Virtual Drug Development in San Diego

Increasing numbers of virtual biotech and service companies are locating in San Diego. This workshop will explore each participant’s experience and approach to building drug development teams within San Diego. The panel will discuss a case study of how several leaders in the community have facilitated a collaboration to enable key components of the Trius … Continue reading “Virtual Drug Development in San Diego”

Establishing an Effective Bioscience Intellectual Property Portfolio

Connect and the Pillsbury Winthrop law firm have organized this Frameworks Workshop. Bioscience companies rely more heavily on having an effective intellectual property portfolio than do companies based on other technologies. Because it can take years to reach product commercialization, one of the greatest assets for the company is its intellectual property portfolio. Both a … Continue reading “Establishing an Effective Bioscience Intellectual Property Portfolio”

Growing Global in a Connected World: How Far Can Technology Take Us?

San Diego MIT Enterprise Forum and the World Trade Center of San Diego have organized this presentation as part of “global entrepreneurship week.” With technology emerging on a global scale, what do you need to know to become a global player? Panelists from Sperian Protection, Palomar Technologies, and WD-40 Company are ready with answers. Register … Continue reading “Growing Global in a Connected World: How Far Can Technology Take Us?”

A New Playbook for Green Advertising

What does it mean for a product to be environmentally friendly? How about sustainable? Or even biodegradable? These words may appeal to a rapidly growing body of environmentally conscious customers, not to mention the major corporations and startups who appeal to them by touting their own “greenness”—but unless they convey a clear meaning and can … Continue reading “A New Playbook for Green Advertising”

Startup Circle Hosts San Diego Entrepreneur Barbara Bry

Startup Circle has asked veteran entrepreneur and venture investor Barbara Bry to talk about her adventures in entrepreneurship. She is the chief operating officer of San Diego’s Blackbird Ventures, and she has been on the founding team of two companies and three nonprofit organizations. She was a co-founder of Atcom, a startup that pioneered Internet … Continue reading “Startup Circle Hosts San Diego Entrepreneur Barbara Bry”

Benefits & Pitfalls: The Proposed Three-Track Patent Examination Process

United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) Commissioner for Patents, Robert Stoll, will headline a CONNECT Public Policy Forum on the USPTO’s proposed Three-Track System on Tuesday, November 9th. The event is part of CONNECT’s ongoing effort to provide San Diego entrepreneurs and start-ups with timely forums to address possible rule changes that impact the … Continue reading “Benefits & Pitfalls: The Proposed Three-Track Patent Examination Process”

ProctorCam’s Web Technology Out to Monitor Online Testing From Afar

Teachers have always tried to keep an eye out for cheating, and cheaters have always tried to conceal the tricks of the trade. But now surveillance is coming to higher education, from Boston-based startup ProctorCam, a maker of Web-based software for the live monitoring of test-takers remotely. The idea for the company came when founder … Continue reading “ProctorCam’s Web Technology Out to Monitor Online Testing From Afar”

Ebyline Obtains $1,500,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=74e51f44-7401-4a91-9b64-6bf6e9d3df26&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2010 Company Name Ebyline Mailing Address 27943 Seco Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91350 Company Description Ebyline is a Los Angeles-based startup, founded in August 2009 on the concept that a marketplace for buying and selling quality news can help publishers maintain their mission of distributing high-quality content while also … Continue reading “Ebyline Obtains $1,500,000 Series A Round”

Gazillion Entertainment Garners $60,000,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=b5c69940-b43f-4649-9c6f-7023b6945237&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2010 Company Name Gazillion Entertainment Mailing Address 475 Concar Drive San Mateo, CA 94402 Company Description The company develops and publishes massively multiplayer online games. Website http://www.gazillion.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $60,000,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes We’re pleased to welcome Temasek as we enter a key phase … Continue reading “Gazillion Entertainment Garners $60,000,000 New Funding Round”

Mig33 Garners $8,900,000 Series C Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=44d96c43-029e-4f00-9b69-ca1131745412&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2010 Company Name Mig33 Mailing Address 270 East Lane Burlingame, CA 94010 Company Description mig33 was released in December of 2005 as the first global mobile Internet community and has quickly spread around the world. With millions of customers in more than 200 countries, the service has taken the world … Continue reading “Mig33 Garners $8,900,000 Series C Financing Round”

Tremor Media Acquires ScanScout for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=46a7ebb5-8453-44f6-aab8-89dc5bed9088&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2010 Company Name ScanScout Mailing Address 450 Seventh Ave. New York, NY 10011 Company Description ScanScout technology solves these challenges for advertisers and publishers, providing brand protection to ensure that advertisers’ brand messages will only be seen adjacent to the most appropriate content while offering a glimpse into the future … Continue reading “Tremor Media Acquires ScanScout for Undisclosed Sum”

Infochimps Lands $1,200,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=5eb701f0-b5d0-4fc8-b6ba-1fa59f0a20f0&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2010 Company Name Infochimps Mailing Address 1214 W. 6th St Austin , TX 78703 Company Description The company provides an online structured data API service. Website http://www.infochimps.org Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,200,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The company plans to spend the funding on gathering more data … Continue reading “Infochimps Lands $1,200,000 New Funding”

Novatel Wireless Acquires Enfora for $70,500,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=6d8fc685-adfe-4546-b832-8b32ee221952&Preview=1 Date 11/8/2010 Company Name Enfora Mailing Address 251 Renner Pkwy Richardson, TX 75080 Company Description Enfora is a leader in enabling GSM/GPRS and 802.11 wireless data solutions to enhance mobility and data access from remote locations for public and corporate sectors. From advanced technology for OEMs and developers to innovative products … Continue reading “Novatel Wireless Acquires Enfora for $70,500,000”

MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation’s Biomanufacturing Summit: Science to Manage Risk in Biomanufacturing

Learn how to mitigate risk in biomanufacturing through technology, at this all-day event, put on by the MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation. Presenters will discuss threats from viral contamination, product contamination, and variations in materials, as well as the technologies aimed at ensuring higher quality production and evaluation. Register here.

Amgen, Abbott Win BayBio Awards

Amgen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) and Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: [[ticker:ABT]]) took home a couple of the top prizes last night at the BayBio Pantheon Awards. Amgen received honors for the best therapeutic with denosumab (Prolia) for osteoporosis, while Abbott won for the outstanding medical device—a product called MitraClip that repairs leaky heart valves without requiring surgery, which … Continue reading “Amgen, Abbott Win BayBio Awards”

Cap-and-Trade May Be Wounded, But The Low Carbon Economy is Still Healthy

Some 61 percent of California voters this week showed they still believe in the economic promise of clean energy. Californians rejected Proposition 23 that would have rolled back policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions and develop clean energy. Their vote of confidence reminds us that even though comprehensive federal climate legislation may be off the … Continue reading “Cap-and-Trade May Be Wounded, But The Low Carbon Economy is Still Healthy”

Daktari Brings In $1.8M

Daktari Diagnostics, a Cambridge, MA-based developer of an HIV diagnostics system for use in developing countries, has wrapped up $1.8 million in equity-based funding from 32 unnamed investors, according to an SEC filing. The firm has previously raised about $3.7 million, from a number individual investors, Hub Angels, Launchpad Venture Group, Mass Medical Angels, Norwich … Continue reading “Daktari Brings In $1.8M”

Super Angels Not So Super? Angel Investing Deals Up, But Dollars Down for 2010

For all the fuss about “super angels” and “angels are the new VCs,” a report out this week from the University of New Hampshire says angel investors are putting less money into companies overall, especially at the seed and startup stages, compared with previous years. Of course, there are many factors at play here. The … Continue reading “Super Angels Not So Super? Angel Investing Deals Up, But Dollars Down for 2010”

Debt, Equity Deals for Pathogenetix

Woburn, MA-based biotech Pathogenetix, formerly known as U.S. Genomics, has raised $1.3 million in equity-based funding, and $900,000 of a planned $1.2 million debt-based offering, according to filings with the SEC. U.S. Genomics developed biodefense and diagnostic technologies, and raised $4.5 million in private equity funding from Becton, Dickinson & Co in 2008, as part of … Continue reading “Debt, Equity Deals for Pathogenetix”

Steve Davis, the Techie Turned Global Healthie, Gets Dose of Reality at Close Range in India

Nobody can accuse Steve Davis of being a dilettante on global health. He’s best known for his strategic business thinking as the former CEO of Corbis, the digital image heavyweight, but even during his high-pressure 80-hour weeks, he spent time digging into global health issues on the nonprofit boards of Seattle-based PATH, and the Fred … Continue reading “Steve Davis, the Techie Turned Global Healthie, Gets Dose of Reality at Close Range in India”

Xconomy Forum on Health IT: Searching for the Consumer Payoff—or an App as Compelling as Facebook

With less than two weeks before we convene the Xconomy Forum on Health IT, I’m happy to report that our final arrangements have fallen into place. Lisa Suennen, a co-founder and managing member of the Psilos Group, is now officially in our lineup—which ensures that our consumer-centric discourse will be an insightful and entertaining evening. … Continue reading “Xconomy Forum on Health IT: Searching for the Consumer Payoff—or an App as Compelling as Facebook”

Bill Warner, Bill Taylor, and Diverse Mix of Startups Highlight “Big Tech Ideas” Roster on Dec. 8

If some is good, more is better. That’s certainly the case for “5×5: Five Cities, Five Big Tech Ideas,” the next Xconomy Forum taking place in Boston. It’s all happening on the afternoon of Dec. 8 at the Fidelity Center for Applied Technology, near South Station. We’ve got some big additions to the lineup. Bill … Continue reading “Bill Warner, Bill Taylor, and Diverse Mix of Startups Highlight “Big Tech Ideas” Roster on Dec. 8″

Hyperion Nails Pivotal Trial, ChemoCentryx Aims High Against Crohn’s, Vivus Shot Down by FDA, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News

Who am I kidding about the importance of biotech news this week? The San Francisco Giants and the election owned the news cycle, and rightfully so. I hear from a reliable source that Xconomy founder Bob Buderi, a Bay Area native and lifelong Giants fan, is “very happy.” But in case you missed a few … Continue reading “Hyperion Nails Pivotal Trial, ChemoCentryx Aims High Against Crohn’s, Vivus Shot Down by FDA, & More Bay Area Life Sciences News”

Uncle Sam Delivers $18.4M in Research Awards to Michigan Biotechs

Usually, people pay the Internal Revenue Service. But this week the IRS announced awards to biotech companies in Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. through the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project program. The program awarded 57 Michigan firms a total of $18.4 million in grants, according to the IRS website. The program’s grants and tax credits—which … Continue reading “Uncle Sam Delivers $18.4M in Research Awards to Michigan Biotechs”

Nexus Dx Rolls Up ITC

San Diego-based Nexus Dx, a startup founded in 2009 to consolidate technologies focused on point of care blood diagnostic testing, said yesterday it has merged with New Jersey-based International Technidyne Corp. (ITC). The New Jersey company specializes in hemostasis management (the process in which bleeding stops). The private equity firm Warburg Pincus acquired ITC for … Continue reading “Nexus Dx Rolls Up ITC”

Biogen Announces Restructuring, FDA Approves Sunovion Drug, Acceleron Cuts Workforce, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News

There was good news and bad news in the Boston life sciences scene this past week. Some companies announced layoffs and restructuring, while others attracted funding and won regulatory approval. —Sunovion Pharmaceuticals of Marlborough, MA, nabbed FDA approval for Latuda (lurasidone HCl), its once-daily, oral tablet for treating schizophrenia. The drug is expected to hit … Continue reading “Biogen Announces Restructuring, FDA Approves Sunovion Drug, Acceleron Cuts Workforce, & More Boston-Area Life Sciences News”

Wrightspeed Receives $5,000,000 Series A Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=1fc8009f-1dad-4783-8a4f-c832ec372006&Preview=1 Date 11/5/2010 Company Name Wrightspeed Mailing Address Undisclosed San Jose, CA 95101 Company Description The company is developing extended range, hybrid electric drive systems. Website http://www.Wrightspeed.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $5,000,000 Transaction Round Series A Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. M&A Terms Venture Investor Undisclosed

Charles River Labs Closing Molecular Imaging Facility in Ann Arbor

Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:[[ticker:CRL]]) is closing its discovery and molecular imaging facility in Ann Arbor, MI, as part of a plan to save the struggling company $40 million in annual expenses. The Wilmington, MA-based contract research firm reported yesterday that it’s cutting 4 percent of its global work force in response to weakened demand … Continue reading “Charles River Labs Closing Molecular Imaging Facility in Ann Arbor”

J&J Dumps Arena Diabetes Drug

San Diego-based Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:ARNA]]), the developer of treatments for obesity and diabetes, said today that Johnson & Johnson has terminated a partnership to co-develop a diabetes drug after reviewing results from a Phase I clinical trial. Full rights to the drug, APD597, will go back to Arena. The drug, an oral pill, is … Continue reading “J&J Dumps Arena Diabetes Drug”

Clearwire Cuts 15% of Staff

Clearwire (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CLWR]]), the Kirkland, WA-based provider of wireless Internet service, said today in its quarterly earnings report that it is cutting 15 percent of its workforce, and making a “substantial reduction” in its use of contract workers, as part of a restructuring plan. The company didn’t say how many people are actually losing their … Continue reading “Clearwire Cuts 15% of Staff”

Biogen Idec Closing San Diego Center, Cadence Wins FDA Approval, Adventrx Files New Drug Application, & More San Diego Life Sciences News

The question with the life sciences roundup this week is not so much, “Where to begin?” as it is “Where can we resume?” With the closure of Biogen Idec’s San Diego operation, local business leaders say it’s now a matter of picking up the pieces and starting over. — Weston, MA-based Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: [[ticker:BIIB]]) … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Closing San Diego Center, Cadence Wins FDA Approval, Adventrx Files New Drug Application, & More San Diego Life Sciences News”

AeroScout Gets $16M Round

AeroScout in Redwood City, CA, raised $16 million in a round led by Evergreen Venture Partners, with previous investors Cisco, Greylock Partners, Intel Capital, Menlo Ventures, Pitango Venture Capital and Star Ventures participating, according to PE Hub. AeroScout makes a Real Time Location System that works with its Wi-Fi RFID system, primarily for healthcare companies. … Continue reading “AeroScout Gets $16M Round”

Nexant Raises $50M

Nexant in San Francisco, CA, says it has raised $50 million in a round led by Dr. Romesh Wadhwani of Symphony Technology Group. Previous investors TeleSoft, Oak Investment Partners, Intel Capital, and Beacon participated. Nexant makes software that manages the power grid, handling energy efficiency, demand response and distributed generation. It also sells consulting services … Continue reading “Nexant Raises $50M”

Is Cloudera the Next Oracle? CEO Mike Olson Hopes So

Cloud computing is expected to commoditize entire sectors of the IT industry over the next few years, and to create entirely new classes of big companies as well. One of those big companies will be Cloudera, says Mike Olson, the firm’s CEO. Or at least he hopes it will be Cloudera, a Palo Alto, CA-based … Continue reading “Is Cloudera the Next Oracle? CEO Mike Olson Hopes So”

‘It’s Happened Before:’ Biz Leaders React to Biogen Idec’s San Diego Shutdown

[Corrected 11/04/10, 9:25 am to reflect merger] When Cambridge, MA-based Biogen consummated its merger with San Diego’s Idec Pharmaceuticals in November 2003, Executive Chairman William H. Rastetter said, “Based on our existing collaboration in oncology, we knew that this combination would be an excellent fit, both operationally and culturally,” according to a statement issued at … Continue reading “‘It’s Happened Before:’ Biz Leaders React to Biogen Idec’s San Diego Shutdown”

Optimum Energy Names New CEO

Optimum Energy, the Seattle-based developer of energy efficiency technology, said today that Matthew Frey has been hired as its new president and CEO. Frey was previously president and chief operating officer of World Wide Packets. He replaces Optimum founder Nathan Rothman, who continues as chairman of the board.

Dendreon’s Plan to Meet Demand, Arch Banks on Ikaria IPO, RF Surgical Leaves No Sponge Behind, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News

There was that minor election thing this week, but the biotech community didn’t have the good sense to stand down and let the politicians hog all the spotlight. Get caught up on your headlines here. —Dendreon (NASDAQ: [[ticker:DNDN]]) reported its third quarter financial results, and since this is just the second quarter of operations since … Continue reading “Dendreon’s Plan to Meet Demand, Arch Banks on Ikaria IPO, RF Surgical Leaves No Sponge Behind, & More Seattle-Area Life Sciences News”

ChemoCentryx, Pursuing the Dream For Autoimmune Disease, Seeks to Put a Pill in a Bottle

One of the big dreams in the pharmaceutical business is to develop a once-daily oral pill that can relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases. These are the kind of energy-sapping, pain-inflicting, or disfiguring illnesses people get when the body’s immune system goes awry and attacks healthy tissue like it’s a foreign virus. No one has come … Continue reading “ChemoCentryx, Pursuing the Dream For Autoimmune Disease, Seeks to Put a Pill in a Bottle”

Get Them to the Geek Fest: Incorporating Analytics Into Everyday Software

Tom Clancy, the founder of San Diego-based Tao Venture Capital Partners (and not the author of “The Hunt for Red October”), recently gave me a glimpse of advances in analytics software that will be on stage next week at the San Diego “Supermath” conference on analytics. As the conference chairman, Clancy has a job that … Continue reading “Get Them to the Geek Fest: Incorporating Analytics Into Everyday Software”

Biogen Idec Chief Aims to Make Firm More Like Biotech and Less Like Pharma with Restructuring Plan

Biogen Idec is returning to its biotech roots, in a way. The Weston, MA-based company (NASDAQ:[[ticker:BIIB]]) made headlines yesterday for its plans to cut 650 full-time jobs and narrow its research and development focus to emphasize its core expertise in neurology. And a big part of the restructuring plan, the firm’s CEO, George Scangos, says, … Continue reading “Biogen Idec Chief Aims to Make Firm More Like Biotech and Less Like Pharma with Restructuring Plan”

Oracle Buys ATG for $1B, Acquia Raises $8.5M, Boston Scientific Sells Unit to Stryker for $1.5B, & More Boston-Area Deals News

If you like deals with a “billion” in them, this was the week for you. —Software maker Neohapsis of Cambridge, MA, raised $4.5 million in a deal led by New Venture Partners and joined by return backers Trident Capital and Paladin Capital Group. Neohapsis, which targets the governance, risk, and compliance market, also acquired the … Continue reading “Oracle Buys ATG for $1B, Acquia Raises $8.5M, Boston Scientific Sells Unit to Stryker for $1.5B, & More Boston-Area Deals News”

InfoReady Helps Customers Navigate $1 Trillion Grant Market With Search and Collaboration Software

Collaboration software for office workers isn’t new, and neither are technologies for doing refined, targeted Web searches. But Ann Arbor, MI-based InfoReady is combining those elements in a social networking-like interface to create a workflow tool that the company’s president and CEO Bhushan Kulkarni thinks will really shake things up. “I feel that we are … Continue reading “InfoReady Helps Customers Navigate $1 Trillion Grant Market With Search and Collaboration Software”

New Venture Redstar In the Works From ATG Founders

The startup bug just keeps on biting for Joe Chung and Jeet Singh, founders of Cambridge, MA-based Art Technology Group. On the heels of news of Oracle’s $1 billion acquisition of ATG, a developer of software for e-commerce websites, Singh confirmed to Xconomy a growing rumor in the Boston innovation community—that the duo is working … Continue reading “New Venture Redstar In the Works From ATG Founders”

Practically Green Receives $750,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=edd48e5f-6b0f-45b7-842d-b7b41688aafc&Preview=1 Date 11/4/2010 Company Name Practically Green Mailing Address 545 Boylston St., Third Floor Boston, MA 02116 Company Description The company operates a website aimed at helping consumers lead eco-friendly lifestyles. Website http://www.practicallygreen.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $750,000 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes The company plans to use the financing … Continue reading “Practically Green Receives $750,000 New Funding Round”

Red Foundry Receives $1,100,000 New Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c1164991-2520-4c6f-90cc-cf646118aef2&Preview=1 Date 11/4/2010 Company Name Red Foundry Mailing Address Undisclosed Chicago, IL 60601 Company Description That’s why we started Red Foundry – to take our years of experience in building successful mobile apps and package it into technology that anyone can use to lower the cost, complexity and risk of building killer … Continue reading “Red Foundry Receives $1,100,000 New Financing Round”

American Express Acquires Accertify for $150,000,000

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=90550d22-3761-4c0f-96c1-b8a840b346b9&Preview=1 Date 11/4/2010 Company Name Accertify Mailing Address 1075 Hawthorn Dr. Itasca, IL 60143 Company Description One mission – providing the very best integrated tool for merchants to identify the fraudulent use of credit cards in online, telephone or any card not present transactions. Website http://www.accertify.com Transaction Type M&A Transaction Amount $150,000,000 … Continue reading “American Express Acquires Accertify for $150,000,000”

GainSpan Lands $5,075,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=04fb5af4-b129-4d95-b4ec-518a4d2f8c94&Preview=1 Date 11/4/2010 Company Name GainSpan Mailing Address 125 S. Market Street San Jose, CA 95113-2292 Company Description GainSpan brings Wi-Fi sensor networks to life. The company’s semiconductor and software solutions break new ground in Wi-Fi applications by enabling years of battery life for Wi-Fi sensors and other devices. Website http://www.gainspan.com Transaction … Continue reading “GainSpan Lands $5,075,000 New Financing”