Meghana Keshavan
Meghana covers early stage innovation in the life sciences for MedCity News. Previously, she's worked for Reuters, Crain’s Detroit Business, the San Diego Business Journal, the Detroit Metro Times, the Detroit Free Press and WDET, a Detroit-based National Public Radio affiliate. Meghana studied biochemistry and molecular biology at Penn State University and spent five years as a self-described "research peon in a schizophrenia genetics lab."
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Morning read: Ironwood Pharma buys U.S. rights to AstraZeneca’s gout drug in $265M deal
Also, an FDA panel has rejected Sarepta Therapeutics’ Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment, and Zimmer Biomet Holdings will acquire Cayenne Medical.
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Valeant has a new CEO whose strength is ‘fostering an ethical culture’
Valeant Pharmaceuticals just poached Perrigo CEO Joseph Papa to be its new chief executive. He’ll replace the somewhat reviled current CEO, Michael Pearson, in early May.
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Payer’s Place: Dawn Maroney
Dawn Maroney, President, Markets of Alignment Health and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, to discuss how they are using technology to provide better service and care to consumers.
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On athenahealth’s acquisition of Arsenal Health: 5 must-read stories from MedCity News this week
Every week, we compile the most trafficked and thoughtful stories on MedCity News. Most influential: A deeper dive into what athenahealth’s acquisition of Arsenal Health means for patient management.
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J. Craig Venter snubbed White House, but OK with working with British
During a September 2015 keynote at Mayo Clinic’s Individualizing Medicine Conference, Venter was asked whether he had any interest in teaming up with the White House’s Precision Medicine Initiative — melding Human Longevity’s database with the government’s. His reply? “Unlikely.”
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Why are there gnome statues decorating Blueprint Medicines?
Just about a year ago, Blueprint Medicines raised $169 million in Massachusetts’ largest biotech IPO. Today, it’s got three drugs in clinical trials – and, with a well-padded bank account, has time for a little whimsy.
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AstraZeneca, teaming with J. Craig Venter, is integrating genomics into every phase of its R&D
Working with J. Craig Venter’s Human Longevity Inc, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Finland’s Institute for Molecular Medicine, AstraZeneca — and its biologics R&D arm MedImmune — plans to integrate genomics research into every step of drug development.
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Avisa Pharma developing 10-minute tuberculosis breath test
Avisa Pharma is focusing primarily on tuberculosis detection, with aims to develop a rapid, point-of-care test that could determine if a patient has the disease within 10 minutes.
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Morning Read: Peter Thiel-backed Auris Surgical Robots acquires Hansen Medical for $80M
Also, Medtronic recalls nearly 10,000 battery backs for patient breathing monitors over heat damage risk and Alere loses half a billion dollars in value as investors fear Abbott’s acquisition will fall through.
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Advantagene raising $35M for prostate cancer vaccine
The company is developing a prostate cancer vaccine called ProstAtak that’s in Phase 3 development – though its gene-mediate cytotoxic approach could be applied to several other solid tumor cancers, the company says.
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Applying Remote Patient Monitoring to Surgery Prep and Recovery, Oncology and Women’s Health
Join us to learn about the latest trends in remote monitoring and how to extend its benefits beyond chronic conditions to more patients – all while using fewer staff resources.
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Pfizer, Roche join $42.6M round to fund microbiome player Second Genome
Second Genome uses genomics, computational biology and phenotypic screening to identify the molecular mechanisms of the microbiome that cause disease.
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On heels of Genome Compiler buy, Twist Bioscience raises small round
Twist Bioscience’s platform centers around scaling DNA synthesis, building genetic sequences out at a fraction of the price of what they’ve historically cost.
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Science advisor to Bill Gates launches new firm Biomatics Capital Partners, raising $150M fund
The new Seattle-based firm Biomatics Capital Partners is led by Boris Nikolic, a science advisor to Bill Gates. It is raising $150 million.
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The Theranos death knell? A criminal probe is now underway
Theranos is now embroiled in a criminal investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported, with federal prosecutors questioning whether the beleaguered diagnostics company misled government officials and, importantly, its investors.
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Elizabeth Holmes to finally unveil Theranos data in August — if she lasts
Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of erstwhile diagnostics company Theranos, will finally reveal data about its secretive technology at the AACC conference this August.
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Best of INVEST: Breath Diagnostics detects cancer with breath tests
Louisville startup Breath Diagnostics has developed technology to pick up cancer-related compounds that are exhaled in one’s breath.
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Payer’s Place: Dr. Anil Singh
Dr. Anil Singh shares his insights into the strategies employed by the organization to identify the most effective digital solutions for their members.
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Discover the Next-Gen Platform for Integrated Collaborative Care
Beyond EHRs and digital front doors, reducing the gaps in patient care journeys.
