One year ago, on the eve of the yearly American Society of Clinical Oncology conference, a new class of drugs called IDO inhibitors seemed poised to become the next big thing in cancer care. They were a top choice to combine with the powerful but limited immunotherapies that have emerged this decade to fight many … Continue reading “IDO Don’ts: After Immunotherapy Failure, Experts Say Slow Down”
Category: San Diego
With Launch of Dynam.AI, Analytics Ventures Shifts to New Model
The debut Wednesday of Dynam.AI, a San Diego startup offering its expertise in artificial intelligence, also marks a shift that has been underway for the past year or so at Analytics Ventures, a local fund that invests in tech deals. The small venture firm, which made traditional seed investments in a number of startups, including … Continue reading “With Launch of Dynam.AI, Analytics Ventures Shifts to New Model”
Settlement Ends Fight at Arcturus Therapeutics; New Board Named
The San Diego RNA drug developer Arcturus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARCT]]) named four new board members Tuesday, after the four directors who fired founding CEO Joseph Payne resigned as part of a settlement agreement that was approved Monday by an Israeli court. The agreement, announced in a statement from Arcturus, ostensibly brings an end to a … Continue reading “Settlement Ends Fight at Arcturus Therapeutics; New Board Named”
Smart-Kitchen Startups Give Cooks Digital Help Via Internet of Things
When it comes to connected homes, the hottest spot is located in your kitchen. The Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and related technologies are being used to connect ovens, refrigerators, and other kitchen appliances to the Web. Feeling unsure about cooking that fish dish? Smart ovens can more accurately calibrate temperatures to avoid over-cooking. There’s … Continue reading “Smart-Kitchen Startups Give Cooks Digital Help Via Internet of Things”
Mitek Systems Building New Business in Verifying Online Identities
A few years before the presidential election of 2016, with all its Wikileaks, Russian disinformation campaigns, and phony Facebook links, San Diego’s Mitek Systems (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MITK]] made a strategic decision to expand into identity verification technology. Funny how things work out. While mobile banking technology still represents 60 percent of Mitek’s business, COO Kalle Marsal … Continue reading “Mitek Systems Building New Business in Verifying Online Identities”
Request Your Invite for Our Napa Summit, June 14-15
In two and a half weeks, Xconomy will host our seventh annual Napa Summit: The Xconomy Retreat on Technology, Jobs, and Growth. In the heart of California’s wine country, it is our most exclusive, intimate, and unique conference. There are only a few tickets left—so request your invitation today to join fellow exemplary executives, innovators, … Continue reading “Request Your Invite for Our Napa Summit, June 14-15”
Bloom Science Plans to Advance Microbial Treatment for Epilepsy
Bloom Science, a biotech founded to advance a new class of microbe-based therapeutics for neurological disorders, is making its debut today with the publication of research that suggests certain bacteria in the gut could be used to manage epileptic seizures. The research, published in the journal Cell, indicate that several specific strains of bacteria work … Continue reading “Bloom Science Plans to Advance Microbial Treatment for Epilepsy”
With $300M in New Round, Total Venture Funding at Grail Tops $1.5B
Grail, the Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) spinout that merged last year with China’s Cirina, has raised an additional $300 million to advance its ambitious quest to develop a blood test sensitive enough to detect cancer. The Hong Kong-based Ally Bridge Group led the Series C financing round, which brings total funding for Grail to more than … Continue reading “With $300M in New Round, Total Venture Funding at Grail Tops $1.5B”
Arcturus Board Schedules New Proxy Showdown with Ousted CEO
After postponing a May 7 shareholder vote in a power struggle for control of San Diego’s Arcturus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARCT]]), the company’s board of directors has set a new date for its showdown with ousted CEO Joseph Payne. In a statement Monday, Arcturus said it has rescheduled its special shareholder meeting for 10 a.m. on … Continue reading “Arcturus Board Schedules New Proxy Showdown with Ousted CEO”
Mobileye Sets Safety-Based Rules of the Road for Self-Driving Tech
It’s been a busy year for Jerusalem-based Mobileye since Intel (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INTC]]) completed its $15.3-billion acquisition of the Israeli specialist in autonomous navigation technology. In a recent update, Mobileye co-founder and CTO Amnon Shashua said the company has almost doubled its workforce since the buyout. It plans to begin testing its self-driving technology in California … Continue reading “Mobileye Sets Safety-Based Rules of the Road for Self-Driving Tech”
Fixing the Clinical Trial Bottleneck by Making Patients a Priority
The world of medicine and drug development has transformed dramatically over the past 50 years. Today, we have biologic medicines, genomic sequencing technologies, and digital health tools that help patients become more engaged in their care. But one part of the equation hasn’t seen very much change at all: clinical trials. Clinical trials are a … Continue reading “Fixing the Clinical Trial Bottleneck by Making Patients a Priority”
6 Simple Steps to Avoid Becoming a Cybercrime Statistic in 2018
We can all agree that 2017 was a brutal year for cybersecurity. Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report identified passwords as the root cause of more than 81 percent of breaches in 2016 – an 18 percent increase from the previous year. And, it’s a safe guess that this year, the percentage will grow. At last … Continue reading “6 Simple Steps to Avoid Becoming a Cybercrime Statistic in 2018”
Bio Roundup: ASCO Abstracts, Migraine Drug Prices & “Blueprint” Fallout
There’s nothing abstract about a 20 percent jump in a company’s stock price. But yeah, that happened to Loxo Oncology when it released data previews for its American Society for Clinical Oncology presentations; the meeting starts in two weeks in Chicago. Wednesday was ASCO abstract day, and we’ll round up the headliners below, all with … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: ASCO Abstracts, Migraine Drug Prices & “Blueprint” Fallout”
Amgen Migraine Drug Gets FDA Nod, First in New Class of Medicines
[Updated 5/18/18, 8:38 a.m. See below.] An Amgen migraine drug developed to head off pain before it starts has won FDA approval, the first for a new class of preventive drug candidates for the condition. The Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) drug, erenumab (Aimovig), is a subcutaneous injection given once a month. The drug blocks the receptor … Continue reading “Amgen Migraine Drug Gets FDA Nod, First in New Class of Medicines”
Rackspace Acquires RelationEdge, Adding to IT Customer Management
San Antonio—Cloud computing giant Rackspace has acquired a company that helps other businesses implement and use the Salesforce software. The deal expands Rackspace’s focus on helping companies use software and computing services, including those of cloud computing businesses it historically considered competitors. Rackspace paid an undisclosed amount for RelationEdge, a San Diego-based software-as-a-service provider focused … Continue reading “Rackspace Acquires RelationEdge, Adding to IT Customer Management”
Arevo Adds $12.5M to Expand 3D Printing into Manufacturing
[Updated 5/17/18, 9:45 am. See below.] Silicon Valley company Arevo, which competes with a growing number of rivals to transform 3D printing into a tool for mass manufacturing, announced today it raised $12.5 million in a Series B financing round. Arevo’s technology mix—which combines automated printing equipment with Web-based software and customized raw materials—exemplifies the … Continue reading “Arevo Adds $12.5M to Expand 3D Printing into Manufacturing”
Amgen Migraine Decision Looms, Maybe the Next Drug Price Fight, Too
For some migraine sufferers, bright lights or loud sounds are enough to touch off an attack. For others, stress sparks the onset of pain. Bright lights, loud sounds, stress: Migraine triggers vary from one patient to another. But a common element is the abundance of a pain-inducing protein in the blood. During a migraine attack, … Continue reading “Amgen Migraine Decision Looms, Maybe the Next Drug Price Fight, Too”
As a Google Partner with Fresh Capital, Zesty.io Aims to Disrupt CMS
After establishing a partnership with the Google Cloud Platform, Zesty.io CEO Gerry Widmer said Wednesday the San Diego-based company is expanding its workforce and extending its Web content management system (WCMS) to international customers. The three-year-old company already provides its content management system on a software-as-a-service basis (SaaS) for such customers as Sony, Acorns.com, and … Continue reading “As a Google Partner with Fresh Capital, Zesty.io Aims to Disrupt CMS”
A Need for Speed: Illumina Acquires San Diego’s Edico Genome
With the Bio-IT World Conference opening today in Boston, San Diego-based Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]) said it has acquired Edico Genome, a five-year-old startup with technology to accelerate the readout of next-generation sequencing data. Illumina withheld terms of the deal in a statement released this morning. But an Illumina spokeswoman later confirmed that Illumina got Edico … Continue reading “A Need for Speed: Illumina Acquires San Diego’s Edico Genome”
The Revolution in Inflammation Drug Development
Chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are painful and often lifelong conditions. I know this both as a scientist and a father, as my son, Jeremy, was diagnosed 12 years ago with Crohn’s disease, one type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 80 autoimmune diseases affecting … Continue reading “The Revolution in Inflammation Drug Development”
Arch’s Bob Nelsen on Big Biotech and Why Pharma Should Be Very Afraid
Arch Venture Partners co-founder and managing director Bob Nelsen is widely regarded as one of the most astute and successful life science investors and company builders in the game. The list of his portfolio company wins (if you think of raising money, going public, or being acquired as a win, which he doesn’t necessarily, read … Continue reading “Arch’s Bob Nelsen on Big Biotech and Why Pharma Should Be Very Afraid”
Big Data Meets Big Biology in San Diego: Some Takeaways
At the end of the 19th century, the German scientist Paul Ehrlich began to realize that certain chemicals could have highly specific effects on certain diseases. He began to write about the possibility that a drug could act like a magische kugel—magic bullet—that killed only the organism causing disease, and nothing else. Today, scientists are … Continue reading “Big Data Meets Big Biology in San Diego: Some Takeaways”
Trump Pledges Lower Drug Prices, But Blueprint Is Short on Details
[Editor’s note: Corie Lok co-authored this report.] In a much anticipated speech at the White House this afternoon, President Trump unveiled a long-awaited plan meant to cut the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. The administration’s “American Patients First” plan, released via a speech and an accompanying 38-page “blueprint” document, laid out some relatively … Continue reading “Trump Pledges Lower Drug Prices, But Blueprint Is Short on Details”
“Unseen Is Unsold:” VR & Analytics Study What and Why Shoppers Buy
Humans are great about saying a lot of things. We’re not that good about actually following through. See: New Year’s diet resolutions or election polls. That tendency affects retailers as well. Big stores and brands spend millions in market research to figure out what shoppers want and then model production and creative teams to create those … Continue reading ““Unseen Is Unsold:” VR & Analytics Study What and Why Shoppers Buy”
Bio Roundup: Moderna’s Billions, Cytokine Bets, Shire Acquired & More
Cytokine therapies for cancer aren’t new but they are attracting renewed interest. Some pharmaceutical companies see drug combinations using cytokines as a way to broaden the reach of immunotherapy, which still doesn’t work for the majority of cancer patients. This week, Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) showed how much it believes in cytokines. The Indianapolis drug maker … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Moderna’s Billions, Cytokine Bets, Shire Acquired & More”
With $1.6B Armo Buy, Eli Lilly Is the Latest to Bet Big on Cytokines
Eli Lilly is making a splash in the fast-moving, highly competitive field of cancer immunotherapy. With a $1.6 billion cash deal to acquire Armo BioSciences, the Indianapolis company has placed one of the boldest bets yet that cytokine drugs could be critical in expanding immunotherapy’s reach. This morning, Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) agreed to pay $50 … Continue reading “With $1.6B Armo Buy, Eli Lilly Is the Latest to Bet Big on Cytokines”
Intel Capital Showcases 12 Startups, Shift to Data-Centric Strategy
The temperature in California’s Palm Desert hit 107 degrees Tuesday, but indoors at Intel Capital’s Global Summit meeting, the corporate venture arm said it has invested a cool $115 million so far this year. Intel Capital wasn’t ready to disclose exactly how many startups it has funded, but it highlighted a dozen tech companies that … Continue reading “Intel Capital Showcases 12 Startups, Shift to Data-Centric Strategy”
Seismic Acquires Savo Group, Rival in Sales Enablement Software
[Updated 5/8/18 9:30 am. See below.] In the eight years since it was founded, Seismic has become a leader in the market for Web-based software used by corporations and other big customers to manage the online marketing materials created to support sales reps in the field. Today, the San Diego software-as-a-service company says it has agreed … Continue reading “Seismic Acquires Savo Group, Rival in Sales Enablement Software”
Will New Study Cut Guesswork for Depression Medicine Prescriptions?
[Updated 5/7/18, 5pm ET. See below.] Genetic testing that helps guide more precise cancer treatment is making its way into standard practice in major U.S. medical centers. Could the same eventually be true for depression? One test maker thinks it has finally gathered enough evidence to convince psychiatrists to order its product and make more … Continue reading “Will New Study Cut Guesswork for Depression Medicine Prescriptions?”
Histogen Treatment for Female Hair Loss Cleared for Clinical Testing
San Diego’s Histogen, a regenerative medicine company with technology for using nascent skin cells to produce “cosmeceutical” products, says the FDA has given a green light to its application for an initial safety study of its hair stimulation product in women. In the United States, Histogen says hair loss affects over 40 million men and … Continue reading “Histogen Treatment for Female Hair Loss Cleared for Clinical Testing”
Venture Firms to New York Wedding Startup Zola: ‘I Do’ to $100M
Most wedding registries are focused on the lead-up to the day of the ceremony. New York startup Zola also sees opportunity in connecting with—and making a sales pitch to—married couples years after they’ve tied the knot. Zola is an “e-commerce business disguised as a wedding company,” said Shan-lyn Ma, the startup’s founder and CEO, in … Continue reading “Venture Firms to New York Wedding Startup Zola: ‘I Do’ to $100M”
Bio Roundup: IDO Fallout, Express Scripts Dumps Amgen, Isaly Out & More
Here’s a case study of how fast things can change in biopharma. For a few years, a type of cancer drug called an IDO inhibitor was all the rage, a promising path to expanding the reach of immunotherapy. Major drug makers were dealing, too. Through acquisitions and alliances, they rolled out a spate of large-scale … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: IDO Fallout, Express Scripts Dumps Amgen, Isaly Out & More”
Litigation in Israel and U.S. Mires RNA Drug Developer Arcturus
In the five years since it was founded, San Diego-based Arcturus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARCT]]) says it has built a versatile platform for developing a variety of RNA-based medicines. On the Arcturus website, the company’s pre-clinical development pipeline includes drugs for treating hepatitis B, cystic fibrosis, and other intractable rare diseases and disorders. But a bitter … Continue reading “Litigation in Israel and U.S. Mires RNA Drug Developer Arcturus”
Cord-Cutting for Kids: Video App Kanopy Adds Free Children’s Shows
If you’ve already liberated yourself from a cable subscription in favor of streaming video services over the Internet, you’re parcelling out your dollars to get the content you want most from services such as Netflix, Hulu, and N.B.A. League Pass. A lesser-known option, Kanopy, offers an unusual streaming subscription deal: Pay nothing, because your university … Continue reading “Cord-Cutting for Kids: Video App Kanopy Adds Free Children’s Shows”
California’s Top Court Sets Tougher New Rules on Hiring “Gig Workers”
California employers who classify their workers as independent contractors will be consulting their lawyers today, says A. Mark Pope, an attorney who helped persuade the state’s highest court to establish sweeping new restrictions on hiring so-called “gig workers.” The California Supreme Court on Monday set new standards that will make it harder for companies in … Continue reading “California’s Top Court Sets Tougher New Rules on Hiring “Gig Workers””
Moving Beyond Obesity, Vivus Strikes $135M Deal for Digestive Drug
Sales of weight loss drugs have been light, and the Vivus drug Qsymia is no exception. Facing declining revenue as well as a looming mountain of debt, Vivus has been casting about for a new strategy. It looks like it’s found one. Campbell, CA-based Vivus (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VVUS]]) has agreed to pay $135 million for the … Continue reading “Moving Beyond Obesity, Vivus Strikes $135M Deal for Digestive Drug”
Three Lessons Punk Rock Teaches Us About Being a Business Leader
Inspiration comes in many forms, and as an entrepreneur, I found mine early on in an unusual place: punk rock. There are strong parallels between the business of punk rock and startups. When you’re starting a new business venture, you wear many hats—leader, innovator, developer, marketer, HR rep—with very little budget or certainty. You might … Continue reading “Three Lessons Punk Rock Teaches Us About Being a Business Leader”
Why “Micro-Learning” is the New Diploma For Today’s Jobseekers
You’d be hard-pressed to find a workplace today where using technology isn’t an integral part of the job, whether it’s an AI-powered recruiting tool, special coding software for app development, or even just Google Sheets that help workers keep track of budgets. Whether you’re applying for a position in marketing or in the field of … Continue reading “Why “Micro-Learning” is the New Diploma For Today’s Jobseekers”
City Staffers Share Innovation Insights at Smart Cities Accelerator
In cities across the United States, the benefits of bike-sharing and electric scooters that can be easily rented with a smartphone app have often been overshadowed by controversy. In Dallas, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, for example, complaints flooded into city offices earlier this year about the proliferation of “dockless” bikes cluttering sidewalks, handicap parking, … Continue reading “City Staffers Share Innovation Insights at Smart Cities Accelerator”
Synthorx Raises $63M to Advance Suite of Enhanced Cytokine Drugs
After demonstrating in 2016 how its synthetic biology technology could produce new biologic drugs, San Diego’s Synthorx today revealed that its lead drug candidate is an improved version of interleukin-2, an anti-cancer drug of intense commercial interest in the 1980s. Synthorx said its improved version of interleukin-2, known as Synthorin IL-2, is at the vanguard … Continue reading “Synthorx Raises $63M to Advance Suite of Enhanced Cytokine Drugs”
Bill Gates on Saving Babies, Educating Kids, and Picking a Major
On a sunny spring afternoon, William Henry Gates III strolled into the Harvard University science center. Several hundred students and invited guests were waiting for him in the auditorium. Security was tight, but not overly so (he’s used to it). Gates was there Thursday for a conversation with Frank Doyle, Harvard’s dean of engineering and … Continue reading “Bill Gates on Saving Babies, Educating Kids, and Picking a Major”
Bio Roundup: CRISPR Tests, Parkinson’s Questions, Opioid Bills & More
Politics is more partisan than ever these days, but the opioid crisis might be one of the few issues where elected officials find common ground. This week, members of Congress exercised a bipartisan effort in both chambers to advance dozens of measures proposing various approaches to fighting the opioid epidemic. A Senate committee voted unanimously … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CRISPR Tests, Parkinson’s Questions, Opioid Bills & More”
What President Trump Gets Wrong About Amazon’s Effect on the Economy
For the past week or so, President Trump has been deriding Amazon as a destroyer of jobs and the main reason many retail companies are failing. Unfortunately, this is a very one-sided and uninformed view of how Amazon is changing our economy. I run a retail operation that sells almost exclusively on Amazon. Since its … Continue reading “What President Trump Gets Wrong About Amazon’s Effect on the Economy”
SMA Day: AveXis Gene Therapy Creeps Forward as Biogen Drug’s Sales Slow
Just a few years ago, there were no drugs available for patients with the rare genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy. Now two cutting-edge therapies look headed for a commercial battle, with each data and revenue update a key moment in the race. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) was the first to bring an SMA drug to market, … Continue reading “SMA Day: AveXis Gene Therapy Creeps Forward as Biogen Drug’s Sales Slow”
Savari Raises $12M To Connect Cars To Stoplights, Phones, Each Other
Savari, whose technology is designed to create a shared communications web among cars, personal devices, and roadway signals, announced today it has raised $12 million in a Series B fundraising round. Santa Clara, CA-based Savari makes V2X technology—that is, software and hardware sensor units designed to connect vehicles to everything that moves, so they can … Continue reading “Savari Raises $12M To Connect Cars To Stoplights, Phones, Each Other”
Techstars Alexa Firms Address Settings Where Voice Is ‘Most Natural’
Smart speakers are becoming increasingly common in our homes. Users can instruct these devices to order takeout, give the weather forecast, or turn on or off various Internet-connected devices. The Consumer Technology Association estimates that nearly 44 million voice-enabled assistants will be sold this year in the United States. Unit sales rose 279 percent from … Continue reading “Techstars Alexa Firms Address Settings Where Voice Is ‘Most Natural’”
Tocagen Reaches Exclusive Deal in China for Brain Cancer Therapy
Roughly a year and a half after Tocagen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:TOCA]]) named Marty Duvall as CEO, the San Diego biotech said it has signed a deal that gives Beijing-based ApolloBio an exclusive license to its gene therapy treatment for a deadly type of brain cancer. Under terms of the deal, ApolloBio agreed to make a $16 … Continue reading “Tocagen Reaches Exclusive Deal in China for Brain Cancer Therapy”
Using Analytics, Fitcode Aims to Connect Shoppers to Jeans That Fit
There are few things more universal in wardrobes the world over than blue jeans. But they are also the number one item that is returned by online shoppers, says Rian Buckley, founder and CEO of Fitcode. “Fit is the number one purchase driver and reason to return,” she says. For many of us, the idea … Continue reading “Using Analytics, Fitcode Aims to Connect Shoppers to Jeans That Fit”
Biogen Pays $1B to Broaden Ionis Pact, Betting More on RNA Drugs
Biogen will pay Ionis Pharmaceuticals $1 billion to expand their current partnership, doubling down on the RNA drugmaking technology that brought the spinal muscular atrophy drug nusinersen (Spinraza) to market. Ionis (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IONS]]) gets $325 million in cash up front in the deal, while Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) will also buy 11,501,153 Ionis shares at $54.34 … Continue reading “Biogen Pays $1B to Broaden Ionis Pact, Betting More on RNA Drugs”
Bio Roundup: Hope for Lungs, Bradner’s Complaint, FDA Nods & More
The biggest news this week was in oncology, hands down. Merck showed that its immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda) might become a common option for many patients newly diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, but the bigger picture is that the field is moving fast. While pembrolizumab notched the headline-grabbing data, others are also working to develop options … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Hope for Lungs, Bradner’s Complaint, FDA Nods & More”