Holliston

A Holliston-based clinical research organization will be providing services to a Texas biopharmaceutical company.

Harvard Bioscience Inc. (NASDAQ:HBIO), a Holliston-based manufacturer of life sciences equipment, has acquired two companies for a total of $11 million, the company announced Wednesday. The deals are expected to boost the company's electrophysiology business.

After sidelining Gov. Deval Patrick's proposal to make alcohol licensing a purely local responsibility, the House on Monday quietly approved license requests for two licenses in Southborough.

Holliston-based Harvard Apparatus Regenerative Technology Inc. (HART) reported a net quarterly loss $2.5 million, or 32 cents per share, higher than $2.1 million it lost in the same period in 2013.

Harvard Bioscience said a focus on its global growth strategy and a weaker dollar compared to the British pound and the Euro helped boost revenue slightly, as the life sciences manufacturer brought in $27 million.

Fueled by an increase in stock-based compensation related to the company's spin-off from Harvard Bioscience last November, Holliston-based Harvard Apparatus Regenerative Technology, Inc. (HART) reported a net loss for the quarter of $3 million, or 39 cents per share; an increase from $2 million from for the same period in 2013.

Harvard Bioscience said winter weather dragged down first-quarter revenue slightly, as the life sciences manufacturer brought in $25.9 million, down 0.7 percent from $26.1 million in the first quarter of 2013.

Holliston-based LW Robbins, a direct response fundraising agency, acquired Texas-based data analytics company KerstenDirect Wednesday, the new company announced.

Holliston-based medical device manufacturer Harvard Bioscience will cut about 13 percent of its workforce around the world as part of a reorganization that it said will position the company to grow.

Voters in Milford yesterday said “no dice.” No blackjack or slots either. In fact, there was nothing ambiguous about the denial they delivered yesterday to the developers of the proposed resort casino near the junction of Interstate 495 and Route 16.