Complete Genomics seals $45M for cheaper gene sequencing

Complete Genomics seals $45M for cheaper gene sequencing

Complete Genomics, provider of supposedly cheaper and faster DNA sequencing services, has raised $45 million in a fourth round of funding — a huge amount for a biotech company in today’s economic environment. Based in Mountain View, Calif., the company says it will be able… Continue Reading

Pacific Biosciences takes $68M as genome sequencing becomes more competitive

Pacific Biosciences takes $68M as genome sequencing becomes more competitive

Pacific Biosciences, one of the companies working to advance DNA sequencing technology, just brought in $68 million in new financing — bringing its total raised over the last year to a staggering $188 million. The Menlo Park, Calif., firm says it plans to use the… Continue Reading

Fast gene sequencing in two years? Investors bet $100M on Pacific BioSciences making it happen

Fast gene sequencing in two years? Investors bet $100M on Pacific BioSciences making it happen

Representing a potential medical quantum leap similar to, but even more important than the commercialization of X-ray imaging, Pacific BioSciences has taken a whopping $100 million to make it possible to affordably map out an individual’s entire genome in a matter of minutes, and for… Continue Reading

Q&A with MDV’s Bill Ericson: On PacBio’s origin, why Gattaca isn’t our future, and throwing out your statins

Q&A with MDV’s Bill Ericson: On PacBio’s origin, why Gattaca isn’t our future, and throwing out your statins

Bill Ericson doesn’t see much cause for pessimism about the dawning Genomic Age. The Mohr Davidow Ventures partner, who’s helped resuscitate the firm’s life-science practice since he came aboard in 2000, believes the widespread dissemination of genetic information will be a virtually unalloyed good, opening… Continue Reading

Pacific Bio, yet another contender for the $1,000 genome

Pacific Bio, yet another contender for the $1,000 genome

More than a half-dozen startups and established companies are in hot pursuit of the “$1,000 genome,” a Holy Grail for those who believe fast, cheap genome sequencing will revolutionize medicine. The latest is Pacific Biosciences, a formerly secretive Menlo Park, Calif., company that just spilled… Continue Reading

Pacific Bio lifts the veil on its high-speed genome-sequencing effort

Pacific Bio lifts the veil on its high-speed genome-sequencing effort

Competition to analyze human genomes faster and cheaper — a subject I’ve discussed at length here and here — keeps heating up. The latest shot came yesterday, when Menlo Park, Calif.-based Pacific Biosciences granted the NYT an exclusive look at technology it says should eventually… Continue Reading

Life sciences briefing: Friday, Sept. 21, 2007

Life sciences briefing: Friday, Sept. 21, 2007

Featured companies: CG Therapeutics, Complete Genomics, ConforMIS, Flexible Medical Systems, LeMaitre Vascular, MAP Pharmaceuticals, ParaPro, Vascular Architects, Zars Pharma

(UPDATED on 10/1/07: See below.)

[NOTE: Posting has been slow recently for personal reasons. I'll be doing my best to catch up today.]

Complete Genomics raises funding for high-speed sequencing —… Continue Reading

DNA health company Pacific Biosciences raises $50M from Kleiner, others

Pacific Biosciences, formerly known as Nanofluidics, a Menlo Park, Calif. company focused on medications resulting from DNA gene sequencing, has raised around $50 million in a forth round of funding.

Investors include Maverick Capital, and return backers Alloy Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and… Continue Reading