Fast, cheap gene-scanner BioNanomatrix gets $5M

Fast, cheap gene-scanner BioNanomatrix gets $5M

BioNanomatrix, a Philadelphia developer of genome-analysis systems, raised $5.1 million in a first funding round. Investors included Battelle Ventures, Innovation Valley Partners, KT Venture Group, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and21Ventures.

BioNanomatrix is developing a single-molecule imaging and analysis system that the startup says is ideal for reading DNA sequences. The startup still… Continue Reading

A VC’s take on the Genomic Age

A VC’s take on the Genomic Age

Mohr Davidow Ventures partner Bill Ericson, who helped fund high-speed genome-sequencer Pacific Biosciences, is a big believer in the emerging Age of Genomics and its potential to transform medicine, health insurance and our understanding of ourselves.

Check out my recent Q&A with the venture capitalist… 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

Life sciences briefing: Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007

Life sciences briefing: Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007

(UPDATED: Expanded items on LineaGen, BG Medicine. Pelikan Tech is described in a standalone item here.)

TODAY’S HEADLINES:

Pelikan Tech raises $69M for diabetes glucose tests (release)
Utah’s LineaGen draws $6M for genetic diagnostics (VentureWire, sub req’d)
Beijing’s IKang Healthcare gets $25M for medical-service centers (VW)
BG Medicine drops IPO price… Continue Reading

Life sciences briefing: Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007

Life sciences briefing: Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007

Featured companies: Mawell, OpGen, Vital Therapeutics

Optical genome-mapper OpGen raises $23.6M in a restart — OpGen, a Madison, Wisc., biotech developing a genomic test for identifying disease-causing microbes, raised $23.6 million in what the company is billing as a first funding round. In fact, however, the funding… Continue Reading

Biotech chameleons: Quark Pharma aims for $81M IPO

Biotech chameleons: Quark Pharma aims for $81M IPO

(UPDATED: See below.)

For some reason, biotechnology is rife with chameleons — companies that suddenly and radically alter their scientific strategy, disease focus or business model, sometimes to recover from a major failure, and sometimes just to be whatever faddish investors want them to be.

Today, for… Continue Reading