Startups
HotSpot Therapeutics burst forth from stealth mode with $45 million in Series A funding to support the development of therapies that will target natural “regulatory hotspots.”
In March venture capital firm ShangPharma Innovations announced its plans to expand its life sciences incubator in San Francisco by 40 percent, including state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure upgrades to its facility. That investment is paying off as the incubator is growing.
Verily will team up with San Diego-based ResMed, a company that specializes in the treatment of sleep disorders, to launch a new joint business venture to address sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders.
Allogene Therapeutics announced the implementation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB is made up of five leaders in oncology, immunology, drug discovery and development, and will consult on strategic and scientific matters.
Changes continue coming to Vivek Ramaswamy’s Roivant Sciences following a June shakeup that saw a 10 percent cut in employment and the restructuring of its business operations.
Despite market volatility, ongoing debates about drug pricing, and various scandals such as the Theranos debacle, everything Martin Shkreli touches, and Novartis paying President Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen $1.2 million for access to the president, it hasn’t slowed down biotech startups or investors.
It’s hard to believe 2018 is half over. There have been plenty of interesting and important stories in the biopharma space this year. Here’s a look at our top 10 stories so far, counting down from 10 to the number one story.
Five startups have been tapped to join the MassCONNECT Summer Mentorship, a mentoring program provided through MASSBio. The startups were selected as representatives of “the unbelievable innovation spinning out of academia in Massachusetts.”
Switzerland-based Novartis announced it plans to spin off Alcon, its eye care division, into a separately-traded standalone company.
Roivant Sciences, Vivek Ramaswamy’s umbrella company for his family of “Vants,” announced major restructuring that includes a cut of 10 percent of staff and reshuffling of leadership.
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