Frank Vinluan
Frank is a business journalist with more than a decade of experience covering various aspects of technology and life sciences. Based in Raleigh, he was a staff writer at the Triangle Business Journal covering technology, biotechnology and energy before joining MedCityNews.com as North Carolina bureau chief. Prior to moving to North Carolina’s Research Triangle in 2007 he held business reporting positions at The Des Moines Register and The Seattle Times. Frank has a bachelor’s degree in history from Carleton College and a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield.
Recent posts
Cancer immunotherapy developer TCR² Therapeutics has raised $75 million in an IPO, which it will use for clinical trials to test a type of immunotherapy intended to treat a wider range... Read more »
[Updated 9:20 p.m., see below.] DBV Technologies is jumping back into the race to bring an FDA-approved peanut allergy treatment to the market, but it might not be enough... Read more »
[Updated 2:07 p.m. See below.] Johnson & Johnson is acquiring medical robotics developer Auris Health for $3.4 billion in cash, a deal that builds on the company’s stated plans... Read more »
Neurogene is breaking into gene therapy with $68.5 million in new funding to support research on experimental treatments for rare, genetic brain disorders, the first of which could start human testing... Read more »
AbbVie is paying $90 million up front for rights to a multiple myeloma drug from Teneobio that’s now being prepared for tests in humans.
The Teneobio drug, TNB383B, is the first... Read more »
It hasn’t taken former Agios Pharmaceuticals CEO David Schenkein very long to find a new gig.
Schenkein—the Genentech veteran who helped steer Agios (NASDAQ: AGIO) to two drug approvals in... Read more »
Cancer immunotherapy developer Harpoon Therapeutics is the latest biotech to enter the public markets, raising approximately $76 million in an initial public offering.
South San Francisco, CA-based Harpoon offered 5.4 million... Read more »
Alector, a company taking an immunotherapy approach to Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders, has raised approximately $176 million in an initial public offering.
The South San Francisco, CA, biotech sold... Read more »
In cancer lingo, “cold” tumors are cancers that the immune system doesn’t recognize or respond to, even when immune-stimulating drugs are given.
Bolt Biotherapeutics is developing drugs intended to turn cold... Read more »
The FDA has rejected a depression drug from Alkermes, unpersuaded that the company’s experimental treatment actually works.
Alkermes said Friday afternoon that the FDA’s letter asked the company for additional clinical... Read more »
Pharmaceutical companies typically raise prescription drug prices at the start of each year and this year was no different. The increases were the latest reminder that, despite President Trump’s fiery campaign... Read more »
The FDA has rejected a Sunovion Pharmaceuticals drug for Parkinson’s disease, delaying the company in its bid to compete with Acorda Therapeutics, which has a similar product that was recently approved... Read more »
Aduro Biotech is laying off more than a third of its workforce in a restructuring intended to keep its focus on its cancer drugs now in clinical development.
The corporate shakeup... Read more »
Lyndra Therapeutics, a startup whose technology turns daily pills into extended-release formulations intended to last a week or longer, has raised $55 million to advance several of its drugs into mid-stage... Read more »
Biotech startup creator BridgeBio Pharma has raised $299.2 million to support its work developing new drugs to treat rare, genetic diseases.
Palo Alto, CA-based BridgeBio searches for promising drug research at... Read more »
Editas Medicine has the regulatory blessing to test its experimental gene-editing therapy in humans, and a $25 million check from its partner, Allergan, for hitting that milestone. But Editas will conduct... Read more »
Translate Bio’s plans to test a messenger RNA (mRNA) drug in patients who have a rare metabolic disorder have been halted by the FDA.
Lexington, MA-based Translate Bio (NASDAQ: TBIO)... Read more »
An Eli Lilly drug on the market for a rare form of cancer is now in limbo, after it failed a trial needed to retain the FDA approval the treatment, known... Read more »
[Updated 1/17/19, 8:50 a.m. See below.] An experimental Amgen osteoporosis drug that had sparked concern about cardiovascular side effects has won the backing of an FDA advisory panel.
A... Read more »
Five Prime Therapeutics is cutting its headcount by 20 percent, part of a cash-saving effort the company is making to focus on the cancer drugs it has already advanced into clinical... Read more »
