In today’s Bulldog wrapup of technology and life science news:

  • Quintiles is buying back $250 million in stock as investors sell shares
  • BioCryst prepares for new drug trial
  • AT&T makes a deal with Hul
  • Lenovo is unveiling new phones in China
  • Tumblr targets bullying

The details:

  • Quintiles launches $250M buyback as investors sell shares

Several investors in Quintiles (NYSE: Q) have decided to sell nearly 12 million shares, and Quintiles is launching its own $250 million stock buyback.

Bain Capital Investors, LLC, affiliates of TPG Global, LLC, affiliates of 3i Corporation, Temasek Life Sciences Private Limited and company co-founder Dennis Gillings are selling the shares.

Quintiles, which is based in Durham and is the world’s largest life science services firm, will purchase $250 million of the shares through the underwriters who are managing the offering.

  • BioCryst decides on new drug trial

BioCryst (Nasdaq: BCRX) has decided to launch a Phase 1 clinical trial in people of a drug targeting HAE, a deadly and cripply genetic disease that affects some 1 in 50,000 people.

“We are pleased to advance BCX7353 into the clinic and look forward to reporting results from this trial during the third quarter 2015. The successful development of a once daily, orally administered prophylactic drug that is safe and efficacious would be a game changer and a convenient treatment alternative for patients suffering from HAE,” said Jon P. Stonehouse, CEO at BioCryst, on Wednesday.

  • AT&T U-verse to offer Hulu

AT&T is expanding its offerings from Hulu through a new deal that will include the full Hulu service via streaming to the web and to mobile devices.

AT&T had offered some free Hulu content earlier.

Read more at: http://www.slashgear.com/att-and-hulu-partner-to-bring-subscribers-streaming-videos-13383469/

  • Lenovo prepares new phone launch in China

Lenovo is facing increasingly intense smartphone competition in its primary market of China. Its share dropped 22 percent last quarter, according to research firm IDC.

But the company is fighting back, preparing to launch new phones at a media event on May 18.

“The teaser image is quite interesting actually, it shows off a bullet and a ‘0.157 seconds’ caption below it. This quite probably indicates the camera shutter speed of the phone Lenovo is going to announce, that’s the only thing that comes to mind at the moment, though keep in mind we’re just guessing. Considering this will probably be a camera-oriented smartphone, Lenovo will either announce the Vibe Shot in China on May 18th, or they’re planning to unveil a completely new device,” reports news website Android Headlines.

Read more at: http://www.androidheadlines.com/2015/05/lenovo-hold-press-conference-may-18-china.html

  • Blog site Tumblr launches anti-bullying support campaign

Actress Elizabeth Banks, singer Jordin Sparks and Vice President Joe Biden are among those helping Tumblr establish a safe place from bullies online.

The celebrities will appear in videos on the blogging website to launch its new #PostItForward campaign Wednesday, which organizers say is aimed at building a virtual community where it’s safe to discuss personal issues such as sexuality, mental health or self-esteem.

“Bullying, coming out, being depressed: for our users, they’re really intertwined,” said Liba Rubenstein, Tumblr’s director of outreach, causes, politics and advocacy. “We wanted to create a place that acknowledges that whole experience.”

She said the story of transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, who programmed her Tumblr page to post her suicide note, is among many heartbreaking experiences shared on Tumblr. Rubenstein said the new blog will aggregate such stories and highlight users’ positive experiences with social media.

“We hope to change the conversation in society about the role online communities play in some of these issues,” she said.