Life Sciences News

Friday, February 10, 2012

Synageva advances rare disease treatment
Synageva BioPharma Corp. has returned encouraging results of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its lead program, SBC-102, in treating late onset Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency, also known as Cholesteryl Ester Storage Disease, affecting both children and adults.
Post-buyout, Atrium Medical plans new site
Atrium Medical Corp., the Hudson, N.H.-based medical devices firm acquired by Swedish company Getinge Group in October, will not be building a new facility in Merrimack, N.H. Instead, the company will look to occupy an existing facility in Merrimack, according to a published report.
Zalicus, Hydra team up on pain treatment
Zalicus Inc., the biopharmaceutical company formerly known as CombinatoRx, has teamed up with Cambridge neighbor Hydra Biosciences Inc. to move forward Zalicus’ pain treatment candidates.
Alnylam to speed lead drug candidates' development
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Cambridge said it will accelerate develop of two lead drug candidates that offer the greatest commercial opportunity, and that it has discovered a novel method to monitor the activity of RNAi in blood samples and granted the first license to Isis Pharmaceuticals.
Ironwood stock offering aims for $80M
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. has priced a public stock offering aimed at bringing in just under $80 million to support the expected launch of its irritable bowel syndrome drug candidate, linaclotide.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Forsyth gets $750K grant from Gates Foundation
The Forsyth Institute said today that it will get a $750,000 grant to research tuberculosis (TB) biomarkers through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges in Global Health program, according to information provided by the institute.
Hologic, Conceptus both file appeals in patent case
The legal fight between Hologic Inc. of Bedford and California firm Conceptus Inc. continues with Conceptus appealing a court’s ruling that denied its motion to stop Hologic from selling its Adiana permanent contraception system. In addition, Hologic filed an appeal of a jury verdict that found it had infringed on a Conceptus patent.
Personal genomes hold eventual promise for treatments
Personal genomes could dramatically improve targeted, personalized treatments for patients with cancer or other illnesses, but it could take another five to 10 years before they pick up traction in the healthcare market, genetics experts told an MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge meeting last night.
Acetylon wins $15M strategic investment from Celgene
Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc. has taken in $15 million in a strategic investment from Celgene Corp., a potential partner or competitor in the treatment of blood cancers.
NanoViricides nabs $5M to take flu fighter to IND
NanoViricides Inc., a Connecticut biotech focused on nanomaterials for antiviral therapy, has closed out a $5 million financing with a $2.5 million tranche from Florida firm Seaside 88 LP.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Pressure BioSciences closes $800,000 offering
Pressure BioSciences Inc., the South Easton-based developer of life sciences sample preparation systems, completed an $800,000 private placement of 971,867 restricted common stock shares and 485,937 warrants to buy restricted common stock.
AMAG adds board members amid 'strategic alternative' talks
Lexington biotech AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc. has added Rajiv De Silva and Gino Santini as two new members to its board of directors, as the company continues to look at strategic alternatives for AMAG.
Navidea expands from Ohio into Andover office
Ohio life sciences company Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc. is opening a business office in Andover to help it commercialize an imaging agent to detect lymph-node cancer it plans to launch later this year.
Harvard Bioscience buys German lab product maker
Harvard Bioscience Inc., a maker of scientific instruments and apparatuses, continues its small buying spree with its latest acquisition of AHN Biotechnologie GmbH of Germany, announced today in a news release.
NeuroMetrix eyes $10.5M from securities offering
NeuroMetrix Inc., a Waltham medical device firm, is seeking $10.5 million from a public offering of stock and warrants. The company said it expects to apply the proceeds to commercializing its nerve conduction test and developing its pain therapy device.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Physicians Interactive granted drug tech patents
Physicians Interactive, a mobile and online health information software company in Marlborough, won a patent for its electronic drug sampling technology, eSampling, and its medication vouchers for patients, called eCouponing.
Ocular Therapeutix advances eye sealant to trial
Bedford-based Ocular Therapeutix Inc. has won investigational device exemption (IDE) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, clearing the way for its ReSure Sealant to be tested in clinical trials.
Synchroneuron focuses new funds on movement disorder drug
Synchroneuron Inc., a biotech company that emerged from stealth mode Monday with a $6 million Series A financing, said it will use the funds to finish developing a new formulation for a chemical compound that is approved for other indications, company executives told Mass High Tech in an interview.
Rib-X lands $3M milestone pay from Sanofi deal
Rib-X Pharmaceuticals Inc. scored a $3 million milestone payment from French biotech giant Sanofi related to a license for the New Haven, Conn.-based company’s antibiotics to fight superbugs.
Radius Health files IPO, aims for $86M
Radius Health Inc., a Cambridge biotech that has raised at least $198 million in financing, on Monday filed to go public in an offering that could raise up to $86.2 million. The filing follows the completed IPO of another Cambridge biotech, Verastem, last month.