Med device maker Starion sells to Microline, bringing varying returns
Starion Instruments, a medical device maker based in Sunnyvale, Calif., has been acquired by surgical tool provider Microline Pentax, bringing in generous returns for some of its investors, while leaving others at break even, reports VentureWire. Financial details of the deal haven’t been disclosed.
Starion’s backers included Atherton Venture Partners, Johnson & Johnson Development, St. Paul Venture Capital, Tyco Ventures and WTI Ventures. While it remained in stealth through most of its existence, the company was… Continue Reading
Medical device maker Emphasys on the auction block
Emphasys Medical, maker of a valve that diverts air to only the healthy parts of lungs in emphysema patients, has put itself up for sale after the Food and Drug Administration rejected its lead product in December. This is the second relatively recent defeat for the Redwood City, Calif.-based company, which had to withdraw its IPO filing last May. Since then, all but five of its 50 employees have been laid off.
Founded in 2000, Emphasys… Continue Reading
Ardian nabs $30M to treat heart failure
Ardian, maker of a device used to treat symptoms of congestive heart failure, just brought in $30 million of an anticipated $60 million third round of capital, according to peHUB. Backers of the Menlo Park, Calif. company include Advanced Technology Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures and St. Paul Venture Capital. It previously raised $18 million.
Founded in 2003, the tiny, web site-less firm was initially incubated at the Foundry.
Life sciences briefing: Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
TODAY’S HEADLINES:
Q Thera takes in $15M for neural stem-cell treatments (release)
Stroke clotbuster Concentric Medical withdraws IPO (IPOhome)
Avera recaps with $9M to relaunch human tests of GI drug (VentureWire)
Tissue repairer Nerites raises $5.7M (release)
Semafore Pharma aims for $7.5M to launch new cancer-drug trials (VentureWire)
Triage Wireless gets $6.7M for “cuffless” blood-pressure monitors (peHUB)
MAKO Surgicals prices IPO, falls in first day of trading (WSJ)
ImmunoCellular acquires assets of Molecular Antibody Technology (release)
Q Thera takes in $15M for neural stem-cell… Continue Reading