Life sciences briefing: Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007

Life sciences briefing: Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007

Featured companies: Angstrom Medica, Asuragen, Aryx Therapeutics, HistoRx, MiMedx, Pioneer Surgical, Transfusion & Transplantation Technologies, Tolerx, Vivo Ventures

UPDATED: Expanded Aryx and XDx items.
UPDATE REDUX: Expanded Tolerx item, moved XDx to a separate post.

Aryx sets IPO range, seeks $92M for redesigned drugs — Fremont, Calif.-based Aryx Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharma focused on producing safer versions of existing drugs, set its IPO range and now seeks to raise as much as $92 million. That’s a bit more than… Continue Reading

Life sciences briefing: Monday, Oct. 8, 2007

Life sciences briefing: Monday, Oct. 8, 2007

Featured companies: AirInSpace, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Apollo Endosurgery, Ascension Health Partners, BG Medicine, CeraPedics, GlaxoSmithKline, Simplex Diabetic Supply, Zars Pharma

UPDATED: Last entry added at 2am PT on 10/8/07.

Anacor Pharma pulls in $22M from Glaxo, with hundreds of millions more on the line –Palo Alto, Calif.-based Anacor Pharmaceuticals, a biotech developing new anti-infective and anti-inflammatory drugs using boron chemistry, struck a wide-ranging partnership with GlaxoSmithKline worth up to $605 million. Anacor will receive a $12 million cash payment and… Continue Reading

DiaDexus, which tests for cancer and cardiovascular disease, raises $40M

DiaDexus, a South San Francisco company that makes tests to detect cancer and cardiovascular disease, said it has raised $40 million in a fifth round of funding, according to VentureWire (sub required).

The company says the funding will take it to profitability next year. Baker Brothers Advisors and Scale Venture Partners led the investment. Other investors included Burrill & Co., and existing investors GlaxoSmithKline, Rho Ventures, Bain Capital’s Brookside Fund and Mosaix Ventures, the report said…. Continue Reading