Dendreon has just nailed down one of the biggest biotech financings in the U.S. this year. The Seattle-based biotech company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) has secured $356 million for its quest to market the first treatment in the U.S. designed to actively stimulate the immune system to fight cancer cells like a virus. The company sold 15 … Continue reading “Dendreon Raises $356 Million for Manufacturing, Marketing of Prostate Cancer Drug”
Biogen Idec Chairman Steps Down as Board Re-Shuffles in Wake of Icahn Arrival
Bruce Ross, one of the lightning rods for criticism from billionaire investor Carl Icahn during last spring’s proxy battle at Biogen Idec, has agreed to relinquish the company chairmanship and leave the board at next year’s annual meeting in what appears to be an ongoing boardroom shakeup. He will be joined on his way out … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Chairman Steps Down as Board Re-Shuffles in Wake of Icahn Arrival”
Gilead Cystic Fibrosis Drug Gets Green Light From FDA Panel
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GILD]]) has had a tough time branching out into treatment of cystic fibrosis, but today it got some good news. The Foster City, CA-based biotech giant, which has a lung disease research center in Seattle, said today that a panel of expert advisers to the FDA has recommended that the company’s inhalable … Continue reading “Gilead Cystic Fibrosis Drug Gets Green Light From FDA Panel”
Microsoft to Buy Sentillion, Looks to Strengthen Efforts in Electronic Medical Records
Let the healthcare-IT acquisitions begin. Microsoft announced today it plans to buy Sentillion, a healthcare software company based in Andover, MA. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close early next year. Microsoft says it plans to incorporate Sentillion’s technology into the Microsoft Amalga Unified Intelligence System that’s supposed … Continue reading “Microsoft to Buy Sentillion, Looks to Strengthen Efforts in Electronic Medical Records”
GoodData, Bizo Among AWS Winners
Amazon Web Services announced today that the winner of its third annual AWS Start-up Challenge is GoodData, a business intelligence and analytics firm based in San Francisco. The company was awarded $50,000 in cash, $50,000 in AWS credits, and an investment offer from Amazon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMZN]]). The runner-up was Bizo, a San Francisco-based online audience … Continue reading “GoodData, Bizo Among AWS Winners”
Fina Tech Finds $4.5M A Round
[Updated and corrected: 11:06 Eastern, 12/17/09] Fina Technologies, a Cambridge, MA-based startup with computer-modeling software for the financial services industry, said today it has raised $4.5 million in a Series A round of venture capital. Reed Elsevier Ventures led the round, which included an investment from Excel Venture Management. Fina is a spinout of Cambridge-based … Continue reading “Fina Tech Finds $4.5M A Round”
Facet Rejects Biogen’s Latest Offer
The board of Redwood City, CA-based Facet Biotech (NASDAQ:[[ticker:FACT]]) unanimously recommended that shareholders reject the latest tender offer from Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec (NASDAQ:[[ticker:BIIB]]), saying that the $17.50 per-share offer, which would value Facet at about $438.7 million, was inadequate. Biogen called the bid, made a week ago, its “best-and-final offer.” Facet nonetheless says it … Continue reading “Facet Rejects Biogen’s Latest Offer”
Zogenix Raises Cash for Headaches, Sleepless in Somaxon, Dow Chemical Spins Out Pfēnex, & More San Diego Life Sciences News
From Adamis to Zogenix, we’ve got the A to Z in San Diego life sciences news. Here’s your chance to catch up now. —Zogenix said it has raised a total of $71 million for the anticipated launch in January of its needle-free, drug-and-device delivery system for migraine and cluster headaches. The San Diego life sciences … Continue reading “Zogenix Raises Cash for Headaches, Sleepless in Somaxon, Dow Chemical Spins Out Pfēnex, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”
Life Science Innovation Northwest 2010
Life Science Innovation Northwest will bring public and private life sciences companies, research institutions, scientists, entrepreneurs, and the Washington global health community together to tell their stories. Public and private market investors, investment bankers and industry executives focused on investment and business development and partnering opportunities in life sciences will also be there. For more … Continue reading “Life Science Innovation Northwest 2010”
Oncothyreon Partner Starts New Lung Cancer Trial, Prompts Takeover Scuttle
Seattle-based Oncothyreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ONTY]]), the developer of a vaccine treatment to stimulate the immune system against cancer cells, said today that its partner has started another pivotal trial of the product. Germany-based Merck KGaA has begun a trial that will include 420 patients in Asia who will get the vaccine, dubbed Stimuvax, or a placebo … Continue reading “Oncothyreon Partner Starts New Lung Cancer Trial, Prompts Takeover Scuttle”
Polaris to Open Dogpatch Labs in New York
Attention East Coast entrepreneurs—another incubator is on its way. Polaris Venture Partners is announcing today that it is opening a Dogpatch Labs branch—this time in New York City. This will be the third Dogpatch incubator, and the second on the East Coast. The Waltham, MA-based venture firm opened its first Dogpatch on San Francisco’s Pier … Continue reading “Polaris to Open Dogpatch Labs in New York”
Introducing the X Lists: The Region’s Best Resource for Innovators and Entrepreneurs
Longtime readers of Xconomy may have noticed, to our embarrassment, that our Boston Resources page has been “coming soon” for months. Many months. But good things come to those who wait, as they say, and now we’re ready to introduce a resources section that we’re really proud of, the X Lists. We believe that the … Continue reading “Introducing the X Lists: The Region’s Best Resource for Innovators and Entrepreneurs”
MC10 Closes $5.7M Financing
MC10, a Waltham, MA-based startup developing stretchable silicon technology developed at the University of Illinois, has raised $5.7 million in a new round of financing, $1.7 million of which is equity from converted bridge loans, according to an SEC filing. Carmichael Roberts, the firm’s chairman and a general partner at North Bridge Venture Partners, declined … Continue reading “MC10 Closes $5.7M Financing”
Dendreon Hires COO From Bayer
[Update: 11:35 am Eastern, 12/10/09] Dendreon, the Seattle-based company developing a treatment to stimulate the immune system against prostate cancer, said today it has hired Hans Bishop as its chief operating officer. Bishop had previously been president of the specialty medicine division at Bayer Healthcare, where he oversaw cancer, neurology, and hematology products. He has … Continue reading “Dendreon Hires COO From Bayer”
Acceleron Pharma Invests in Bricks & Mortar When Virtual is In Vogue
Acceleron Pharma had to be kidding, I figured, when it scheduled me to visit their labs and offices a few weeks ago in Cambridge, MA. They insisted that I take a walking tour of their biotech drug factory. Why is that unusual? Quite a few biotech startups are pinching pennies, and operating in a “virtual” … Continue reading “Acceleron Pharma Invests in Bricks & Mortar When Virtual is In Vogue”
Microsoft Inks NetApp Partnership in Virtualization, Forms New Server and Cloud Division for Azure
It has been a busy week for Microsoft in cloud computing and virtualization. For starters, the Redmond, WA-based company (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MSFT]]) announced on Tuesday a three-year strategic alliance with data storage firm NetApp to collaborate on products and technical integration in virtualization, storage and data management, and cloud computing and hosted services. Financial terms of … Continue reading “Microsoft Inks NetApp Partnership in Virtualization, Forms New Server and Cloud Division for Azure”
San Diego’s Anvita Health Seeks to Prevent Medical Errors
[Corrected 12/10/09, 1:05 am to show Anvita does not store or manage EMRs.] Ahmed F. Ghouri was frustrated. Too often, the anesthesiologist had seen seemingly preventable prescribing errors that threatened the lives of patients. So nine years ago, with angel backing from doctors who shared his same frustrations, Ghouri co-founded Anvita Health, a San Diego … Continue reading “San Diego’s Anvita Health Seeks to Prevent Medical Errors”
LifeImage Raising $2M-Plus in Oversubscribed Round, CEO Says
LifeImage has advanced quickly since forming late last year. There are at least several hospitals or hospital systems using the startup’s software, which enables physicians to share digital radiology images within their facilities and with doctors at outside clinics via the Internet. And the Newton, MA-based firm expects to secure more than $2.1 million in … Continue reading “LifeImage Raising $2M-Plus in Oversubscribed Round, CEO Says”
Dendreon Grasps for $400M, ZymoGenetics Cuts 52 Jobs, Calistoga Advances at ASH, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News
I groused last week that Seattle biotech news was slow, so naturally, this week I got swamped. —Seattle-based Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]), the developer of a first-of-its-kind treatment to stimulate the immune system against cancer, is seeking to raise more than $400 million in a stock offering. The company plans to use the loot to build … Continue reading “Dendreon Grasps for $400M, ZymoGenetics Cuts 52 Jobs, Calistoga Advances at ASH, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”
Windows on the Cloud: Windows Azure Basics from Microsoft’s Yousef Khalidi
Xconomy’s Cloud3 Forum gets underway this morning at Microsoft’s New England R&D Center in Cambridge, MA, so I thought it would be a great time to write up my recent Q&A with Yousef Khalidi, a distinguished engineer in Microsoft’s Windows Azure team in Redmond, WA. Azure is Microsoft’s public cloud platform. Announced as a free … Continue reading “Windows on the Cloud: Windows Azure Basics from Microsoft’s Yousef Khalidi”
Fina Technologies Obtains $4,500,000 Series A Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=f9ef350c-4ac6-4463-8500-af9dda622dd2&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name Fina Technologies Mailing Address Undisclosed Cambridge, MA 02138 Company Description Fina Technologies, Inc. is a spinoff of Gene Network Sciences (GNS) focused on applying the REFSTM platform and other machine-learning tools to large-data problems in the world of finance. Fina Technologies applies massively parallel supercomputing technology combined … Continue reading “Fina Technologies Obtains $4,500,000 Series A Round”
MC10 Obtains $5,700,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=fb1d8552-7a62-4550-8924-e78e00094b0c&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name MC10 Mailing Address 950 Winter St Waltham, MA 02451-1454 Company Description MC10 startup developing stretchable silicon technology developed at the University of Illinois. Website http://www.mc10inc.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,700,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed
Microsoft Acquires Sentillion for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1ebe046e-efe3-436f-920b-a671b3e2370d&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name Sentillion Mailing Address 40 Shattuck Rd Andover, MA 01810 Company Description Built exclusively for the healthcare environment Sentillion’s solutions are balanced and optimized to meet the needs of caregivers and hospital IT organizations. Whether used separately or collectively, Sentillion’s solutions enable the right people to access the … Continue reading “Microsoft Acquires Sentillion for Undisclosed Sum”
GOGII Garners $8,200,000 Series B Financing Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=448dfec2-671d-461d-b783-160252e2f985&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name GOGII Mailing Address 13160 Mindanao Way Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Company Description GOGII is taking text messaging to the next level. Let us explain. We all know how to send a text. Easy. Been there. Love that. But sometimes you want to interact with more than … Continue reading “GOGII Garners $8,200,000 Series B Financing Round”
Pfenex Lands $24,000,000 New Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=86113017-895b-43bd-8be4-fb33b4b30c85&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name Pfenex Mailing Address 5501 Oberlin Drive San Diego, CA 92121 Company Description Headquartered in San Diego, California, Pfenex Inc. is a leading biotechnology company focused on recombinant protein expression for a broad range of applications including therapeutic proteins, vaccines, research, reagents and biosimilars. The Company’s core technology, … Continue reading “Pfenex Lands $24,000,000 New Funding Round”
Aurora Biotechnologies Acquires Nexus Biosystems for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=82bd03b7-c3d0-4958-81b3-85aaf9c27b6c&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name Nexus Biosystems Mailing Address 12140 Community Road Poway, CA 92064 Company Description NEXUS Biosystems, a privately held company based in Poway, California, USA, has since 1996 been a developer and provider of enabling technologies and automation systems for pharmaceutical, biotech, agrochemical and academic research institutions worldwide. Current … Continue reading “Aurora Biotechnologies Acquires Nexus Biosystems for Undisclosed Sum”
PageOnce Obtains $6,500,000 Series A Funding Round
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c8332cec-4bfc-4ab7-aea3-33b7e6be7312&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name PageOnce Mailing Address El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306 Company Description PageOnce is the first Personal Internet Assistant web site. Website http://www.pageonce.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $6,500,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes The new round of funding will help the company grow. M&A … Continue reading “PageOnce Obtains $6,500,000 Series A Funding Round”
Aperto Networks Receives $292,000 New Funding
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=65a8dfd7-1a29-4807-a8f2-48ccc2929683&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name Aperto Networks Mailing Address 598 Gibraltar Drive Milpitas, CA 95035 Company Description Aperto Networks is a manufacturer of wireless networking equipment used to connect service providers to broadband customers over the last mile. Website http://www.apertonet.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $292,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes … Continue reading “Aperto Networks Receives $292,000 New Funding”
Blockbuster Acquires DVDPlay for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=de204210-7ef3-46fe-b809-1e45c269db06&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name DVDPlay Mailing Address 750 Unversity Ave. Los Gatos, CA 95032 Company Description DVDPlay offers DVD renters unparalleled convenience, low rental prices and current titles with new releases available every Tuesday. DVDPlay kiosks, situated in heavily trafficked locations such as grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores and apartment complexes, … Continue reading “Blockbuster Acquires DVDPlay for Undisclosed Sum”
MOL AccessPortal Berhad Acquires Friendster for Undisclosed Sum
Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=9ff5d84d-9bd0-4ad6-b308-8d90d58a32f5&Preview=1 Date 12/10/2009 Company Name Friendster Mailing Address 800 W El Camino Real Mountain View, CA 94040 Company Description With more than 31 million members, Friendster is the best way to stay in touch with your friends and it’s the fastest way to discover the people and things that matter to you … Continue reading “MOL AccessPortal Berhad Acquires Friendster for Undisclosed Sum”
Sequoia Investment in San Diego’s Service-Now.com Provides a Big Holiday Payout
It’s going to be a Merry Christmas this year for many employees at suburban San Diego-based Service-now.com, a privately held company that was founded in the aftermath of the corporate accounting scandal at San Diego’s Peregrine Systems. Perhaps merrier for some more than others. In a regulatory filing submitted yesterday, Service-now.com discloses that it has … Continue reading “Sequoia Investment in San Diego’s Service-Now.com Provides a Big Holiday Payout”
Innovation Breakfast: What Do the Numbers Say About Innovation?
Bobbie Carlton and Dan Englander, the organizers of Mass Innovation Nights in Waltham, MA, have launched a new event series for early risers: Innovation Breakfasts. At the December 18 iteration, serial technology and media entrepreneur and executive Branko Gerovac will lead a data-rich discussion of the causes of the regional differences in innovation activity across … Continue reading “Innovation Breakfast: What Do the Numbers Say About Innovation?”
Gov. Gregoire’s Budget Axe Leaves Life Sciences Discovery Fund Unscathed
Washington state’s Life Sciences Discovery Fund has apparently survived the first round of major budget cuts circulating in Olympia. Gov. Chris Gregoire released her proposed state budget this morning that makes deep cuts in aid to college students, state health insurance for poor people, and assistance to the disabled. But based on an initial read … Continue reading “Gov. Gregoire’s Budget Axe Leaves Life Sciences Discovery Fund Unscathed”
Transaction Wireless Raises $2M
Transaction Wireless, a San Diego startup founded in mid-2006 by Basil Abifaker, raised an additional $2 million in a Series B round of venture funding from San Diego-based Mission Ventures and Okapi Ventures of Laguna Beach, CA. Transaction Wireless, which has developed mobile payment processing technology, raised $2.25 million in September 2008, shortly before the … Continue reading “Transaction Wireless Raises $2M”
Digital Predictions for 2010
MITX’s final event of 2009 looks ahead to 2010 and the predictions for coming developments in social networking, communications (anyone catching the Google Wave?), social CRM, mobile marketing, online video, and all the rest. Speakers will include John Moore, Executive Vice President and Director of Media Services at interactive agency Mullen, and brand & content … Continue reading “Digital Predictions for 2010”
Washington Firms Raised $44.4M in 10 Venture Deals (Six Software) in November
If last month is any indication, 2009 is going out with a whimper when it comes to the number of dollars in new venture deals for Washington companies. Though there has been a mini-comeback of small software financings since October. That’s according to the latest roundup figures from ChubbyBrain, a New York-based maker of tools … Continue reading “Washington Firms Raised $44.4M in 10 Venture Deals (Six Software) in November”
RealGames’ Collapse! Goes Social
Seattle-based RealGames, the gaming division of RealNetworks (NASDAQ: [[ticker:RNWK]]), announced today its puzzle game Collapse! is now available on Facebook and a number of mobile platforms including BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android, along with downloadable versions for PC and Mac. The move is part of a broader trend of casual game makers releasing social and mobile … Continue reading “RealGames’ Collapse! Goes Social”
Breast Cancer “Smart Bomb” From Roche, ImmunoGen Shows Tumor Shrinkage in Big Test
The “smart bomb” drug for breast cancer from Roche and Waltham, MA-based ImmunoGen looks to have passed an important test. Full data aren’t being released yet, but ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]) today disclosed an interesting tidbit in a regulatory filing on its new version of trastuzumab (marketed as Herceptin) that combines an antibody with a toxin … Continue reading “Breast Cancer “Smart Bomb” From Roche, ImmunoGen Shows Tumor Shrinkage in Big Test”
Solar Nation Raises $2M, Inks Partnership
Portland, OR-based Solar Nation, a developer of solar energy technologies for government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits, has raised $2 million in equity financing, according to an SEC filing. The financing appears to be part of a $5 million commitment from Luxembourg-based Lynx Industries to help expand Solar Nation’s North American operations, as the company announced … Continue reading “Solar Nation Raises $2M, Inks Partnership”
Pfēnex: A New Biotech in Town
Dow Chemical has officially spun out a new San Diego-based biotech, Pfēnex, which is using a bacteria that secretes a fluorescent pigment to develop a variety of protein-based drugs, vaccines, diagnostic reagents, and biosimilars. Signet Healthcare Partners is lead investor in the venture-backed company, which is headed by CEO Bertrand C. Liang and includes a … Continue reading “Pfēnex: A New Biotech in Town”
Protalix Seeks Gaucher Drug Approval
Protalix Biotherapeutics, the Israel-based developer of a treatment for Gaucher’s disease that aims to compete with Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme, said today it has filed an application for FDA approval of its drug candidate. Protalix is seeking clearance to sell taliglucerase alfa. The company, which earlier this month formed a partnership with Pfizer to co-market the … Continue reading “Protalix Seeks Gaucher Drug Approval”
Washington Innovation Summit
The Washington Technology Center is hosting the Washington’s Innovation Summit 2010 — showcasing businesses and thought leaders driving industry development in aerospace, defense and energy. The event will be held from 7:30 am to 4 pm on April 9 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. Registration costs $150-230. For more information, click here.
EnerNOC Buys California Competitor
EnerNOC, a Boston-based provider of software and services that help large organizations to reduce their electricity usage, reports today that it has acquired California-based Cogent Energy. EnerNOC (NASDAQ:[[ticker:ENOC]]) says that Cogent’s technology is well suited for the needs of smaller facilities than EnerNOC typically serves, expanding the market of potential customers for the buyer. Financial … Continue reading “EnerNOC Buys California Competitor”
Una Ryan to Head Diagnostics for All
Biotech veteran Una Ryan has joined the nonprofit firm Diagnostics for All as CEO, The Boston Globe reports. Ryan, who is leaving her post as chief executive at Boston University spin-out Waltham Technologies, is also the former CEO of Needham, MA-based Avant Immunotherapeutics (now Celldex Therapeutics). She tells the Globe that one of her plans … Continue reading “Una Ryan to Head Diagnostics for All”
$3.2M Pours on Parasol Therapeutics
Parasol Therapeutics, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of treatments and diagnostics for influenza and other viruses, has raised $3.2 million in debt and equity financing, according to an SEC filing. Parasol, which Xconomy reported has previously raised $3.5 million in seed financing, is developing new therapies for flu based on discoveries in the MIT lab of … Continue reading “$3.2M Pours on Parasol Therapeutics”
Change Comes to the Arctic: A Photographic Journey
The Copenhagen climate conference is in full swing, and if you wonder why it matters, we’ve got evidence of a changing world to share with you. On the following pages is a series of arresting photographs and captions contributed by Alun Anderson, an Xconomy board member and former editor-in-chief and publishing director at New Scientist. … Continue reading “Change Comes to the Arctic: A Photographic Journey”
Nobel Laureate from Caltech, RNAi Leader To Headline Xconomy San Diego Event on Monday
Which San Diego biotech companies have the potential to rewrite the history of medicine? Who are the brightest young scientific entrepreneurs at San Diego’s research centers? What does this place have going for it that other biotech hubs around the world don’t? Yes, you can say I’m a little excited. These are some of the … Continue reading “Nobel Laureate from Caltech, RNAi Leader To Headline Xconomy San Diego Event on Monday”
Biogen Idec’s Dream: Antibodies That Kill Two Birds With One Stone
Some of the most successful biotech drugs ever created are designed to hit just one specific target on diseased cells, while sparing all sorts of markers found on healthy cells. But if Biogen Idec scientist Tony Manning and his colleagues are right, antibodies that specifically hit two targets could someday be better than one. Cambridge, … Continue reading “Biogen Idec’s Dream: Antibodies That Kill Two Birds With One Stone”
Crinetics Pharma Gets SBIR Grant
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, a San Diego startup focused on developing specialized biosensors for drug discovery applications, says it has been awarded a $237,895 Small Business Innovation Research Grant from the National Institutes of Health. A Crinetics spokesman says the company also has an application pending for $1 million in “fast-track” funding, but won’t learn the outcome … Continue reading “Crinetics Pharma Gets SBIR Grant”
A Graceful Exit for Gloucester, Pink Slips at Sermo, A Half a Billion Bucks for Vertex, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News
New England’s life sciences firms and their investors seemed to be exchanging some early holiday gifts this week. —Vertex (NASDAQ: [[ticker:VRTX]]) completed the latest in a string of large financing and licensing deals. In this one, the Cambridge, MA-based developer of drugs for hepatitis C and cystic fibrosis sold a total of $500.5 million worth … Continue reading “A Graceful Exit for Gloucester, Pink Slips at Sermo, A Half a Billion Bucks for Vertex, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”