December 5, 2018 Comments (0) Views: 1225 Biotech, Biotech Briefing, Blog

Biotech Briefing: Resmed Acquires Propeller Health in $1B Buying Spree

Plus: ViaCyte Completes $80 Million Financing for Diabetes Cure

Reports + Research

Resmed Acquires Propeller Health in $1B Buying Spree

Less than a month ago, Resmed acquired electronic health record software developer Matrixcare for $750 million. This week, they followed that deal with the acquisition of Propeller Health for $225 million. Propeller Health makes sensors that wirelessly track usage through their attachment to patient inhalers that treat asthma and COPD. Xconomy reports that the acquisition by Resmed “should help Propeller accelerate the adoption of its products around the world.” According to Vantage, Resmed’s last five deals have either been digital health and software companies or respiratory device developers.

ViaCyte Completes $80 Million Financing for “Functional Cure” for Type 1 Diabetes

The $80 million Series D financing was led by Bain Capital Life Sciences with new investors, TPG and RA Capital Management, and existing investor Sanderling Ventures. ViaCyte recently announced strategic collaborations and transactions with W.L. Gore and Associates and CRISPR Therapeutics. This brings the total secured commitments for over $100 million of new financing in the second half of this year. The company is developing a pipeline of stem cell-derived beta cell replacement therapies that are designed to produce insulin in response to increased blood glucose. If successful, ViaCyte’s therapies could offer a functional cure for patients with type 1 diabetes.

CONNECT Selects Most Innovative New Products for 2018

Last Thursday, CONNECT, a San Diego tech and life science startup accelerator, presented awards to seven companies during the 31^st annual Most Innovative New Product Awards ceremony. Three awards went to life science companies: 1) Banyan Biomarkers for the first blood test to help diagnose patients that may have a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury, 2) Biological Dynamics for a benchtop analyzer designed to monitor cancer treatments, and 3) StemoniX for a genetically engineered model of a human cerebral cortex.

City’s Regional EDC Says 350+ Precision Health Companies Call San Diego Home

The San Diego Regional EDC’s released a new study called, “San Diego’s Precision Health Ecosystem,” which boasts that San Diego is home to more than 350 precision health companies. These companies range from developing personalized cancer vaccines to rapid DNA sequencing of sick newborns to help diagnose genetic diseases. The study provides a historic timeline, cluster map, local and state overviews, and a series of video testimonials from local business leaders.

Read + Listen

POW! Podcast of the Week

Every Little Thing, hosted by Science Friday alum Flora Lichtman, answers your burning questions, like Bubblegum: what’s that flavor? (H/T “excited to be here”!)