News Archive

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN), a biotechnology company developing novel anti-infective biologic and drug programs targeting specific pathogens that cause serious infections and diseases, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug designation to the Company’s proprietary SYN-005 monoclonal antibody (mAb) combination for the treatment of Pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough. In the U.S., Orphan Drug Designation provides a variety of incentives, including seven years of market exclusivity, should SYN-005 receive FDA approval for the treatment of Pertussis.

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is planning to acquire the over-the-counter arm of global healthcare group Novartis.

The Commerce Commission is currently considering GSK’s application, the commission says in a press release.

Ideas are the juice that powers our economy with innovation happening fast on multiple technology fronts. Rapid developments are in play in areas as diverse as 3D printing, Ultra HD, sensors, health care, automotive electronics, agriculture, transportation, biotech and genetic mapping.

The $211 billion consumer electronics (CE) industry is at the vanguard of innovation. Just last year, the U.S. Patent Office issued a record 277,835 patents. We are at the beginning of a surge of technology advances that we will all benefit from.

On a massive bus in the heart of America, a group of tech entrepreneurs and investors are spreading glad tidings about entrepreneurship and startups in cities that don’t exactly scream innovation. Many people have tried to jumpstart the innovation engine across the country, but few have as much experience and clout to pull it off as Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, and chairman of DC-based investment firm Revolution.

Becton Dickinson (NYSE: BDX) has acquired GenCell Biosystems, a privately-held Irish biotech company that has developed proprietary technologies that address key biological analysis protocols – from library preparation of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to genotyping for agricultural applications.

“We are excited with the GenCell Biosystems acquisition as it provides BD entry into the Next Generation Sequencing market, a fast-growing segment with the potential to have a significant impact on healthcare,” said Linda Tharby, Group President, BD. “The acquisition gives BD access to the NGS market with a differentiated platform that will provide a base to further grow our genomics offerings.”

Don’t miss the third annual full-day Innovation 2 Commercialization (I2C) conference featuring three informative plenary sessions to help launch, commercialize and fund YOUR technology to make your business venture profitable!

Hear panels on innovation, commercialization and financing featuring speakers from MedImmune, Brain Sentry, Naval Research Lab and more. Plus, learn about the “Amplimmune Story” and enjoy lunch as you discuss issues affecting your innovation or small business with a subject matter expert from a federal lab, university tech transfer office, venture capital firm, business service organization and others who serve as your table host.

A Johns Hopkins neuroscientist hopes to fuel future research projects by turning his expertise into a video game that stars a dolphin.

Hopkins neuroscientist John Krakauer, who studies movement and human obsession with movement, worked with Hopkins software architects Omar Ahmad and Promit Roy, and Baltimore artist Kat McNally to create the game “I Am Dolphin.” The game was released through iTunes Oct. 9 and costs $2.99.

T, business, human capital and other stakeholders can now use cloud-based analytics to more effectively attract, acquire, serve and engage customers, Deloitte Digital announced today. Deloitte Digital has created an analytics offering for Wave, the Salesforce Analytics Cloud that is designed to offer greater flexibility than on-premises solutions. Deloitte Digital’s approach to cloud-based analytics is designed to help companies create strategies for success in a new environment. An example of Deloitte Digital’s commitment to Salesforce Analytics Cloud is its Member Connect solution, a health care industry-focused accelerator with an intuitive approach to the customer journey focusing on omni-channel interactions and a holistic view of the customer.

Of the 115 healthcare accelerators in the world, 87 are in the U.S., most of them are geared to digital health and are under two years old. Although many accelerator companies have created jobs and there have been some exits, most have yet to show anything for the investment in them. That’s understandable given the age of the average accelerator and given that it can take seven years before a company can realize a return on capital for investors. But the consensus of a new report published by the California HealthCare Foundation is that we should expect some consolidation soon.

Joel S. Marcus, founder, chairman, and chief executive of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, has focused the real estate investment trust on developing properties for the life sciences industry. While it operates in other biotechnology and medical technology hubs from New York to San Francisco, the Pasadena, Calif., company’s largest cluster of properties is in Greater Boston, where it owns 3.5 million square feet of space in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, along Route 128, and in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area. On a visit to Cambridge, the 67-year-old Marcus spoke with Globe reporter Robert Weisman. Here’s what he found out: