It’s been a strange up and down ride for PARP inhibitors, a relatively new class of cancer drugs. Named for the tumor protein they target, PARPs rebounded after a big clinical setback in 2011 and have been at the center of many buyouts and big alliances—Pfizer and Medivation, GlaxoSmithKline and Tesaro, AstraZeneca and Merck. Four […]

Following the late-stage failure of its lead program, an experimental gene therapy treatment for the most aggressive form of brain cancer, Tocagen will reduce its workforce by 65 percent, the company said Thursday. The layoffs will result in a staff of about 30 people by year’s end, Tocagen (NASDAQ: TOCA) said in the press release. […]

[Updated 5:58 p.m. PT. See below.] Organovo, a company developing technology to 3D print human tissue, announced two months ago that its dwindling cash is leading it to explore options that include merging with another firm. The San Diego biotech now has an offer from a familiar face close to home. Viscient Biosciences, a seven-person […]

Avidity Biosciences, a private biotech in La Jolla, CA, on Tuesday announced that it has brought aboard Sarah Boyce as its president and CEO. Last month Boyce left her position as president of rare disease drug developer Akcea Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AKCA)—a Boston-based spinout of San Diego’s Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IONS)—as part of an unexplained management […]

In the past three years, Dova Pharmaceuticals has completed a company launch, gone public, and won its first drug approval. Now the biotech is in line to be acquired by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi). According to deal terms announced Monday, Dova (NASDAQ: DOVA) stockholders will receive $27.50 per share up front, a 36 percent premium […]

A number of gene-editing companies have joined the public markets in recent years. Beam Therapeutics, which is developing a CRISPR-based technology intended to offer even more precise genomic edits, aims to become the latest one. Cambridge, MA-based Beam filed its IPO paperwork with securities regulators late Friday. The company set a preliminary $100 million target […]

No vaccine is yet available for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes lung infections that, while usually mild, can be deadly for very young children. Biotech startup Meissa Vaccines, which aims to fill that treatment gap, announced today it raised $30 million to fund early-stage clinical trials for its experimental RSV vaccine. Morningside Ventures, a […]

While the headlines may be dominated by news of WeWork putting its IPO on hold after reports about its questionable corporate governance, the overall initial public offering market is doing just fine. So far, 127 US companies went public in the first nine months of the year and the amount they raised already topped three […]

Forma Therapeutics has promoted Patrick Kelly to senior vice president and chief medical officer. Kelly previously led translational clinical activities for Watertown, MA-based Forma. In other moves, Mary Wadlinger was promoted from senior vice president of human resources to senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief human resources officer. Forma also named Todd Shegog […]

The US biotech and life sciences industry has a long and proud history of driving medical innovations that have improved healthcare outcomes across a wide range of diseases and the overall quality of life for people worldwide. For too long, however, the industry’s narrative has been dominated and defined by partisans with a specific agenda […]

Boston, San Francisco, and a few other metro areas might dominate the US life sciences, but some weeks, all bio-related eyes are on the nation’s capital. Health concerns about vaping continue to mount, and the feds could get involved. Meanwhile, try to find someone in the federal government who isn’t involved in the drug-price debate. […]

Aron Knickerbocker, CEO of Five Prime Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FPRX), has resigned “to pursue new challenges and opportunities,” the company announced after the market close Thursday. Knickerbocker was promoted to CEO nearly two years ago to succeed founder and longtime CEO Lewis “Rusty” Williams, who became the South San Francisco biotech’s executive chairman. Five Prime said […]