Participated · Series D · Jan 2019

Ablative Solutions develops an alcohol-mediated renal denervation therapy delivered via the investigational Peregrine System Kit to reduce blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. The Peregrine Kit delivers dehydrated alcohol to the perivascular space outside the renal artery to block overactive sympathetic nerve signaling and is designed as a rapid, minimally painful procedure. The Peregrine System Infusion Catheter has 510(k) clearance for infusion into peripheral vasculature and is CE marked for infusion of a neurolytic agent to lower systemic blood pressure, but the system and the kit remain investigational and are not commercially available in the U.S. or Europe. Funds from the Series D will be used to complete clinical trials supporting U.S. and European regulatory submissions, including studies of the device in patients on antihypertensive medications and a proof-of-concept trial in Europe for patients not taking medications. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and San Jose, California. Management positions the procedure as an adjunctive option to address medication non-adherence and difficult-to-control blood pressure. Ablative Solutions (ASI) is a clinical-stage medical device company that developed the Peregrine System™, which delivers a chemical treatment to the outer layer of the renal artery where sympathetic nerves reside. The company is currently engaged in early clinical evaluations of the Peregrine System. Leadership includes CEO and co-founder Tim Fischell, co-founder David Fischell, and President Vartan Ghazarossian, PhD. ASI is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and also maintains offices in Menlo Park, California. The article reports the company completed a Series B financing, which supports its ongoing clinical work and development activities. Ablative Solutions, Inc. is a Kalamazoo, MI–based company with offices in Menlo Park, CA that develops and markets proprietary endovascular catheters as an alternative to surgical renal denervation for the treatment of hypertension. Led by Dr. Vartan Ghazarossian (President and COO) and Dr. Tim Fischell (CEO and CMO), the company is pursuing a different approach to renal denervation to address hypertension and other diseases related to overactive sympathetic nerve activity. Its device delivers PeriVascular Renal Denervation (PVRD™), targeting treatment directly to the nerves that encircle the renal artery without damaging the artery wall. The company completed a $5.3M Series A financing, which includes conversion of bridge financing completed earlier in the year. Ablative Solutions intends to use the funding to develop its technology platform.

Participated · Series C · Oct 2014

Vestaron is a Kalamazoo, Michigan–based global leader developing novel peptide-based crop protection solutions. Its core products are peptide-based bioinsecticides in the SPEAR® portfolio, including BASIN, a second active ingredient recently approved in the U.S. and Mexico. The company has commercial traction, having surpassed 1 million acres of product sprayed and entering Europe via emergency use authorizations to control Tuta absoluta (tomato leafminer). Vestaron recently closed a funding round of more than $20M to expand commercial presence in key U.S. and European markets and to advance development of additional peptide-based products. It signed ADM as a contract manufacturing organization to increase production capacity and reduce costs, supporting near-term commercialization and scale-up. Vestaron plans to secure full regulatory approvals and begin sales of BASIN by year-end, further strengthening its SPEAR® bioinsecticide product portfolio and pursuing additional global market opportunities. Vestaron develops peptide-based biological insecticides under its SPEAR® brand, offering a novel mode of action comparable in efficacy to synthetic options. Its products are designed to be soft on honeybees and other pollinators as well as safe for fish and mammals. The SPEAR family provides an opportunity to incorporate the new IRAC Group 32 into resistance-management rotations. Led by CEO Anna Rath and headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, the company is focused on expanding its product pipeline of additional peptide-empowered solutions. Vestaron plans to expand from specialty fruit, vegetable and nut crops into broad acre row crops and into new insect pest categories. The company recently raised additional capital to support these development and expansion plans, bringing its total funding to date to $92M. Vestaron is a Durham, NC-based company that develops peptide-based biological crop protection solutions. Led by CEO Anna Rath, the company has developed biological insecticide technology that enables a wide variety of biologic crop protection products. The firm markets product lines based on that technology. It closed an $82M Series C in January 2022. Vestaron said it will use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. As a result of the financing the board will add Ariel Barack (Ordway), Mike Wilbur (Cavallo) and Craig Herron (iSelect) as board observers. Vestaron develops peptide-based biopesticides using a proprietary platform to optimize and produce peptides that aim to match the efficacy of traditional synthetics while improving safety and environmental profile. Led by CEO Anna Rath, the company has launched its first two products: Spear-T for greenhouse pests (thrips, whiteflies, aphids and mites) and Spear-Lep for field lepidopteran pests. Vestaron raised $40M in a Series B financing to support commercialization of the Spear family, expand into new geographies and accelerate development of additional peptide-based biopesticides. The company plans to use the funds to advance its pipeline and broaden market presence. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article. Vestaron exploits natural insecticidal peptides that have potent insect-killing potential while being safe to humans, birds, fish and the environment. The company is leveraging its peptide technology to develop bioinsecticides, plant-incorporated traits and synthetic molecules derived from those peptides with a favorable safety spectrum. Led by CEO John Sorenson, Ph.D., Vestaron plans to expand research and development using proceeds from its latest financing. The firm aims to introduce its first product, the SPEAR™-T biological insecticide, before the 1st quarter selling season next year and two additional products using the same active ingredient later in 2017. It completed an $18m Series D financing to fund these activities.

Participated · Series B · Oct 2013

Swift Biosciences is an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based developer of technologies for genomics and personalized medicine. Led by CEO David Olson, PhD, the company recently entered the next-generation sequencing (NGS) market with its Accel-NGS line of sample-preparation products. It also developed myT® Primer technology for specific mutation detection, which has been non-exclusively licensed to a global diagnostic company. Swift plans to use the $7M Series B to expand sales and marketing and to accelerate new product introductions. The Series B was led by Fletcher Spaght Ventures and included Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, the Mercury Fund, Michigan Accelerator Fund and other Michigan-based individual investors. Peter Kleinhenz of Fletcher Spaght Ventures joined the company's board in conjunction with the financing. Swift Biosciences develops molecular biology reagents for research and diagnostic applications, with products designed to be compatible with customers' current instrumentation. The company's reagents aim to provide innovative ways to examine disease-related genes. The new $3M Series A financing will accelerate development and customer testing of those reagent products. The Series A was led by DFJ Mercury with participation from Michigan-based individual investors who also provided the company's January 2010 seed funding. As part of the financing, Daniel Watkins of DFJ Mercury will join Swift Biosciences' board of directors. Swift Biosciences is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Participated · Series B · Jul 2011

Intervention Insights develops OncInsights, a bioinformatics product that analyzes cancerous tissue to generate a genomic profile of over 20,000 genes and corresponding molecular pathways. The company electronically delivers reports to community oncologists to support individualized treatment decisions. Intervention Insights is based on Van Andel Research Institute’s bioinformatics platform and is led by CEO Jerry Callahan. The company intends to use the new funding to expand commercialization efforts for OncInsights. Intervention Insights was founded in 2009 and is based in Grand Rapids, Mich. The recent financing strengthens its position to scale clinical adoption of its reporting service.