The big deals continue to flow in Boston biotech. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has sold the international royalty rights to its hepatitis C drug to Janssen for $152 million. The company is going through a layoff and is doubling down on its treatments for cystic fibrosis and other diseases. Meanwhile, Cambridge startup Moderna Therapeutics has raked in $110 million in new funding as it develops its messenger RNA approach to help the body make its own drugs. Depending on how well it actually works, the startup could be one of the biggest stories in biotech or one of its greatest disappointments.
In other innovation news:
— 2013 is shaping up to be a record year for IPOs. Over 200 U.S. companies have gone public so far, about 50 of them in life sciences. But some observers think the biotech window is about to close.
— Our startup of the week is Westborough-based SimpliVity. The IT infrastructure firm has just raised $58 million, which puts it over $100 million in total venture funding---enough to make it one of the Boston area’s biggest technology bets.
— And finally, a mobile-tech icon is sharing some tips on hiring after 10 years in the business. Greg Raiz, the founder of Boston’s Raizlabs, says recruiting the right employees boils down to three things: don’t settle, don’t think you can change them, and look for passion. Sounds like good advice for life.
