Arie Belldegrun and David Chang steered Kite Pharma last year to a historic FDA approval and a $12 billion bear hug from Gilead Sciences. Now they’ve re-emerged with a new startup, Allogene, which has $300 million in backing and the rights to a CAR-T cell therapy program which is quite different from the one they … Continue reading “Ex-Kite Execs Resurface with $300M and Control of Pfizer CAR-T Cells”
Category: National
Boston Scientific Buys Securus for $40M to Add to Heart Imaging Lineup
Medical device giant Boston Scientific has acquired Securus Medical Group, a startup with FDA-cleared technology that measures and images temperature in the body during heart rhythm procedures. Marlborough, MA-based Boston Scientific (NYSE: [[ticker:BSX]]) said Tuesday that it paid $40 million up front for the stake in Securus that it did not already own. Securus, which … Continue reading “Boston Scientific Buys Securus for $40M to Add to Heart Imaging Lineup”
PerBlue Says It Plans to Launch ‘Disney Heroes’ Game By End of Year
Disney and PerBlue, a Madison, WI-based mobile games studio, said they plan to launch a new role-playing game later this year that features characters from numerous hit Disney films. According to a news release, the game, “Disney Heroes: Battle Mode,” became available for pre-registration on the Google Play store on Monday. There will be a version … Continue reading “PerBlue Says It Plans to Launch ‘Disney Heroes’ Game By End of Year”
Reports: Walmart Wants to Buy PillPack, as Healthcare Ambitions Grow
Walmart is reportedly talking with PillPack about acquiring the online pharmacy and medication management company, a deal that would strengthen the retail giant’s healthcare offerings and potentially help it fend off Amazon if the Seattle e-commerce company starts selling prescription drugs. The PillPack acquisition talks were first reported by CNBC and later confirmed by other … Continue reading “Reports: Walmart Wants to Buy PillPack, as Healthcare Ambitions Grow”
Golden Seeds Seeks to Plant Angel Funds For Women Founders in Houston
Houston—Golden Seeds, an angel investing community that focuses on funding women entrepreneurs, has opened a chapter in Houston. The New York-based group now has six chapters around the country who have invested $150 million in 105 companies since it was founded in 2005. Loretta McCarthy, Golden Seeds’ managing partner, says the need for the organization … Continue reading “Golden Seeds Seeks to Plant Angel Funds For Women Founders in Houston”
GE Sheds Health IT Assets for $1B, Doubles Down on A.I. and Devices
General Electric is selling a chunk of its healthcare IT business to New York private equity firm Veritas Capital for $1.05 billion in cash, as GE (NYSE: [[ticker:GE]]) chief executive John Flannery aims to streamline the Boston-based industrial behemoth and reverse a steep decline in its stock price. Veritas has agreed to acquire GE Healthcare’s … Continue reading “GE Sheds Health IT Assets for $1B, Doubles Down on A.I. and Devices”
Getting Personal: Retailers Use New Tech to Court Individual Shoppers
“Personalized shopping” has long been the guiding light for retailers. But in the age of Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), traditional stores have been searching for the best way to digitize what was once a person-to-person process. “Internet shopping is now across mobile and Web, and now, the [question] is, ‘How do we create great experiences for … Continue reading “Getting Personal: Retailers Use New Tech to Court Individual Shoppers”
Macrolide Pharma Raises $20M, Names Former Intarcia Exec Karande CEO
Macrolide Pharmaceuticals has a new chief executive to spearhead the company’s antibiotics development efforts, which are now backed by $20 million in fresh capital. Mahesh Karande is taking the helm of Watertown, MA-based Macrolide as president and CEO. He most recently served as vice president and general manager of Intarcia Therapeutics, based in Boston. Karande’s … Continue reading “Macrolide Pharma Raises $20M, Names Former Intarcia Exec Karande CEO”
FDA Refuses Review of Alkermes Depression Drug, Wants More Trials
An Alkermes depression drug has stalled at the FDA after the regulator concluded that the company must provide more information, including additional data from new clinical trials. Alkermes (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ALKS]]) said Monday that it has received a “refusal to file” letter for ALKS 5461, the company’s drug for treating major depressive disorder. Such letters let … Continue reading “FDA Refuses Review of Alkermes Depression Drug, Wants More Trials”
Straight Outta Wisconsin, LynxBio Wins EvoNexus Best Demo Vote
A startup team from the University of Wisconsin that moved to San Diego in January to advance their technology for optimizing treatment regimens for cancer patients won the audience vote for best pitch at the EvoNexus Spring Demo Day last week. Lynx Biosciences founder and CEO Chorom Pak said her startup has developed microfluidic technology … Continue reading “Straight Outta Wisconsin, LynxBio Wins EvoNexus Best Demo Vote”
WSJ: Walmart in Talks to Buy Humana, Eyeing Deeper Move into Health
Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, has engaged in preliminary talks with Humana about acquiring the commercial health insurer, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the talks. Buying or merging with Humana (NYSE: [[ticker:HUM]]) would turn Walmart (NYSE: [[ticker:WMT]]) into one of the country’s biggest health insurers and advance the Bentonville, … Continue reading “WSJ: Walmart in Talks to Buy Humana, Eyeing Deeper Move into Health”
Bio Roundup: Biotech IPOs, Migraine Progress, Takeda Woos Shire & More
If the recent IPO activity seems to be on overdrive, it’s not your imagination. The number of companies filing to go public in the U.S. in the first quarter was up 44 percent compared to the same period a year ago, according to data compiled by consulting and accounting firm EY. Life science companies accounted … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Biotech IPOs, Migraine Progress, Takeda Woos Shire & More”
Boston Tech Watch: ICO Shutdowns, MIT Media Lab Fund, Webb’s New Gig
Here are some of the latest headlines in Boston-area tech: —Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin’s office said it put a stop to “initial coin offerings” by five companies based here, saying that they violated securities laws. That action follows the January filing of administrative charges against another company, Caviar, claiming its ICO was an … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: ICO Shutdowns, MIT Media Lab Fund, Webb’s New Gig”
Microsoft Executive Myerson to Leave Amid Corporate Restructuring
Terry Myerson, a Microsoft executive who oversees its Windows and devices divisions, will leave the Seattle technology giant as part of a major corporate restructuring, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Thursday in an e-mail to employees at the company. In a LinkedIn post, Myerson thanked his colleagues and reflected on his time at Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]), … Continue reading “Microsoft Executive Myerson to Leave Amid Corporate Restructuring”
Arcturus Board Sues Ex-CEO, Alleges Deceit, in Prelude to Proxy Fight
The board that fired Arcturus Therapeutics co-founder and CEO Joseph E. Payne earlier this year unleashed a new broadside this week in the ongoing battle for control of the San Diego-based RNA drug developer. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday (see below) and in an open letter to shareholders issued Wednesday, the Arcturus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARCT]]) board … Continue reading “Arcturus Board Sues Ex-CEO, Alleges Deceit, in Prelude to Proxy Fight”
FoodLogiQ Lands $19.5M for Food Safety and Supply Chain Software
For some time, consumers have been demanding that food companies provide more information about the origins and the safety of their food. Soon, regulators will require it. FoodLogiQ has commercialized software that provides details on food as it is harvested or processed, and moved along the supply chain. As new food safety rules loom, the … Continue reading “FoodLogiQ Lands $19.5M for Food Safety and Supply Chain Software”
Bunker, Startup That Helps Insure Gig Workers, Nabs Cash from Chubb
Many people assume that the growing “gig economy” presents few barriers to entry for workers who want to, say, start driving for Uber, or shopping for the grocery delivery service Instacart. That’s true in some cases, but many independent contractors—everyone from field service technicians to software consultants—must meet a surprising number of requirements before they … Continue reading “Bunker, Startup That Helps Insure Gig Workers, Nabs Cash from Chubb”
Get the Inside Scoop on Seattle Life Sciences at Xconomy’s June Event
Xconomy’s annual Seattle-area life sciences conference will be held on June 12 at Cambia Grove in the Emerald City’s downtown. “What’s Hot in Seattle Biotech” will look at what’s hot, and what’s next, for the Puget Sound region’s life sciences scene. It’s only March , but already this year, Seattle’s life science community has seen … Continue reading “Get the Inside Scoop on Seattle Life Sciences at Xconomy’s June Event”
Want to Hire a Kid Down the Street to do Yard Work? ToDoolie Can Help
It used to be fairly simple to hire neighborhood kids to help move heavy objects or perform other household chores for a small fee. I’m not sure if the Internet and video games are to blame, or a general degradation of American civil discourse is the reason, but it seems a lot harder to connect … Continue reading “Want to Hire a Kid Down the Street to do Yard Work? ToDoolie Can Help”
Unum Therapeutics IPO Raises $69M to Test Universal Cell Therapies
Unum Therapeutics is the latest biotechnology company to take the plunge into the public markets, raising $69.2 million that it plans to use to fund more clinical tests of its experimental cancer treatments. The Cambridge, MA, company priced its initial public stock offering of 5.77 million shares at $12 each, which was on the low … Continue reading “Unum Therapeutics IPO Raises $69M to Test Universal Cell Therapies”
The Edge or the Cloud? It Depends on the App
There’s no arguing that the cloud has transformed the way organizations deal with data and apps. It has freed IT departments from constantly provisioning and managing storage, while bringing overall costs down. For these reasons and more, companies everywhere are moving more and more data and compute tasks to the cloud every day. It’s important, … Continue reading “The Edge or the Cloud? It Depends on the App”
Among Facebook’s Woes, EU’s Strict Privacy Laws May Loom Largest
In a continuing effort to regain the trust of its disillusioned users, Facebook on Wednesday announced new privacy controls where settings can be made from a central menu, rather than by tunneling through as many as 20 screens. As Facebook unveiled the sweeping revisions, though, it also made a striking admission: The company knew it … Continue reading “Among Facebook’s Woes, EU’s Strict Privacy Laws May Loom Largest”
Going Downhill: Roam Robotics’ Exoskeleton Supports Aging Skiers
Robotics has found its way to the ski slopes. San Francisco-based Roam Robotics has developed an exoskeleton, worn on the legs, that the company says will improve skiers’ endurance and safety while they blaze down trails. For skiers 45 or older, Roam says, the exoskeleton can provide vital support for aging knees that might be … Continue reading “Going Downhill: Roam Robotics’ Exoskeleton Supports Aging Skiers”
Foxconn, CUNA, DevCodeCamp & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
[Updated 3/28/18 4:29 p.m. See below.] Catch up on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Foxconn Interconnect Technology said it agreed to pay $866 million in cash to acquire Belkin International, a California-based maker of phone chargers, audio cables, and other accessories. The buyer is a subsidiary of Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision … Continue reading “Foxconn, CUNA, DevCodeCamp & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
Reachify Rolls Out Healthtech Software for Patient Communications
[Updated 3/28/18 12:15 am. See below.] A healthtech startup founded by two doctors who set out in 2013 to improve the overall management of their respective medical practices is emerging from beta mode Wednesday to offer fellow physicians an office software suite. Reachify, founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, targets medical groups with … Continue reading “Reachify Rolls Out Healthtech Software for Patient Communications”
Saver Rate Ending—Grab Your Ticket to Robo Madness 2018: Homecoming
Grab your ticket to attend Xconomy’s fourth annual Robo Madness event, which was a total sellout last year. Leaders in robotics and artificial intelligence will discuss smart home technologies, progress in driverless vehicles, investment and startup strategies, and more. Join us on April 12 at iRobot in Bedford, MA, to look at how robots and … Continue reading “Saver Rate Ending—Grab Your Ticket to Robo Madness 2018: Homecoming”
Flipside Crypto Grabs $3.4M to Push Algorithms for Crypto Investing
Data-crunching algorithms have become a popular—and controversial—tool on Wall Street in recent years. Now, they’re starting to be used to guide investments in cryptocurrencies, too. The emerging strategy raises a number of interesting questions for the young and volatile cryptocurrency market. Among them: What types of data should be considered when trying to predict the … Continue reading “Flipside Crypto Grabs $3.4M to Push Algorithms for Crypto Investing”
Edge to Cut Jobs as Head Injury Drug Flops in Phase 3, Shares Tumble
For years, Edge Therapeutics has been building towards a crucial test of a drug meant to combat the potentially delayed effects of aneurysms and severe head injuries. The plan fell apart this morning: the company will shutter the study and cut its workforce because its experimental treatment, EG-1962, is likely to fail. An independent committee … Continue reading “Edge to Cut Jobs as Head Injury Drug Flops in Phase 3, Shares Tumble”
Tempest Therapeutics Debuts with $70M to Bring Cancer Drugs to Clinic
A number of companies are trying to improve cancer immunotherapy by disrupting the ways that tumors evade the immune system. Tempest Therapeutics is now joining that group with $70 million in financing to advance its drug pipeline. Tempest is a spinoff from a drug discovery unit supported by Versant Ventures, which co-led the Series B … Continue reading “Tempest Therapeutics Debuts with $70M to Bring Cancer Drugs to Clinic”
No Data Yet, But Homology Upsizes IPO and Raises $144M
Homology Medicines, a company trying to leapfrog existing gene editing developers, has raised $144 million in an IPO that will help fund its first clinical trials. Bedford, MA-based Homology (NASDAQ: [[ticker:FIXX]]) priced its offering and sold 9 million shares at $16 apiece. Homology had planned to sell 7.6 million shares at $14 to $16 each. … Continue reading “No Data Yet, But Homology Upsizes IPO and Raises $144M”
Smartsheet Plans to Go Public as More Tech Firms Explore IPOs
Smartsheet, a developer of collaborative software that allows users to track projects and manage corporate processes, said this week it is seeking to raise $100 million as part of a planned initial public offering. Bellevue, WA-based Smartsheet’s revenues and headcount have risen sharply in recent years, though it continues to lose money on an annual … Continue reading “Smartsheet Plans to Go Public as More Tech Firms Explore IPOs”
Invanti Seeks Entrepreneurs to Help Crack America’s Toughest Problems
When Maria Gibbs and Dustin Mix were working on degrees at the University of Notre Dame a few years ago, they noticed a gap in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. They were used to attacking big problems as part of their university research, but they weren’t seeing similar issues being addressed by entrepreneurs, which they felt … Continue reading “Invanti Seeks Entrepreneurs to Help Crack America’s Toughest Problems”
Diane Hessan Seeks Common Ground in Era of Fake News and Facebook
When I sit down with Diane Hessan for a recent conversation, the entrepreneur, startup investor, and budding political researcher is nothing but hearty laughs, cool optimism, and earnest passion about her work. That’s despite having spent the past year and a half corresponding with hundreds of American voters on a weekly basis, during one of … Continue reading “Diane Hessan Seeks Common Ground in Era of Fake News and Facebook”
Delta Hires AT&T’s Morris, Pivotal IPO, New Fundings & More TX Tech
Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Pivotal Software, a cloud computing company majority-owned by Dell Computer, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday to go public. The company set $100 million as a placeholder target for the IPO. According to a document filed with federal securities regulators, Pivotal … Continue reading “Delta Hires AT&T’s Morris, Pivotal IPO, New Fundings & More TX Tech “
Are You Being Deliberate About Diversity in Your Investment Portfolio?
“We looked, but we couldn’t find any companies to acquire led by women or founders of color.” “I want to hire diverse talent, but it’s impossible to find.” “It’s not my fault that the financial sector doesn’t have a more varied talent pool or deals to make with non-white males.” I have heard all of … Continue reading “Are You Being Deliberate About Diversity in Your Investment Portfolio?”
FTC Opens New Probe: Revisits Its Old Charges On Facebook Privacy Practices
Among the host of legal woes Facebook is now confronting amid news about the misuse of its member profiles in election politics: The Federal Trade Commission revealed Monday that it is investigating the social media giant’s privacy practices. The FTC decision comes in the wake of recent reports about the ease with which political consulting … Continue reading “FTC Opens New Probe: Revisits Its Old Charges On Facebook Privacy Practices”
EY Report Suggests Improving Conditions for U.S. IPOs in 2018
U.S. IPO activity has been ticking up, with 36 IPOs raising more than $12.7 billion in the United States so far this year, according to data released Monday by EY, the global consulting and accounting firm. Although there are still several days remaining in the first quarter of 2018, EY reports the number of first-quarter … Continue reading “EY Report Suggests Improving Conditions for U.S. IPOs in 2018”
Gener8tor Creates Program in Minnesota for Medical Device Startups
Since launching in 2012, Wisconsin-based Gener8tor has held training programs for entrepreneurs whose startups represent a wide range of industries—everything from online food ordering to weather technology to subscription services for wine and pet food. But as Gener8tor has expanded into new markets—the list of states where it’s held accelerator programs or plans to soon … Continue reading “Gener8tor Creates Program in Minnesota for Medical Device Startups”
Surface Oncology Plans IPO to Advance Clinical Tests of Cancer Drug
Cancer continues to be a big area of investor interest and Surface Oncology now aims to tap into that with an initial public stock offering that the company hopes will finance tests of its lead immuno-oncology drug. Surface set a preliminary $75 million goal for the stock offering, according to documents filed with securities regulators … Continue reading “Surface Oncology Plans IPO to Advance Clinical Tests of Cancer Drug”
General Catalyst Bags $1.4B for Ninth Fund as Tech Investors Go Big
[Updated 3/27/18, 10:27 am. See below.] General Catalyst Partners is the latest venture capital firm to join the billion dollar fund club. The Cambridge, MA-based firm’s latest fund—its ninth—clocked in at $1.375 billion, according to a document filed with the SEC. That’s a significant jump from its last fundraising effort two years ago, when General … Continue reading “General Catalyst Bags $1.4B for Ninth Fund as Tech Investors Go Big”
San Antonio Startup Leaptran Develops Machine-Learning Energy Tech
San Antonio—A pair of San Antonio researchers have created a startup that aims to reduce the cost of energy consumption for commercial buildings using solar power and machine learning technology. Called Leaptran, the young startup plans to help commercial building owners, such as at a university or warehouse, use solar panels to soak up and … Continue reading “San Antonio Startup Leaptran Develops Machine-Learning Energy Tech”
Racing Allergan, Biohaven Touts Migraine Drug Data, But Shares Sink
Biohaven Pharmaceuticals has become the latest to head to the FDA seeking approval of a new type of migraine drug. But it’s unclear whether the treatment, rimegepant, will stand out amidst a crowd of new medicines aiming to help people fend off the debilitating headaches after they start. Biohaven (NYSE: [[ticker:BHVN]]), of New Haven, CT, … Continue reading “Racing Allergan, Biohaven Touts Migraine Drug Data, But Shares Sink”
Ada-AI Seeks to Build a Diverse Artificial Intelligence Community
Artificial intelligence innovation has become part of our everyday lives—retailers use it to tailor the product recommendations they make; biotech companies hope it can create customized medicine. But its shortcomings, born of human biases, are becoming apparent as well. Take, for example, facial recognition technologies that work best on white people and make the most … Continue reading “Ada-AI Seeks to Build a Diverse Artificial Intelligence Community”
Five Years In, Grand Circus CEO Reflects on Detroit Tech, Coding Boom
It seems like it was only yesterday when we covered the debut of Detroit’s Grand Circus, but the tech school is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The local tech scene has grown since 2013, as has the popularity of Grand Circus and other coding schools nationwide, which run short-term programs aimed at bestowing the skills needed … Continue reading “Five Years In, Grand Circus CEO Reflects on Detroit Tech, Coding Boom”
SD Team Heads to US Ignite Summit to Advance Emergency Mobile App
A San Diego software development team with an idea for an emergency mobile app that it said would be faster than calling 911 is headed this week to US Ignite’s Application Summit in Kansas City, MO. The team (pictured above right) emerged as the judges’ top choice among 12 pre-qualified entrants that competed in San … Continue reading “SD Team Heads to US Ignite Summit to Advance Emergency Mobile App”
Qualcomm’s Paul Jacobs Offers Farewell at Shareholders Meeting
Former Qualcomm executive chairman and CEO Paul Jacobs ended his 28-year career with the telecommunications giant Friday with a heartfelt farewell at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting. In a short speech to several hundred shareholders at Qualcomm (NASDAQ: [[ticker:QCOM]]) headquarters in San Diego, Jacobs acknowledged the role his father Irwin Jacobs played as Qualcomm’s founding … Continue reading “Qualcomm’s Paul Jacobs Offers Farewell at Shareholders Meeting”
Understory Teams Up With Monsanto to Bring Weather Tech to Argentina
[Updated 3/26/18 9:09 p.m. See below.] Many people look up information about local weather conditions to make low-stakes, everyday decisions, like whether to grab an umbrella or put on an extra layer of clothing before leaving the house. But for farmers, there’s more on the line when it comes to weather data. Many growers factor … Continue reading “Understory Teams Up With Monsanto to Bring Weather Tech to Argentina”
Auris Health’s Surgical Robot Gets FDA Green Light for Lung Cancer
Auris Health is now the latest surgical robot company with the go-ahead to enter the U.S. market. The Redwood City, CA, based company, formerly known as Auris Surgical Robots, said Friday that its robotic system has cleared the FDA’s regulatory bar, allowing the system to be used for diagnosing and treating lung cancer tumors. The … Continue reading “Auris Health’s Surgical Robot Gets FDA Green Light for Lung Cancer”
Founders, Pay Attention to This Stuff—Not the Stock Market
The Dow Jones Industrial Average. Nasdaq. Startup exits. Funding rounds. In our 24/7 connected world, there’s no shortage of data you can access, study, and agonize over. The market’s latest move—from boom to correction—has commentators and analysts in a tizzy; many investors are feeling anxious, too. It’s easy to get distracted by all this chatter, … Continue reading “Founders, Pay Attention to This Stuff—Not the Stock Market”
Bio Roundup: CMS Backs Cancer Tests, Right to Try Passes, AbbVie Sinks
We’ll start this week’s roundup with several stories from Washington, DC, that could have a lasting effect on public health. The FDA continued its campaign against cigarettes, while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave a much-needed boost to the developers of cancer diagnostics. In its omnibus spending bill, Congress set aside more … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CMS Backs Cancer Tests, Right to Try Passes, AbbVie Sinks”