Over the next four days, the Second City will be the center of the biomedical world. The American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago brings together thousands of researchers from across the globe to discuss the latest progress in the war against cancer. On tap this year: the crush of immunotherapy drug combinations, … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: ASCO Combo Frenzy, Maine’s Free DNA Tests, Sema4 & More”
Category: Raleigh-Durham
Energy Leaders React to Trump’s Withdrawal From Paris Climate Accord
[Updated 6/2/17, 10:10 pm ET. See below.] President Donald Trump today announced the United States would withdraw from complying with what’s known as the Paris climate accord, a landmark international agreement to combat climate change. In December 2015, nearly all the countries in the world—195 of them—agreed to the pact, which aims to reduce emissions of … Continue reading “Energy Leaders React to Trump’s Withdrawal From Paris Climate Accord”
Countering Cybersecurity Turnover: 57 Companies That Do It Best
What does it take to keep highly skilled cybersecurity employees? Salary and benefits are table-stakes. Challenging work, ongoing training, an opportunity to advance without having to become a manager, and a talented peer group all help companies recruit and retain these sought-after “ninjas”—the individuals who can do what artificial intelligence security tools can’t. Research from … Continue reading “Countering Cybersecurity Turnover: 57 Companies That Do It Best”
Verge Pitch Night at The Nest
Raleigh co-working space The Nest will host a Shark Tank-like pitch competition. Three Raleigh startups, PrecisionHawk, Pendo, and WedPics, will each have five minutes to present their companies, then take questions from fund managers David Gardner and Stephen Clossick. Registration is required.
In Maine, Making Cancer DNA Tests Free—And Asking Tough Questions
Has the era of genetic oncology arrived? Last week, the biomedical world took a notable step in that direction when the FDA said Merck’s drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda), already one of the world’s most successful cancer immunotherapies, could now treat any tumor with a particular genetic fingerprint. It was the first time a drug has been … Continue reading “In Maine, Making Cancer DNA Tests Free—And Asking Tough Questions”
Woodcock: New Approvals Show FDA Is Adapting to Precision Medicine
The randomized controlled trial has long been held up as the gold standard for testing new drugs. But the nation’s top drug evaluator, Janet Woodcock, believes they aren’t necessary for all new experimental treatments. Randomized trials are long, expensive to run, and ultimately produce limited answers, she said at a medical conference last week. The … Continue reading “Woodcock: New Approvals Show FDA Is Adapting to Precision Medicine”
On ASCO’s Eve, Experts Fret Over Backlash to Cancer Combo Frenzy
When thousands of cancer researchers from around the world gather in Chicago this weekend for the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting, drugs that fight tumors by boosting a patient’s immune system will take center stage, as they have in previous years. But the stage is more crowded, as researchers have begun in earnest … Continue reading “On ASCO’s Eve, Experts Fret Over Backlash to Cancer Combo Frenzy”
Bio Roundup: Skinny Cuts, Genomic Approvals, Unfrozen FDA & More
Team Trump unveiled its 2018 federal spending proposal—the so-called “skinny budget”—with health and science in the crosshairs. The NIH is looking at a 22 percent cut and the FDA 31 percent, although the administration wants to backfill the FDA loss with a huge boost in user fees, which drug and device companies pay to have … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Skinny Cuts, Genomic Approvals, Unfrozen FDA & More”
Amid Budget Concerns, NIH Preps Beta Test for Precision Medicine Plan
An ambitious plan to recruit 1 million U.S. volunteers and amass a treasure trove of their health information will start next week with a “beta test” that health officials hope to eventually expand nationwide. National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins said Wednesday that the Precision Medicine Initiative will begin in Pittsburgh, where the agency … Continue reading “Amid Budget Concerns, NIH Preps Beta Test for Precision Medicine Plan”
Unconventional Partners, Like FDA, Can Drive Adoption of New Tech
We’ve heard it time and again. Drug development is too expensive, takes too long, and many drug candidates that show promise in preclinical trials end up failing because testing methods don’t predict how they will work in humans. Recently, new technologies have emerged that offer disruptive potential for steering the development of drugs in more … Continue reading “Unconventional Partners, Like FDA, Can Drive Adoption of New Tech”
Gottlieb Says FDA’s “Regulatory Tools” Can Help Fight Opioid Abuse
The FDA considers how safe and effective a new drug is before approving it. But for addictive opioid painkillers, which have triggered a massive public health crisis, should the agency also weigh the potential for the medication to be abused? That’s one of the questions that new FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is posing as he … Continue reading “Gottlieb Says FDA’s “Regulatory Tools” Can Help Fight Opioid Abuse”
FDA Landmark Nod: Cancer Drug To Match Tumor Genes, Not Tissue Type
For many years, doctors and researchers have known that cancers in different parts of the body can share genetic abnormalities. For the first time, the FDA has approved a drug based on those abnormalities and not on the organ in which the cancer originated. It’s a moment that a lot of people in the cancer … Continue reading “FDA Landmark Nod: Cancer Drug To Match Tumor Genes, Not Tissue Type”
American Robotics Scouts Out $1.1M to Bring A.I. to Farm Drones
Drones are opening up the skies to farmers who want better ways to monitor their crops. But even though flying a drone over a field is less labor-intensive than walking through one, Reese Mozer says that current drones still take too much time and effort for farmers to use. Mozer, founder and CEO of American … Continue reading “American Robotics Scouts Out $1.1M to Bring A.I. to Farm Drones”
Trump’s Cybersecurity Czar Talks WannaCry, Industry Partnerships
The Trump administration’s plan for strengthening the nation’s cyber defenses is starting to come into focus. Rob Joyce, a special assistant to the president and the White House’s cybersecurity coordinator, spoke in Boston Monday at an event promoting the launch of CyberMA, a Massachusetts affiliate of the national CyberUSA initiative. CyberMA is a MassTLC-led group … Continue reading “Trump’s Cybersecurity Czar Talks WannaCry, Industry Partnerships”
With $29M in New Cash, Echodyne Advances “Radar Vision” for Machines
[Updated, 5/23/17, 5:50am. See below] One of the Northwest’s most intriguing startups has a new wad of cash. Bellevue, WA-based Echodyne said it has raised $29 million in Series B funding led by New Enterprise Associates. The company’s previous investors also participated in the round; they include Bill Gates, Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, Madrona Venture … Continue reading “With $29M in New Cash, Echodyne Advances “Radar Vision” for Machines”
Envision the Future: Request Your Invite to Our Napa Summit June 8-9
We are getting down to the wire—just two and a half weeks until Xconomy’s most unique, up close and personal event of the year: our sixth annual Napa Summit: The Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth. We have only about 20 spots left open, and a number of those will likely go fast. So … Continue reading “Envision the Future: Request Your Invite to Our Napa Summit June 8-9”
What’s Next for American Workers as Trade, Automation Roil Manufacturing?
When Donald Trump heralded Ford’s announcement earlier this year that it would invest $1.2 billion in its Michigan plants, it was seen by some as the fulfillment of campaign promises to “bring jobs back” and put America first. Last week, the other shoe dropped with reports that Ford will cut 10 percent of its global … Continue reading “What’s Next for American Workers as Trade, Automation Roil Manufacturing?”
Cook Medical Gets FDA OK for Device to Treat Rare Birth Defect
In rare instances, a baby’s esophagus develops improperly during pregnancy, leaving a gap in this tube connecting the throat to the stomach. Babies born with this condition can’t eat by mouth, and they require surgery to repair the defect. Bloomington, IN-based Cook Medical recently received FDA approval for a new medical device that offers a … Continue reading “Cook Medical Gets FDA OK for Device to Treat Rare Birth Defect”
Bio Roundup: Termeer Tribute, ASCO Peeks, Califf’s New Gigs & More
Exhausted by the nonstop drama in Washington, DC? Immerse yourself instead in this week’s biotech headlines. Let’s start with a tribute to a life sciences icon, then we’ll head around the Xconomy network with early news from the nation’s big yearly cancer meeting. There was also momentum onthe IPO front and new gigs for high-profile … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Termeer Tribute, ASCO Peeks, Califf’s New Gigs & More”
The Reconfigurable Future of Healthcare
Data plays a more central role in healthcare than ever before. It won’t be long before every person’s genome is sequenced at birth, with follow-up sequencing done at regular intervals throughout life. Each genomic check-up would produce roughly 180 gigabytes of data that will need to be processed, analyzed, and stored. The promise of using … Continue reading “The Reconfigurable Future of Healthcare”
Distil’s Are You a Human Acquisition Is Big Win for Tech Community
Detroit’s nascent tech community got a significant validation today as Silicon Valley cybersecurity company Distil Networks announced it has acquired homegrown, Dan Gilbert-backed startup Are You a Human. The specific terms and the monetary value of the deal were not disclosed, but Distil says it plans to open a new office in Detroit as a … Continue reading “Distil’s Are You a Human Acquisition Is Big Win for Tech Community”
Figuring It Out: Addressing Practices That Impact Women in Technology
The Women’s March, New Tech Northwest’s annual “Women in Tech” event, and International Women’s Day are just a few of the recent events prompting important conversations around inequality in the tech industry. These discussions, while breakthroughs in many regards, are still just the beginning of real change. I’ve gathered a number of ideas for what … Continue reading “Figuring It Out: Addressing Practices That Impact Women in Technology”
Back To The Baseline? Ex-FDA Commish Califf Joins Verily As Advisor
In addition to a return to his old stomping grounds at Duke University, former FDA commissioner Robert Califf is going to work for Verily Life Sciences, the Silicon Valley R&D health group formerly known as Google Life Sciences. Verily published a blog post Wednesday in Califf’s name describing the vaguest outlines of his new gig. … Continue reading “Back To The Baseline? Ex-FDA Commish Califf Joins Verily As Advisor”
Riding Recent Biotech IPO Wave, G1 Snags $105M to Fund Cancer Work
Cancer drugmaker G1 Therapeutics raised $105 million in an IPO last night, the latest development in a recent uptick of biotech offerings. G1, of Research Triangle Park, NC, sold 7 million shares at $15 apiece. G1 had to sell more shares than it had intended (6.25 million) to hit its goal, but still priced within … Continue reading “Riding Recent Biotech IPO Wave, G1 Snags $105M to Fund Cancer Work”
Proofpoint Uncovers Second Cyberattack That Uses Stolen NSA Tools
Cybersecurity company Proofpoint, which helped slow the sweeping global ransomware attack WannaCry after it emerged Friday, has now discovered a much more insidious, profitable, and potentially widespread cyberattack called Adylkuzz. Adylkuzz doesn’t demand, as WannaCry does, that victims pay a ransom to retrieve their data. Adylkuzz makes no announcement when it quietly invades target computers. … Continue reading “Proofpoint Uncovers Second Cyberattack That Uses Stolen NSA Tools”
5 Takeaways From the WannaCry Ransomware Attack
This may be the incident that finally pushes ransomware into the mainstream—and also forces both organizations and malicious hackers to adapt their approaches when it comes to this type of attack. The “WannaCry” virus, which first hit companies and healthcare services on Friday, has infected some 300,000 computer systems in 150-odd countries. By exploiting a … Continue reading “5 Takeaways From the WannaCry Ransomware Attack”
PrairieChar’s Manure-Processing Tech Takes Prize at Agtech Showcase
[Updated 5/18/17, 4:01 pm. See below.] Manure is an inescapable part of farming, and it can be an expensive and messy one at that. Large animal farms produce so much waste that it must be stored in tall piles or deep lagoons. If storms spill that waste or it somehow seeps into the groundwater, farmers … Continue reading “PrairieChar’s Manure-Processing Tech Takes Prize at Agtech Showcase”
Amid Comey Furor, Companies React to Trump’s Cybersecurity Order
On a day dominated by news about President Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey, and its impact on the ongoing investigation of Russian hacking of the 2016 presidential election, two significant developments for the cybersecurity industry also emerged Thursday. First, President Trump signed an executive order laying out plans to shore up data security … Continue reading “Amid Comey Furor, Companies React to Trump’s Cybersecurity Order”
Bio Roundup: Big Apple Mo’, Checkpoint Yes and No, CAR-T Death & More
“New York, New York, it’s a hell of a town. The Bronx is up, but we’re Brooklyn down.” For all you old-school Brooklyn swingers out there, we’ll take a short break from the madness in the nation’s capital and start our roundup in the greatest city in the world. You might disagree if you’ve got … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Big Apple Mo’, Checkpoint Yes and No, CAR-T Death & More”
Why You’re Wiser with an Adviser
Long before Silicon Valley and tech accelerators, the Beatles knew a thing or two about finding the right startup adviser. Their 1965 hit said it all: “Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help! You know I need someone. He-el-elp…” Every founder, no matter how sharp or motivated, needs some help, and a great … Continue reading “Why You’re Wiser with an Adviser”
Senate Vote Confirms Scott Gottlieb for FDA Commissioner
Scott Gottlieb will be the new FDA commissioner. The U.S. Senate voted 57 to 42 on Tuesday to confirm Gottlieb, a physician and venture capitalist, to lead the regulatory agency. He succeeds former FDA commissioner Robert Califf, who stepped down in January after President Donald Trump took office. Gottlieb is already familiar with the agency … Continue reading “Senate Vote Confirms Scott Gottlieb for FDA Commissioner”
The Enterprise Bang! Moment
The increasing rate of technology advancement is decreasing the time enterprises have to react to competitive pressures brought about by those same advancements. A Bang! moment arrives when the incumbent can no longer react before they fail in the market. The specific timing is unknowable, but the outcome is assured. Carmen Reinhart and Ken Rogoff, … Continue reading “The Enterprise Bang! Moment”
Bio Roundup: NIH Precision Boost, AHCA to Senate, New Drugs & More
Two dramatic healthcare stories played out this week. First, to the jubilation of the nation’s science community, Congress proposed to boost National Institutes of Health funding, not slash it as the Trump administration had outlined. Then the patchwork revival of the GOP’s healthcare plan, despite being panned by nearly every major medical group in the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: NIH Precision Boost, AHCA to Senate, New Drugs & More”
VC Confidence Holds Steady in Quarterly Survey, But Reasons Change
In a survey of 29 Silicon Valley venture capitalists in December, the VCs mulled whether President-elect Donald Trump would buoy up their investment prospects with lower corporate taxes and government regulations, or worsen conditions by heightening global political instability and raising the risk of a major military conflict or economic downturn. That Q4 2016 edition … Continue reading “VC Confidence Holds Steady in Quarterly Survey, But Reasons Change”
If Budget Holds, NIH Precision Study Could Be Flush As Volunteers Arrive
Until this week, many U.S. government science agencies and programs seemed destined for a big haircut, plus the loss of a limb or two. That included the Precision Medicine Initiative, an ambitious long-term study with the goal of recruiting 1 million Americans to volunteer health data. But in staving off a government shutdown, Congress pushed … Continue reading “If Budget Holds, NIH Precision Study Could Be Flush As Volunteers Arrive”
Analysis: Trump’s First 100 Days Through the Tech Industry Lens
Donald Trump spent his 100th day in office in ways that would appeal to his working class base—holding a campaign-style rally in Harrisburg, PA, where he confirmed his campaign commitment to controlling immigration. Trump also signed an executive order to create a White House office of trade and manufacturing policy, which aims to protect American … Continue reading “Analysis: Trump’s First 100 Days Through the Tech Industry Lens”
A.I.’s Role In Agriculture Comes Into Focus With Imaging Analysis
The imaging technologies scanning farms today trace their roots to the space race. In 1965, the U.S. Geological Survey proposed using satellites to observe the planet. Seven years later, NASA launched Landsat 1. Among that satellite’s accomplishments: an estimate of the corn and soybean acreage stretching from Iowa to Indiana. The eighth version of Landsat … Continue reading “A.I.’s Role In Agriculture Comes Into Focus With Imaging Analysis”
Shire Sets Sights on Dry Eye Disease with Deal for Parion Drug
Shire is paying $20 million up front to acquire rights to a drug that Parion Sciences has developed as a potential treatment for dry eye disease. The deal calls for Shire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SHPG]]) to take the lead on further work on P-321, a compound that Durham, NC-based Parion has tested in early-stage clinical trials. If … Continue reading “Shire Sets Sights on Dry Eye Disease with Deal for Parion Drug”
The State of Cybersecurity Insurance Today
Cyber incidents are considered the No. 1 emerging risk for enterprises long-term. No surprise, then, that cybersecurity insurance policy premiums are approaching $2.75 billion a year. Some experts believe this figure will grow to roughly $20 billion by 2025. For scores of insurance companies cashing in on the booming corporate cybersecurity insurance market, it’s a … Continue reading “The State of Cybersecurity Insurance Today”
Bio Roundup: Trumpcare Flails, Spinraza Sales, Batten OK & More
To judge the first 100 days of a new administration is, as many pundits have pointed out, an odd vestige of history, more convenient than significant. Which is why we’ll start this week’s roundup with our 99-day evaluation of the Trump administration—at least when it comes to healthcare and the life sciences. In healthcare, nothing … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trumpcare Flails, Spinraza Sales, Batten OK & More”
Gottlieb’s FDA Nomination Gets Committee Nod, Advances to Senate
Scott Gottlieb’s nomination to the top post of the FDA is on its way to the full U.S. Senate. The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee voted 14-9 on Thursday to approve Gottlieb’s nomination to become FDA commissioner. All of the Republicans on the committee voted for Gottlieb, along with two Democrats, Sen. Sheldon … Continue reading “Gottlieb’s FDA Nomination Gets Committee Nod, Advances to Senate”
Prytime Signs Military Distribution Deal with Combat Medical Systems
San Antonio — Prytime Medical Devices has signed a deal that would have Harrisburg, NC-based Combat Medical Systems distribute and sell the company’s medical device, a catheter that can be used to control hemorrhaging, to the U.S. military and federal government. Prytime, which is headquartered near San Antonio in Boerne, TX, sells a catheter that can … Continue reading “Prytime Signs Military Distribution Deal with Combat Medical Systems”
HistoSonics Aims To Move Forward After Raising $8.5M, Naming New CEO
Changes are afoot at HistoSonics, the University of Michigan medical device spinout based in Ann Arbor, MI. The company has a new CEO, as well as a new focus on the treatment of solid-tumor cancers. Last month, HistoSonics also closed on a $8.2 million Series B round led by Wisconsin’s Venture Investors, with contributions from … Continue reading “HistoSonics Aims To Move Forward After Raising $8.5M, Naming New CEO”
Becton Dickinson Aims Beyond Diabetes with $24B Bard Deal
In a medical technology merger with implications for the healthcare sector in the United States and beyond, Becton Dickinson is acquiring C.R. Bard for $24 billion to tap into the growing markets for products used in treating vascular conditions and cancer. Under the deal announced Sunday, Franklin Lakes, NJ-based Becton Dickinson (NYSE: [[ticker:BD]]) will pay … Continue reading “Becton Dickinson Aims Beyond Diabetes with $24B Bard Deal”
Bio Roundup: Spinraza Woes, Science March, Baseline Launch & More
Rumblings of a new Obamacare replacement surfaced this week, while scientists and their supporters prepared for Saturday’s—a.k.a. Earth Day’s—nationwide Marches for Science. Our own reporting focused this week on the fallout from high drug prices, with a look at the frustration of families whose children have had trouble gaining access to the first drug ever … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Spinraza Woes, Science March, Baseline Launch & More”
Biotech Startups at UNC Showcase Target Urgent Medical Needs
A technology that delivers drugs across the blood-brain barrier. A medical device developed to diagnose sepsis. And a potential new treatment for radiation contamination during a disaster. These were some of the technologies on display Wednesday evening at the Innovation Showcase, an annual event that shines the spotlight on companies that have spun out of … Continue reading “Biotech Startups at UNC Showcase Target Urgent Medical Needs”
Request Your Invitation to Xconomy’s Elite Napa Summit June 8-9
Nobel Laureate David Baltimore. Microbiome AND supercomputer pioneer Larry Smarr. Intellectual Ventures’ Nathan Myhrvold. Nicole Glaros of Techstars. These are just a few of the visionary speakers who will be headlining Xconomy’s sixth annual Napa Summit. And if you act fast to request your invitation to this special event, you can join them and … Continue reading “Request Your Invitation to Xconomy’s Elite Napa Summit June 8-9”
“Our Son’s Fate”: Parents Fighting for Kids’ Spine Drug Eye New Data
Melissa Marotta pulled no punches to get her three-year-old son C.J., who has the genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy, access to nusinersen (Spinraza), the first approved drug for his condition. For months, she couldn’t schedule a treatment date at Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, and for much of that time, she … Continue reading ““Our Son’s Fate”: Parents Fighting for Kids’ Spine Drug Eye New Data”
Trump Executive Order Adds Uncertainty to Tech Visa Program
Is the U.S. high-skilled visa program, known as H-1B, an essential contributor to the innovation economy or a way for companies to replace American IT workers with immigrants at lower salaries? It’s a debate as old as the program itself, which began in 1990. The Trump administration on Tuesday joined the fray with a long-anticipated … Continue reading “Trump Executive Order Adds Uncertainty to Tech Visa Program”
The Xconomy Roadmap: Top 15 Innovation Areas to Watch (and Disrupt)
It is a time of great transitions in the technology and business world. Key advances in areas like machine intelligence, agriculture, and healthcare seem poised to transform society—and everyday life. But it can be hard to keep up with the latest news in fields as disparate as cybersecurity, food tech, and cancer therapeutics—let alone understand … Continue reading “The Xconomy Roadmap: Top 15 Innovation Areas to Watch (and Disrupt)”