The story feels like a Hollywood flick, not reality—at least to University of Massachusetts Medical School molecular medicine professor and Nobel Prize winner Craig Mello. Nearly 20 years ago, Mello, Stanford University pathologist Andrew Fire, and their colleagues co-discovered RNA interference, a method of switching off or “silencing” genes before they can make potentially damaging … Continue reading “As Key Data Loom, Nobel Winner Mello Reflects on RNAi “Sci-Fi” Story”
Sahi Cosmetics Offers Science-Backed Products for Olive Skin Tones
Shelly Sahi, founder and CEO of Sahi Cosmetics, thought she wanted to be a doctor. It wasn’t until she finished her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan that she realized how burnt out she was—and that a career in the medical field was actually her parents’ dream, not hers. “I discovered entrepreneurship later because … Continue reading “Sahi Cosmetics Offers Science-Backed Products for Olive Skin Tones”
Finistere Plants Investment Seed in Ireland With $24M Agtech Fund
Ireland’s top agricultural exports are beef and dairy products. Arama Kukutai believes that in coming years, Ireland will send the United States and the rest of the world something different: innovative agricultural technologies that help make farms more productive and profitable. To that end, Kukutai’s venture capital firm, Finistere Ventures, is joining with the Ireland … Continue reading “Finistere Plants Investment Seed in Ireland With $24M Agtech Fund”
Under New CEO, Ebullient Seeks to Put Its Cooling Tech into Vehicles
Just as the cell phones people walk around with all day have become de facto computers, automobiles too can now be seen as roving computing devices—ones that might be vulnerable to hackers, even. As cars become more high-tech—a trend that’s almost certain to accelerate with the continued development of electric and driverless vehicles—automakers will need to … Continue reading “Under New CEO, Ebullient Seeks to Put Its Cooling Tech into Vehicles”
Presage Bio Licenses Anti-Cancer Drug to San Diego’s MEI Pharma
San Diego’s MEI Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MEIP]]) has agreed to pay $2.9 million upfront to Seattle-based Presage Biosciences for exclusive worldwide rights for the anti-cancer drug candidate voruciclib, which has shown some promise in a small, early stage study of patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Additional payments could eventually add another $181 million if MEI … Continue reading “Presage Bio Licenses Anti-Cancer Drug to San Diego’s MEI Pharma”
Hurricane Harvey: A Test-Bed For Internet Resilience
Amid the wreckage inflicted by Hurricane Harvey, south Texas is measuring the crisis in numbers of homes flattened or flooded, hospitals closed, refineries stalled, and storm refugees saved by brave neighbors with small boats. A significant part of the damage, however, can be hidden in the soggy underground—in the conduits that house the major trunk … Continue reading “Hurricane Harvey: A Test-Bed For Internet Resilience”
Geekdom, 80/20 Promote Execs to Prepare for Next 5 Years of Startups
San Antonio—[Corrected 9/6/17, 3:26 p.m. See below.] Geekdom, the co-working space that has helped revitalize the downtown San Antonio startup scene, has a new leader, as does the nonprofit The 80/20 Foundation, which invests in groups that promote topics like entrepreneurship and tech education. Alexandra Frey, who was the operations manager of The 80/20 Foundation, … Continue reading “Geekdom, 80/20 Promote Execs to Prepare for Next 5 Years of Startups”
Voices of Harvey: ‘It’s Waterworld Out Here’
Houston—Katie Walthall Mehnert, founder and CEO of Pink Petro, is still waiting to go home. She has yet to begin the smelly process of mucking out her home or ripping out sheetrock. The heartbreaking chore of evaluating which waterlogged personal item is not so soggy that it can’t be kept is still a week or … Continue reading “Voices of Harvey: ‘It’s Waterworld Out Here’”
Voices of Harvey: ‘The Water Is Just Coming Into Every Room’
Houston—A week ago, Tropical Storm Harvey deluged Houston after making landfall near Corpus Christi, TX, about 200 miles down the Gulf Coast. Over six days, 27 trillion gallons of water fell on Texas—nearly four times the rainfall of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The region is beginning what will be a years-long rebuilding of homes, stores, … Continue reading “Voices of Harvey: ‘The Water Is Just Coming Into Every Room’”
Catch Dragonfly, IFM, Tesaro at “Disruptors” on Sept. 28
How do you succeed not once, but twice in biotech? How do you push a scientific idea forward without any venture capital? And how does one even begin trying to scour the globe for a diamond–in-the-rough cancer drug that has slipped through the cracks? These questions underlie the three stories Xconomy has lined up for … Continue reading “Catch Dragonfly, IFM, Tesaro at “Disruptors” on Sept. 28″
Coming to Boston Was a “No-Brainer”: Xconomy’s Newcomer Award Finalists
Building a biotech business comes down to a lot of meetings and networking with potential new partners, hires, investors and others. Having all of these folks, along with top academics, highly concentrated in an urban center (that also has a lot of nice restaurants and coffee shops to meet in) was a key factor in … Continue reading “Coming to Boston Was a “No-Brainer”: Xconomy’s Newcomer Award Finalists”
Patient Death Triggers FDA Hold For Cellectis’s “Off the Shelf” CAR-T
[Corrected, 9/18/17, see below] The FDA has forced Cellectis to shut down two Phase 1 trials it has been running to test an “off the shelf” type of cell therapy—a stinging setback to the France- and New York-based company’s aspirations to leapfrog other developers of CAR-T, a type of cancer immunotherapy that the FDA just … Continue reading “Patient Death Triggers FDA Hold For Cellectis’s “Off the Shelf” CAR-T”
As Architects Adopt VR, Acentech Adds Sound Simulations to the Mix
Architects are starting to embrace virtual reality as a tool for showing clients what their future buildings could look like. Now, Acentech wants to integrate audio simulations so they can hear what the spaces would sound like, too. The Cambridge, MA-based consulting business spun out of the renowned BBN Technologies (now owned by Raytheon) more … Continue reading “As Architects Adopt VR, Acentech Adds Sound Simulations to the Mix”
U-M Life Sci Institute Looks Ahead with $150M Initiative, Symposium
The University of Michigan’s Life Sciences Institute (LSI) is hosting its 16th annual Saltiel Life Sciences Symposium later this month, and for the first time, rather than focusing on a narrow segment of the industry, the lineup of speakers will discuss the technologies behind some of the sector’s most exciting recent innovations. “Alan [Saltiel] started … Continue reading “U-M Life Sci Institute Looks Ahead with $150M Initiative, Symposium”
Seiva, EatStreet, Isomark, WARF, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist
Keep up with news from Wisconsin’s innovation community with these recent headlines: —Seiva Technologies, a Milwaukee-based company that developed sensor-equipped athletic apparel, is no longer operating, co-founder Andrew Hampel said in an e-mail. Seiva had developed high-tech garments for speedskaters, hockey players, and other athletes. The products were designed to provide real-time information, such as … Continue reading “Seiva, EatStreet, Isomark, WARF, & More: This Week’s WI Watchlist”
Seattle Week in Review: Dreamers, Uber, Harvey, Satellites, & More
Heading into Labor Day weekend, mourning for Houston, here’s a look at this week’s tech news from Seattle and beyond, with updates on several big stories: —President Donald Trump is reportedly set to decide next week the fate of the Dreamers—young, undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children and registered with the government … Continue reading “Seattle Week in Review: Dreamers, Uber, Harvey, Satellites, & More”
With New Funding in Hand, ImageMoverMD Eyes International Markets
[Corrected 9/1/17 6:04 p.m. See below.] A Middleton, WI-based startup that has built a mobile app allowing healthcare providers and patients to securely send images from their smartphones says it’s on the verge of making its first sales outside the U.S. ImageMoverMD’s software lets doctors and other clinicians photograph patients’ wounds, rashes, and other conditions … Continue reading “With New Funding in Hand, ImageMoverMD Eyes International Markets”
Booster Sees Membership Surge as Dallas Faces Fuel Shortage
On-demand fuel delivery startup Booster Fuels, which operates in Dallas-Fort Worth and the San Francisco Bay Area, says thousands of new users downloaded its app on Thursday. Long lines have formed at gas stations in Dallas and elsewhere as drivers fear fuel shortages in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which struck the heart of the … Continue reading “Booster Sees Membership Surge as Dallas Faces Fuel Shortage”
Harvey Roundup: JLabs, Silicon Labs, Co-Working Refuges, & More
[Updated: 9/1/17 1:59 pm. See below.] Houston—The waters are starting to recede from Tropical Storm Harvey, but the work to get Houston and southeast Texas back up to speed is only starting. To help with that, technology communities across Texas are offering aid in the form of free co-working space, discounted rides, a corps of volunteers, … Continue reading “Harvey Roundup: JLabs, Silicon Labs, Co-Working Refuges, & More”
Bio Roundup: CAR-T’s Huge Week, Merck’s ‘Pib Choice & More
[Corrected 9/5/17, 12:22 p.m. See below.] The far-out idea of reprogramming a patient’s immune cells to fight cancer, known as CAR-T, entered the mainstream this week, and two numbers highlight the tale. The first is $11.9 billion, the price Gilead Sciences is paying for Kite Pharma and its cancer-fighting cell therapy pipeline. It’s one of … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: CAR-T’s Huge Week, Merck’s ‘Pib Choice & More”
Bee Corp. Closes on Series A Funding for Hive-Monitoring Software
Bloomington, IN-based agtech startup the Bee Corp. announced this week that it has closed on a Series A investment led by Village Ventures’ Jane Martin. Elevate Ventures, High Alpha’s Scott Dorsey, and angel investors also contributed to the round. Wyatt Wells, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Bee Corp., declined to discuss financial details of … Continue reading “Bee Corp. Closes on Series A Funding for Hive-Monitoring Software”
Bill Maris Takes Stage for 2nd Act, Says New Fund Mostly Committed
[Corrected 9/1/17, 7 am. See below.] In his first public appearance since leaving Google Ventures, Bill Maris said Wednesday his new venture fund, Section 32, is nearly fully invested—less than four months after he officially unveiled its existence in the San Diego area. In a keynote talk at a venture summit in San Diego, Maris … Continue reading “Bill Maris Takes Stage for 2nd Act, Says New Fund Mostly Committed”
Gregor Joins Texas Accelerator to Advance Prostate Cancer Test
When Tobias Zutz left his job as a senior research associate at Exact Sciences in 2015, he knew he wanted his next career stop to be at a smaller organization. Zutz worked at Madison, WI-based Exact (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]), which has commercialized a stool-based DNA test for colorectal cancer, for more than five years. During his … Continue reading “Gregor Joins Texas Accelerator to Advance Prostate Cancer Test”
Software Maker Convey Wins Innovation Award, Snags $8M for Growth
Austin—[Updated 4:34 p.m. See below.] For Convey, a startup with technology aimed at improving the process of shipping and delivery, winning an award from the Austin Chamber of Commerce last night was the cap to a busy week. The chamber gave Convey its Innovation Award during its annual business award ceremony Wednesday. Three other companies, … Continue reading “Software Maker Convey Wins Innovation Award, Snags $8M for Growth”
‘We Can’t Lose Them’: Supporting Houston’s Tech Ecosystem Post-Harvey
Houston—Like many living in the Houston area, Blair Garrou and his fellow partners at venture firm Mercury Fund were receiving a deluge of calls and texts asking how they could help people coping with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey. The result is an effort announced late Wednesday called “Entrepreneurs for Houston,” a group put … Continue reading “‘We Can’t Lose Them’: Supporting Houston’s Tech Ecosystem Post-Harvey”
Novartis: CAR-T Results In One Month, Or No Charge. Why One Month?
Novartis said Wednesday that it would not charge for its newly approved cellular immunotherapy, tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah)—the first so-called CAR-T product to ever come to market—if it fails to help patients within a month. If the cell therapy, approved for kids with leukemia who have run out of other options, starts to work within a month, … Continue reading “Novartis: CAR-T Results In One Month, Or No Charge. Why One Month?”
InVivo Therapeutics CSO Ulich Loses Job in Corporate Restructuring
Thomas Ulich, chief scientific officer of InVivo Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NVIV]]) since 2015, is out of a job. The Cambridge, MA, biotech is eliminating 13 positions, including Ulich’s, as part of a corporate restructuring, according to regulatory filings. InVivo says the restructuring will help the company focus its resources on its experimental treatment for spinal cord … Continue reading “InVivo Therapeutics CSO Ulich Loses Job in Corporate Restructuring”
BDSI’s Sirgo to Retire as CEO But Remain Vice Chairman
Mark Sirgo, president and CEO of BioDelivery Sciences International (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BDSI]]), will retire at the end of the year, the Raleigh, NC, pharmaceutical company has announced. But Sirgo will remain vice chairman of BDSI’s board of directors. The company said that the board will work with Sirgo to find his successor. Sirgo, who has been … Continue reading “BDSI’s Sirgo to Retire as CEO But Remain Vice Chairman”
A Decade of Innovation: Photos From Xconomy’s 10th Anniversary Bash
This summer, Xconomy celebrated a big anniversary—our 10th as a company. We got started in the Boston area (Kendall Square) in 2007 and expanded the next year to Seattle and San Diego, with many more cities and regions to come. Our mission has always been to report on cutting-edge businesses and technologies from the front … Continue reading “A Decade of Innovation: Photos From Xconomy’s 10th Anniversary Bash”
NYT on Neurable’s Brain-Controlled Virtual Reality Game: It Works
When Neurable first popped up on Xconomy’s radar in late 2015, it was a small, mostly student-led University of Michigan spinout working on cutting-edge brain-computer interface innovations that would allow people to control software using only their thoughts. Back then, it sounded exciting yet fairly far out. However, a lot has changed since. Today, Neurable is … Continue reading “NYT on Neurable’s Brain-Controlled Virtual Reality Game: It Works”
Embracing the Inevitable Changes of Self-Driving Vehicles
Read today’s news and you’d think fully autonomous vehicles—commercial vehicles, in particular—will be everywhere in the very near future. With headlines like these, it’s no wonder: Self-Driving Trucks Could be on Highways in 3 to 4 Years U.S. and Europe Race to be First to Self-Driving Trucks Ford Plans Self-Driving Car for Ride Share Fleets … Continue reading “Embracing the Inevitable Changes of Self-Driving Vehicles”
As Uber Confirms CEO Pick, A Real Change of Control?
The board of embattled ride-hailing giant Uber late Tuesday confirmed its decision to hire Expedia chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi as its new CEO. The vote was unanimous, the board wrote in an upbeat letter to Uber employees. “We’re really fortunate to gain a leader with Dara’s experience, talent and vision,” the note said. “The Board … Continue reading “As Uber Confirms CEO Pick, A Real Change of Control?”
ImageMoverMD Snags $1.2M for App That Securely Shares Patient Photos
ImageMoverMD, a Middleton, WI-based startup developing software that securely transmits pictures and videos taken with smartphones to electronic health record systems, has raised nearly $1.2 from investors. Twenty-four investors participated in the equity funding round, according to a document filed with federal securities regulators. ImageMoverMD has now raised more than $2.7 million from investors since … Continue reading “ImageMoverMD Snags $1.2M for App That Securely Shares Patient Photos”
Apps, Textbots, & Web Maps: Tech Ecosystem Aids Harvey Relief Effort
[Updated 9/1/17 3:10 pm] Houston—A Slack channel called #harvey has become a virtual command center for the city’s tech community during one of the most destructive natural disasters to hit Texas. A group of software programmers, website developers, and others meet around-the-clock on the online messaging system, exchanging code and advice to build a nearly … Continue reading “Apps, Textbots, & Web Maps: Tech Ecosystem Aids Harvey Relief Effort”
Rivals Microsoft, Amazon Let Their Intelligent Assistants Be Friends
Two of the biggest names in tech—Cortana and Alexa—are getting together. The makers of these two intelligent, voice-enabled assistants—Seattle’s tech giants, Microsoft (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) and Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]), respectively—said Wednesday they are collaborating to make it easier to access one with the other. Specifically, later this year, Windows 10 users will be able to call … Continue reading “Rivals Microsoft, Amazon Let Their Intelligent Assistants Be Friends”
Novartis Wins Historic FDA Nod, Prices CAR-T For Leukemia at $475,000
Ahead of schedule, Novartis has received the first-ever approval of a genetically modified living cell therapy called CAR-T, which uses a cancer patient’s own immune cells as the medicine. Within days, children and young adults with a severe form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia could receive the treatment at a handful of centers across the U.S. … Continue reading “Novartis Wins Historic FDA Nod, Prices CAR-T For Leukemia at $475,000”
Blackhawk Pays $175M for Maine-based E-Commerce Business CashStar
CashStar, a company that makes digital gift cards and commerce software, has sold to financial tech business Blackhawk Network for $175 million in cash. Venture capital-backed CashStar will stay in New England, keeping offices in Waltham, MA and Portland, ME, where its headquarters are located. The company is becoming part of Blackhawk’s digital and incentives … Continue reading “Blackhawk Pays $175M for Maine-based E-Commerce Business CashStar”
Facebook Boston to Open New Office, Hire 500 People: Report
[Updated 8/30/17, 12:30 pm, with comment from Facebook.] Facebook is reportedly planning to go on a hiring spree in the Boston area. The giant social networking company, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, intends to move into a new office in Cambridge, MA, next year and add more than 500 local employees, the Boston … Continue reading “Facebook Boston to Open New Office, Hire 500 People: Report”
Eli Lilly Preps Rejected Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug for Resubmission
Eli Lilly is preparing to file again for FDA approval of rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib (Olumiant) by the end of January—this time with new information about the drug’s safety and efficacy. The FDA rejected the Indianapolis pharmaceutical company’s initial drug application in April. In July, Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) said discussions with the regulator included the … Continue reading “Eli Lilly Preps Rejected Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug for Resubmission”
Otonomy Scraps Hearing Loss Drug After Phase 3 Flop, Shares Routed
Investment in experimental drugs for hearing loss, long an untapped field in the pharmaceutical industry, may be picking up, but drugs that actually help with these disorders remain elusive. One of the closest contenders suffered a big setback today, as Otonomy revealed that a drug it has been developing for Meniere’s disease, a condition defined … Continue reading “Otonomy Scraps Hearing Loss Drug After Phase 3 Flop, Shares Routed”
ESports Startup Gamer Sensei Tracks Down $4M for Video Game Coaching
[Updated 8/30/17, 8:07 am, with comments from co-founder.] The popularity of eSports is surging around the world, and elite video game competitors are getting rich winning tournaments in front of sold-out arenas. Investors think that spells opportunity for Gamer Sensei, a Boston-based startup that connects eSports players with professional gamers who provide one-on-one online lessons. … Continue reading “ESports Startup Gamer Sensei Tracks Down $4M for Video Game Coaching”
GoKid App Helps Busy Parents Connect and Share Carpooling Duties
GoKid, the carpooling app startup that went through the Techstars Mobility accelerator program in Detroit last summer, today unveiled a new enterprise version of its product for schools called GoKid Connect. Based in the Motor City and New York City, GoKid is a mobile tool that allows parents to create and manage carpooling schedules. Parents … Continue reading “GoKid App Helps Busy Parents Connect and Share Carpooling Duties”
Taking Tech Ideas Global: Connecting an Innovation Ecosystem
The word ecosystem conjures up a rain forest in Ecuador, where sunlight, soil, water, and a multitude of species exist together in a self-sustaining environment that is constantly evolving. This image from biology translates perfectly into what many people like to call an innovation ecosystem. Think of a group of people developing a new idea, … Continue reading “Taking Tech Ideas Global: Connecting an Innovation Ecosystem”
EvoNexus to Close Downtown Incubator, Consolidate in University City
EvoNexus, San Diego’s nonprofit tech incubator established seven years ago, is closing its downtown offices and consolidating its operations in a newly revamped space in University City, a suburban neighborhood about 13 miles to the north. The pro-bono incubator program, which provides tech-oriented startups with free office space and related amenities, has helped re-energize the … Continue reading “EvoNexus to Close Downtown Incubator, Consolidate in University City”
Amplero Raises $17.5M to Build A.I. System for Consumer Marketers
Picture the trove of data that companies have stored up about you over the years—your clicks, likes, posts, purchases, devices, demographics, credit score, and more. That’s the fuel for a new wave of automated, highly personalized marketing pitches. Seattle startup Amplero just raised $17.5 million to build the machine that would create those pitches “at … Continue reading “Amplero Raises $17.5M to Build A.I. System for Consumer Marketers”
Celgene Broadens Forma Deal, Adding $195M More for Drug R&D
Celgene and Forma Therapeutics are expanding their already extensive relationship. The Summit, NJ-based drugmaker has exercised a $195 million option to widen the breadth of the 2014 deal it signed with Forma to co-develop drugs for cancer and other therapeutic areas—an agreement that gave Celgene (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CELG]]) the option to buy Forma down the road. … Continue reading “Celgene Broadens Forma Deal, Adding $195M More for Drug R&D”
University of Washington Team Among Finalists in $2.5M Alexa Prize
The finalists in Amazon’s contest that recruited university student teams to develop better conversational chatbots include a team from University of Washington. Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]) announced that the UW’s Sounding Board team is in the finals of the $2.5 million Alexa Prize competition, along with Alquist, a team from Czech Technical University in Prague; and What’s … Continue reading “University of Washington Team Among Finalists in $2.5M Alexa Prize”
Jazz Pharma, ImmunoGen Strike Up Drug Pact in Leukemia and More
ImmunoGen has yet to bring one of its own antibody cancer drugs to market, but the Waltham, MA, company has had some success with its pharma partners. On Tuesday it added Jazz Pharmaceuticals to the mix. Jazz (NASDAQ: [[ticker:JAZZ]]) is paying ImmunoGen $75 million in cash for rights to two early-stage ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]) drugs … Continue reading “Jazz Pharma, ImmunoGen Strike Up Drug Pact in Leukemia and More”
Will Merck Seek FDA Filing For Heart Drug After Lackluster Results?
News from Merck this morning on a large trial known as Reveal might signal the end of the road for a once-promising group of cholesterol-lowering medicines. It all depends on what New York drug giant Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]) intends to do now that it has the results of the four-year, 30,449-patient trial, which tested a … Continue reading “Will Merck Seek FDA Filing For Heart Drug After Lackluster Results?”
FDA Refuses to Review Acorda Parkinson’s Drug, Shares Tumble
The heat is on Acorda Therapeutics once again. Months after Acorda lost a key group of patents, the FDA has declined to review, at least for now, an experimental Parkinson’s disease drug that is critical to the company’s future. Acorda (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ACOR]]) said this morning that the FDA has sent the Ardsley, NY, company a … Continue reading “FDA Refuses to Review Acorda Parkinson’s Drug, Shares Tumble”