The 2018 Winter Olympics will end soon, and we did not skate through these games without a performance-enhancing drug allegation rearing its ugly head. This time, the drug in question was meldonium (Mildronate), a product widely available over the counter in Russia and some Eastern European countries. Though Latvian pharmaceutical company Grindeks markets meldonium for … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Meldonium Slip, Kratom Crackdown, Zinc Fingers & More”
Category: National
Smart Cities Initiative Spurs “Gigabit Apps” for Next-Gen Internet
In late 2015, the National Science Foundation awarded a $6 million grant to the non-profit organization U.S. Ignite to help drive the development of next-generation “gigabit applications,” as part of a broader effort to create “smart gigabit communities” throughout the U.S. The idea was to both help cities improve local services and spur the development … Continue reading “Smart Cities Initiative Spurs “Gigabit Apps” for Next-Gen Internet”
Exact Sciences Shares Fall, Despite Better-Than-Expected P&L Results
Exact Sciences reported quarterly profit-and-loss results Thursday that beat many analysts’ estimates. However, investors did not on the whole appear to be impressed, sending the company’s stock price more than 6 percent lower in after-hours trading. Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]), is developing screening tests for a variety of cancers. Its flagship product is Cologuard, … Continue reading “Exact Sciences Shares Fall, Despite Better-Than-Expected P&L Results”
Evestra Snags DoD Grant For Experimental Breast Cancer Drug Research
San Antonio—A small Texas biotech that develops women’s health products, including a generic birth control ring, has received a $960,000 grant from the Department of Defense to continue early stage work on experimental treatments for triple-negative breast cancer. Evestra, which is located just outside of San Antonio, in Schertz, TX, plans to use the three-year … Continue reading “Evestra Snags DoD Grant For Experimental Breast Cancer Drug Research”
Forget Perfume Counters: Phlur’s A.I. Is E-Commerce’s Scent Sherpa
Austin—It stands to reason that if any industry could resist the tidal wave of e-commerce, it would be the fragrance business. After all, how can you smell a perfume or cologne online to decide if you like the scent? But Eric Korman, founder and CEO of Phlur, says the startup can make it easier for … Continue reading “Forget Perfume Counters: Phlur’s A.I. Is E-Commerce’s Scent Sherpa”
Exact Targets Large Hospital Systems to Boost Sales of Cancer Test
Exact Sciences is setting its sights on large hospital systems across the country as part of an effort to get more doctors to order Cologuard, Exact’s stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer screening, for their patients. Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) launched Cologuard in 2014 and as of last month, nearly 102,000 clinicians in the … Continue reading “Exact Targets Large Hospital Systems to Boost Sales of Cancer Test”
Continuing Cell Therapy Push, Gilead Aligns with Sangamo for CAR-T Boost
Gilead Sciences has formed a broad alliance with Sangamo Therapeutics this morning, continuing an aggressive push into cellular immunotherapy that began late last year. Gilead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) will pay Sangamo (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SGMO]]) $150 million up front in cash in the deal, through which Gilead will tap Sangamo’s gene editing techniques to try to develop a … Continue reading “Continuing Cell Therapy Push, Gilead Aligns with Sangamo for CAR-T Boost”
Will Fast-Growing Kallyope Stay in New York After New $66M Round?
Kallyope is unusual among biotech startups. Exclusively borne from the work of three Columbia University professors, the company started up in Manhattan, now has more than 40 employees, has gotten $110 million in venture dollars from high-profile investors, and still remains in New York City. Now the big question is: Will Kallyope stay in Manhattan … Continue reading “Will Fast-Growing Kallyope Stay in New York After New $66M Round?”
Chasing A.I. Breakthroughs: Q&A With Director of New MIT-IBM Lab
For all the progress that has been made in developing artificial intelligence technologies in recent years, the software “brains” that power machines are still nowhere near the sophistication of human minds. And advancing the field will require bold, new ideas, says A.I. researcher David Cox. Cox (pictured) has spent the past 11 years at Harvard … Continue reading “Chasing A.I. Breakthroughs: Q&A With Director of New MIT-IBM Lab”
Dohmen Company to Sell Life Science Services Subsidiary
Dohmen Company, a Milwaukee-based conglomerate of healthcare businesses, said earlier this week that it had sold its subsidiary Dohmen Life Sciences Services, or DLSS. The buyers are New York-based private equity firm JLL Partners and Water Street Healthcare Partners, a Chicago-based healthcare investor. Dohmen did not disclose specific financial terms in its announcement of the … Continue reading “Dohmen Company to Sell Life Science Services Subsidiary”
With Brandery Tie-Up, Gener8tor Continues Expansion Across Heartland
Gener8tor plans to hold its first entrepreneurial training programs in Ohio later this year, marking the latest step in the Wisconsin-based organization’s regional expansion. Launched in 2012, Gener8tor helps startup companies with things like pitching their products, adding users and customers, and raising money from investors. Gener8tor itself invests in and takes equity stakes in … Continue reading “With Brandery Tie-Up, Gener8tor Continues Expansion Across Heartland”
Bosch’s Acquisition of SPLT is Big Win for Detroit Mobility Startups
SPLT, the Detroit-based ridesharing startup and Techstars Mobility alum, announced today that it has been acquired by automotive supplier Bosch, which has its U.S. headquarters in metro Detroit. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Anya Babbitt, SPLT co-founder and CEO, describes the acquisition as “a most fortunate outcome.” SPLT was established in 2014 … Continue reading “Bosch’s Acquisition of SPLT is Big Win for Detroit Mobility Startups”
Zagster Gets $15M to Keep Pace in Crowded Bike-Sharing Sector
Zagster has scooped up $15 million from investors to help it ramp up its new “dockless” bike-sharing service—and compete with more heavily funded rivals. The investment, led by earlier backer Edison Partners, brings Zagster’s total venture capital haul to $32.2 million, the company said in a press release. Cambridge, MA-based Zagster’s other investors include LaunchCapital, … Continue reading “Zagster Gets $15M to Keep Pace in Crowded Bike-Sharing Sector”
Google and Stackdriver Vets Get $10M for Software Testing Tool, Mabl
When we last caught up with Dan Belcher and Izzy Azeri, they were selling their cloud-management company, Stackdriver, to Google. That Boston startup was on a fast track to acquisition, getting scooped up in 2014 after just two years and about $15 million in venture capital raised. (The purchase price wasn’t disclosed.) Now, Belcher and … Continue reading “Google and Stackdriver Vets Get $10M for Software Testing Tool, Mabl”
Boston Tech Watch: Nuance, Harvard, MIT, Jobcase, Panjiva & More
It’s time to catch up on some of the latest headlines in the Boston-area tech scene: —Nuance Communications is planning to phase out the Swype mobile keyboard apps for iOS and Android smartphones, according to a post from Xda Developers, which said it got confirmation from Burlington, MA-based Nuance (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NUAN]]). Nuance bought Swype in … Continue reading “Boston Tech Watch: Nuance, Harvard, MIT, Jobcase, Panjiva & More”
For Latest Combo, Merck Bets $394M on Viralytics, Cancer-Fighting Viruses
The immuno-oncology combination frenzy continues. Merck this morning agreed to pay $394 million for Viralytics, an Australian developer of oncolytic viruses, which could help boost the power of the pharma giant’s cancer immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda). The deal gives Kenilworth, NJ-based Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) rights to CVA21 (Cavatak), an experimental oncolytic virus therapy in multiple early- … Continue reading “For Latest Combo, Merck Bets $394M on Viralytics, Cancer-Fighting Viruses”
Vectra Scores $36M for AI-Enhanced Cyberattack Detection
Vectra, one of the cybersecurity companies vying to beef up threat detection using artificial intelligence, announced Wednesday it raised $36 million in a Series D funding round led by new investor Atlantic Bridge. San Jose, CA-based Vectra scans the patterns of data flowing through a client’s network in a continuous, automated hunt for suspicious activity, … Continue reading “Vectra Scores $36M for AI-Enhanced Cyberattack Detection”
Shine, BrightStar, Understory & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Catch up on the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Shine Medical Technologies completed construction on an 11,400-square-foot prototype production facility, where it will train workers and test its particle accelerator-based technology for producing a radioisotope used in diagnostic medical imaging procedures. The company said that this summer, the facility “will … Continue reading “Shine, BrightStar, Understory & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
XRC Labs Chief Anthos: Retailers Must Adopt “Test and Learn” Culture
As college undergraduates, my roommate and I had what we called a “monowardrobe.” That’s how we described the contents of the closet that lined a wall in our dorm room. We each organized our own clothing on either side, but since we both wore the same size in clothing and shoes, we “shopped” for outfits … Continue reading “XRC Labs Chief Anthos: Retailers Must Adopt “Test and Learn” Culture”
Aimmune’s Peanut Allergy Drug Hits Study Goals, FDA Filing Planned
Peanuts rank among the top foods that spark allergic reactions, prompting schools to ban peanut butter sandwiches and travelers to decline airline snacks. Aimmune Therapeutics aims to help with a drug that makes people less sensitive to peanuts. On Tuesday, Aimmune (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AIMT]]) announced that its drug met the main goals of a late-stage study, … Continue reading “Aimmune’s Peanut Allergy Drug Hits Study Goals, FDA Filing Planned”
Father-Daughter Startup Seeva Turns Old IP into New Driverless Tech
[Correction, 2/23/18: See below.] The mobility sector has spawned plenty of unlikely alliances that have led to new products and business models for self-driving vehicles. But it’s hard to get more unlikely than Seeva, a Pacific Northwest mobility startup with Detroit roots, run by a vivacious daughter and her retired father, and based on technology … Continue reading “Father-Daughter Startup Seeva Turns Old IP into New Driverless Tech”
Wave, Takeda Target RNA Technology at Neuro Diseases With $230M Pact
Wave Life Sciences this morning inked a wide-ranging alliance with Japanese pharma Takeda to develop RNA-based drugs for a variety of neurological diseases. Wave (NASDAQ: [[ticker:WVE]]), of Cambridge, MA, gets $110 million in up front cash from Takeda. The Japanese giant will also buy $60 million in Wave stock at $54.70 a share and fund … Continue reading “Wave, Takeda Target RNA Technology at Neuro Diseases With $230M Pact”
With $69M Deal, AbbVie Turns to Voyager for an Alzheimer’s Gene Therapy
At a time when uncertainty again swirls around the development of Alzheimer’s disease drugs, research continues in new ways. Through an alliance this morning, Voyager Therapeutics will team with AbbVie to try to use gene therapy tools to help attack the disease with a potential one-time, long-lasting treatment. Voyager (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VYGR]]) gets $69 million in … Continue reading “With $69M Deal, AbbVie Turns to Voyager for an Alzheimer’s Gene Therapy”
LGC Acquires Lucigen, Marking Latest Exit for CEO Ralph Kauten
Chalk up another exit for Ralph Kauten. Kauten, one of Wisconsin’s more successful biotech entrepreneurs, is chairman and CEO of Lucigen, a Middleton, WI-based vendor of life sciences research tools that on Friday said it has been acquired by LGC. LGC, which is based in the U.K. and says it has 2,300 employees, provides testing … Continue reading “LGC Acquires Lucigen, Marking Latest Exit for CEO Ralph Kauten”
Google Buys Xively From LogMeIn, Folds In Nest to Advance in IoT
Google is ramping up its efforts in connected devices for homes and businesses as competition with Amazon, Apple, and other big tech companies heats up. Despite its prowess in machine learning and other A.I. technologies, Google may have some catching up to do in the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) sector. That’s the burgeoning market … Continue reading “Google Buys Xively From LogMeIn, Folds In Nest to Advance in IoT”
Arrowhead Plans Return to Clinic With New Study of Hep B Drug
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is back in the clinic. On Thursday, Pasadena, CA-based Arrowhead—which houses its research and development operations in Madison, WI—said regulators cleared the company to initiate a clinical study of a drug it’s developing to treat chronic hepatitis B virus. Arrowhead (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARWR]]) said it expects to enroll about 60 patients in the Phase … Continue reading “Arrowhead Plans Return to Clinic With New Study of Hep B Drug”
TX Tech: Funds for True Wealth & Phunware, Rackspace Layoffs, & More
Happy Friday! Before we get started on the weekend, let’s catch up with the latest innovation news in Texas. —A group of companies that use blockchain technology are forming an organization to advocate for issues related to the technology. Called the Austin Blockchain Collective, the group wants to “advance blockchain-based education to the local community … Continue reading “TX Tech: Funds for True Wealth & Phunware, Rackspace Layoffs, & More”
Bio Roundup: Trump’s Budget, Biogen’s AD Reveal, Hugin’s Run & More
Another week of White House chaos and American gun violence. Amid it all, we tried to parse what the Trump administration’s 2019 budget proposal meant for the biomedical and life-science worlds. There was talk of tackling high drug prices in the budget document, but nothing to give Medicare direct negotiating power with drug companies or … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump’s Budget, Biogen’s AD Reveal, Hugin’s Run & More”
Europe’s New Data Privacy Rules Nourish U.S. Privacy Tech Sector
Take a look at this blurb for a session about data privacy at the upcoming RSA conference on cybersecurity. It sounds a polite warning: “The importance of privacy is often alluded to in generalized, value-laden terms that, while sincere, don’t necessarily help privacy be taken seriously in the enterprise risk management process.” That situation is … Continue reading “Europe’s New Data Privacy Rules Nourish U.S. Privacy Tech Sector”
Schurz Communications Acquires Online Tech, Plans National Expansion
Online Tech, an Ann Arbor, MI-based cloud computing company operating since 1994, has been acquired by Schurz Communications, a media conglomerate headquartered in Mishawaka, IN. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Online Tech, which also has data centers in Indianapolis and Kansas City, MO, is a pioneer in healthcare IT. The company specializes … Continue reading “Schurz Communications Acquires Online Tech, Plans National Expansion”
Roche to Acquire Cancer Software Startup Flatiron Health for $1.9B
Roche has agreed to acquire Flatiron Health for $1.9 billion, a deal that brings the cancer research capabilities of Flatiron to the oncology drug portfolio and pipeline of the pharmaceutical giant. Roche already owns a 12.6 percent stake in Flatiron. The Basel, Switzerland company expects to complete the acquisition of the remaining Flatiron shares in … Continue reading “Roche to Acquire Cancer Software Startup Flatiron Health for $1.9B”
MIT’s Micali Talks Algorand, Bitcoin & Society’s “Honest Majority”
Silvio Micali says he mistimed his first two technology startups. But the renowned MIT professor thinks he’s hitting the market at the right moment with his latest company, Algorand, which plans to launch a blockchain-based virtual currency and transactions system this year. Micali, a cryptographer who has won the prestigious A.M. Turing Award, previously co-founded … Continue reading “MIT’s Micali Talks Algorand, Bitcoin & Society’s “Honest Majority””
Celularity Raises $250M to Make Stem Cell Treatments for Cancer & More
The placenta provides a fetus all of the nourishment it needs to grow and remain healthy. Executives at biotech startup Celularity believe cells from this organ can also be developed into treatments for a wide range of diseases, and the company announced Thursday that it has $250 million in funding to move its plans forward. … Continue reading “Celularity Raises $250M to Make Stem Cell Treatments for Cancer & More”
Texas Grocer H-E-B Buys Delivery App Favor in Bid for Tech Growth
San Antonio—H-E-B, the retail and grocery store giant that operates 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, is acquiring delivery app Favor. Favor, which connects people with on-demand “runners” who deliver groceries, food, and more to customers, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of H-E-B, which is headquartered in San Antonio and is the largest private … Continue reading “Texas Grocer H-E-B Buys Delivery App Favor in Bid for Tech Growth”
CRISPR Race 2.0: Doudna and Zhang Compete on a CRISPR Diagnostic
CRISPR pioneers and competitors Jennifer Doudna and Feng Zhang are once again locked in a CRISPR race, this time to show how CRISPR—the technology best known for its gene-editing prowess—can also be harnessed to develop a sensitive diagnostic. Today, two research groups, one led by Doudna of the University of California, Berkeley, the other by … Continue reading “CRISPR Race 2.0: Doudna and Zhang Compete on a CRISPR Diagnostic”
Syngenta Acquires Farmshots to Give Farmers Birds-Eye View of Fields
Syngenta is adding satellite imagery to the high-tech features it can offer farmers. The agribusiness giant has acquired FarmShots, a Raleigh, NC, startup that has commercialized software that analyzes satellite and drone images to give farmers a view of field conditions. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed. FarmShots turns satellite data of crops … Continue reading “Syngenta Acquires Farmshots to Give Farmers Birds-Eye View of Fields”
Algorand Nabs $4M for Blockchain Aiming to Avoid Bitcoin’s Flaws
A new startup out of MIT called Algorand has raised $4 million from investors to help it launch a blockchain-based system that the company says could address some of the technological problems dogging Bitcoin and other popular digital currencies. Pillar Companies and Union Square Ventures are the investors in Boston-based Algorand’s seed funding round announced … Continue reading “Algorand Nabs $4M for Blockchain Aiming to Avoid Bitcoin’s Flaws”
Don’t Miss “San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum” on Feb. 20
San Antonio—There’s a rustling of change in San Antonio. In a city often most associated with the Alamo, the River Walk, and the Spurs, a tech ecosystem has been taking shape and shifting the city’s business culture. A surging startup community, a group of blossoming sectors, and a rush of capital are stimulating San Antonio’s … Continue reading “Don’t Miss “San Antonio Tech: Seizing the Momentum” on Feb. 20″
Stratatech Begins Test of Engineered Skin for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Stratatech is moving forward with tests of a genetically engineered human skin that could heal the sores and wounds many diabetic patients get on their feet. Madison, WI-based Stratatech, a subsidiary of U.K.-based Mallinckrodt (NYSE: [[ticker:MNK]]), said Wednesday that it had enrolled the first patient in a study of the skin tissue, called ExpressGraft-C9T1. Stratatech … Continue reading “Stratatech Begins Test of Engineered Skin for Diabetic Foot Ulcers”
FDA OKs Banyan Diagnostic, the First Blood Test for Concussions
The FDA has approved the first blood test to help diagnose concussions, clearing a path to the market for a diagnostic that could reduce the use of expensive brain imaging technologies that expose patients to radiation. The approval goes to San Diego diagnostics developer Banyan Biomarkers. The company’s test, called Banyan BTI (short for brain … Continue reading “FDA OKs Banyan Diagnostic, the First Blood Test for Concussions”
MSU, Texas A&M to Study How Driverless Cars Affect Future Workforce
This week, the Ypsilanti Township, MI-based American Center for Mobility, in collaboration with AARP and Waymo, announced that it has commissioned a study on how autonomous vehicles will impact transportation jobs in the future. The study is being conducted by Michigan State University and Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute. According to a press release, the purpose … Continue reading “MSU, Texas A&M to Study How Driverless Cars Affect Future Workforce”
Paths of Carbonite and Mozy “Come Full Circle” in Data Backup Deal
[Updated 2/27/18, 2:29 pm. See below.] Before Dropbox and Google Drive, there was Carbonite and Mozy. Both of those pioneer firms launched in 2005, and were among the early players in online data backup services. They enabled people to pay a few bucks a month for software that automatically encrypts the information on their hard … Continue reading “Paths of Carbonite and Mozy “Come Full Circle” in Data Backup Deal”
Astellas Buys Stem Cell Gene-Editing Firm Universal Cells for $102.5M
A Seattle-based company developing a universal source of stem cells for cell therapies has been acquired by Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma for $102.5 million. Universal Cells’ technology aims to make stem cells that don’t have some of the problems that current cell therapies face, such as the immune rejection of transplanted cells. This is an attractive … Continue reading “Astellas Buys Stem Cell Gene-Editing Firm Universal Cells for $102.5M”
Shipping Wars: Walmart Launches Free Delivery for Sam’s Club Members
In order to better position itself against competitors like Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: [[ticker:COST]]) and Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), Sam’s Club, the bulk retailer owned by Walmart (NYSE: [[ticker:WMT]]), is now offering free shipping for many items as part of a revamping of its membership programs. With a $100 annual fee—just one dollar more than the cost … Continue reading “Shipping Wars: Walmart Launches Free Delivery for Sam’s Club Members”
With IPO, BioXcel Looks to Fund AI-Fueled Drug Discovery Work
[Updated, 2/16/18, 9:10 a.m. See below.] Using software to speed up drug discovery isn’t a new idea, but it’s generating more interest thanks to artificial intelligence. BioXcel Therapeutics is trying to parlay that momentum into an initial public stock offering to fund human studies on a pair of drugs it found with the help of … Continue reading “With IPO, BioXcel Looks to Fund AI-Fueled Drug Discovery Work”
Everbridge Eyes International Expansion With UMS Deal
Critical communications software company Everbridge has made a $33.6 million cash bid to acquire Norwegian competitor Unified Messaging Systems (UMS) in a deal that would grow its overseas presence. Burlington, MA-based Everbridge (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EVBG]]) said its purchase offer represents a nearly 45 percent premium to UMS’s closing share price on Tuesday. UMS is based in … Continue reading “Everbridge Eyes International Expansion With UMS Deal”
Startups Peddle Innovative Tools to Fight Tech’s #MeToo Problem
As the last year has shown, the tech industry has a significant problem with sexual harassment and ensuring that women are treated equitably in the workplace. Now, some founders are seeking to use tech tools such as chatbots, artificial intelligence, analytics, and mobile to help clients remedy those deficiencies. One of those founders is Heather … Continue reading “Startups Peddle Innovative Tools to Fight Tech’s #MeToo Problem”
Super Saver Rate Ends Today for Robo Madness 2018: Homecoming
Experts across the robotics and artificial intelligence industries are coming together for our fourth annual Robo Madness event. It all takes place on April 12 at iRobot in Bedford, MA. Join us for interactive talks, panels, and demos from an elite group of business leaders discussing how robots and A.I. have shifted from exotic machines … Continue reading “Super Saver Rate Ends Today for Robo Madness 2018: Homecoming”
Mid-FDA Review, Tetraphase Stumbles Again on Latest Phase 3 Setback
Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals’ ups and downs have continued, as new data have clouded the future of the Watertown, MA, company’s experimental antibiotic, eravacycline, once again. Tetraphase (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TTPH]]) reported that eravacycline failed a 1,200-patient Phase 3 study called Ignite3, one of four late-stage trials the company ran to test the antibiotic against either complicated urinary tract … Continue reading “Mid-FDA Review, Tetraphase Stumbles Again on Latest Phase 3 Setback”
Bristol-Myers Bets Nearly $2B on Nektar for an Immunotherapy Boost
When it comes to spending cash on potential combinations for its cancer immunotherapy drugs, Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: [[ticker:BMY]]) isn’t afraid of the b-word: billions. The New York-based pharma firm is paying Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NKTR]]) of San Francisco $1 billion in cash and buying another $850 million in shares, all to grab partial rights to … Continue reading “Bristol-Myers Bets Nearly $2B on Nektar for an Immunotherapy Boost”