Start-Up :: Profiles of Biopharma, Medtech and Diagnostic Companies and Technologies

The Hype And Hope Of Cancer Stem Cell Therapeutics

m.wortman@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:05:00 -0400

A wave of recent deals demonstrates a growing belief in the potential cancer stem cells might offer for more effective cancer therapies. Some say there’s more hope and hype than science behind the activity.

Hand Hygiene Surveillance Start-Ups Look To Clean Up Health Care-Acquired Infections

tracyneilssien@yahoo.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:04:00 -0400

If health care workers washed their hands before and after any patient contact, health care-acquired infection rates could be reduced by 50%. There is a great need for electronic tools that can automatically capture compliance behavior without disrupting workflow. We profile four health care information technology start-ups that are answering this call: BioVigil Systems, GLANTA, HanGenix and Proventix.

For Some VCs And Execs, Familiarity Breeds More Start-Ups

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:03:00 -0400

As biotech funding dwindles, investors are looking for ways to repurpose the technology, platforms, and products – and to revisit lucrative relationships – from previous investments. Two recent company launches are perfect examples.

Sientra’s “Stand-By” Series C Shows How To Eliminate Late-Stage Risk

m.stuart@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:02:00 -0400

Breast-implant start-up Sientra recently raised a $65 million Series C round at a time when venture capital for medtech is scarce, particularly for mid-stage companies pushing toward important milestones. Using a new kind of “stand-by” financing, it was ready to hit the ground running upon the recent FDA approval of its breast implants.

Start-Up Quarterly Statistics, Q1 2012

d.kamienski@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Biopharma start-ups raised $338.1 million – 51% less than in Q4 2011. Device companies brought in $123.7 million and diagnostics firms raised $99.3 million; Series C rounds generated more money in both the device and diagnostic sectors than any other financing type.

Start-Up Execs On The Move, May 2012

rpaleski@att.net — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Recent executive-level hires and director appointments at venture capital firms and biopharma and medtech start-ups.

Transcatheter Technologies GMBH

bkronemyer@frontier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

A major limitation of existing transcatheter aortic heart valves is that they are unable to be repositioned once implanted. For these devices, the valve is mounted in a metal stent that contains a balloon, which is inflated once the valve is placed.

Enterome

suzwriter@googlemail.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Enterome will use its metagenomics platform to develop drugs that target the effects of alterations in the microbiota, and to identify, develop and commercialize biomarkers. The company's biomarkers will be used to develop diagnostics, and to stratify populations, identifying those most likely to respond to treatment.

Molecular Detection Inc.

jkling@gmail.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections are deadly for patients and expensive for hospitals to treat. Current methods of detecting MRSA are plagued with significant numbers of false-positive results.

Emergings In Brief, May 2012

n.dvorin@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Brief profiles of these recently formed companies: Abionic, Alcresta, Avenir Medical and Milo Biotechnology.

Recent Financings Of Private Companies, May 2012

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

START-UP's comprehensive review of emerging life science companies that have received venture funding during the month, including companies within the in vitro diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and research/analytical equipment & supplies sectors.

Recent Tech Transfer Deals, May 2012

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

START-UP’s monthly update on technology transfer deals—licensing agreements between companies and universities or other research institutions—in the fields of in vitro diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and research/analytical equipment & supplies.

Issues Abound Tracking Efficacy And Effectiveness In Clinical Trials

m.ratner@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

A recent JAMA paper assesses the progress of ClinicalTrials.gov, concluding that concerns continue around the use of best methods for generating evidence and the capacity of the clinical trials enterprise to supply the high quality evidence needed to ensure confidence in guidelines. That these issues hold for interventional trials suggests that other strands of clinical research, notably those focused on comparative effectiveness, face similar if not even greater challenges to be able to provide meaningful real-world evidence.

Cutting Edge Spine LLC

bkronemyer@frontier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Cutting Edge Spine LLC has adopted a “less material” and “more open” engineering design philosophy to create its E-Vol family of interbody spacers. The start-up aims to offer implants that provide maximum bone/bone interface, loading and structural support and stability, to become a functional, integral part of the spine.

GLANTA Ltd.

tracyneilssien@yahoo.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Hospitals are mandated to train their staff on effective hand hygiene, but this often happens only once a year and does not include individual assessment. In addition, workers’ attention to proper technique tends to lapse over time, as they come into contact with many patients during long and busy shifts.

HanGenix Inc.

bkronemyer@frontier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Hand hygiene compliance in hospitals or long-term care settings hovers only around 50%, not enough to make a dent in the number of hospital-acquired infections. To accelerate compliance, HanGenix Inc. is offering an automatic, on-the-spot reminder for caregivers, family members and food service and housekeeping staff.

Proventix Systems Inc.

tracyneilssien@yahoo.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Proventix Systems Inc. has developed nGage, a point-of-care quality monitoring system that utilizes wireless infrastructure and RFID technology to monitor, encourage and compel hand hygiene compliance without disrupting workflow. The system has tracked over seven million hand washing events to date, and the company reports an overall 24% decline in infections in its more than 40 installed locations.

New Biopharma IPOs Show Modest Step Up In Step-Ups

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The IPO drumbeat for drug companies is slow but steady, with valuations looking a bit stronger than 2011. But insider participation, haircuts and dilution are still the order of the day.

Where The Money Is: Armed With Pharma Cash, VenBio Seeks Pharma Customers

a.lash@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

With $200 million under management and its first investment in the books, venBio is a new pharma-centric venture fund built for these strange times, when big drug companies have all the cash, all the leverage, and an insatiable need for new products.

Stroke Devices: Innovation Drives Growth

a.staylor@elsevier.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Innovation is driving double-digit growth in the neurointerventional device market as an increasing number of medical device manufacturers develop newer, more effective devices for treating acute ischemic stroke. As new, stent-like retrieval systems and other next-generation neurothrombectomy devices hit the US market in the next few years, competition in this sector will also heat up as manufacturers try to differentiate their devices and jockey for a piece of the market, which is projected to reach almost $70 million by 2015.

BioVigil Systems LLC

tracyneilssien@yahoo.com — Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The expense and complexity of some automated hand hygiene compliance and surveillance technologies have made cost justification and market adoption difficult. BioVigil Systems LLC is looking to eliminate these barriers with its simple to deploy chemical sensor and micro-processor on a personnel badge.

IN³ Medical Device 360° Boston

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Publisher’s Spotlight: Elsevier Business Intelligence is pleased to invite you and your team to join us for Investment in Innovation (IN³) Medical Device 360° Conference, being held June 27-29, 2012 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Boston in Boston, MA.

Fast Forward And Myelin Repair Foundation: Two Routes To New MS Drugs

a.lash@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:06:00 -0400

Despite the availability of new oral medicines, larger advances in MS remain elusive, especially for those with advanced MS. Two nonprofit groups, the National MS Society’s Fast Forward venture arm and the Myelin Repair Foundation, are thinking creatively in different ways – but both spending millions of dollars – to make those breakthroughs come sooner.

Renal Denervation: Device Market’s Gold Rush

m.stuart@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:05:00 -0400

Three years ago, only Ardian was publicly working on renal denervation devices for hypertension, but at last month’s ACC meeting, some said there were now anywhere from 16 to 40 companies in the space. Fast followers don’t want to miss out on an IP land grab in today’s hottest medical device space.

Project Sigma: Wellcome Funding For Scientific Research

p.bonanos@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:04:00 -0400

The Wellcome Trust, the UK’s largest private funder of biomedical research, has hired industry veterans to run a new £200 million evergreen fund that will take full ownership of biotech start-ups and hold them with more patience than VCs can afford.

Globus IPO Bid Is Good News For Spine Industry

t.salemi@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:03:00 -0400

Globus Medical filed for an initial public offering of stock in March, making it the first spine company to test the public markets since TranS1 raised $86 million in its own IPO at the tail end of 2007.

Start-Up Execs On The Move, April 2012

rpaleski@att.net — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Recent executive-level hires and director appointments at venture capital firms and biopharma and medtech start-ups.

OvaScience Raises $37 Million For Disruptive Infertility Product

m.stuart@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

In the field of assisted reproductive technologies, only incremental advances have been made since the first in vitro fertilization procedure in 1978. Now OvaScience has a breakthrough product that addresses the single largest barrier preventing older women from getting pregnant: poor egg quality.

Genocea Biosciences Inc.

deborah1776@gmail.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Genocea Biosciences Inc. is one of a growing number of companies betting that it can stimulate the body’s T-cell response against particular antigens, and so create vaccines against pathogens never before bested by man, such as malaria, herpes and chlamydia. Like others working to develop new vaccines, Genocea suspects that the ability to conjure cellular immunity on demand could offer not only prophylaxis, but also therapeutic options to individuals already infected by pathogens.

Imaxio SA

deborah1776@gmail.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Imaxio SA has identified a molecule that it believes can boost the body’s recognition of many antigens, and stimulate the immune system to produce both B cells and T cells. Some people might consider the molecule a “genetic adjuvant,” but the company itself refers to it as a “carrier protein.” Whereas classic adjuvants that provoke the body to a stronger immune response are mixed in with vaccines, Imaxio’s carrier will be genetically fused to specific components of a vaccine.

TremRx Inc.

deborah1776@gmail.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Fresh evidence that everything once fashionable eventually comes back into style is now provided by TremRx Inc., a Boston-based start-up intent on developing prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. The company’s approach hinges on much the same method as the smallpox vaccine invented by Edward Jenner in the late 1700s.

Selecta Biosciences Inc.

deborah1776@gmail.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The technology platform that Selecta Biosciences Inc. hopes will create new vaccines combines biodegradable polymers, formulated as nanoparticles, that can be processed in such a way that they “self-assemble” along with antigens and synthetic elements into complexes able to evoke clinically relevant immune responses. Selecta says its nanoparticles stimulate a human immune response similar to that roused by naturally occurring pathogens, perhaps because they are similar in size to a virus and because antigen is arrayed on the outside to optimally interact with the body’s B cells.

Haldor Advanced Technologies Ltd.

bkronemyer@frontier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Haldor Advanced Technologies Ltd.’s ORLocate surgical instrument tracking and asset management system uses RFID to automatically track, trace, monitor and manage the life cycle of instruments and consumables within the hospital – before, during and after a surgical procedure. In addition to managing the logistical chain and the specific location of an instrument at any point in time, ORLocate is designed to be a comprehensive workflow management system that provides statistical and processing data, par-level and inventory management and preventive maintenance.

Bluegrass Vascular Technologies Inc.

bkronemyer@frontier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Central venous catheters are commonly employed to deliver long-term dialysis, nutrition and chemotherapy, but nearly 10% of patients have an upper-extremity venous occlusion that renders the vein impenetrable by standard access techniques. When access is not possible through traditional “outside-in” routes, Bluegrass Vascular Technologies’ Surfacer system allows for central venous access through the femoral vein in the leg.

CDRH Launches ‘Innovation Pathway 2.0’ With End-Stage Renal Devices

rebecca.kern@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Participants expect the program to tangibly reduce time to market and improve companies’ prospects for raising money.

Recent Tech Transfer Deals, April 2012

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

START-UP ’s monthly update on technology transfer deals--licensing agreements between companies and universities or other research institutions—in in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, research/analytical equipment & supplies, and medical devices.

Recent Financings of Private Companies, April 2012

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

START-UP 's monthly comprehensive review of emerging life science companies that have received venture funding during the month, including companies within the in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, research/analytical equipment & supplies, and medical device sectors.

Vaccine Investment Gets A Shot In The Arm

l.lamotta@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The vaccine industry has had its ups and downs the last two decades, as public opinion and investor perception has influenced both the use and production of these preventative medicines. It’s traditionally been a difficult space for smaller companies due to the financial hurdles, but a handful of start-ups, including TremRx, Selecta Biosciences Inc., Genocea Biosciences Inc. and Imaxio SA, all profiled in this issue, are banking on progress in delivery and development technology to help them raise financing for their vaccines programs.

Celtic Pours More Private Equity Into The Promise Of Antibody-Drug Conjugates

l.lamotta@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Celtic Therapeutics will put as much as $50 million into ADC Therapeutics to develop next-generation cancer drugs based on assets from Spirogen, another of its other portfolio companies.

Targovax AS

deborah1776@gmail.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Dendreon’s prostate-cancer treatment Provenge demonstrated that the concept of rallying the body’s immune system to fight cancer actually can work. Norwegian start-up Targovax AS is one of many companies working to commercialize peptide vaccines intended to rouse the immune system and train it to recognize cancer.

Emergings In Brief, April 2012

n.dvorin@elsevier.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Brief profiles of these recently formed companies: 3D Biomatrix, IDx, InControl Medical and Intrepid Therapeutics.

For Biotech VCs, Anticipation And Adjustments In The Age Of Earn-Outs

a.lash@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:05:00 -0400

For biotech companies and their backers, the structured acquisition -- with contingent payments that stretch well beyond the close of the sale -- is practically the only exit available and, everyone agrees, a permanent part of the landscape. While it's certainly a buyer's market, the sellers have begun to adopt strategies and rules to help boost returns.

Deep Brain Provides Stimulating Market

m.stuart@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:03:00 -0400

There are signs that the field of deep brain stimulation (DBS) has gained a certain momentum of late: three start-ups raised venture rounds in 2011 and there have been two acquisitions in the space within the past year. The giants in cardiac rhythm management – Medtronic, St.

Preventing Toxic Effects Of Protein Aggregation In Parkinson’s Disease

m.ratner@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:02:00 -0400

Researchers have shown that a new class of small molecule can inhibit assembly of the protein alpha-synuclein into toxic clumps, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. Their work supports other ongoing investigations suggesting that the compound may be useful as a neuroprotective agent for treating a range of diseases characterized by the clumping of amyloid proteins, including Alzheimer’s disease, various types of amyloidosis, and prion disease.

TriReme Strategy Bridges Pacific For Medical Device Start-Ups

t.salemi@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:01:00 -0400

The road to the rising markets of Asia can be daunting to some medical device start-ups, but not Pleasanton, CA-based TriReme Medical Inc. For the past two years, the privately held maker of balloon-equipped catheters has constructed inroads to Asia through the city-state of Singapore.

Big Partnerships Give Biotechs A Boost To Richer Exits

a.micklus@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Biotechs in recent years are more likely to fetch a higher acquisition price – practically the only way for investors to exit these days – if the company has previously signed a major alliance. But the partners aren't necessarily the ones buying.

MicroCHIPS’ Device Delivers In First-in-Human Clinical Trial

m.ratner@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

It’s been a long road for MicroCHIPS, founded in 1999 to develop an implantable device capable of delivering discrete drug doses repeatedly over long periods of time. The company recently published results of its first clinical trial, establishing proof-of-concept and perhaps more importantly, indicating that after many years, it now has a focused plan, if not a timeline, for commercialization.

RCT Eyes New Device Strategy

t.salemi@elsevier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Medical device VCs don’t take to change easily, at least not when they’re asked to alter how they invest. But the BioVentures arm of Research Corporation Technologies is exploring a new avenue for early stage device investing: asset financing.

EndoEvolution LLC

bkronemyer@frontier.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Despite great strides in minimally invasive surgery over the years, suturing continues to vex surgeons. That’s understandable, given the amount of hand-eye coordination required: surgeons hold two long instruments and watch a video screen from across the room while performing very intricate motions with their hands and fingers.

ZipLine Medical Inc.

tracyneilssien@yahoo.com — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

For many years, non-absorbable and absorbable sutures and staples have been the primary method of closing the external skin layer. Both types of devices provide good incision closure to promote wound healing, but they have drawbacks.