Biotech Tool Gets Rave Review; BioNano Genomics Raises $10M
The utility of San Diego-based BioNano Genomics Inc.’s Irys platform for structural variation analysis and de novo assembly of next generation DNA sequencing data has been demonstrated by researchers at UC San Francisco’s Institute for Human Genetics and Cardiovascular Research Institute, according to a paper published recently in Nature Biotechnology.
BioSurplus Grows in Boston
Investments are enabling San Diego-based BioSurplus Inc., a provider of used lab instruments and equipment management services, to rapidly expand at its recently opened Boston office.
East County Firm Has Global Outlook
East County Firm Has Global Outlook HEALTH CARE: Scantibodies Grew From North Park Garage
Scantibodies Laboratory Inc. has come a long way from its startup roots in the garage of Tom and Cheryl Cantor’s North Park home in 1976.
Water Rate Increases May Dry Up Profits
WATER: Some Firms, Agriculture Can’t Pass Along Additional Costs
CP Kelco is one of the region’s water-use-intensive businesses that will feel more than a pinch from the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors’ recent decision to raise water rates by almost 10 percent.
Home Health Care Industry May Be Solution to Soaring Costs
MEDICiNE: Cost of 4 Hospital Hours Same As 60 Hours Home Care
Four San Diegans who cashed in their 401(k) plans to invest in a once failing business are seeing a dramatic turnaround.
Kaiser Permanente Spreads Out in Suburban North County
San Marcos Building Almost Finished While Second Breaks Ground
Two new buildings in the works in San Marcos and Carmel Valley have Kaiser Permanente gearing up for expansion in the North County.
Solar Producer Signs Pact to Supply SDG&E
8minutenergy Renewables, a Sacramento-based independent solar photovoltaic developer with an office in San Diego, has agreed to supply San Diego Gas & Electric Co.’s power network with 200 megawatts of clean, renewable utility-scale solar PV power from its solar project in Imperial Valley.
Medical Groups Draw Praise
Scripps Health is getting top rankings in a survey of patients that rated Scripps Coastal Medical Group and Scripps Clinic Medical Group No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in San Diego County for the quality of primary care services.
OncoSec Poised for Midstage Clinical Trials
OncoSec Medical Inc., a San Diego-based company developing therapies to treat solid tumors, has received the OK for a Phase II clinical trial.
Tri-City’s Heart Care Program Wins Praise
Tri-City Medical Center’s heart care efforts are paying off with recognition from the American Heart Association and Becker’s Hospital Review.
Groups Join Forces to Forge Clean-Tech Firms of Future
GREEN: EvoNexus, CleanTech San Diego Will Work Together
A recently formed alliance between CleanTech San Diego and CommNexus San Diego’s incubator, EvoNexus, could be helpful to more clean-technology companies like ecoATM, which previously went through the incubator.
Hospital Preps for Power Plant
The Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors recently approved the financing and purchase of state-of-the-art cogeneration energy equipment for Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa.
With a Quick Scan, Eye Could Be Window To Diabetes Diagnoses
MEDICINE: Method Would Use a Scan for Early Disease Detection
Freedom Meditech is taking some of the blood work out of diagnosing diabetes by developing a noninvasive method of detecting the chronic disease through an eye scan.
Bristol-Myers Buys Amylin in Deal Worth $7B
MEDICINE: AstraZeneca Will Enter Partnership to Develop Amylin’s Drugs
Bristol-Myers Squibb of New York City agreed to buy locally based Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. for $5.3 billion in a deal that will give the global biopharmaceutical company access to a portfolio of diabetes therapies.
Canadian Regulators OK Optimer Drug
Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s twice-daily antibiotic tablet Dificid has been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection in adults 18 years of age and older.
Hospital Preps for New Power Plant
The Grossmont Healthcare District board of directors recently approved the financing and purchase of state-of-the-art cogeneration energy equipment for Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa.
Small Businesses Guided To Government Opportunities
ECONOMY: Tips on Contracting and Loans Part of Outreach Effort
Government representatives recently came to the UC San Diego campus as part of an outreach program to inform more than 100 business attendees about federal contracting opportunities
Cold Temperatures May Be Tool To Freeze Disease in Its Tracks
MEDICINE: Firm Also Sees Aesthetic Uses for Cryoablation Treatments
During 35 years in the health care industry, Bill Nydam has learned enough about cryoablation to take the existing technology and together with CryoMedix LLC co-founders Peter Littrup and Alex Babkin expand its use to a number of multibillion-dollar markets.
X-Swab Seeks Place On Most Wanted List
TECHNOLOGY: Tool’s Use By FBI Boosts Firm’s Image
Crime fighting has a new ally in the form of an engineered material swab called the X-Swab.
Plenty for Businesses to Mull After High Court Rules
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision upholding President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act includes the mandate requiring nearly all Americans to buy health insurance.
VCs Keep Coming Back to Biotech
Biotech is trending up in venture capital funding and managing a significant amount of M&A activity as well, according to research conducted for Connect’s Innovation Reports.
New Pain Treatment Brings Accuracy in Dosage, Delivery
MEDICINE: It Offers Alternative to Oral Drugs, Gives Doctor Clear View
A relatively new FDA-approved device is giving Dr. Benjamin DuBois a more efficient, targeted way of delivering medication for pain-relief in his patients’ joints.
Federal Award To Help Soitec Equip Factory
The U.S. Department of Energy recently selected Soitec Solar, a local subsidiary of the French semiconductor materials manufacturer Soitec, for a $25 million Sunpath award to support its new North American solar manufacturing facility in Rancho Bernardo.
Small Businesses Guided To Government Opportunities
ECONOMY: Tips on Contracting and Loans Part of Outreach Effort
Government representatives recently came to the UC San Diego campus as part of an outreach program to inform more than 100 business attendees about federal contracting opportunities; including helping the businesses connect with the Department of Health and Human Services.
Psychologist Opens Doors With Vocational Training
Scripps Health psychologist Jerry Gold is being recognized as San Diego’s Mental Health Person of the Year.
Soitec Receives $25M Federal Award
The U.S. Department of Energy selected Soitec Solar, a local subsidiary of semiconductor materials manufacturer Soitec, for a $25 million Sunpath award to support its new North American solar manufacturing facility in Rancho Bernardo.
White House Recognizes San Diego Health IT Initiative
Dr. Ted Chan, an emergency medicine physician with UC San Diego Health System, was one of 82 representatives from across the country whose progress in health information technology was recognized by White House officials and the Department of Health and Human Services on June 19.
Neurocrine’s ‘Robust’Development Pipeline Holds Promise
MEDICiNE: Company Has 11 Programs Under Way in Various Stages
Diversification is a key ingredient in Neurocrine Biosciences Inc.’s business strategy as it develops drugs for the treatment of neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders.
Biotech Scene Finds Strength in Numbers
Both Public and Small Firms Keep Sector on Cutting Edge
The San Diego biotech community’s ability to stick together in good times and bad has more than helped it weather the economic turbulence of the past five years.
Amylin’s Successes Make It Bigger Acquisition Target
Market For Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Is Expanding Worldwide
Speculation continues about whether San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. could be sold as the company introduces a third diabetes treatment into the market with the recent approval of Bydureon, the first and only once-weekly treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Alphatec Is Looking to Make It Better for Spine Patients
HEALTH CARE: Firm Active Globally, Targets Age-Related Afflictions
Alphatec Holdings Inc. of Carlsbad is driving forward by developing innovative products with a focus on treating aging spines and expanding its geographical reach.
Tandem Takes Insulin Pump to Market
Tandem Diabetes Care Inc. of San Diego is launching its t:slim Insulin Delivery System, a dramatically smaller next-generation insulin pump that has a touch screen user interface, with sales orders beginning June 11.
Plans Move Forward for Power Plant Near the Encina Site
ENERGY: Natural Gas Facility Gets Nod From State Energy Commission
After five years of review, plans to build a power plant along Carlsbad’s coast are taking shape with the California Energy Commission’s recent unanimous permit approval.
Conference Plants Seeds of Sustainability in Execs’ Minds
Environment: 1500 Attendees Meet on Sustainability
Startups to major corporations embraced the green movement during the Sustainable Brands 2012 Conference held for the first time in San Diego recently at Paradise Point Resort & Spa.
It’s All in the Delivery for This Health Care Company
MEDICINE: Reforms May Create Bigger Need For at-Home Services
Health care reforms could be just the ticket to helping Jeffrey Willmann get his CareMinders Home Care franchise off the ground in San Diego and achieve his goal of opening four offices in the county over the next several years.
Awarepoint Gets $14M In Funding
Awarepoint Corp., a San Diego-based provider of hospital tracking systems, announced recently that it raised $14 million in additional financing.
Cancer Therapy Aims To Hit Its Intended Target Only
MEDICINE: Genelux’s Treatment Soon to Be Tested for Effectiveness
An experimental virus-based cancer therapy developed by San Diego-based Genelux Corp. is in the early stages of being tested locally at the Carlsbad Research Center and UC San Diego.
Awarepoint Tracks Down $14M in Extra Funding
Awarepoint Corp., a San Diego-based provider of hospital tracking systems, announced June 4 that it raised $14 million in additional financing.
Isis Reaches Milestone With New Drug Application Filing
MEDICINE: Analyst Says It Is ‘Watershed Event’ for Antisense Technology
The FDA recently accepted a new drug application for Kynamro, a treatment for a genetic condition that causes severely elevated levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, according to its developer Carlsbad-based Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and partner Genzyme Corp. of Cambridge, Mass.
San Diego to Be Center of Takeda California
MEDICINE: Bay Area Office Closing Follows January Merger
Takeda California Inc. is becoming a stronger force locally as it combines the chemistry expertise of its San Diego staff with the antibodies expertise of its San Francisco staff in one location.
MediciNova Asthma Compound Poised for Late-Stage Trials
Local biopharmaceutical company MediciNova Inc. said recently that it received enough positive news from a phase 2b clinical trial evaluating its MN-221 asthma compound to pursue planning for phase 3 trials.
Stemedica Takes Part in Mexican Clinical Trial
Stem cells provided by San Diego-based Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. are expected to be used soon in a phase I/II clinical trial for chronic heart failure in Mexico.
Life Science Companies Take On Global Challenge
INNOVATION: $2.25M Contest for Development Of Health Care Sensors
PatientSafe Solutions and FitLinxx are just a sampling of companies showcased alongside the unveiling of the Nokia Sensing X Challenge at the Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance Convergence Summit held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
EcoDog Can Help You Keep Energy Usage on a Short Leash
TECHNOLOGY: Setup Monitors Power Use and Gives Energy Saving Tips
With a dog-friendly workplace and dog photos displayed on the office walls and the company website it would be easy to assume that EcoDog Inc. caters to pets.
Stemedica Takes Part in Mexican Clinical Trial
Stem cells provided by San Diego-based Stemedica Cell Technologies Inc. are expected to be used soon in a phase I/II clinical trial for chronic heart failure in Mexico.
Siebert Brandford Shank Opens Office
Municipal bond underwriter Siebert Brandford Shank and Co. LLC is expanding locally to keep pace with growing Western markets.
MediciNova Asthma Compound Poised for Late-Stage Trials
Local biopharmaceutical company MediciNova Inc. received enough positive news from a phase 2b clinical trial evaluating its MN-221 asthma compound to pursue planning for phase 3 trials.
Key To Survival
HEALTH CARE: Medical Center’s Vital Role Should Save it From Budget Cuts
Though military health care services are one of the larger targets of defense spending cuts, local leaders hold out hope that Naval Medical Center San Diego will be spared severe financial hits.
Military and Civilian Hospitals Collaborate to Improve Care
HEALTH CARE: Reciprocal Training of Doctors Has Long History in San Diego
Although it may come as a surprise to some patients, it’s not too unusual to see service members providing medical care at Scripps Health, UC San Diego Medical Center or Sharp HealthCare.
Smooth Transition Is a Must For Replacement Hospital
HEALTH CARE: Camp Pendleton Contract Is Valued at $451 Million
Construction projects are a rare find in San Diego these days and even scarcer is a military building project the size of the 500,000-square-foot Naval Replacement Hospital Project under way at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
