DFine stacks up $30M to mend spinal fractures

Healthcare developer DFine has brought in $30 million in fourth-round funding to commercialize a system to treat fractures in vertebrae caused by spine compression. Contributions came from BB&T Funds, Highland Capital Management, Prospect Venture Partners and Vanguard Ventures.

The San Jose, Calif. company has created an injection device, the StabiliT Vertebral Augmentation System, as well as human-safe StabiliT ER Bone Cement, to fill breaks. Osteoperosis, tumor growth and traumatic injury are the leading causes of the more than 700,000 of these injuries experienced each year. The device should shorten the time it takes to treat fractures and, in turn, the length of hospital stays and recovery periods.

Previous rounds of funding were undisclosed.