NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is raising $50.9 million from bond sales to fund the outfitting of a new research space it has leased at Boston's Longwood Center, a new nine story building located in a major medical research hub.
The funding will be used to fit out and equip a roughly 154,000 square-foot lab spread over four floors that will include a biology lab, a chemistry lab, a lab that can serve as either a biology or chemistry lab, a dry lab, and a glass washing space, and other facilities.
DFCI's new labs will be used in the pursuit of its strategic plan, completed earlier this year, which places extra emphasis on integrating genome-based technologies and information sciences into patient care to develop individualized, molecular-based, precision-medicine treatments.
Goldman Sachs is serving as underwriter on the bond sale.
Thermo Fisher Scientific has opened its Pesticide Analysis Center of Excellence in Runcorn, UK, for the application of the latest technology and expertise in pesticide analysis in food and environmental laboratories. The center focuses on "providing high productivity analytical workflows that include expert consultation, instruments, software, sample preparation, and consumables," the company said. It also will serve as a resource for scientists to share techniques and experiences in pesticide analysis.
Pathogenica has achieved CE marking for its HAI BioDetection kit running on the Ion PGM instrument. The CE-IVD kit enables the identification of the causative agents of 95 percent of nosocomial infections in a single assay. It also includes a broad panel of 10 resistance genes, including mecA, vanA, KPC, and TEM, improving a clinician's ability to choose the right antimicrobial therapy and "practice proper antibiotic stewardship," Pathogenica said.
Trovagene reported second quarter revenues of $49,000 versus $41,000 for the second quarter of 2012. The San Diego-based molecular diagnostics firm posted a net loss of $5.3 million, or $.34 per share, for the quarter, compared to a loss of $3.4 million, or $.28 per share, for Q2 2012. As of Aug. 9, the firm held cash and cash equivalents of $29 million.
Interleukin Genetics reported revenues of $852,128 for the second quarter, up about 7 percent from $799,435 in the year-ago period. Genetic testing service revenues rose to $849,422 from $777,549 a year ago. The Waltham, Mass.-based genetic testing company said that net loss in the quarter was $1.8 million, or $.02 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.2 million, or $.03 per share, in the second quarter of 2012. Interleukin used 79 million shares to calculate its loss on a per share basis, compared to about 37 million shares a year ago. It ended the quarter with $10.8 million in cash and cash equivalents.
In Brief This Week is a Friday column containing news items that our readers may have missed during the week.