| |
property for sale in balchik varna brovets bansko bulgaria
News and Information Article
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 9 // -- Catalyst Biosciences,
Inc., a privately held biotechnology company focused on engineering and
developing novel therapeutic protease products, today announced it has raised
$30 million in its Series B financing.
The investment was led by Morgenthaler Ventures. Also participating in the
financing was HealthCare Ventures and all of Catalysts previous investors,
including Sofinnova Ventures, Burrill & Company, RCT BioVentures and Novartis
Venture Fund. In connection with the financing, Dr. Ralph "Chris"
Christoffersen of Morgenthaler Ventures and Augustine Lawlor of HealthCare
Ventures will join the Catalyst Board of Directors.
Proteases are naturally-occurring, protein-degrading enzymes that have
been used against their normal physiological targets as safe, effective
therapeutic agents for over fifteen years (for example, Genentechs
Activase(R) and Eli Lillys Xigris(R)). Catalyst is focused on significantly
expanding the therapeutic application of proteases through high-throughput
protein engineering. The Companys product discovery platform includes methods
to rapidly create and optimize tailor-made protease drug candidates, called
Alterases(TM), applicable across a broad spectrum of clinical categories.
"We are extremely pleased that Catalyst has attracted a group of
exceptional new investors who share our vision for therapeutic proteases as a
breakthrough platform for drug development," said David OReilly, president of
Catalyst. "This financing provides Catalyst with the resources required to
move its first two internal programs into clinical development and to continue
to expand our Alterase product engine."
"Therapeutic proteases represent a class of molecules with the potential
breadth and scope of antibodies, and with advantages including very high
potency, automatic biomarker creation and rapid lead discovery," said
Chris Christoffersen, general partner at Morgenthaler Ventures. "Catalyst is a
very promising company that we believe has the opportunity to define and lead
this new field, and to develop products to meet medical needs unmet by current
approaches."
About Catalyst Biosciences:
Catalyst Biosciences is developing the next generation of
biopharmaceuticals by harnessing the catalytic power of proteases. Catalysts
product discovery platform includes methods to rapidly create and optimize
tailor-made protease drug candidates, called Alterases, applicable across a
broad spectrum of clinical categories. Catalyst has focused its product
development efforts in the areas of inflammation and cancer, where it has
clearly demonstrated the advantages of protease therapeutics for important
classes of disease targets. For more information, visit http://www.catbio.com.
About Morgenthaler Ventures:
Founded in 1968, Morgenthaler is a leading, national venture-capital firm
with offices in Menlo Park, CA (headquarters); Boston, MA; Cleveland, OH;
Boulder, CO; and Princeton, NJ; and with an investment focus on life sciences
and information technology. Morgenthalers biotech investments, past and
present, include such companies as Athena Neurosciences, Avidia, Bayhill
Therapeutics, GlobeImmune, Morphotek, Orexigen, Replidyne, Ribozyme
Pharmaceuticals, Sequana Therapeutics, Threshold Pharmaceuticals, and Vical.
Morgenthaler has a total of $2.5 billion under management. Its most recent
fund, capitalized at $450 million, was raised in October of 2005. The firm
(http://www.morgenthaler.com) has funded more than 200 companies over its 37-year
history.
About HealthCare Ventures
HealthCare Ventures is one of the worlds largest venture capital firms
specializing in health care, making investments in early stage and emerging
growth companies that have the potential for exceptional growth. The firm has
successfully raised and managed eight funds in the past eighteen years. HCV
brings together scientists to create biopharmaceutical companies positioned to
exploit important advances in medical science. HCV has started leading
biopharmaceutical companies in genetic therapy, genomic sciences, drug
discovery and delivery, neuroscience, cancer therapy, and organ and cellular
transplantation. HCVs general partners work closely with portfolio company
management on strategy, planning, recruitment, funding, corporate
partnerships, business development and commercial development.
CONTACT:
Jennifer Larson
For Catalyst Biosciences, Inc.
+1-415-946-1074
jlarson@weisscommpartners.com
| |
|
|
 |
property for sale in balchik varna brovets bansko bulgaria |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Locations
