Akermin raises $5M for fuel-cell bioenzymes

NOTE: This item also appears in Monday’s daily briefing at VentureBeat Life Sciences.

Akermin, a St. Louis developer of new biocatalytic enzymes, raised $5 million in a second tranche of its first funding round. Investors included Prolog Ventures, OnPoint Technologies, Chrysalix Energy and the St. Louis Arch Angels.

Akermin works with catalytic enzymes — molecules that speed particular chemical reactions — developed with biotechnology that could replace precious-metal catalysts now used in fuel cells. The company is developing… Continue Reading

Life sciences briefing: Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007

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