It’s been a very busy week for Biogen Idec. The Weston-based drugmaker has formed a $100 million partnership with Isis Pharmaceuticals to develop new drugs for neurological disorders. The company has also struck a deal with Amicus Therapeutics to work on treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Meanwhile, Biogen’s cash cow is drugs for MS, but a new lawsuit has been filed by a Boston-area patient who took the drug Tysabri and developed a brain infection. Biogen has been dealing with this dangerous but rare side effect, dating back to 2005.
In other innovation news…
-There’s a bump in the road for OvaScience. The FDA wants the Cambridge company to seek regulatory approval for a new procedure designed to boost the success rate of in vitro fertilization. That could delay the firm’s commercial plans.
-Our startup of the week is Salsify. The Boston company, founded by Endeca veterans, has raised $8 million to make better software for e-commerce companies. The technology could also change the way new products are developed and distributed online.
-And lastly, things are looking up for Bay State software companies that oppose the so-called “tech tax,” which was passed earlier this year. After a flurry of last-minute lobbying, Governor Patrick and state legislators are now supporting a vote to repeal the tax. The lesson for the tech community is simple: pay more attention to Beacon Hill.
