Category: Pasadena

AI-biotech Terray emerges with $60M and a solution for data problems in drug R&D

AI drug discovery, Artificial Intelligence, BioPharma, biopharma nl, California, Daily, deals, investing, Jacob Berlin, Pasadena, Startups, SYN, Terray Therapeutics, Top Story / February 15, 2022 February 15, 2022

Terray Therapeutics uses tiny microarrays to test molecules against targets of interest, then applies artificial intelligence to build large chemical datasets. The startup’s Series A financing will support R&D initially in immunology; the first Terray molecule is expected to reach the clinic in 18 months.

GSK joins NASH chase, paying $120M up front for rights to Arrowhead RNAi drug

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, BioPharma, California, Chris Anzalone, Clinical Trials, Daily, deals, fatty liver disease, GlaxoSmithKline, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, Pasadena, Pharma, SYN, Top Story / November 23, 2021 November 23, 2021

GlaxoSmithKline sees enough promise in the early clinical data of a novel NASH drug to pay its developer, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, $120 million up front for rights to the experimental therapy. The Arrowhead drug uses RNA interference to “silence” an enzyme associated with the progression of the fatty liver disease.

Eli Lilly gets glucose-sensing “smart insulin” via buyout of preclinical Protomer

Acquisitions, Alborz Mahdavi, BioPharma, California, Daily, deals, diabetes, Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, Pasadena, Pharma, Protomer Technologies, SYN, Top Story / July 14, 2021 July 14, 2021

Eli Lilly has Protomer Technologies, a preclinical startup developing next-generation insulin that senses blood glucose levels and adjusts its activity accordingly. The technology could eliminate the need for multiple insulin injections throughout the day.

Founder of at-home primary care startup Heal steps down

Daily, Heal, Health Services, home health, Humana, Nick Desai, Pasadena, startup, Startups, SYN, Top Story / March 10, 2021 March 10, 2021

Nick Desai, the co-founder and CEO of Heal, announced he would step down on Tuesday. Scott Vertrees, an advisor to the company, will become the company’s new CEO.

Takeda strikes $1B RNAi deal with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals

AATLD, alpha-1 antitrypsin-associated liver disease, ARO-AAT, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, BioPharma, biopharma nl, Californai, Daily, Japan, Osaka, Pasadena, SYN, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Top Story / October 8, 2020 October 8, 2020

The companies will partner on development and commercialization of ARO-AAT, Arrowhead’s Phase II RNA-interference drug for alpha-1 antitrypsin-associated liver disease, a rare genetic disorder. An analyst wrote that the deal makes sense given Takeda’s position in the AAT-augmentation therapy market.

Kaiser Permanente opens new medical school in Pasadena

Daily, hospitals, Kasier Permanente, Los Angeles, medical school, Pasadena, Payers, SYN, Top Story / July 28, 2020 July 28, 2020

Kaiser Permanente opened its first medical school in Pasadena, California. Its first class of 50 students will have a mixture of in-person and virtual classes this year.