Scientists in a Harvard University lab developed an imaging technique that allows researchers to peer deep into tissue samples to learn more about the molecules and cellular organization within. That technology now has the backing of two venture capital firms that have funded a company to commercialize the technology. The Cambridge, MA-based startup, Vizgen, debuted … Continue reading “Vizgen Launches With $14M to Market New Subcellular Imaging Technique”
Annovis Bio Gets $12M in IPO to Target Trio of Neurotoxic Proteins
A Philadelphia-area biotech is developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases it says have the potential to perform better than others by targeting multiple proteins involved in the brain’s breakdown. Now the company, Berwyn, PA-based Annovis Bio, has raised $12 million in an initial public offering to advance clinical development of its lead therapy in patients with … Continue reading “Annovis Bio Gets $12M in IPO to Target Trio of Neurotoxic Proteins”
Anika Therapeutics Announces Passing of CEO Joseph Darling
Joseph Darling, president and CEO of Anika Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ANIK]]), has passed away, the company announced Wednesday. The company said that Darling, 62, died unexpectedly in upstate New York. No cause of death was disclosed. Anika develops and sells joint preservation and regenerative therapies for orthopedic conditions. Darling joined the Bedford, MA-based company as its … Continue reading “Anika Therapeutics Announces Passing of CEO Joseph Darling”
Decibel Therapeutics Exec Holtzman Retires, Reid Named Acting CEO
Decibel Therapeutics CEO Steven Holtzman is retiring, the Boston-based drug developer announced Wednesday. He will continue as a business advisor to the company. Decibel appointed Laurence Reid to serve as acting CEO. Reid is an entrepreneur-in-residence at Third Rock Ventures, one of Decibel’s investors. He is also the former CEO of Warp Drive Bio, which … Continue reading “Decibel Therapeutics Exec Holtzman Retires, Reid Named Acting CEO”
Takeda’s Blanchfield Joins Lantheus as Chief Commercial Officer
Lantheus Holdings has appointed Paul Blanchfield to serve as its chief commercial officer. Blanchfield was most recently head of US immunology at Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical (NYSE: [[ticker:TAK]]). Before, he held several different roles at Dublin, Ireland-based Shire, which Takeda acquired in January 2019. North Billerica, MA-based Lantheus Holdings is the parent company of LMI, a … Continue reading “Takeda’s Blanchfield Joins Lantheus as Chief Commercial Officer”
Biofourmis Adds Jaydev Thakkar, Milan Shah to C-Suite
Digital therapeutics company Biofourmis has appointed Jaydev Thakkar as its chief operating officer, and Milan Shah as its chief technology officer. Thakkar joins Boston-based Biofourmis after 14 years at Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]), where he was most recently director of digital health and innovation. Shah joins from cybersecurity firm Uptycs, where he was co-founder and chief … Continue reading “Biofourmis Adds Jaydev Thakkar, Milan Shah to C-Suite”
Spring Bank Pharma Ends Hepatitis B Work After Death in Clinical Trial
Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals is stopping work on an experimental treatment for hepatitis B virus after serious side effects, including one patient death, were reported in a mid-stage study. The Spring Bank (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SBPH]]) drug, inarigivir soproxil, was the company’s lead therapeutic candidate. No details were released about the side effects observed in the clinical trial. … Continue reading “Spring Bank Pharma Ends Hepatitis B Work After Death in Clinical Trial”
Agenda and Speakers Announced for Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego
The initial agenda and speaker lineup is now available for San Diego’s Xcelerating Life Sciences event on March 18 at Takeda Research in California. Join Xconomy as we bring together local innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to explore bold new ideas in healthcare – and make the impactful connections. Agenda topics include Successful Research & Development … Continue reading “Agenda and Speakers Announced for Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego”
Decibel Therapeutics Strikes a Balance, Adding Regenerative Med Focus
Decibel Therapeutics emerged four years ago aiming to build a pipeline of medicines for various forms of hearing loss. One of those drugs is in the clinic. Others were shelved. And some of the company’s resources are now focusing on regenerative therapies addressing the inner ear. The recent pipeline changes are accompanied by a corporate … Continue reading “Decibel Therapeutics Strikes a Balance, Adding Regenerative Med Focus”
Histogen, Timber Pharma Plan Reverse Mergers to Join Public Markets
Two privately held biotechs on Tuesday announced plans for reverse mergers, transactions that provide a faster route to go public than a conventional IPO and also give struggling public companies a chance to recoup some value for their shareholders. San Diego regenerative medicine company Histogen announced an agreement to gain a Nasdaq listing through a … Continue reading “Histogen, Timber Pharma Plan Reverse Mergers to Join Public Markets”
Third Time’s the Charm as Acceleron Drug Shows Early Promise in PAH
Sotatercept was one of the first compounds to emerge from the labs of Acceleron Pharma, but it became a forgotten piece of the company’s pipeline. Passed over as a candidate to treat a rare blood disorder and stalled in tests in chronic kidney disease, little was expected of the drug. The drug’s prospects have changed … Continue reading “Third Time’s the Charm as Acceleron Drug Shows Early Promise in PAH”
BioIntelliSense Debuts “Sticker” Sensor to Capture Patient Data Remotely
Subtle changes can presage a worsening of a chronic condition, but symptoms may not become apparent to a patient until it’s time to call an ambulance. BioIntelliSense, a Denver-based digital health startup, has developed a wearable sensor meant to monitor patients’ vital signs remotely and provide near real-time data that clinicians can use to identify … Continue reading “BioIntelliSense Debuts “Sticker” Sensor to Capture Patient Data Remotely”
Passage Bio Appoints Deerfield Management’s Bruce Goldsmith as CEO
Passage Bio on Tuesday announced it appointed Bruce Goldsmith, a venture partner at Deerfield Management, as its new CEO. At Deerfield, Goldsmith also served as interim chief executive officer of Civetta Therapeutics. His experience also includes positions at Lycera, Allos Therapeutics, GPC Biotech, and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: [[ticker:JNJ]]). Goldsmith succeeds Passage co-founder Stephen Squinto, who … Continue reading “Passage Bio Appoints Deerfield Management’s Bruce Goldsmith as CEO”
Advanced Therapies Are Reshaping Biopharma R&D: KPMG Report
Biopharmaceutical companies focused on advanced therapies are changing industry R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain models according to KPMG. The audit, tax, and advisory services firm shared details of the trend in its Healthcare & Life Sciences Outlook report, explaining that for companies developing cell, gene, and nucleic acid-based therapies, innovation is a necessity. “As pharmaceutical … Continue reading “Advanced Therapies Are Reshaping Biopharma R&D: KPMG Report”
Flagship Adds Fertility-Focused Ohana Biosciences to Biotech Family
About 7 million couples in the US have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. A new biotech is using insights into the biology of male reproductive cells—the sperm that must meet its female equivalent, an egg cell, for fertilization to occur—to develop products meant to make assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) more … Continue reading “Flagship Adds Fertility-Focused Ohana Biosciences to Biotech Family”
Quench Bio Springs From Atlas With $50M for a New Take on Inflammation
Cells die all the time in a controlled manner that’s perfectly normal. But the way cells die matters. Sometimes cell death is violent, sparking inflammation believed to contribute to disease. Quench Bio aims to develop drugs that stop the uncontrolled forms of programmed cell death, potentially halting inflammatory disease. The Cambridge, MA-based startup has come … Continue reading “Quench Bio Springs From Atlas With $50M for a New Take on Inflammation”
Life Sciences IPOs Target Collective Raise of More Than $600M This Week
So far this year four privately held companies have made the transition to trading on the public markets. By month’s end, five more are anticipated to join the class of 2020 initial public offerings—and four of those are in life sciences, according to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital. Two are clinical-stage biotechs: Cambridge, MA-based Black … Continue reading “Life Sciences IPOs Target Collective Raise of More Than $600M This Week”
Allergan Offloads Two Drugs to Secure Approval of Merger With AbbVie
Allergan is selling off an experimental drug and a commercialized product in order to allay antitrust concerns from regulators reviewing the company’s $63 billion acquisition by AbbVie. The rights to brazikumab, which is currently in testing for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, will go to AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]), where the antibody drug was initially developed. … Continue reading “Allergan Offloads Two Drugs to Secure Approval of Merger With AbbVie”
Beam Therapeutics Promotes Giuseppe Ciaramella to President
Beam Therapeutics has promoted Chief Scientific Officer Giuseppe “Pino” Ciaramella to president. He will continue to serve as the Cambridge, MA, biotech’s CSO, a role he has held for nearly two years. Before joining Beam, Ciaramella was the CSO of Moderna (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MRNA]]). His experience also includes positions at AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) and Boehringer Ingelheim. … Continue reading “Beam Therapeutics Promotes Giuseppe Ciaramella to President”
Acceleron Pharma Exec Quisel Is Leaving to Join a Biotech Startup
Acceleron Pharma (NASDAQ: [[ticker:XLRN]]) announced Thursday that John Quisel, the company’s executive vice president and chief business officer, is leaving to become CEO of a venture-backed biotechnology startup. The startup’s name was not disclosed. Quisel was involved in numerous deals struck by Cambridge, MA-based Acceleron, including a development and commercialization agreement with Celgene (now part … Continue reading “Acceleron Pharma Exec Quisel Is Leaving to Join a Biotech Startup”
Bio Roundup: Coronavirus Concerns, Sarepta’s CRL, Eye Drug OK’d & More
Company news slowed somewhat this week, perhaps as some took the federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday away from the office and others recovered from back-to-back meetings and late nights at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. However, a new coronavirus believed to stem from Wuhan, China, captured the attention of the world healthcare community. … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: Coronavirus Concerns, Sarepta’s CRL, Eye Drug OK’d & More”
Epizyme’s Soft Tissue Cancer Drug Granted Speedy FDA Approval
Epizyme won accelerated FDA approval Thursday for a drug developed to treat the rare cancer epithelioid sarcoma (ES). The regulatory decision for the Epizyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EPZM]]) drug, tazemetostat (Tazverik), covers patients 16 or older whose ES has advanced or spread and is not eligible for surgical treatment. The drug is now the first FDA-approved treatment … Continue reading “Epizyme’s Soft Tissue Cancer Drug Granted Speedy FDA Approval”
Kura Oncology Chief Medical Officer Plans to Step Down Next Month
Kura Oncology (NASDAQ: [[ticker:KURA]]) announced Thursday that its chief medical officer, Antonio Gualberto, would step down on Feb. 7 “to pursue other opportunities.” In a research note, SVB Leerink analyst Jonathan Chang said Gualberto was leaving Kura to take over as head of development at an “large Asian multi-national company,” but didn’t name the company. … Continue reading “Kura Oncology Chief Medical Officer Plans to Step Down Next Month”
Poxel Picks Sigilon’s Moller for Chief Scientific Officer Post
David Moller has joined Poxel as its chief scientific officer, the same position he held most recently at Sigilon Therapeutics. Moller’s experience also includes research and development roles at Eli Lilly (NYSE: [[ticker:LLY]]) and Merck (NYSE: [[ticker:MRK]]). Lyon, France-based Poxel is developing treatments for metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Moller will … Continue reading “Poxel Picks Sigilon’s Moller for Chief Scientific Officer Post”
Krystal Biotech Names Genzyme’s Chien Chief Commercial Officer
Gene therapy developer Krystal Biotech (NASDAQ: [[ticker:KRYS]]) has appointed Jennifer Chien to the newly created role of chief commercial officer. She comes to Pittsburgh-based Krystal from the Genzyme unit of Sanofi (NYSE: [[ticker:SNY]]), where she was vice president and head of genetic diseases. Krystal’s lead therapeutic candidate, KB103, is a topical gene therapy in mid-stage … Continue reading “Krystal Biotech Names Genzyme’s Chien Chief Commercial Officer”
After AstraZeneca, Osbourn Reflects on Roles at CAT & MedImmune
MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s biologics division, is no more. The pharmaceutical giant announced last year that the name would be retired as part of a research and development restructuring. Before MedImmune became an AstraZeneca (NYSE: [[ticker:AZN]]) business unit, it was a standalone biologics company. In 2007, AstraZeneca paid $15.2 billion to acquire the biotech, which it integrated … Continue reading “After AstraZeneca, Osbourn Reflects on Roles at CAT & MedImmune”
FDA Flags Risk of Infection, Kidney Damage for Sarepta Duchenne Drugs
[Updated 7:25 p.m. See below.] Safety concerns stymied Sarepta Therapeutics’ attempt to win FDA approval last August for golodirsen (Vyondys 53), its second Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug. But an appeal of the decision led to a surprise reversal by the regulator last month, with little explanation why. Details are now surfacing about the safety risks … Continue reading “FDA Flags Risk of Infection, Kidney Damage for Sarepta Duchenne Drugs”
Healthcare Investment Trends: Where Will the Money Flow in 2020?
From the event organizers: Registration is now open for NYCHBL’s 7th Annual Healthcare Investment Trends: Where Will the Money Flow in 2020? This year’s event will be the largest ever, held at the amazing event space at Convene with room for up to 300 attendees. The event will feature a panel of expert investors who … Continue reading “Healthcare Investment Trends: Where Will the Money Flow in 2020?”
Horizon Gets Early FDA OK for First Thyroid Eye Disease Treatment
The first treatment for a rare disease that causes eye bulging and double vision received an FDA nod on Tuesday, weeks ahead of the agency’s March 8 deadline to review the drug. Dublin, Ireland-based Horizon Therapeutics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HZNP]]) tested the medicine, teprotumumab-trbw (Tepezza), in thyroid eye disease, which occurs when the muscles and fatty tissues … Continue reading “Horizon Gets Early FDA OK for First Thyroid Eye Disease Treatment”
Emendo Eyes the Clinic for CRISPR Therapy That Makes Single-Gene Edits
CRISPR gene editing offers the potential to selectively edit the genetic mutations causing inherited diseases, but Emendo Biotherapeutics CEO David Baram contends it’s not precise enough. A large number of genetic diseases can’t be addressed by current CRISPR approaches and the technology still raises safety concerns. Emendo is developing a way to make CRISPR gene … Continue reading “Emendo Eyes the Clinic for CRISPR Therapy That Makes Single-Gene Edits”
CEOs of Women’s Health Companies Fight to Open Investment Floodgates
Talking about sex with potential investors? For EvoFem Biosciences CEO Saundra Pelletier, it’s the first item on the docket. Her company recently submitted Amphora, a non-hormonal contraceptive gel, to the FDA for review. EvoFem (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EVFM]])—and the rest of the women’s health sector—will know by midyear whether the product will be approved, making the San … Continue reading “CEOs of Women’s Health Companies Fight to Open Investment Floodgates”
After Ending Cancer Drug Program, Halozyme Predicts Profits in 2020
Halozyme suffered a setback in November when its investigational pancreatic drug failed a Phase 3 clinical trial, but its CEO says the biotech’s drug delivery technology will make the company profitable as early as the second quarter of this year. The San Diego-based company’s technology, called Enhanze, allows some drugs traditionally given intravenously over hours … Continue reading “After Ending Cancer Drug Program, Halozyme Predicts Profits in 2020”
Of Science and Sea Urchins: Researchers Plumb Oceans for Biological Insights
The ocean is home to more biodiversity than anywhere else on the planet—making it a largely untapped source of opportunity for researchers studying marine organisms as a source of novel drug leads. “The unique adaptations of marine organisms have made them valuable models for biomedical research, enhancing our understanding of fundamental biological processes, such as … Continue reading “Of Science and Sea Urchins: Researchers Plumb Oceans for Biological Insights”
Revolution Medicines Maps Out an IPO to Reach Cancer’s Frontiers
Cancer research has revealed proteins known to play a role in the disease, but with no known way of stopping what they do. In pharmaceutical parlance, they’re “undruggable.” Revolution Medicines is trying to drug the undruggable with small molecules that block the signaling pathways these proteins use to help cancer grow and thrive. With one … Continue reading “Revolution Medicines Maps Out an IPO to Reach Cancer’s Frontiers”
Bio Roundup: EQRx’s Ambitions, Nektar No Vote, New Frazier Fund & More
Perhaps the most talked-about news at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference this week was a new startup that launched with $200 million and an ambitious claim that its first drug would be approved within five years, and 10 in total within as many years. Cambridge, MA-based EQRx contends it will be able achieve its goals … Continue reading “Bio Roundup: EQRx’s Ambitions, Nektar No Vote, New Frazier Fund & More”
BioCryst Pharma Promotes Charles Gayer to Chief Commercial Officer
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BCRX]]) has promoted Charles Gayer to chief commercial officer. Gayer joined the Durham, NC-based drug developer in 2015 as vice president of global strategic marketing. His experience also includes positions at Talecris and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: [[ticker:GSK]]). BioCryst is preparing for the expected commercial launch of berotralstat, a drug that has been submitted … Continue reading “BioCryst Pharma Promotes Charles Gayer to Chief Commercial Officer”
Cancer Drug Developer BioNTech to Buy Neon Therapeutics in $67M Deal
Neon Therapeutics closed 2019 by curtailing its cancer vaccine programs and laying off 24 percent of its workforce, part of a corporate restructuring aimed at finding a new path for the company. That new path will now be as a division of cancer drug developer BioNTech. BioNTech announced Thursday that it has agreed to acquire … Continue reading “Cancer Drug Developer BioNTech to Buy Neon Therapeutics in $67M Deal”
Adaptimmune Appoints Elliot Norry Chief Medical Officer
Elliot Norry, acting chief medical officer of Adaptimmune (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ADAP]]) since last August, now holds the job outright. Norry initially joined the company in 2015 as head of clinical safety and pharmacovigilance. Adaptimmune, which splits its operations between Philadelphia and Oxfordshire, UK, is developing cancer immunotherapies based on its technology for engineering T cells.
Event Announcement: Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego
We’re excited to announce the first in Xconomy’s new Xcelerating Life Sciences event series convening local communities of innovators, executives, rising pioneers, entrepreneurs, investors, and scientists: Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego will help you stay at the forefront of San Diego’s genomic trends and technologies that are fueling today’s biotech investment and partnership opportunities. Early … Continue reading “Event Announcement: Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego”
Mayo Clinic Joins $60M Financing for Biomedical Software Firm nference
Startup nference has closed a $60 million Series B financing round to expand the use of its augmented intelligence platform in clinical research and drug development. Mayo Clinic and NTT Venture Capital joined previous investors Matrix Partners and Matrix Capital Management, which participated in the Cambridge, MA-based company’s Series A round in 2018. The relationship … Continue reading “Mayo Clinic Joins $60M Financing for Biomedical Software Firm nference”
Disarm Therapeutics Names Scott Holmes Chief Financial Officer
Disarm Therapeutics has appointed Scott Holmes to serve as its chief financial officer, the same position he held most recently at Kiadis Pharma. Before working at Kiadis, Holmes was the CFO of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals. Cambridge, MA-based Disarm is developing drugs neurodegenerative disease drugs that target a protein called SARM1.
Emendo Biotherapeutics Nabs $61M for “Next-Generation CRISPR” R&D
[Updated 1/22/20120, 7:17 a.m. See below.] Emendo Biotherapeutics, a company aiming to apply CRISPR gene editing to a wider range of genetic diseases, has raised $61 million in financing. The Series B round was led by AnGes, a Japan-based biopharmaceutical company. Want more cell and gene therapy content? Network and engage with industry leaders online … Continue reading “Emendo Biotherapeutics Nabs $61M for “Next-Generation CRISPR” R&D”
Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego
Stay at the forefront of San Diego’s genomic trends and technologies that are fueling today’s biotech investment and partnership opportunities Dozens of genomic biotechs in the clinical stage are emerging from universities, research institutions, and philanthropic organizations, defining San Diego as the meeting point for innovative startups, established life sciences companies, and academic prowess. How … Continue reading “Xcelerating Life Sciences San Diego”
Phage Therapy Firm APT Lands DoD Contract for Antibiotic Alternative
The Department of Defense has awarded Adaptive Phage Therapeutics a $10.2 million contract to help advance its experimental therapy for the treatment of multidrug-resistant infections. Gaithersburg, MD-based Adaptive Phage Therapeutics (APT) says it will pursue a two-year multi-site clinical trial as it looks to get the OK from the FDA, which considers phage to be … Continue reading “Phage Therapy Firm APT Lands DoD Contract for Antibiotic Alternative”
FDA Panel Votes Down Nektar Opioid Painkiller, Asks for More Data
[Updated 1/15/2020, 8:51 a.m. See below.] As the nation grapples with the ongoing opioid crisis, an FDA advisory panel on Tuesday unanimously voted against recommending approval of a Nektar Therapeutics painkiller that would add a new compound to the drug class—even though it was designed to reduce the risk of abuse. Some members of the … Continue reading “FDA Panel Votes Down Nektar Opioid Painkiller, Asks for More Data”
Pfizer Taps Insilico Medicine to Use AI for Drug Target Discovery
Insilico Medicine on Tuesday announced that it has entered a research collaboration with Pfizer, which Insilico CEO Alex Zhavoronkov says has “one of the most advanced AI teams internally both in target identification and chemistry.” Under the agreement, Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) will use Insilico’s machine learning technology and proprietary Pandomics Discovery Platform. Pfizer, not new … Continue reading “Pfizer Taps Insilico Medicine to Use AI for Drug Target Discovery”
Schrödinger Sets Course for IPO to Support Growing Internal Pipeline
Scan the landscape of experimental medicines in development today and you’ll spot Schrödinger’s handiwork. The company’s software has helped discover compounds that are now advancing in the pipelines of several drug developers. Schrödinger isn’t shying away from that work. But as it continues building its own drug pipeline, it’s now laying out plans to go … Continue reading “Schrödinger Sets Course for IPO to Support Growing Internal Pipeline”
Daré Bioscience Inks Deal With Bayer for Non-Hormonal Contraceptive
Daré Bioscience launched in 2015 with the aim of assembling a portfolio of novel women’s health products intended to pique interest from major pharmaceutical companies. Now the San Diego-based company has inked its first deal with Big Pharma, signing an agreement with German biopharma Bayer for its lead asset, a monthly non-hormonal form of birth … Continue reading “Daré Bioscience Inks Deal With Bayer for Non-Hormonal Contraceptive”
NeoGenomics Nabs Human Longevity’s Oncology Division for $37M
The genetic testing company NeoGenomics has acquired Human Longevity’s oncology division, which provides next-generation sequencing services. The division of San Diego-based Human Longevity generated approximately $10 million in revenue in 2019—an amount NeoGenomics (NASDAQ: [[ticker:NEO]]) thinks it can grow by nearly 50 percent, says Charlie Eidson, investor relations and corporate development analyst, NeoGenomics. Additionally, the … Continue reading “NeoGenomics Nabs Human Longevity’s Oncology Division for $37M”
Biogen Adds Another Neuro Drug to Pipeline in Deal With Pfizer
Continuing to make headlines in the neurodegenerative disease space, Biogen on Monday announced a deal to acquire a clinical-stage Pfizer asset that has potential applications in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, for $75 million. Cambridge, MA-based Biogen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) could end up paying Pfizer (NYSE: [[ticker:PFE]]) up to $635 million in potential milestone payments and royalties, … Continue reading “Biogen Adds Another Neuro Drug to Pipeline in Deal With Pfizer”