No matter what pharmaceutical companies throw at bacteria and fungi, the microorganisms find ways to get ahead. Their ability to mutate and reproduce quickly gives rise to new generations resistant to anti-infective drugs. Fungal resistance also troubles farmers, but they’ve had few new crop treatments to choose from, in part because agricultural technology investment has … Continue reading “How Boragen Banked $10M to Develop New Boron-Based Fungicides”
Category: Wisconsin
Bio Roundup: Healthcare Is Hard, “Slow” FDA, Drugging RNA & More
In an address to Congress this week, President Donald Trump outlined many of his near-term goals, including an overhaul of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, even as public opinion has begun to shift in favor of the law. Trump toned down his typical blunderbuss rhetoric, but he had choice words for the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Healthcare Is Hard, “Slow” FDA, Drugging RNA & More”
Capital Stockpile Grows as Venture Fund-Raising Hits Recent High
In the venture capital business, a rising tide lifts all boats. That’s the idea, at least. A new report released today by Seattle-based PitchBook shows that U.S. venture firms have plenty of capital to invest in new companies, after 328 venture funds raised a total of $51.6 billion in 2016. That’s a high-water mark for … Continue reading “Capital Stockpile Grows as Venture Fund-Raising Hits Recent High”
Snap Raises $3.4B in IPO, Soaring Trades Set Value Past $20B
Snap, which rose to unicorn status based on a social media app that creates quickly vanishing photos, attracted solid investor interest in an IPO that raised $3.4 billion and sent shares up more than 50 percent above the initial offering price during the first day of trading today. Snap (NYSE: [[ticker:SNAP]]) priced its IPO shares … Continue reading “Snap Raises $3.4B in IPO, Soaring Trades Set Value Past $20B”
Trump and Kalanick: Twin Chief Executives Face Similar Problems
In the rinse-repeat rhythm of Uber’s PR crises, it’s easy to miss that this particular cycle has been a long one. Uber’s latest wave of negative press began in January with a backlash against CEO Travis Kalanick’s role on President Donald Trump’s White House business advisory panel. There’s some irony here, because Trump and Kalanick … Continue reading “Trump and Kalanick: Twin Chief Executives Face Similar Problems”
Former FDA Commissioners Califf, McClellan Talk Healthcare’s Future
The top spot at the FDA remains vacant, and the change in presidential power has some healthcare observers wondering about possible changes for the regulator. One month removed from serving as FDA commissioner, Robert Califf says the agency can be improved through a combination of precedent, experience, and evidence. Califf, who served less than one … Continue reading “Former FDA Commissioners Califf, McClellan Talk Healthcare’s Future”
Trump Policies, Paperwork, & More: Advice for Startup Founders
If you are the founder of a fledgling business, there are many things that are under your control, but also some that are not. For instance, entrepreneurs working to develop tools to help hospitals get reimbursed for providing care have likely monitored political news more closely since November. One of the reasons is that following … Continue reading “Trump Policies, Paperwork, & More: Advice for Startup Founders”
Bio Roundup: Trump Backlash, Verdine Plans, Sarepta Sale & More
A short week makes for a shorter roundup. As we’ve come to expect, however, there was no dearth of health and life-sciences news from Washington, D.C. A bipartisan group of Congress members who oversee health policy countered President Donald Trump’s encouragement of vaccine skeptics; the real test will be the upcoming budget’s funding of Centers … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump Backlash, Verdine Plans, Sarepta Sale & More”
Shares in Exact Sciences Rise on Better-Than-Expected P&L Results
Exact Sciences nearly quadrupled its advertising spending in 2016 as it sought to build a customer base for its flagship product. The television ad blitz seemed to work, said leaders at the company earlier this week, when Exact reported fourth-quarter earnings. The company’s profit-and-loss results came in above many analysts’ estimates, sending its stock to … Continue reading “Shares in Exact Sciences Rise on Better-Than-Expected P&L Results”
Sexual Harassment Claims Add to Turbulent Times for Uber
For the second time in less than a month, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick found himself fending off critical questions from his own employees at a Tuesday company-wide meeting. The last time, Kalanick was trying to justify remaining on President Trump’s economic advisory council after Trump issued a sudden travel ban against refugees and people from … Continue reading “Sexual Harassment Claims Add to Turbulent Times for Uber”
Amazon, Uber, and Bill Gates’s Robot Tax: An Automation Snapshot
As we gear up for Robo Madness 2017: A.I. Gets Real, our annual robotics and artificial intelligence conference at Google’s offices in Kendall Square, let’s connect a few dots around the topic of automation. In just the past day or two: —Uber has started testing self-driving cars in Tempe, AZ, after having its tests banned … Continue reading “Amazon, Uber, and Bill Gates’s Robot Tax: An Automation Snapshot”
Epic Launches App Orchard to Create ‘Easier Developer Experience’
Epic Systems, which sells software for managing health records that is used to care for 190 million patients around the world, has introduced a new program that the company says will help outside healthcare software developers integrate their digital tools with Epic’s. The program, called App Orchard, aims to make it simpler for developers to … Continue reading “Epic Launches App Orchard to Create ‘Easier Developer Experience’”
Gener8tor, ParqEx, 4490, RPRD, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Catch up on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Gener8tor, a startup accelerator that has held programs in Wisconsin and Minnesota, has named Eric Martell managing director of its Twin Cities programming, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reported. Martell is a co-founder of EatStreet, a Madison-based food-ordering startup, and previously served as … Continue reading “Gener8tor, ParqEx, 4490, RPRD, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
After Navigating Ups and Downs, Cellectar CEO Caruso Looks to Future
Cellectar Biosciences has seen ups and downs in the last 18 months, including several changes in its top ranks. Now, as the cancer drug developer prepares to take its lead drug candidate into mid-stage clinical trials, CEO Jim Caruso seems more interested in talking about his company’s future than its past. Madison, WI-based Cellectar (NASDAQ: … Continue reading “After Navigating Ups and Downs, Cellectar CEO Caruso Looks to Future”
Agtech Accelerator Radicle Recruits Industry Vets to Mentor Startups
Former Sapphire Energy CEO Jason Pyle is one of four agricultural technology veterans who have agreed to advise the startups taking root at Radicle, the San Diego-based accelerator focused on agricultural and food tech ventures. Radicle named Pyle, who is now the CEO of BaseHealth, a Silicon Valley healthtech developer of analytic software, as a … Continue reading “Agtech Accelerator Radicle Recruits Industry Vets to Mentor Startups”
Lumina Foundation Gives Odds For Edtech Innovation Under Trump
[Corrected 2/22/17, 9:35 am. See below.] Bipartisanship hasn’t exactly been the watchword in Washington over the past month as the new Trump administration grapples with stalled nominations, court battles over its travel ban, and investigations of campaign contacts with Russia. But deeply divided politicians may still find some common ground over education policy—in ways that … Continue reading “Lumina Foundation Gives Odds For Edtech Innovation Under Trump”
Bio Roundup: CRISPR Drama, Marathon and PhRMA, the Price of Vision & More
News may be coming out of Washington, DC, at a breakneck pace, but concrete plans regarding the future of the nation’s healthcare system, the FDA, and the pharmaceutical industry have been much slower to materialize. The consternation about President Donald Trump’s coming pick for FDA commissioner was palpable this week at the BIO CEO & … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CRISPR Drama, Marathon and PhRMA, the Price of Vision & More”
Probiotics Maker UAS Laboratories Raises $21.2M From Investors
The Wausau, WI-based probiotics manufacturer UAS Laboratories says it has raised more than $21.2 million, according to an SEC filing that was recently made public. Twelve investors participated in the equity funding round, according to the filing. UAS Labs formulates, blends, bottles, and distributes probiotic products, which are designed to stimulate the growth of so-called … Continue reading “Probiotics Maker UAS Laboratories Raises $21.2M From Investors”
With “Go,” Amazon Identifies Another Job It Can Do Better
Early last year, I “fired” talk radio along with NPR’s morning and evening editions. That same day, I “hired” Amazon Audible as my commute companion. It wasn’t a difficult decision. Audible is far better than its predecessors at doing the job I need done as I travel to and from my office – provide on-demand … Continue reading “With “Go,” Amazon Identifies Another Job It Can Do Better”
Fintech VC Backing Dipped 13 Percent in 2016, Mirroring Rest of Tech
The final numbers on 2016 fintech funding deals are in from New York-based research firm and investment database CB Insights, and venture capitalists seem to be cooling on the industry. According to a report released today, financial technology companies around the world attracted $12.7 billion in venture capital across 836 investments last year. That is … Continue reading “Fintech VC Backing Dipped 13 Percent in 2016, Mirroring Rest of Tech”
Panel: Big Data Can Be ‘Democratized’ For The Masses
Big data is a big deal, and it’s not too late for people who feel they know little or nothing about the collection, organization, storage, and retrieval of massive amounts of information to start paying attention. The trend isn’t going anywhere. Those were some of the themes of a panel discussion held on Monday in … Continue reading “Panel: Big Data Can Be ‘Democratized’ For The Masses”
Lynx Bio Makes Headway on New Diagnostic for Blood Cancer Drugs
In 2009, as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Chorom Pak was part of a group of researchers working to understand how sensitive patients’ cells were to certain therapies for blood cancers, such as multiple myeloma. The group, which also included UW-Madison professors Shigeki Miyamoto and David Beebe, and postdoctoral fellow Edmond Young, … Continue reading “Lynx Bio Makes Headway on New Diagnostic for Blood Cancer Drugs”
NeuroPointDX, JCI, Resnick, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist
Keep up with the latest news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —NeuroPointDX, a business division of Madison-based Stemina Biomarker Discovery focused on diagnostics for neurological disorders, announced a partnership with New York-based Ovid Therapeutics. The collaboration is aimed at identifying novel biomarkers of Angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by intellectual … Continue reading “NeuroPointDX, JCI, Resnick, & More: This Week’s Wisconsin Watchlist”
Dear Tom Price: Bundled Payments Help Patients and Reduce Costs
With all the talk of repealing Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), people have been taking a closer look at what the law has done for our healthcare system. It turns out the ACA is about a lot more than the problematic healthcare marketplaces. There’s the extension of parental insurance coverage to age 26 and … Continue reading “Dear Tom Price: Bundled Payments Help Patients and Reduce Costs”
Senate Confirms Price for HHS, But Stock Deals Still Raise Questions
The Senate confirmed Tom Price as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services early Friday morning by a 52-47 vote that, as expected, fell largely on party lines. Price is an orthopedic surgeon by training who has been a member of Georgia’s congressional delegation since 2004. He will now oversee a department that … Continue reading “Senate Confirms Price for HHS, But Stock Deals Still Raise Questions”
Bio Roundup: Travel Ban Block, Gilead Shock, Dean Kamen Talk & More
The biotech community pushed back against President Donald Trump’s order to block travelers and refugees this week, and not much later, a federal court did, too. Patient advocates have scored big wins with recent approvals of rare disease treatments, but they’re not as happy with insurers’ coverage decisions or with Trump’s promises of massive FDA … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Travel Ban Block, Gilead Shock, Dean Kamen Talk & More”
Often Advocates Of Faster FDA, Patient Groups Wary Of Trump Deregulation
In the biomedical world, perhaps the biggest question looming over President Donald Trump’s upcoming pick for Food and Drug Administration commissioner is how drastically that person will help roll back FDA regulations. Trump said at last week’s meeting in Washington D.C., with pharmaceutical executives that he wanted to slash FDA rules by 75 to 80 … Continue reading “Often Advocates Of Faster FDA, Patient Groups Wary Of Trump Deregulation”
San Francisco Appeals Court Upholds Stay on Trump’s Travel Ban—For Now
The Trump administration’s travel ban will remain on a temporary hold under an order issued today by a federal appeals court in San Francisco, which held that the government had failed to make its case for lifting a stay won through a court challenge by the state of Washington. That means that for the time … Continue reading “San Francisco Appeals Court Upholds Stay on Trump’s Travel Ban—For Now”
Xconomy Is Growing: We Need Great Salespeople in SF, Texas, and NY
Since Xconomy’s founding nearly a decade ago, we have grown from a single bureau in Boston to having editors covering 11 innovation clusters around the United States. And over this time, we have cultivated a reputation for outstanding news coverage and events across high-tech business sectors—from information technology to life sciences and beyond. In the … Continue reading “Xconomy Is Growing: We Need Great Salespeople in SF, Texas, and NY”
Spredfast Says It Will Close Its Madison Office, Eliminating 47 Jobs
In August 2015, Spredfast, an Austin, TX-based developer of social media management software, acquired Madison, WI-based Shoutlet for an undisclosed sum. In a message announcing the deal, Spredfast said that the staff and headquarters of Shoutlet—which sold cloud-based software to help measure the impact of online marketing campaigns—would “become Spredfast’s newest development center.” Now, a … Continue reading “Spredfast Says It Will Close Its Madison Office, Eliminating 47 Jobs”
Propeller Health, Novartis to Develop Add-On Sensor for Breezhaler
Propeller Health, a Madison, WI-based startup that makes Internet-connected inhalers and sensors designed to help asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, says it is teaming up with Novartis to build an add-on sensor for the Swiss pharma giant’s Breezhaler device. The agreement, announced on Wednesday, is focused on patients with COPD who live … Continue reading “Propeller Health, Novartis to Develop Add-On Sensor for Breezhaler”
Bayer Enlists Trana Discovery to Find New Fungicides for Field Crops
When disease decimated Ireland’s potatoes in 1845, farmers were at a loss to explain what caused their staple crop to rot in the fields. The blight continued in successive growing seasons and by 1851, more than one million deaths were attributed to what came to be known as the “Great Famine.” Fungicides can now prevent … Continue reading “Bayer Enlists Trana Discovery to Find New Fungicides for Field Crops”
Madison Healthtech Startup Catalyze Rebrands As ‘Datica’
Scaling a mountain, even a figurative one, sometimes requires making changes on the fly. Catalyze, an early-stage healthtech company based in Madison, WI, previously used a mountaineering theme when choosing names for its primary software applications. It chose the climbing term Redpoint for its health data integration product, while its hosting and compliance offering was … Continue reading “Madison Healthtech Startup Catalyze Rebrands As ‘Datica’”
Trump’s Immigration Policies Threaten to Thwart Economic Growth
For the entire staff at Global Detroit, the Executive Orders from President Trump on immigration, refugees, the so-called Muslim ban, and the wall have been devastating and deeply distressing. They challenge our sense of American values and history. Beyond our personal and moral reactions, however, the Executive Orders also may have some impact on the … Continue reading “Trump’s Immigration Policies Threaten to Thwart Economic Growth”
Biotech Leaders Sign Letter Condemning Trump’s Travel Ban
The blowback from U.S. business leaders to President Trump’s travel ban continues—today from a throng of biotech executives. This morning, 165 U.S. biotech leaders have signed a letter voicing “deep concern and opposition” to the order, which bars entry to the U.S. to refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. The Jan. 27 order placed … Continue reading “Biotech Leaders Sign Letter Condemning Trump’s Travel Ban”
Exact Sciences, OnKöl, Fiserv, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Get caught up to speed on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Madison-based Exact Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]) said that Cologuard, the company’s stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer, is slated to be included in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Advantage Star Ratings. CMS publishes the Star Ratings each … Continue reading “Exact Sciences, OnKöl, Fiserv, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
Kentucky Biotech CEO’s Message For McConnell: I’ll Be Muslim, Too
President Trump’s order to bar refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries is on temporary hold, and a court hearing later today could eventually force a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. One of the latest biotech executives to speak out against the ban is in the backyard of Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the top Republican … Continue reading “Kentucky Biotech CEO’s Message For McConnell: I’ll Be Muslim, Too”
Biomedical Research Has Support, But Questions Linger About Funding
In December, the U.S. Department of Defense provided an update on the total amount of funding pledged to the Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing Innovation Institute. A total of $294 million, including $80 million from the DoD, has now been committed to the public-private initiative, which is aimed at developing innovative manufacturing techniques that could be … Continue reading “Biomedical Research Has Support, But Questions Linger About Funding”
UWM Research Foundation Licenses Fluid Dynamics Tech to Ohio Firm
A foundation that assists with technology transfer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has licensed software designed to educate people about fluid dynamics and air flow to an Ohio-based company, the school said. Tom Hansen, a graduate student at UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences, developed digital tools designed to let users make ripples in, and perform other … Continue reading “UWM Research Foundation Licenses Fluid Dynamics Tech to Ohio Firm”
Bio Roundup: Travel Ban, Pharma in DC, Biogen Splits, PCSK9 Wins
Folks had just clocked out last Friday when the Trump Administration announced a travel ban that threw airports around the country into chaos. That announcement set the tone for this week in life sciences. Many in biopharma blasted Trump’s order and tried to grapple with its implications. At the same time, a handful of the … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Travel Ban, Pharma in DC, Biogen Splits, PCSK9 Wins”
EatStreet Grows Through Partial Acquisition of Pennsylvania Startup
Since launching in 2010, the Madison, WI-based startup EatStreet has fueled its growth by raising venture capital, introducing its food ordering technology in hundreds of cities across the U.S., and bringing on dozens of new employees. Now comes news that EatStreet has made what co-founder and CEO Matt Howard calls its first “highlighted acquisition.” The … Continue reading “EatStreet Grows Through Partial Acquisition of Pennsylvania Startup”
Seed-Stage Deals Show Growing Diversity of Agtech Investments
Fundraising is tough for startups but it’s particularly difficult in agriculture, a sector that has fewer firms focused on agtech investments. The dynamics are starting to change, though. A growing number of early-stage agtech startups are raising money and they’re pulling capital from a broader pool of sources, according to a new report from AgFunder, … Continue reading “Seed-Stage Deals Show Growing Diversity of Agtech Investments”
Telkonet Unveils Connected Thermostat as Smart Devices Proliferate
Telkonet, a Waukesha, WI-based company that helps configure Internet networks and devices that run on them, says it has introduced a new wireless thermostat. The device, known as “EcoTouch+ Battery,” is the latest product in the company’s EcoSmart product line. It features an occupancy sensor that activates the thermostat’s touch-screen display when someone is nearby, … Continue reading “Telkonet Unveils Connected Thermostat as Smart Devices Proliferate”
Still No Official Word From Biopharma Groups About Trump Travel Ban
Four days after President Donald Trump issued an order to temporarily ban U.S. entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries—and for all refugees—the drug industry’s two main lobbying groups have remained silent, even while individual executives in the industry have voiced opposition. The main life science trade group in California has also stayed on the … Continue reading “Still No Official Word From Biopharma Groups About Trump Travel Ban”
Ex-Xerox CTO Vandebroek Named Chief Operating Officer of IBM Research
When I last spoke to Sophie Vandebroek in December, it was for a kind of exit interview as she prepared to leave her longtime job as Xerox’s CTO and head of its worldwide research organization. We went over highlights of her Xerox tenure, her outlook on key technology trends for 2017 and beyond—the Internet of … Continue reading “Ex-Xerox CTO Vandebroek Named Chief Operating Officer of IBM Research”
Driverless Cars, UW Spinouts, & CRISPR: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Stay current on news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —The U.S. Department of Transportation selected the University of Wisconsin-Madison as one of 10 “proving ground” pilot sites where researchers will test and share information on technologies underpinning driverless cars and trucks. Some of the testing will happen in the Madison area, but … Continue reading “Driverless Cars, UW Spinouts, & CRISPR: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
Cybersecurity in 2017: Goal, Illusion, or Oxymoron?
Here at the (relative) beginning of 2017, we can safely say that the previous year was among the most significant in history from a cybersecurity standpoint. Nation-state actions, in the form of the assumed Russian interference in the U.S. elections (especially the presidential race) and in the leaks of e-mails from the Clinton campaign, dominated … Continue reading “Cybersecurity in 2017: Goal, Illusion, or Oxymoron?”
Northwestern Mutual VC Fund Leader Discusses Investment Approach
Earlier this month, Northwestern Mutual announced it would invest $50 million in early stage companies over the next several years. The Milwaukee-based life insurance and financial services firm says the new fund, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, will invest $500,000 to $3 million apiece in startups. According to the fund’s website, so far it has invested … Continue reading “Northwestern Mutual VC Fund Leader Discusses Investment Approach”
Bio Roundup: Trump News, Anthem’s Stand, Diversity by 2056 & More
It was a wild week in biotech and on Capitol Hill. A new study showed it may take another 40 years to achieve gender parity in public biotech boardrooms. Tensions continued to mount between drugmakers and payers over the rising costs of rare disease drugs. A flurry of deals took place, headlined by Johnson & … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Trump News, Anthem’s Stand, Diversity by 2056 & More”
Mallinckrodt Filing Pegs Stratatech Deal at $76M, Could Reach $197M
[Updated 1/27/17, 6:49 pm. See below.] The sale of Stratatech, a Madison, WI-based maker of human skin tissue, to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals in August cost the company $76 million in cash, according to a filing submitted to federal securities regulators. In addition, U.K.-based Mallinckrodt (NYSE: [[ticker:MNK]]) could be on the hook for another $121 million in … Continue reading “Mallinckrodt Filing Pegs Stratatech Deal at $76M, Could Reach $197M”