VentureBeat

TODAY’S HEADLINES:

• ProGenTech takes in $21M for DNA purification systems (release)
• Diabetes-drug maker Phenomix raises $18M while seeking IPO (Edgar)
• Genome-tool maker BioTrove gets $23M in preparation for IPO (Edgar)
• Sweden’s DermaGen pulls in more than €1M for dermatitis (release)
• Digital health-record co. Medsphere receives $3M bridge (VentureWire)
• CareAnyware, healthcare IT provider, takes $2M in debt (release)
• Health B2B community CompareNetworks raises funding (release)
• ActivBiotics assets sold for $3.5M (release)
  

ProGenTech takes in $21M for DNA purification systems – ProGenTech, an “East-West” tool and equipment maker, raised $21 million in a third funding round. Investors included Bay City Capital of San Francisco and DT Capital of Shanghai.

ProGenTech makes purification systems that isolate DNA from blood or other biological samples for processing and analysis. The startup is based in Shanghai and Emeryville, Calif.

Diabetes-drug maker Phenomix raises $18M while seeking IPO – Phenomix, a San Diego biotech developing new diabetes drugs, raised a total of $73.3 million in its third funding round, according to a recent amendment to its IPO filing. VentureWire reports that the startup had raised $55 million as of March 2007, suggesting the company pulled in an additional $18.3 million since then.

Phenomix claims to be a “fast follower” in drug development, a company that aims to create better versions of drugs that take aim at biological mechanisms already proven to work by earlier drugs. Its leading drug candidate is an inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-4, or DPP-4, an enzyme that plays a role in insulin production, for use in type 2 diabetes. The company is looking to raise $86.3 million in its IPO.

Genome-tool maker BioTrove gets $23M in preparation for IPO – BioTrove, a Woburn, Mass., biomedical equipment maker, raised $22.7 million in a third funding round just prior to filing for an IPO, according to its SEC registration statement. The funding was first reported by VentureWire.

The company makes tools and systems for DNA analysis and drug screening. It filed yesterday to raise $75 million in its initial offering. BioTrove’s backers in the latest fundraising included Catalyst Health and Technology Partners, CB Health Ventures, Vox Equity Partners, and Fletcher Spaght Ventures.

TODAY’S HEADLINES:

• Health-info site HealthCentral Network pulls in $50M (paidContent)
• BrightHeart Vet corrals $29M to acquire animal hospitals (release)
• AviaraDx raises $8M for cancer diagnostics (peHUB)
• Valor Medical aims for $15M for brain-aneurysm treatment (VentureWire)
• IPC, inpatient-care provider, raises as much as $56M in IPO (IPO Home)
• Phenomix, diabetes and hepatitis drug maker, files for $86M IPO (Edgar)
• TVM Capital promotes Keiarasch “Kia” Parssanedjad to principal in life sciences (release)

BrightHeart Vet corrals $29M to acquire animal hospitals — BrightHeart Veterinary Centers, an Armonk, N.Y., operator of veterinary hospitals, raised $28.5 million in a funding round intended to further the chain’s expansion. Investors included LLR Partners and Caltius Mezzanine.

BrightHeart currently runs facilities in New York, Connecticut, Illinois and Alberta, Canada, two of which it acquired just last week. The company intends to continue growing via acquisition.

AviaraDx raises $8M for cancer diagnostics — AviaraDx, a Carlsbad, Calif., developer of molecular cancer diagnostics, raised $8 million in a first funding round, peHUB reports, citing a regulatory filing. AviaraDx was spun out of the former Arcturus Bioscience, whose other assets were mostly acquired by Molecular Devices in 2006.

AviaraDx sells tests that identify tumors by their molecular “fingerprints” and predice which breast-cancer tumors are most likely to recur following surgery. The company isn’t providing much detail on its future development plans.

Valor Medical aims for $15M for brain-aneurysm treatment — Valor Medical, a San Diego device maker developing a new polymer-based treatment for brain aneurysms, is seeking $15 million in a second funding round, VentureWire reports. The company’s Neucrylate is a substance designed for use as a “filler” in aneurysms, which are dangerous arterial swellings that can rupture unexpectedly. Valor intends to begin clinical testing this year.

Phenomix, diabetes and hepatitis drug maker, files for $86M IPO — San Diego-based Phenomix, a biotech developing new drugs for diabetes and hepatitis, filed to raise $86.3 million in an initial offering. The company aims to be a “fast follower” that develops new drugs that address biological mechanisms that have been “validated” by successful drugs elsewhere.