Short Update: Life Sciences Funding for April 09

Orthocon, Inc.: Series B $25M
Orthocon (North Brunswick, NJ) a preclinical-stage company focused on implantable devices that deliver therapeutics to bone, closed a $25M Series B financing.

Aerovance, Inc.: Series C $38M
Aerovance (Berkeley, CA) a clinical-stage company focused on respiratory and allergic diseases, closed a $38M Series C financing. Participants include ProQuest Investments, BB Biotech Ventures, Apax Partners, Clarus Ventures, Alta Partners, Lehman Brothers, NGN Capital and Burrill & Co.

OPX Biotechnologies, Inc.: Series B $17.5M
OPX Biotechnologies (Boulder, CO) a research-stage biofuels company using synthetic biology to engineer the microbes as a renewable fuel source, added to their Series B financing bringing the round up to $17.5M. Participants include Braemar Energy Ventures, Altira Group, Mohr Davidow Ventures and X/Seed Capital.

Traversa Therapeutics, Inc.: Series B $5M
Traversa Therapeutics (La Jolla, CA) a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing RNAi delivery technologies, closed a $5M Series B financing. Participants include Morningside, Mesa Verde Venture Partners and Tech Coast Angels.

CeraPedics, Inc.: Series B $15M
CeraPedics (Broomfield, CO) a clinical stage device company focused on osteobiologic products for bony voids, closed a $15M Series B financing. Participants include NGN Capital and OrbiMed Advisors.

KeyNeurotek Pharmaceuticals, AG: Series C $10.9M
KeyNeurotek Pharmaceuticals (Germany) a clinical-stage small molecule company focused on autoimmune and CNS diseases, closed a $10.9M Series C financing. Participants include DVC Deutsche Venture Capital, IBG Beteiligungsgesellschaft and KfW Bankengruppe.

Ambrx, Inc.: Series D $10M
Ambrx (La Jolla, CA) a clinical-stage protein therapeutic company focused growth deficiency, closed a $10M Series D financing. Participants include 5AM Ventures, Aravis Ventures, CMEA Capital, Maverick Capital, Versant Ventures and Tavistock Life Sciences