Cell Biosci takes $15M to examine cell pathways
Cell Biosciences, maker of software and other tools to learn more about how cells move and interact, has brought in $15 million of an anticipated $17.6 million fourth round of funding, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Santa Clara, Calif., the company is backed by Domain Associates, Latterell Venture Partners, Vertical Group, Wellcome Trust, Novo A/S and the Royal Bank of Canada.
Onyx Pharma set to buy Proteolix for up to $851M
Onyx Pharmaceuticals, developer of treatments for liver and late-stage kidney cancer, has moved to acquire Proteolix, provider of a technology that can accelerate the death of cancer cells, for as much as $851 million. Emeryville, Calif.-based Onyx says it wants to incorporate this component, which has proved less toxic and more effective in patients, into its current offerings.
When the deal closes, South San Francisco-based Proteolix will receive $276 million in cash, with the option of… Continue Reading
Sans IPO, Bayhill secures $350M in Genentech licensing deal
Months after giving up on its IPO hopes last year — when the market was especially brutal for lifescience companies — Bayhill Therapeutics has landed a licensing deal worth $25 million in upfront cash and equity with Genentech. It could bring in as much as $325 million more if it hits certain sales and regulatory milestones, joining the ranks of several biotech firms that ditched public offerings for lucrative equity deals, VentureWire reports (citing Elixir… Continue Reading
Cell Biosciences to launch new tech with $10M
Cell Biosciences announced that it’s just brought in $10 million in a third round of funding to launch its new protein analysis technology used to track cellular pathways. It plans to sell its products to labs and research institutions that are developing medications and chemical diagnostics for cancer, diabetes and other diseases.
The Palo Alto, Calif. company has scheduled the launch for its new technology at the end of this month. A previous version of the… Continue Reading
OncoMed nabs $93M for stem cell programs
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, a company working to fight cancer using stem cells, added a $93 million tranche to a second round of funding that now totals $154 million. The money will be used to push its lead antibody candidate through phase-two clinical trials.
The Redwood City, Calif. firm specializes in developing treatments to target cancer stem cells — the cells that cause tumor growth and renewal. They are unique in their resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments…. Continue Reading
ForteBio raises $25M for life science analytical instruments
ForteBio is a Menlo Park, Calif. company that makes instruments for biomolecular analysis in the life sciences. Its instruments can measure proteins, DNA, RNA and other small molecules without the use of labels.
Label-free measurement dispenses with the chemical markers that most techniques use, allowing for faster and cheaper analysis.
The company took $25 million from OrbiMed Advisors, MPM Capital, Alloy Ventures, Latterell Venture Partners, Versant Ventures and Vertical Group. This was ForteBio’s third funding; in its… Continue Reading
Proteolix raises $79M for cancer treatment
Proteolix, which is developing drugs to treat cancer by disrupting key cell functions, has raised $79 million in a third round of funding, according to VentureWire. That’s the third largest biotech funding this year.
Nomura Phase4 Ventures, a new investor, led the round, with participation from new backer Westfield Capital Management and existing investors Advanced Technology Ventures, Delphi Ventures, Latterell Venture Partners, U.S. Venture Partners and Vertical Group.
The new funding should allow South San Francisco-based Proteolix… Continue Reading
Roundup: Icahn’s board selections, YouTube live streaming plan nixed and more
Here’s the latest action:
Icahn haz board members? – Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is already on Yahoo’s board, but now he needs to fill the two complimentary seats given to him by Yahoo. Edward Meyer and Frank Biondi are the two front runners in AllThingsD’s Kara Swisher’s mind, but it could be her wild card, John Chapple, who gets to sit next to Biondi, according to The Wall Street Journal. They all kind of look the… Continue Reading
Life sciences briefing: Monday, Feb. 11, 2008
TODAY’S HEADLINES:
PolyRemedy, developer of robotic wound care, takes in $25M (release)
Bacchus Vascular gets $15M for clot-busting device (VentureWire)
Protein-evolution company Modular Genetics gets $1.2M (VentureWire)
PharmatrophiX gets $300K for Alzheimer’s disease prevention drugs (release)
Light Sciences Oncology withdraws IPO (Edgar)
Arizona’s Translational Accelerator launches $20M life-sciences fund (bizjournals.com)
Cornea-reshaper Avedro gets $7M (VentureWire)
Gastrotech Pharma gets $6M in wake of Lilly deal (VentureWire)
Biomaterials maker MiMedx goes public via reverse merger (release)
Acrongenomics to complete acquisition of Molecular Vision by the end of… Continue Reading
Entrigue Surgical raises $6.3M for ear, nose and throat
Entrigue Surgical, a San Antonio, Tex., medical-devices maker, raised $6.3 million in a first funding round, VentureWire reports (subscription requires), crediting the San Antonio Express-News (no link available). Vertical Group and Prism VentureWorks provided the investment.
According to Entrigue’s bare-bones Web site — which features little more than a quick marketing blurb and a clock counting down to a “revolution” promised 65 days from now — and the Express-News item, Entrigue is developing devices and biomaterials… Continue Reading
Bacchus, drug infusion catheter maker, to raise $6.5M more
Bacchus Vascular, a Santa Clara, Calif. maker of a drug infusion catheter, expects to finish raising another $6.5 million round of financing from inside investors, according to VentureWire.
The funding comes from the same investors who poured $7.6 million into the company last year to restart the company, including Warburg Pincus, Kaiser Permanente Ventures and the Vertical Group. This comes after significant financing in previous years, totaling a reported $40 million. Earlier investors Three Arch Partners… Continue Reading