Life sciences briefing: Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007
Featured companies: Akermin, Fluxion Biosciences, iCardiacTechnologies, Wellocities
UPDATED: Expanded items on Fluxion, Akermin, and Wellocities.
Fluxion Bio draws in $6.9M for cell-analysis tools — Fluxion Biosciences, a San Francisco developer of cellular-analysis tools, raised $6.9 million in a second funding round, VentureWire reports (subscription required). Investors included Kodiak Venture Partners, Claremont Creek Ventures and Life Science Angels.
Fluxion takes the idea of running chemical reactions against living cells — a key step in screening and analyzing the activity of drug… Continue Reading
Life sciences briefing: Monday, Nov. 5, 2007
Featured companies: AvidBiotics, Codexis, Imalux, Myomo
UPDATED: Expanded items on AvidBiotics and Codexis.
AvidBiotics raises $1M for anti-infective drugs — AvidBiotics, a South San Francisco, Calif., biotech developing a new generation of antibacterial proteins, raised $1 million in a first funding round, VentureWire reports (subscription required). The company didn’t disclose its investors.
AvidBiotics is using a new type of protein engineering to develop molecules that can successfully attack drug-resistant bacterial. That engineering system relies upon a “diversity generator” that produces… Continue Reading
Codexis acquires BioCatalytics to bolster enzyme manufacture
Redwood City, Calif.-based Codexis, a developer of enzyme-based manufacturing processes, said it acquired BioCatalytics, a Pasadena, Calif., producer of enzymes that speed chemical reactions. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed; the release is here.
Both companies are focused on “biocatalysis,” a technique for using bioengineered and natural enzymes to accelerate chemical reactions, often improving their cleanliness and efficiency. Industry estimates suggest the enzyme market will expand to $2.2 billion in annual sales by 2010, up from… Continue Reading