January « 2015 « Science and Enterprise

Biotech Licenses Cell Research for Ebola Treatments

By Alan, on January 8th, 2015%

Scanning electron micrograph of Ebola virus (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

8 January 2015. H&P Labs, a biotechnology company in Montreal, is licensing research on cell proteins at a lab affliated with Harvard University to develop into treatments for Ebola. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The current Ebola . . . → Read More: Biotech Licenses Cell Research for Ebola Treatments

Fertility Science Company Raises $115 Million in IPO

By Alan, on January 8th, 2015%

(CDC.gov)

8 January 2015. OvaScience Inc., a developer of fertility treatments using a woman’s early-forming egg cells, issued its initial public offering of common stock, raising some $115 million. The Cambridge, Massachusetts company that trades on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol OVAS, issued 2.3 million shares yesterday priced at $50.00. At 12 . . . → Read More: Fertility Science Company Raises $115 Million in IPO

Biotech, Device Maker Partner on Retinal Disease Therapy

By Alan, on January 7th, 2015%

Illustration of Vision Restoration System (Pixium Vision SA)

7 January 2015. GenSight Biologics, a Paris-based biotechnology company, and Pixium Vision, a developer of vision restoration systems also in Paris, are collaborating with a French vision and hearing foundation to design a therapy for people with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder causing people to . . . → Read More: Biotech, Device Maker Partner on Retinal Disease Therapy

Novartis Licensing Biotechs’ Gene-Editing Technologies

By Alan, on January 7th, 2015%

(NIST.gov)

7 January 2015. Pharmaceutical maker Novartis is licensing technologies from two biotechnology companies that enable the editing of human genomes to cure disease. Financial details of the agreements with Caribou Biosciences Inc. in Berkeley, California and Intellia Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts were not disclosed, but involve equity investments, initial payments and research . . . → Read More: Novartis Licensing Biotechs’ Gene-Editing Technologies

Genentech, 23andMe to Analyze Parkinson’s Genome Data

By Alan, on January 6th, 2015%

(DARPA.mil)

6 January 2015. Personal genomics company 23andMe plans to analyze the genomes of 3,000 of its clients to discover new Parkinson’s disease drug targets for biotechnology company Genentech, a division of the pharmaceutical company Roche. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

23andMe, in Mountain View, California, provides genetic ancestry testing . . . → Read More: Genentech, 23andMe to Analyze Parkinson’s Genome Data

Gilead Acquires Biotech Liver Disease Therapies

By Alan, on January 6th, 2015%

(National Library of Medicine, NIH)

6 January 2015. Biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences bought an experimental drug to treat non-alcoholic liver diseases from Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG, a German biotechnology firm. Gilead, in Foster City, California, is expected to pay Phenex up to $470 million for the drug.

Under the deal, Gilead acquires Phenex’s work developing . . . → Read More: Gilead Acquires Biotech Liver Disease Therapies

RNA Therapies Company Gains $450M in Venture Funds

By Alan, on January 5th, 2015%

RNA illustration (Research.gov)

5 January 2015. Moderna Therapeutics, a developer of medications that use genetic material to produce therapeutic proteins in the body, raised $450 million in its third announced venture financing round. The Cambridge, Massachusetts biotechnology company says existing investors AstraZeneca and Alexion Pharmaceuticals joined with new participants Viking Global Investors LP, . . . → Read More: RNA Therapies Company Gains $450M in Venture Funds

Amgen, Kite Pharma Partner on Personal Cancer Immunotherapy

By Alan, on January 5th, 2015%

T Cell, in blue, a key component in the body’s immune system (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab)

5 January 2014. The biotechnology companies Amgen and Kite Pharma are developing personalized cancer treatments harnessing the immune system in a deal combining Amgen’s targets with Kite Pharma’s cell therapies. The agreement is expected to bring up . . . → Read More: Amgen, Kite Pharma Partner on Personal Cancer Immunotherapy

Computer Model Predicts Bacteria Mutations, Aids Drug Design

By Alan, on January 2nd, 2015%

3-D image of MRSA bacteria (Melissa Brower, CDC)

2 January 2014. Researchers at Duke University and University of Connecticut wrote a mathematical model with open-source software that predicts mutations in bacteria to help design treatments for bacteria resistant to antibiotics. A team of computer scientists and biochemists from the two universities published their . . . → Read More: Computer Model Predicts Bacteria Mutations, Aids Drug Design

Happy New Year

By Alan, on January 1st, 2015%

1 January 2015. Science and Enterprise wishes all of our visitors a joyous holiday and successful 2015, in any way you define that term. To celebrate the holiday and begin 2015, we offer the new year anthem Auld Lang Syne, sung by Mexican singer and composer Malukah. Science and Enterprise will return to regular posting . . . → Read More: Happy New Year

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