• SentreHEART

  Participated · Series D · Sep 2016

  SentreHEART is a medical device company that manufactures the LARIAT technology for catheter-based, non-implant left atrial appendage closure (LAAC). The company also develops the LARIAT Suture Delivery Device for suture placement and knot tying in surgical procedures. SentreHEART is privately owned, based in Redwood City, California, and was founded in 2005. The LARIAT device has received FDA 510(k) clearances in 2006, 2009 and 2014 and holds a CE Mark in Europe. The company will use proceeds from its recent financing to complete the aMAZE randomized pivotal clinical trial evaluating LARIAT as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) ablation in patients with persistent or longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation. The aMAZE trial aims to demonstrate reduced recurrent AFib and to further define the clinical role of LAA closure. SentreHEART manufactures the LARIAT Suture Delivery Device, which enables remote delivery of a 40mm pre-tied polyester suture loop for immediate and complete soft tissue closure through access as small as 4.3mm with no metal, clips, or fabrics left behind. The device facilitates suture placement and knot tying for ligation and approximation in surgical applications. Regulatory clearance for soft tissue ligation and approximation has been received in the US, Europe, and Canada. The company estimates the LARIAT may have application in more than 2.5 million procedures annually, representing a $1.6 billion global market opportunity. SentreHEART reports early commercial success with rapid physician adoption worldwide and has added several veteran medical device executives to its leadership team to support growth. The company says the new financing will enable expansion of commercialization and continued support for its steady growth.

• Nora Therapeutics

  Participated · Series B · Apr 2014

  Nora Therapeutics is a Palo Alto, CA-based biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics to address IVF failure and recurrent pregnancy loss. Its lead compound, NT100, is a novel biologic similar to a naturally occurring protein in the female reproductive tract and may enable embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance by optimizing maternal-fetal immune tolerance. NT100 is currently being studied in an ongoing Phase 2 trial (THRIVE‑IVF). The company plans to expand development of NT100 by adding a second Phase 2 trial (RESPONSE) in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss. Led by President and CEO Jeffrey K. Tong, Ph.D., Nora intends to use recent financing proceeds to advance these clinical programs. The company closed an $18M Series B to support development of its lead program. Nora Pharmaceuticals develops drugs and devices for women’s reproductive health. The company is based in San Francisco and is operating in stealth (it does not have a website). Nora disclosed that it has some products but did not provide further details. Financially, the company secured $25 million in a first-round financing. The round was led by Burrill & Co., Prospect Venture Partners and Vivo Ventures. The fundraise comes amid heightened investor interest in women’s health, with several peer startups recently raising capital.

• NinePoint Medical

  Participated · Series B · Mar 2014

  NinePoint Medical develops medical devices that enable high-resolution in‑vivo optical imaging, commercializing the NvisionVLE Imaging System for endoscopic, volumetric, cross-sectional imaging up to 3 mm deep at better than 10 micron resolution. The NvisionVLE uses an advanced form of Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT/OFDI) to provide real-time, high-resolution images that can aid biopsy placement and treatment planning and is indicated for evaluation of tissue microstructure including esophageal tissue. NinePoint licensed the underlying technology from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2010 and received 510(k) clearance in December 2011; it launched NvisionVLE in the U.S. in May 2013. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. Proceeds from the recently completed $34 million Series B will support the ongoing U.S. commercial launch, expansion of the sales force, build-out of operational capacity, and development of expanded product offerings and new features. The company has emphasized adding strategic and industry expertise to its board to support commercialization. NinePoint Medical is a Cambridge, Mass.-based developer of in vivo pathology devices. The company is developing an in vivo pathology technology platform to commercialize a portfolio of medical devices for examination of dysplastic, pre-cancerous and cancerous cells. Its initial focus is on devices for the examination of the gastrointestinal tract. The company completed a $33M Series A financing to support development of the platform and commercialization efforts. NinePoint plans to expand its team with approximately 25 new hires over the next 12 months and to operate a manufacturing facility at its Cambridge headquarters.

• NGM Biopharmaceuticals

  Participated · Series C · Jul 2013

  NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NGM Bio) is a privately held biotechnology company based in South San Francisco focused on discovering and developing novel, life-changing medicines. Its core pipeline includes aldafermin, an engineered FGF19 analog, and NGM120, a GDF15/GFRAL antagonist antibody—both discovered through the company’s in‑house discovery engine. The company will use proceeds from a newly announced $122 million Series A to initiate a planned registrational trial of aldafermin for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and to complete a planned Phase 2 trial of NGM120 for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG); both trials are expected to begin in Q4 2024. Aldafermin has prior Phase 2 clinical data in PSC, and NGM Bio anticipates the registrational trial will utilize proposed surrogate endpoints with the goal of accelerated approval. NGM120’s development is rooted in a decade of GDF15 biology research and is designed to block GDF15 signaling through GFRAL to address nausea and vomiting in HG. The company completed a take-private transaction in April to bolster efficiency and flexibility and is a wholly owned subsidiary of NGM Bio Holdings, Inc. NGM Biopharmaceuticals develops therapeutics targeting diabetes, obesity, muscle wasting and other cardio-metabolic diseases. The company operates a drug-discovery platform based on the idea that certain genes are turned on or off during gastric bypass surgery, which may explain rapid improvements in diabetes. NGM has been engaged in basic scientific research for the past five years and plans to use recent financing to advance its portfolio into development. It maintains collaborations with Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, MedImmune and JDRF. The company's board includes industry veteran Art Levinson. Financially, NGM has raised over $130 million since its 2008 founding and is based in South San Francisco. NGM Biopharmaceuticals is dedicated to the discovery and development of transformational medicines. The company has created a proprietary discovery platform aimed at identifying and validating novel targets and factors that impact the underlying etiology of metabolic diseases. Using that platform, NGM is generating a pipeline of new drug candidates as novel treatments for diabetes, obesity, muscle wasting and cardiovascular disease. Financially, the company closed the first tranche of a $51M Series B round of financing. Investors in the tranche included The Column Group, Tichenor Ventures, Prospect Venture Partners, Rho Ventures and other new and Series A investors. In conjunction with the funding, McHenry (Mac) T. Tichenor, Jr. of Tichenor Ventures was appointed to the board. NGM Biopharmaceuticals is a South San Francisco–based company focused on developing new treatments for heart and metabolic diseases. The company raised $25 million in a first funding round and plans to devote the proceeds to R&D spending over the next three years. Investors in the round included Column Group, Prospect Venture Partners and Rho Ventures. NGM has described its approach using “post-genomic bioinformatics” and “new approaches to human biology,” but has not disclosed detailed plans. The company is being led on an acting basis by Tularik founder David Goeddel; chief scientific officer Jin-Long Chen previously served as a VP of biology at Tularik and headed Amgen’s metabolic-disorders unit. Its website was reported to be under construction at the time of the coverage.

• Satori Pharmaceuticals

  Participated · Equity · Feb 2012

  Satori Pharmaceuticals is a Cambridge, MA-based biotech advancing medicines intended to slow or stop Alzheimer’s disease progression. Its lead program aims to modulate gamma-secretase to reduce levels of amyloid beta 42 (AB42) in the brain, lowering brain amyloid, plaque formation and associated neuronal damage. The company raised an additional $15M in financing from existing investors InterWest Partners, New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Prospect Venture Partners. Specific financing instruments and valuation were not disclosed in the article. Donald Hayden was appointed chairman of the board, and Dr. David Schnell (Prospect Ventures) and Stephen Muniz (PureTech Ventures) joined the board. Satori is led by CEO Dr. Jeffrey Ives and CBO Jeff Jonker and intends to file an IND on its lead gamma-secretase modulator in 2012. Satori Pharmaceuticals is developing therapeutics that aim to halt Alzheimer’s disease in its early phases rather than just slow symptoms. Its lead compound is designed to inhibit toxic proteins before the formation of amyloid plaques, with an emphasis on avoiding damage to surrounding brain tissue. The company is also collaborating with researchers to identify early diagnostic signals, including traces of specific proteins in the bloodstream. Management recognizes safety challenges given the typical older patient profile and common co-medications, and says potential drug interactions will need to be addressed. Satori reports its lead treatment has passed several animal tests and plans a tentative timeline for clinical trials in 2010. Financially, the company recently completed a $22 million second-round financing to support the next battery of tests and development work.

No current team members are available.