Collaborations and Acquisitions Watch
Three collaborations and one acquisition involving North Carolina biotechnology companies were announced in December, January and February.
BioStratum, Durham, and Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark, have signed a global research, development and marketing agreement to jointly develop monoclonal antibodies targeted against laminin-5 for the treatment of cancer.
Metabolon, Research Triangle Park, is collaborating with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine on a new biomarker study funded by The ALS Association.
Paradigm Genetics, Research Triangle Park, has agreed to acquire TissueInformatics, Pittsburgh, providing Paradigm with TissueInformatics' technology to obtain quantitative tissue feature information for use in Paradigm's biomarker and target discovery efforts.
Synthematix, Research Triangle Park, announced that ActivBiotics, Lexington, Mass., has deployed Synthematix's Arthur™ Suite of cheminformatics software throughout its chemistry operations.
Grants Watch
Two biotechnology companies in North Carolina received research grants totaling $195,176 in December and January.
- Alderon Biosciences, Research Triangle Park, $96,608
- From the National Cancer Institute for a project titled "Innovation Tools for the Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer."
- Regado Biosciences, Morrisville, $98,568
- From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for a project titled "Development of an Antidote-Controlled FIXa Inhibitor."
Venture Capital Watch
Seven venture capital deals worth $59.25 million were announced in December, January and February by North Carolina-based biotechnology companies.
- Amphora, Durham, $13 million
- Investors: 3i; MPM Capital; Venrock Associates; Arch Ventures; Versant Ventures.
- Athenix, Research Triangle Park, $12.5 million
- Investors: Intersouth Partners; Polaris Venture Partners; Boston Millennia Partners; Hunt Ventures; Eastman Ventures.
- Hemocellular Therapeutics, Chapel Hill, $1 million
- Investors: Catalysta Ventures; BD Ventures; other individuals.
- Icagen, Research Triangle Park, $19.5 million
- Investors: Alta Partners; Venrock Associates; HBM; Chinese Development Industrial Bank; Quintiles Transnational; JP Morgan Partners.
- Nuada Pharmaceuticals, Durham, $6 million
- Investors: Noro-Moseley Partners; TriState Investment Group.
- StemCo BioMedical, Durham, $1.25 million
- Investors: Harbert Management Corporation; Intersouth Partners; Tall Oaks Capital; Partners, LLC; Village Ventures.
- Tranzyme, Research Triangle Park, and Neokimia, Sherbrooke, Québec, $6 million
- Investors: Pacific Rim Ventures; BDC Venture Capital (Business Development Bank of Canada); Desjardins Venture Capital; Medtech Partners; Research Triangle Ventures; S.C.O.U.T. Healthcare Fund; Redmont Venture Partners.