Category: Chicago

Neuro startup Vanqua Bio emerges with $85M and a first focus on Parkinson’s

BioPharma, biopharma nl, Chicago, Daily, investing, neurological disorders, northwestern university, Parkinson’s Disease, Pharma, Startups, SYN, Top Story, Vanqua Bio / September 14, 2021 September 14, 2021

Vanqua Bio aims to treat rare form of Parkinson’s disease by boosting activity of an enzyme that is deficient in patients who have a particular genetic mutation. With $85 million in Series B financing, the biotech startup, which is based on Northwestern University research, aims to reach human testing within two years.

Leading hardtech innovation center mHUB opens MedTech accelerator for medical device startups [Sponsored]

accelerator programs, Baxter, Chicago, Chicago Illinois, Daily, Edward-Elmhurst Health Venture Capital, Health Tech, Heather Walsh, incubator program, MedTech, mHUB, News, sponsored content, Sponsored Post, Startups, SYN, Top Story / August 16, 2021 August 16, 2021

The mHUB MedTech Accelerator is a six-month program, based in Chicago, run in partnership with Baxter and Edward-Elmhurst Health Venture Capital. The application deadline is Monday, August 23.

Ipsen bets on Exicure’s tech as better way to deliver neuro drugs deep into the brain

angelman syndrome, BioPharma, biopharma nl, Chicago, Daily, deals, Exicure, Huntington's disease, Ipsen, neuroscience, Paris, Pharma, SYN, Top Story / August 2, 2021 August 2, 2021

Ipsen is shoring up its neuroscience pipeline via a deal that gives it the option to license drugs that Exicure is developing for Huntington’s disease and Angelman syndrome. The programs are based on Exicure’s proprietary technology that produces nucleic acid therapies capable of delivery deep into the brain.

ASCO 2021 recap: Lynparza’s lift, Grail goes on, LAG validation & more

American Society of Clinical Oncology, BioPharma, biopharma nl, breast cancer, cancer, Chicago, Clinical Trials, Daily, News, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Pharma, SYN, Top Story / June 13, 2021 June 13, 2021

The American Society of Clinical Oncology’ annual meeting featured news highlights from the Merck, Novartis, and other drug giants. Meanwhile, some small biotechs rode the coattails of their larger counterparts and others forged their own paths with promising early results for new cancer drug targets.

Glen Tullman raises $150M for new digital health fund

7wire Ventures, Chicago, Daily, digital health, Glen Tullman, Health Services, Health Tech, Lee Shapiro, SYN, Top Story / May 20, 2021 May 20, 2021

7wireVentures, the venture capital firm that backed Livongo and other healthcare technology companies, raised $150 million for a new connected consumer fund. It’s already made two investments in patient navigation startups.

Report: Walgreens-backed primary care startup planning IPO

Chicago, Daily, IPO, primary care, Retail Health, Startups, SYN, Top Story, VillageMd, Walgreens / April 8, 2021 April 8, 2021

VillageMD, a primary care startup that has Walgreens as a big backer, is reportedly planning to go public. The company has plans to open hundreds of co-located primary care clinics at Walgreens pharmacies.

Eric Trump-linked hospital COO reportedly resigns after vaccine controversy

CFO, Chicago, COO, Covid-19 Vaccine, Daily, Eric Trump, hospitals, Loretto Hospital, News, resign, SYN, Top Story / March 25, 2021 March 25, 2021

A top executive at Chicago-based Loretto Hospital has resigned after controversy surrounding vaccination events held at businesses with close ties to him. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said an independent investigation needs to be conducted.

How Tempus’ corporate counsel views healthcare innovation: A Q&A with Maggie Huston

Chicago, Daily, Health IT, Legal, Precision Medicine, Startups, SYN, Tempus, Top Story / February 11, 2021 February 11, 2021

In a wide-ranging interview, Maggie Huston, associate general counsel for precision medicine company Tempus, discusses how to balance innovation with safety as the FDA grapples with AI/ML and new, more complex technology, as well how her company quickly reacted to Covid-19.

Level Ex pitches gaming as a tool for reaching doctors

Accenture, BioPharma, biopharma marketing, biopharma nl, Brain Lab, Chicago, Daily, gamification, Guidehouse, Health Tech, Level Ex, News, pharma marketing, Physicians, SYN, Top Story, video games / December 7, 2020 December 7, 2020

Interactive, cloud-based video games are designed to tackle pharma’s current challenge: engaging doctors virtually during a pandemic. But the tools are likely to outlive the circumstances in which they were born.

MedCity News Spotlight: How CancerIQ is advancing precision medicine

BioPharma, biopharma nl, CancerIQ, Chicago, Daily, Health Tech, Physicians, precision med virtual 2020, Precision Medicine, Startups, SYN, Top Story / December 7, 2020 December 7, 2020

As part of our conferences and to augment panel discussions and presentations, we are launching MedCity News: Spotlight to use video to tell the story of important companies, executives and healthcare initiatives.

CancerIQ raises $4.8M Series A funding round for cancer precision health technology

cancer, CancerIQ, Chicago, Daily, Diagnostics, digital health, Genetics, Genomics, HealthX Ventures, Illinois, Oncology, Precision Medicine, Startups, SYN, Top Story / August 13, 2020 August 13, 2020

The Chicago-based startup company plans to use the funding to further growth of its product offering and integration with EHRs and genetic testing partners.

Here’s how Covid-19 has affected funding, development in infectious diseases

ARCH Venture Partners, BioPharma, Chicago, coronavirus, COVID-19, Illinois, invest 2020 virtual, MedCity INVEST, SARS-CoV-2, Startups, SYN, Top Story / July 21, 2020 July 21, 2020

“Everybody’s an infectious disease company now,” ARCH Venture Partners Managing Director Bob Nelsen said. By contrast, a report last year showed a huge decline in venture capital investment in the infectious disease space.

Online insurance broker GoHealth goes public for $914 million

agency, broker, Chicago, Daily, GoHealth, Insurance, IPO, Medicare Advantage, online insurance, Payers, SYN, Top Story / July 15, 2020 July 15, 2020

GoHealth, an online insurance broker focusing on Medicare Advantage plans, went public on Wednesday for $914 million. The company will trade on Nasdaq under the ticker “GOCO.”