Orca known as "Old Thom" seen in rare killer whale sighting off Massachusetts coast
Donna Piraino was fishing for tuna Sunday afternoon in the Stellwagen Bank marine sanctuary, about 14 miles southeast of Gloucester. She captured video of a giant killer whale swimming among a pod of dolphins.
Piraino told WBZ-TV it was an "amazing experience."
"There he is, it's an orca!" she can be heard saying on video. "That's crazy."
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy confirmed it was a sighting of Old Thom, the only orca regularly seen in North Atlantic waters. The New England Aquarium says the large male killer whale, recognizable by an indent on his tall dorsal fin, is known to swim alone or with dolphins even though orcas typically travel in pods.
"Any sighting of an orca in the Gulf of Maine is rare and very exciting," the aquarium's website says. "Lots of researchers, fishermen, and boaters who spend most of their lives on the water in New England have never seen an orca."
Old Thom was also spotted last summer about 7 miles off Chatham.
Seeing a killer whale in New England waters is "always unusual," an aquarium scientist previously told WBZ-TV. Their population is believed to be very small in western North Atlantic waters.
In 2023, four killer whales were seen swimming 40 miles south of Nantucket during an aquarium aerial survey.
Killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family and wildlife experts say they typically work as a team to catch their prey.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ginkgo Datapoints, Tangible Scientific, and Inductive Bio Partner to Deploy AI-driven Lab-in-the-loop Workflows Across the Biopharma Industry
BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced that its Datapoints offering has entered into a new strategic partnership with Inductive Bio and Tangible Scientific to make AI-driven lab-in-the-loop drug discovery broadly accessible across the industry. The partnership aims to deliver capabilities that previously required massive platform investments by combining high-throughput experimental workflows, streamlined compound management, and predictive chemistry AI models into a seamless integrated service that could help scientists design better drugs with fewer resources. The new collaboration connects three core capabilities: (1) Ginkgo Datapoints' rapid ADME profiling, (2) Inductive Bio's model–driven chemistry design platform, and (3) Tangible Scientific's API-enabled compound management platform. Together, these capabilities aim to move from in-silico compound designs to validated experimental results in one digitally-enabled workstream, with fewer synthesis cycles, faster turnarounds, and lower overall drug discovery costs. Drug discovery has evolved far beyond the days when scientists would design, synthesize, and test compounds within a single facility. Today, the process is often a global logistics challenge — moving compounds across vendors and continents, introducing delays, and creating coordination bottlenecks. That fragmentation makes it harder to take advantage of AI-driven design and lab-in-the-loop workflows, where results are returned quickly integrated into models that inform the next design cycle. "The image of scientists sketching molecules on a whiteboard and then walking down the hall to synthesize and test them is long outdated," said John Androsavich, General Manager at Ginkgo Datapoints. "By tightly coupling model-driven design with streamlined logistics to deliver AI/ML-ready assay data in real-time, we're making it easier for scientists to iterate quickly, take advantage of cutting edge digital tools, and focus on what they do best — discovering treatments for patients." Lab-in-the-Loop EfficiencyBuilding on its announcement earlier this year of cost-competitive, fast-turnaround ADME services, Ginkgo is taking the next step in delivering innovative solutions in small molecule drug discovery through these partnerships. Ginkgo Datapoints' ADME profiling service delivers high-quality readouts — including microsomal stability, kinetic solubility, P450 inhibition, and permeability — with optional in vitro toxicity readouts on both lead candidates and library-scale compound sets. Ginkgo's services benefit from accelerated US-based logistics local to Boston's biopharma hub, in-house data infrastructure, and lab automation capabilities. Tangible Scientific, also strategically located near Boston, orchestrates the secure storage, handling, and rapid movement of customer compounds, with delivery to local service providers including Ginkgo. The company's tech-enabled platform unifies compounds, data, and decision-making into a single, automated pipeline. Using Tangible's platform, researchers can submit orders for Ginkgo's ADME services directly from their digital environments, receive real-time status notifications, access structured, metadata-rich assay results in days, not weeks, and instantly integrate those results into downstream design workflows. Inductive Bio's Compass platform allows chemists to explore and rank design ideas using fine-tuned ADMET prediction models trained on a broad consortium dataset. Designs can then be sent to Tangible and Ginkgo for experimental validation which are then fed back into the models, creating a lab-in-the-loop cycle that combines predictive accuracy with real-world results. Practical Step Toward Faster DevelopmentBy aligning design, experiment, and data delivery into a single connected process, the partnership aims to reduce the time and uncertainty in early-stage drug development. It also supports the FDA's push for faster, more efficient development timelines, onshored manufacturing and services, greater use of AI tools, and adoption of non-animal approaches in preclinical testing. AvailabilityThe services are available now and are tailored for pharmaceutical and biotech teams looking to improve ADMET optimization and reduce iteration times on programs and across portfolios. About Ginkgo BioworksGinkgo Bioworks builds the tools that make biology easier to engineer for everyone. Ginkgo R&D Solutions delivers customizable R&D packages—such as protein engineering, nucleic acid design, and cell-free systems—giving partners a comprehensive way to accelerate innovation across therapeutics, diagnostics, & manufacturing. Ginkgo Automation sells modular, integrated laboratory automation so scientists can spend their days planning and analyzing experiments rather than pipetting in the lab. Ginkgo Datapoints uses Ginkgo's in-house automation to generate the large lab data sets to power your AI models. Ginkgo Biosecurity is building and deploying the next-generation infrastructure and technologies that global leaders need to predict, detect, and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visit and read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks), or LinkedIn. About Tangible ScientificTangible Scientific's facility in Natick, MA, strategically located just outside Boston, is optimized for storing and managing customer assets with courier service to local providers, including Ginkgo. Through Tangible's platform, researchers can directly submit orders for Ginkgo's ADME services from their digital environments, receive real-time status notifications, and access structured, metadata-rich assay results in days, rather than weeks. This customer-first model eliminates the friction of traditional, fragmented operations, reducing errors, increasing speed, and freeing scientists to focus on discovery instead of internal and external coordination. About Inductive BioInductive Bio has developed a collaborative AI platform that dramatically accelerates compound optimization, a critical and time-consuming step in developing new therapeutics. By building a pre-competitive data consortium and state-of-the-art ML models designed to map the drivers of small molecule Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET), Inductive's platform allows scientists to optimize initial compounds into leads and development candidates faster and with a better balance of ADMET properties. Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo BioworksThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the capabilities and potential success of the partnership and Ginkgo's cell programming platform. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "can," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) our ability to realize near-term and long-term cost savings associated with our site consolidation plans, including the ability to terminate leases or find sub-lease tenants for unused facilities, (ii) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, including with respect to our solutions and tools offerings, (iv) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (v) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (vi) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vii) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (viii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs and Codebase assets, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, (x) the product development, production or manufacturing success of our customers, (xi) our exposure to the volatility and liquidity risks inherent in holding equity interests in other operating companies and other non-cash consideration we may receive for our services, (xii) the potential negative impact on our business of our restructuring or the failure to realize the anticipated savings associated therewith and (xiii) the uncertainty regarding government budgetary priorities and funding allocated to government agencies. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Ginkgo's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 25, 2025 and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. GINKGO BIOWORKS INVESTOR CONTACT:investors@ GINKGO BIOWORKS MEDIA CONTACT:press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
First PRIZM Study Participant Enrolled in Tisento Therapeutics' Open-Label Extension Study in MELAS
Participants Who Complete Treatment in Global Phase 2b PRIZM MELAS Study Are Eligible to Enroll CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tisento Therapeutics today announced that the first participant has enrolled in the company's open-label extension study in MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like Episodes). The extension study (NCT06961344) is evaluating the long-term safety and tolerability of zagociguat in individuals with MELAS who complete treatment in the global Phase 2b PRIZM study, which is expected to complete screening in the next months. The extension study is intended to provide uninterrupted access to zagociguat for clinical trial participants for up to two years and evaluate the long-term safety of zagociguat. 'We're pleased to reach the important milestone of enrolling the first PRIZM study participant into our open-label extension study,' said Peter Hecht, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Tisento. 'Enthusiastic engagement by MELAS patients and physicians is powering momentum in our development program, and we look forward to completing PRIZM enrollment in the next few months.' The PRIZM study is actively enrolling in the U.S., Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany, and interested individuals are encouraged to discuss participation with their physician. PRIZM is evaluating the impact of zagociguat treatment on fatigue, cognitive performance, and other key aspects of MELAS. The clinical outcome assessments and endpoint strategy for the PRIZM study were informed by Tisento's interview study in which individuals living with MELAS described the symptoms and impacts of the disease that are most important to them. Participants who complete treatment in PRIZM have the opportunity to enroll in the open-label extension study. About the PRIZM Study PRIZM – a Phase 2b Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial Investigating Zagociguat in MELAS – is evaluating the efficacy and safety of oral zagociguat 15 mg or 30 mg compared to placebo when administered once-daily for 12 weeks in participants with genetically and phenotypically defined MELAS. The PRIZM study has a crossover design, with two 12-week treatment periods separated by a 4-week washout period. All participants will receive zagociguat during one of the 12-week periods and placebo during the other. Participants who complete treatment in the study have the opportunity to enroll in an open-label extension study. The global PRIZM study is now enrolling approximately 44 participants at mitochondrial disease centers of excellence in the U.S., Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. For more information, please visit or (NCT06402123). Interested individuals can also reach out to their physicians for participation details. About Zagociguat Zagociguat is a once-daily, oral, clinical-stage investigational medicine with potential to positively impact both peripheral and central nervous system manifestations of mitochondrial diseases. Zagociguat stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), an enzyme that is found in virtually every cell in every tissue of the body and is part of a system of cellular mechanisms that control critical physiological functions including neuronal function and blood flow. A first-in-class, brain-penetrant sGC stimulator, zagociguat is hypothesized to rebalance dysregulated cellular pathways in MELAS. By restoring cellular functions that support mitochondria, zagociguat may help restore mitochondrial energy production and physiological function. In a Phase 2a study in patients with MELAS, zagociguat exhibited a favorable safety profile, exposure throughout the body including in the central nervous system, and improvements in neuronal function, mitochondrial function, and blood flow in the brain. Zagociguat is currently being evaluated as a treatment for MELAS in the Phase 2b PRIZM study. Zagociguat received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of MELAS. Fast Track is a process designed to facilitate the development and potentially expedite the review of medicines to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need, with the goal of getting important new drugs to patients earlier. For more information, visit About Tisento Therapeutics Tisento Therapeutics, a privately held biotech company, is developing novel medicines to treat diseases with significant unmet need, beginning with MELAS and other genetic mitochondrial diseases. Ti sento means 'I hear you' in Italian; our approach to innovation begins with listening to patients and then channeling what we learn into decisive actions that shape our research and clinical programs. Tisento is guided by a high-caliber internal team of biopharma veterans and an extensive external network of expert physicians, patient advocacy groups, researchers, industry-leading vendors, and other close collaborators who are partners in our mission to develop meaningful treatments for mitochondrial diseases. Learn more at our website, or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (@tisentotx), or Bluesky. Contact Tisento Media RelationsJessi Rennekamp, Astrior CommunicationsEmail: jessi@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
XtalPi Signs MOU with Dong-A ST for Joint Research and Development of Immunology and Inflammation Therapies
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XtalPi announced on the 20th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Korea's leading pharmaceutical company Dong-A ST, to jointly develop therapeutics for immunological and inflammatory diseases. This collaboration will be based on XtalPi's intelligent and automated drug discovery platform, which integrates artificial intelligence (AI), quantum physics, and large-scale automated robotic experiments. The two companies plan to co-identify targets and discover first-in-class or best-in-class drug candidates using XtalPi's proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform. The XtalPi platform combines the speed and generative power of AI with the accuracy of its robotic lab-in-the-loop to accelerate drug discovery and vastly expand the explorable chemical space. This integrated workflow spans deep-learning-based molecule design, quantum physics and molecular dynamics simulations for predicting drug-target interactions, automated chemical synthesis, and experimental validation of candidate compounds' key pharmaceutical properties. Leveraging its expertise in immunology and inflammation as well as its experience in small molecule drug development, Dong-A ST will actively participate throughout the entire R&D process—including candidate validation, efficacy and safety testing, and the formulation of preclinical and clinical development strategies. The company also plans to explore strategies for pipeline expansion and assess commercialization potential. Through this partnership, Dong-A ST aims to strengthen its pipeline in the immunology and inflammation space and expand its R&D scope beyond small molecule therapeutics into areas such as targeted protein degradation (TPD), biologics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), and gene therapies. John Wang, Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery at XtalPi, stated: "The combination of Dong-A ST's extensive expertise and XtalPi's proven AI-robotics platform is well-positioned to translate scientific innovation into competitive precision medicines. Together, we aim to rapidly discover and rigorously validate novel drug candidates across multiple modalities to unlock unique market opportunities, and deliver transformative therapies for global patients." Jae-Hong Park, Head of R&D at Dong-A ST, remarked, "This collaboration marks a pivotal step in expanding Dong-A ST's R&D capabilities," adding, "By leveraging synergies with XtalPi's AI platform, we expect to accelerate the development of next-generation treatments for immune and inflammatory diseases." Meanwhile, both Dong-A ST and XtalPi operate open innovation offices in Boston, USA. This geographic proximity will facilitate closer and more efficient collaboration throughout the drug discovery process. About Dong-A ST Dong-A ST Co., Ltd. ( was established in 1932 and is a leading Korean pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of ethical drugs, biosimilars, medical devices, and diagnostics. Its key products include Stillen (gastritis), Zydena (erectile dysfunction), Motilitone (functional dyspepsia), and Imuldosa (ustekinuma biosimilar). Leveraging strong R&D capabilities and a history of innovation, Dong-A ST is expanding its pipeline in immunology, inflammation, neurological disease, metabolic diseases, and oncology, while advancing into new modalities such as biologics, ADCs, TPD, and gene therapies. About XtalPi XtalPi Holdings Limited (XtalPi, was founded in 2015 by three physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is an innovative R&D platform powered by quantum physics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. By integrating first-principles calculations, AI algorithms, high-performance cloud computing, and standardized automation systems, XtalPi provides digital and intelligent R&D solutions for companies in the pharmaceutical, materials science, agricultural technology, energy, new chemicals, and cosmetics industries. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE XtalPi Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
