Medical devices
Endoscopic maker files for bankruptcy
Cambridge Endoscopic Devices, a Framingham medical device manufacturer, has filed for bankruptcy protection after its sales declined and it couldn’t find a buyer. The company listed assets of $3 million and liabilities of $17 million in filings in federal bankruptcy court. According to court filings, its advanced endoscopes and laparoscopes, which are used to make surgery less invasive, became too expensive for many hospitals to buy after the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Cambridge Endoscopic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, indicating that its business will be reorganized, not dissolved. — JACK NEWSHAM
Technology
BlackBerry will buy security firm Good Tech
NEW YORK — BlackBerry is dialing in on another security-related acquisition. The company, in the middle of reconceiving its focus and structure, is buying Good Technology for $425 million in cash. Once known exclusively for making smartphones, BlackBerry is now trying to sell software that lets IT departments manage mobile devices. The company said Good Technology will help it offer a unified secure platform for mobile devices that runs on any operating system. It said Good Technology has about $160 million in annual revenue, while BlackBerry has reported about $3 billion in revenue in its last four fiscal quarters. The Canadian company expects to complete the purchase by the end of November. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Energy
Chevron loses appeal in Ecuador rainforest case
TORONTO — It’s a classic David vs. Goliath case. A group of Ecuadorian villagers. One behemoth oil company. Score another one for the stone-slingers. The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday unanimously dismissed an attempt by Chevron to block the villagers from using an Ontario court to collect billions in damages over rainforest pollution. The lead attorney for the plaintiffs, Pablo Fajardo, said the ruling ‘‘isn’t just any triumph. We’ve won in a country that is among the most credible in the world for its judicial transparency.’’ Lawyers have fought for years in several countries over who’s responsible for pollution in the rainforest. The plaintiffs have argued that the case should be heard in Canada because US-based Chevron has a Canadian subsidiary. In February 2011, a judge in Ecuador issued an $18 billion judgment against Chevron in a lawsuit brought on behalf of 30,000 residents. The judgment was for environmental damage caused by Texaco, which was later bought by Chevron. Ecuador’s highest court later upheld the verdict but reduced the judgment to about $9.5 billion. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Education
Industry says Harvard endowment would lose $108m if it divests from fossil fuels
NEW YORK — Harvard University would forgo $108 million of investment returns annually if it divested from the largest oil, gas, and coal companies, according to a study funded by the petroleum industry. The research is the latest in a debate about the best course for investors in the face of concerns about climate change. Opponents of divestment point to losses when institutions reduce diversification in their portfolios. Others warn of potential costs of holding shares in energy companies contributing to global warming. While dozens of schools have committed to stop buying fossil fuel company stocks, most wealthier institutions such as Harvard declined, saying it goes against their fiduciary duty to rule out such investments. They said they contribute to a better understanding of global warming through research and teaching while cutting the carbon footprints of their campuses. “If climate change is a first order problem, divestment is a very bad idea,” said Bradford Cornell, a visiting professor at California Institute of Technology who authored the report released Thursday. “This solution not only has a cost, it has no benefit.” Based on his calculations, Harvard’s loss of $108 million a year would equal about 7 percent of $1.5 billion in endowment funds made available to the university’s operating budget last year. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
Real estate
Woburn landlord sued over Section 8 claim
TRANSPORTATION
Marketing
Reaching for the stars, Part II
NEW YORK — The release of the new Star Wars movie may still be months off, but Disney is unleashing its full marketing ‘‘Force’’ behind the launch of hundreds of toys and other items related to the film. The massive marketing blitz, which Disney has named ‘‘Force Friday,’’ spans all kinds of media and included an 18-hour global ‘‘unboxing’’ streamed live on YouTube. Meanwhile, major toy retailers planned to be open and hold special events when the toys first became available just after midnight Friday. Among the first cities was Hong Kong, with toy stores open at midnight. The marketing push behind ‘‘Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens,’’ is unique because it’s so far ahead of the movie’s US release, 116 days to be exact. But analysts say it can work because Star Wars is such a popular franchise. Leaked images of action figures of characters that have not even hit the big screen are only likely to fuel consumer demand, says Steve Pasierb, chief executive of the Toy Industry Association. Toy makers are gearing up for a big rush on Friday. Pawtucket’s Hasbro Inc., which has been making Star Wars toys for three decades, planned to unveil more than 100 items. — ASSOCIATED PRESS