YouMail’s free iPhone app adds to Apple’s voicemail
Apple’s built-in voicemail app gets raves for allowing users to pick and choose messages from a list, like email rather than being forced to listen to them in order like a 1980’s tape-cassette answering machine. But there are extra steps still to be taken to… Continue Reading
Anti-viral developer Alios raises $8M more for $32M
Alios BioPharma, developer of anti-viral therapies, has tacked $8 million onto its first round of funding, bringing its total to $32 million. The new money came solely from SR One. Based in South San Francisco, the company plans to use the money to push its… Continue Reading
What’s next: A Pandora for fashion?
In recent pieces for VentureBeat, I’ve been proposing ideas for new companies. This next one was proposed by PayPal writer and fashionista April Van Scherpe.
Style is like pornography: you know it when you see it, but few can do it well. It’s a skill… Continue Reading
Sans IPO, Bayhill secures $350M in Genentech licensing deal
Months after giving up on its IPO hopes last year — when the market was especially brutal for lifescience companies — Bayhill Therapeutics has landed a licensing deal worth $25 million in upfront cash and equity with Genentech. It could bring in as much as… Continue Reading
Quub lets you share status updates from the past, present, and future
A new startup called Quub is taking a less frivolous approach to the status updates popularized by Facebook and Twitter. While Twitter asks users “What are you doing?” the actual messages veer into jokes, complaints, and other random thoughts. Quub, however, really is focused on… Continue Reading
Limerick BioPharma raises $1.5M to limit drug side effects
Limerick BioPharma, a South San Francisco firm specializing in drugs that curb the side effects of other drugs, has brought in $1.5 million in debt, rights and securities that it plans to use as working capital, according to VentureWire. Formerly called Limerick Neurosciences, the company… Continue Reading
Lead Therapeutics captures $3M for cancer treatments
Lead Therapeutics, developer of medications for cancer and other infectious diseases, has roped $3 million of an expected $7 million round of debt and rights, reports VentureWire. Based in San Bruno, Calif., it previously brought in $17 million in a first round of venture funding… Continue Reading
Estech pumps in $8M for heart surgery tools
Endoscopic Technologies, a company known as Estech that makes devices for minimally-invasive heart surgeries, has tacked $8 million onto an open second round of funding, bringing its total to $19.3 million. The new money will be used to boost the San Ramon, Calif. company to… Continue Reading
Apieron inhales funds for asthma monitor
Apieron, maker of a device that monitors asthmatic conditions, has brought in an undisclosed sum in a fourth round of financing from existing investors Alliance Technology Ventures, Canaan Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Onset Ventures. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., the company says its lead… Continue Reading
Index Ventures launches pharma co. as acquisition bait
Index Ventures is partnering with Mountain View, Calif.-based biotech firm Amunix to launch Versartis, a pharmaceutical company that will market diabetes and metabolic disease treatments, reports VentureWire. Each partner owns half of the new company, which also just received $11 million from Index in first-round… Continue Reading
Electronic Arts hits extremes with cute games for girls and hardcore violent titles with brothels
[Updated with video of the Old Republic game]
Game maker Electronic Arts is showing off 12 games at the E3 conference today, and they range all the way from cute and cuddly Littlest Pet Shop Online titles to the dark and hellish Dante’s Inferno.
The company… Continue Reading
Osprey picks up $3.8M more for immune disease treatments
Osprey Pharmaceuticals, a drug maker focusing on inflammatory and immune disease medications, added $3.8 million to its first round of funding, bringing its total to $14.8 million, according to VentureWire. The San Francisco company says the new money was needed to see its lead drug… Continue Reading
Medem channels $1.7M for online medical services
Medem, the company that operates the consumer-facing iHealth Network, has raised $1.7 million of an anticipated $2 million round of debt financing and rights. It plans to raise the rest before the end of the year. The network sends patients appointment reminders, prescription renewals and… Continue Reading
Signostics wins FDA approval for portable ultrasounds
Signostics Medical, maker of more affordable, compact and portable ultrasound devices, announced today that it has gotten the stamp of approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company says the price and convenience of its palm-sized product could disrupt… Continue Reading
Clarient closes $40M for cancer diagnostics
Clarient, an Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based provider of cancer diagnostic and identification tests, has brought in $40 million from Oak Investment Partners. The first $30 million chunk of financing came in March, and the company could score $10 million more from the firm depending on terms… Continue Reading
Satiety secures $7.5M bridge for tummy tuck shortcut
Satiety, maker of a minimally-invasive device that shrinks stomach capacity via the mouth, has landed a $7.5 million bridge loan from its existing investors — a group that includes Skyline Ventures, HLM Venture Partners, Pinnacle Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures, Three Arch Partners, Venrock and medical inventor… Continue Reading
Hyperion brings in $13M for gastrointestinal relief
Hyperion Therapeutics, maker of pharmaceuticals to treat hepatology and gastrointenstinal conditions, has raised $13 million of an anticipated $15 million round of debt, according to VentureWire. Contributors have not been disclosed, but the South San Francisco, Calif. company had previously raked in $40 million in… Continue Reading
Cardiac monitor maker iRhythm looks to insiders for $6.5M
iRhythm Technologies, maker of a recently-launched cardiac monitoring device, has raised an additional $6.5 million in a first round of funding from existing investors, bringing the two-year-old round’s total to $19 million. Based in San Francisco, the company will use the money to more widely… Continue Reading
Skydeck + Google Voice = free phone management
Do you live and die by your cellphone? Salespeople and plumbers are among the core demographic for Skydeck , a voice-to-text service that manages phone calls, text messages, voicemail and contacts. The company launched its product in January, at a $9.95 per month subscription rate…. Continue Reading
PlexPress raises $2.8M to enhance gene expression
PlexPress, maker of technology that can measure which genes are being expressed and how in a given environment, has raised $2.75 million in seed funding to commercialize its lead product, called TRAC. Based in Los Altos, Calif., the company says this offering could rapidly accelerate… Continue Reading