The Scripps Research Institute and AbbVie have agreed to broaden an existing drug discovery agreement focused on cancer cell therapies to now encompass treatments for other kinds of disease. Scripps’s early-stage drug discovery division, Calibr, last year inked a big partnership with North Chicago, IL-based AbbVie (NYSE: [[ticker:ABBV]]) to develop potential treatments for solid cancer … Continue reading “Scripps Research, AbbVie Expand Drug Discovery Deal Beyond Cancer”
Category: San Diego
Eying Cancer Combos, Sanofi to Splash Out $2.5B on San Diego’s Synthorx
Synthorx is working to design new cytokine therapies for cancer using an “extended” genetic alphabet that could help avoid the shortcomings associated with earlier versions. Now French biopharma Sanofi has struck a deal to add the startup to its oncology business in a transaction that values the company at about $2.5 billion. The move is … Continue reading “Eying Cancer Combos, Sanofi to Splash Out $2.5B on San Diego’s Synthorx”
Insitro Hires Serafim Batzoglou As Its First Chief Data Officer
The San Francisco-based drug discovery startup, Insitro, has hired its first chief data officer. Serafim Batzoglou joins the company from Illumina (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ILMN]]), out of San Diego, where he was the vice president of applied and computational biology. He also was a professor of computer science at Stanford University and co-founded the genomics analytics startup, … Continue reading “Insitro Hires Serafim Batzoglou As Its First Chief Data Officer”
3 Takeaways From the Resurrection of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s Drug
The name of the experimental drug was heard so frequently in hotel hallways at the conference that it sounded like an incantation: aducanumab, aducanumab, aducanumab. Regardless of the eventual FDA verdict on Biogen’s once-bagged, now-revived anti-amyloid antibody, data from clinical trials of the treatment have inarguably altered the course of drug discovery and development for … Continue reading “3 Takeaways From the Resurrection of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s Drug”
Acadia Looks to Expand Drug Beyond Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis
Acadia Pharmaceuticals revealed late-stage clinical data this week that could support bringing its drug for psychosis to a broader group of patients. The Acadia (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACAD]]) drug pimavanserin (Nuplazid) is currently approved for treating psychosis associated with Parkinson’s disease. But the San Diego-based company has also been testing the drug in dementia-related psychosis (DRP), which … Continue reading “Acadia Looks to Expand Drug Beyond Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis”
Bio Roundup: Biogen at CTAD, Sage’s Stumble, Astellas’s $3B Offer & More
It’s been a roller-coaster year for those hoping for new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease, a leading cause of death with rising treatment costs and no clear answer yet as to its cause. Clearing proteins, such as amyloid and tau, was once seen as the top contender for stopping or slowing neurodegeneration. Costly failures forced … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Biogen at CTAD, Sage’s Stumble, Astellas’s $3B Offer & More”
Biogen Points to Enrollment and Dosing to Explain Alzheimer’s Results
Biogen revealed detailed results from its Alzheimer’s trial to a jam-packed room of eager conference attendees this week—and while some described it as a major advance in the field, others were less convinced. Samantha Budd Haeberlein, Biogen’s vice president of clinical development, took the stage Thursday morning in San Diego at Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s … Continue reading “Biogen Points to Enrollment and Dosing to Explain Alzheimer’s Results”
As Alzheimer’s Conference Kicks Off, All Eyes Are on Biogen’s Drug
It’s the “era of neuroscience”; an industry “turning point”; and “an amazing time”—superlatives were flowing freely as the 12th annual Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease congress (CTAD) kicked off in rainy San Diego late Wednesday afternoon. The atmosphere felt thick with anticipation as attendees massed in the downtown hotel where the conference is taking place, … Continue reading “As Alzheimer’s Conference Kicks Off, All Eyes Are on Biogen’s Drug”
6 Experimental Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnostics Projects Get Funding Boost
Scientists gathered this week in San Diego at the annual Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Congress are focused on ways to treat the neurodegenerative disease, a task that continues to vex those working to develop potential medicines. Others are working on an intimately related problem: early detection of the disease and related dementias. On Wednesday … Continue reading “6 Experimental Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnostics Projects Get Funding Boost”
Digital Health Survivors & Innovative Incumbents Must Team Up for True Disruption
Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a two-part post about innovation in digital health, co-authored by Rob Coppedge, CEO of Echo Health Ventures. Read Part 1 here. The Path Forward Between Echo Health Ventures and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, we work deeply on both sides of these partnerships and have perspective … Continue reading “Digital Health Survivors & Innovative Incumbents Must Team Up for True Disruption”
Stemonix, Atomwise Team Up on Drug Discovery With MicroOrgans and AI
Two venture-backed startups that have developed technologies intended to speed up the drug discovery and development process are combining those tools in a bid to achieve their goals together. San Francisco-based Atomwise has developed deep learning techniques for use in structure-based small molecule drug discovery. Since 2012 it has raised more than $50 million to … Continue reading “Stemonix, Atomwise Team Up on Drug Discovery With MicroOrgans and AI”
Veracyte Aims to Expand Diagnostics Reach With $50M NanoString Deal
[Updated 12/4/19, 4:01 p.m. ET. See below.] Veracyte, a company whose tests help physicians make treatment decisions, is adding technology from NanoString to the fold to expand its diagnostic capabilities. South San Francisco-based Veracyte (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VCYT]]) announced Tuesday that it has reached a deal for global rights to develop and commercialize diagnostics based on the … Continue reading “Veracyte Aims to Expand Diagnostics Reach With $50M NanoString Deal”
Partner or Die: How to Succeed Even After the Digital Health Hype Quiets Down
Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a two-part piece on innovation in digital health, co-authored by Bryony Winn, chief strategy and innovation officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Read Part 2 here. More than 6,500 people descended on HLTH in Las Vegas in late October to “solve the most pressing … Continue reading “Partner or Die: How to Succeed Even After the Digital Health Hype Quiets Down”
Neurocrine Inks $50M Xenon Pharma Deal to Expand Into Epilepsy
Neurocrine Biosciences is paying $30 million cash and taking a $20 million equity stake in Xenon Pharmaceuticals to license a clinical-stage epilepsy drug and collaborate on other potential treatments for the seizure-causing brain disorder. The Xenon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:XENE]]) deal is the second one San Diego-based Neurocrine (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NBIX]]) has struck this year in a bid … Continue reading “Neurocrine Inks $50M Xenon Pharma Deal to Expand Into Epilepsy”
Deep 6 AI Adds $17M To Advance Clinical Trial Recruitment Software
Software startup Deep 6 AI has developed a system that analyzes a range of patient health records to accelerate the process of identifying candidates for clinical trial recruitment—a longstanding bottleneck in the drug development process. The Pasadena, CA-based company, founded in 2015, recently raised $17M in Series A funding to advance its software system, which … Continue reading “Deep 6 AI Adds $17M To Advance Clinical Trial Recruitment Software”
La Jolla Pharma’s Share Price Halves On Trial End, CEO Departure
La Jolla Pharmaceutical is turning its focus to its lone FDA-approved product and another one in the pipeline after an experimental drug for a rare blood disease failed a late-stage study. On Monday, La Jolla Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LJPC]]) said it was halting a clinical trial testing LJPC-401, its drug candidate for iron overload in patients … Continue reading “La Jolla Pharma’s Share Price Halves On Trial End, CEO Departure”
PhoenixMD Adds Seed Funding to Test Experimental Breast Cancer Drug
Phoenix Molecular Designs, a biotech developing kinase inhibitors to treat cancer, has brought in an undisclosed amount of financing—boosting its total seed funding raised to $12 million. The San Diego-based biotech says the proceeds will help fund the Phase 1/1b clinical trial of its lead candidate, PMD-026, an investigational cancer drug being developed to treat … Continue reading “PhoenixMD Adds Seed Funding to Test Experimental Breast Cancer Drug”
Five Questions With a16z’s Vijay Pande on AI and Making New Drugs
In startup world these days, the word “biotech” is increasingly accompanied by “computational” and two, two-letter initialisms: AI and ML. Those tools—artificial intelligence and machine learning, respectively—have been around for decades, but in recent years have become faster and cheaper, accelerating their use by those in the business of discovering and developing new drugs. Another … Continue reading “Five Questions With a16z’s Vijay Pande on AI and Making New Drugs”
Bio Roundup: So Long Celgene, RNAi’s Arrival, Pharma in 2020 & More
Bristol-Myers Squibb this week completed its acquisition of Celgene, a $74 billion deal that creates a pharmaceutical juggernaut. And all it took was the largest asset sale ever required by federal antitrust regulators. As the Federal Trade Commission reviewed Bristol’s (NYSE: [[ticker:BMS]]) deal to acquire Celgene, anti-inflammatory drug apremilast (Otezla) emerged as a sticking point. … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: So Long Celgene, RNAi’s Arrival, Pharma in 2020 & More”
Biopharma Execs Remain Optimistic Despite Political Headwinds
Drug pricing debates and uncertainty associated with Brexit are the issues most likely to keep biopharmaceutical executives awake at night. Nevertheless, senior figures remain optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2020. These are among the major findings of a survey of 500 industry leaders and investors conducted by investment bank Jefferies. “Nearly half of respondents … Continue reading “Biopharma Execs Remain Optimistic Despite Political Headwinds”
Biotech Roundup: Gottlieb v. Juul, Solid Slumps, Avidity Gets $100M & More
Lung injuries connected to the use of electronic cigarettes have topped 2,000 and killed 40 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s still unclear whether the cases are tied to legally sold products or devices modified by e-cigarette users, but the CDC this week identified a “potential toxin of concern”—Vitamin E … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Gottlieb v. Juul, Solid Slumps, Avidity Gets $100M & More”
Daré to Add Microchip-Based Birth Control to Women’s Health Portfolio
The list of activities our smartphones can control grows daily. Transfer money? It’s simple. Order groceries? That, too. Turn off the bedroom lights? Check. How about contraception? Advancing new forms of birth control is a central focus at Daré Bioscience (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DARE]]), a San Diego-based biopharma company that’s built a pipeline of experimental devices and … Continue reading “Daré to Add Microchip-Based Birth Control to Women’s Health Portfolio”
Equillium Names Chief Business Officer Bruce Steel as Successor CEO
Equillium (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EQ]]) announced this week that CEO Dan Bradbury would step down from the role Jan. 1 and be succeeded by Bruce Steel, the company’s current chief business officer and president. Bradbury will remain executive chairman. Steel, a co-founder of the company, was previously the founder and managing director of BioMed Realty’s strategic investment … Continue reading “Equillium Names Chief Business Officer Bruce Steel as Successor CEO”
Calporta, Started by Avalon Ventures-GSK, Is Acquired by Merck
Another of the biopharma startups created as part of a collaboration between San Diego investment firm Avalon Ventures and GlaxoSmithKline has been acquired—but not by GSK. Instead, the company, Calporta Therapeutics, is being absorbed by Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]), which is interested in its preclinical work on potential treatments for lysosomal storage and neurodegenerative diseases, including … Continue reading “Calporta, Started by Avalon Ventures-GSK, Is Acquired by Merck”
Avidity Bio Adds $100M to Advance R&D of Muscle Disorder Drugs
Earlier this year, Avidity Biosciences and Eli Lilly began a partnership to develop new drugs based on the biotech’s technology for delivering genetic material to cells. On Wednesday, Lilly was among a group of investors that joined a $100 million financing for the company. The funding, a Series C round, was led by RTW Investments. … Continue reading “Avidity Bio Adds $100M to Advance R&D of Muscle Disorder Drugs”
Neurana Pharmaceuticals Appoints Randall Kaye Chief Medical Officer
Randall Kaye is joining Neurana Pharmaceuticals as chief medical officer. Kaye was most recently CMO at digital therapeutics developer Click Therapeutics. Previously he held executive roles at SSI Strategy, where he served as CMO of Axsome Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AXSM]]), and at Avanir Pharmaceuticals. Neurana, which is based in San Diego, is advancing its lead drug … Continue reading “Neurana Pharmaceuticals Appoints Randall Kaye Chief Medical Officer”
Roche Challenger to Biogen’s SMA Drug Succeeds in Pivotal Study
A Roche drug in development as a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy achieved the main goals of a key study, helping to build the case that the drug could challenge a Biogen therapy already approved for the rare disorder. Roche announced Monday that its drug, risdiplam, met the main goal of showing improvement according to … Continue reading “Roche Challenger to Biogen’s SMA Drug Succeeds in Pivotal Study”
Neuroscience Is Taking the Spotlight at Xconomy’s Bay Area Xchange
These are heady times for neuroscience research. Startups developing new approaches to brain disorders are raising money to advance their discoveries toward clinical trials. One failed neuro drug is getting another shot. On Nov. 19 in San Francisco, we’ll hold the latest in our Xchange event series. What’s Next in Neuroscience Therapies will take a … Continue reading “Neuroscience Is Taking the Spotlight at Xconomy’s Bay Area Xchange”
Looking to Level Up in NASH, Novo Nordisk Licenses Ube Drug Candidate
Danish diabetes giant Novo Nordisk took another step this week in its efforts to establish a presence in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, a metabolic disorder closely related to diabetes that is anticipated to become the leading cause of liver transplants in the US in coming years. The company Thursday announced it had inked a deal … Continue reading “Looking to Level Up in NASH, Novo Nordisk Licenses Ube Drug Candidate”
Bio Roundup: Feds Sue Gilead, Biogen Eyes China, CRISPR’d Kidneys & More
During the state of the union address this year, President Trump pledged to end HIV transmission within the next decade. A key part of that plan is an HIV prevention drug made by Gilead Sciences. That drug has now become the center of a patent dispute between the Foster City, CA, drug maker and the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Feds Sue Gilead, Biogen Eyes China, CRISPR’d Kidneys & More”
3 Changes We Should Make to Address the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine
Women in medicine earn about 20 percent less than men. That is a problem for multiple reasons. It is, of course, not fair to the women who go through the same training and have the same skills as their male counterparts. Worse still, if well-qualified women are discouraged from entering the profession because of this … Continue reading “3 Changes We Should Make to Address the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine”
AstraZeneca Chooses China for R&D and AI Centers, $1B Biotech Fund
AstraZeneca says it will establish centers for drug research and artificial intelligence development in China. The pharmaceutical giant has also set up a $1 billion fund to foster biotech innovation in that country. The move—which was announced at the China International Import Expo this week—will see AstraZeneca found a global R&D center in Shanghai’s central … Continue reading “AstraZeneca Chooses China for R&D and AI Centers, $1B Biotech Fund”
GE Healthcare Opens Startup Labs at Former AstraZeneca UK R&D Site
The doors have opened at a GE Healthcare-supported open-access lab for startups at AstraZeneca’s former global center for oncology research and development at Alderley Park, the largest bioscience research campus in the UK. The AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) site in Macclesfield, UK, housed 3,500 staff and was instrumental in developing a number of its cancer drugs … Continue reading “GE Healthcare Opens Startup Labs at Former AstraZeneca UK R&D Site”
Why Steve Kafka Left Third Rock Ventures for Up-and-Comer Section 32
Section 32, which invests in healthcare and life sciences companies with a technology component, has added a third managing partner. The small venture capital firm was started in San Diego about two years ago by Bill Maris, who, during his time at Google, founded and led its corporate venture capital arm, now part of parent … Continue reading “Why Steve Kafka Left Third Rock Ventures for Up-and-Comer Section 32”
With $9.5M, Intrepida Bio Launches to Target Pancreatic Cancer & More
Dauntless Pharmaceuticals formed in 2016, and its founders said the Sofinnova Ventures-backed firm planned to take a new approach to building biotechs. Instead of advancing a broad stable of early-stage drug candidates under the same roof, Dauntless aimed to set up each asset within its own company. The idea was that when it came time … Continue reading “With $9.5M, Intrepida Bio Launches to Target Pancreatic Cancer & More”
Acadia Names Subbiah Chief Medical Officer, Head of Medical Affairs
Ponni Subbiah is joining Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACAD]]) as chief medical officer and senior vice president, global head of medical affairs. She was most recently CMO at UK opioid manufacturer Indivior; she previously spent about 15 years at Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]). San Diego-based Acadia has one drug on the market, pimavanserin (Nuplazid), a treatment for … Continue reading “Acadia Names Subbiah Chief Medical Officer, Head of Medical Affairs”
Halozyme to Restructure After Pancreatic Cancer Drug Fails in Phase 3
An experimental Halozyme Therapeutics treatment for pancreatic cancer has failed a pivotal study, and the company is stopping further development of the drug and closing its oncology operations as part of a corporate restructuring. Halozyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HALO]]) announced Monday that its drug, PEGPH20, did not meet a Phase 3 study’s main goal of improving how … Continue reading “Halozyme to Restructure After Pancreatic Cancer Drug Fails in Phase 3”
Biotech Roundup: Novartis on Hold, AMAG Vote, Neuro News & More
The brain has stymied many efforts to develop new neuroscience drugs, leading a number of big pharmaceutical companies to pull back on such R&D work. This week, Amgen joined them. Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) is ending its research and early development programs in neuroscience, the company announced during a conference call to discuss third-quarter financial results. … Continue reading “Biotech Roundup: Novartis on Hold, AMAG Vote, Neuro News & More”
FDA Halts Novartis Gene Therapy Study Amid Animal Safety Concerns
Novartis must stop enrollment of a clinical trial testing its gene therapy for a rare, muscular disorder after safety concerns surfaced in data from an animal study. The FDA put a partial clinical hold on a Phase 1/2 study testing the therapy, Zolgensma, Novartis (NYSE: [[ticker:NVS]]) announced Wednesday. The decision doesn’t halt the study entirely; … Continue reading “FDA Halts Novartis Gene Therapy Study Amid Animal Safety Concerns”
Boundless Bio Appoints Chris Hassig as Its Chief Scientific Officer
Chris Hassig has joined cancer drug developer Boundless Bio as its chief scientific officer. He is tasked with overseeing the San Diego company’s drug discovery efforts, expanding its research team, and guiding the company in building out a pipeline of therapeutics. Hassig was most recently CSO of Sierra Oncology (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SRRA]]); prior he served in … Continue reading “Boundless Bio Appoints Chris Hassig as Its Chief Scientific Officer”
Prometheus Bio Appoints Mike Walther as Chief Commercial Officer
Mike Walther has been appointed chief commercial officer of Prometheus Biosciences, which is developing new gastroenterology and autoimmune disease drugs and diagnostics. Walther was most recently general manager at Aries Pharmaceuticals. His experience also includes a series of management roles, including vice president of commercial development, at Nestlé Health Science unit Prometheus Laboratories. The conglomerate’s … Continue reading “Prometheus Bio Appoints Mike Walther as Chief Commercial Officer”
UK Regulator Has “Competition Concerns” Over Illumina-PacBio Tie-Up
Nearly one year after DNA sequencing machine maker Illumina announced plans to acquire smaller rival Pacific Biosciences, antitrust regulators in the UK say the merger could stifle competition in the region and reduce industry innovation. The Competition and Markets Authority has been eying the proposed $1.2 billion tie-up since April. The regulator’s in-depth review, which … Continue reading “UK Regulator Has “Competition Concerns” Over Illumina-PacBio Tie-Up”
Bio Roundup: Biogen’s Reversal, FDA Moves Fast, a CF Cocktail & More
Earlier this year, it seemed that companies testing Alzheimer’s disease treatments based on a long-held hypothesis as to its cause—brain deposits of a protein called beta amyloid—were giving up the ghost. Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) was among them. The drug maker had stopped testing of a drug developed to target amyloid plaque after a Phase 3 … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Biogen’s Reversal, FDA Moves Fast, a CF Cocktail & More”
Bio Roundup: Ichnos Emerges, Beyond CAR-T, BridgeBio Bails & More
New brand-name drugs typically grab the life science headlines. A venture capital firm will invest tens of millions to develop one and a pharmaceutical company hopes to recoup hundreds of millions by selling it. But a shortage of one particular chemotherapy is showing the crucial role generic drugs play in healthcare. This week, The New … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Ichnos Emerges, Beyond CAR-T, BridgeBio Bails & More”
Plexium Debuts With $28M and a New Take on Protein Degradation Drugs
Even as researchers discover more links between specific proteins and human disease, it’s still hard to find small molecules or antibodies that can bind to those drug targets. San Diego biotech Plexium is the latest addition to the growing number of startups aiming to use technology to devise new drugs that can target those currently … Continue reading “Plexium Debuts With $28M and a New Take on Protein Degradation Drugs”
Healx Bags $56M to Advance Affordable, AI-Based Orphan Drugs
Atomico, a European venture capital firm, has helped persuade Cambridge, UK-based Healx to return to the capital market a year earlier than anticipated. The biotech has just raised $56 million in Series B funding to bankroll its mission to use AI and machine learning to create affordable rare disease treatments. It is not surprising that … Continue reading “Healx Bags $56M to Advance Affordable, AI-Based Orphan Drugs”
Poseida Therapeutics Brings In Amgen’s Kerry Ingalls as COO
Poseida Therapeutics said Thursday that Kerry Ingalls has joined the company as its chief operating officer, and that he is tasked with overseeing its global manufacturing operations. Ingalls most recently oversaw clinical and commercial manufacturing for Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) at its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, CA; he has also held leadership roles at other Amgen … Continue reading “Poseida Therapeutics Brings In Amgen’s Kerry Ingalls as COO”
Bio Roundup: Nobel Prizes, Placebo Effect Rises, ICER’s Fire & More
Congrats to this year’s Nobel Prize winners in medicine… although, we have to ask: For the US researchers who are honored, isn’t there something crushing about a call in the middle of the night from Sweden, interrupting a dream about the perfect protein-protein interaction? Wouldn’t it be more logical for the committee to wait until … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Nobel Prizes, Placebo Effect Rises, ICER’s Fire & More”
The Placebo Effect Is Hobbling New Psychiatric Drugs. What Can Stop It?
Sixteen years ago, Kim Witczak’s husband died by his own hand, turning her world upside down. He had just begun taking an antidepressant off-label for insomnia, and she believes an undisclosed side effect of the drug drove him to suicide. Compelled to act, she became an advocate for tougher safety standards. Witczak now sits on … Continue reading “The Placebo Effect Is Hobbling New Psychiatric Drugs. What Can Stop It?”
Five Years After Y Combinator First Admits Biotechs, They’re Dug In
Five years ago, the big tech incubator Y Combinator started to welcome life sciences companies into its sizable startup classes, which had previously nurtured entrepreneurs in information technology almost exclusively. That opening to biotech startups in 2014 was controversial at the time. Some observers simply wondered what kind of guidance a deeply tech-focused accelerator could … Continue reading “Five Years After Y Combinator First Admits Biotechs, They’re Dug In”