’d later learn, the Leipzig, Germany-based startup has been famous among Web-savvy fashionistas for years, … Continue reading “German Web 2.0 Clothing Retailer Spreadshirt Finds Boston Fits It to a T”