• Aerin Medical

  Led · Series C · Mar 2016

  Aerin Medical is a privately held, venture-backed medical device company headquartered in Mountain View, California, focused on expanding access to relief for patients with chronic ENT conditions. Its products VivAer® (for nasal airway obstruction) and RhinAer® (for chronic rhinitis) leverage a proprietary temperature-controlled technology as alternatives to invasive surgery. The company reports that more than 150,000 patients have been treated with its products to date. Aerin said it will use recent financing to drive additional commercial expansion, invest in R&D, and further expand its clinical evidence portfolio. Management emphasized plans to deepen penetration in markets for nasal obstruction and chronic rhinitis. Financially, Aerin completed a $32.5 million equity financing and secured a debt facility to refinance existing debt and provide additional financial flexibility. Aerin Medical commercializes non-invasive, temperature-controlled radiofrequency treatments for chronic nasal conditions through its VivAer and RhinAer products. VivAer, launched in the U.S. in 2018, treats nasal airway obstruction (which the company cites as affecting 20 million Americans); RhinAer launched in 2020 for chronic rhinitis. More than 60,000 patients have been treated with Aerin products to date, and the company reported 10 new peer-reviewed clinical publications in the last year. Aerin is privately held and venture-backed, with U.S. offices in California and Texas. The company intends to use new financing to scale commercialization and expand market access to meet physician and patient demand. Aerin Medical develops non-invasive, office-based treatments for chronic nasal airway conditions. Its FDA-cleared VivAer® Stylus treats nasal airway obstruction and the RhinAer® Stylus treats chronic rhinitis using a proprietary temperature-controlled technology. The company provides tissue-sparing solutions for otolaryngologists (ENTs) to improve patient quality of life. Aerin is venture-backed and has offices in Sunnyvale, California and Austin, Texas. The company announced a leadership change with the appointment of Matt Brokaw as President and CEO. Proceeds from the financing will be used to accelerate commercial growth, support new clinical studies, and develop new products. Aerin Medical, led by CEO Fred Dinger and based in Austin, Texas, develops and commercializes minimally invasive treatments for nasal airway disorders. Its flagship product is the Vivaer Nasal Airway Remodeling System, a physician‑office procedure for treating nasal obstruction. The company focuses on improving patients' quality of life through disruptive, office‑based interventions. Financially, Aerin closed a $50M non‑dilutive term loan with CRG LP, receiving $35M at closing and up to $15M more in milestones. Approximately $16.5M of the proceeds were used to retire existing debt. The remaining funds are designated to accelerate sales and marketing reach and to support the launch of its next product. Aerin Medical is a medical device company that has developed a non-invasive treatment platform using low-power radiofrequency energy to remodel nasal soft tissues and address nasal congestion. The platform is designed for use in the physician’s office to treat underlying causes of nasal breathing disorders. Led by CEO Fred Dinger, Aerin operates offices in Austin, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; and Singapore. The company is backed by healthcare investors KCK Group and Targeted Technology. Aerin closed a $15M venture loan facility provided by Horizon Technology Finance Corporation. The company will use the proceeds for general working capital purposes.

• StemBioSys

  Led · Series A · Apr 2015

  StemBioSys develops HPMETM, a proprietary advanced stem cell culture system that replicates the 3D microenvironment in which stem cells naturally reside. The technology enables isolation and growth of stem cells from adipose, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood/tissue, supporting faster replication and better preservation of stem cell phenotype versus traditional tissue culture plastic. The company closed an $8M Series A to fund a GMP manufacturing facility and market preparations for a targeted mid‑2015 research-product launch. StemBioSys is pursuing therapeutic applications through more than 14 strategic partner collaborations and multiple sponsored research agreements, including with UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, UTSA, and Langer/Anderson Laboratories at MIT. Founded in 2010 and based in San Antonio, the privately held company plans a Series B in late 2015/early 2016 to complete commercial launch and continue exploring therapeutic uses. Proceeds from the Series A will be used primarily to build GMP manufacturing capacity and support commercialization activities. StemBioSys develops and manufactures stem cell technologies focused on regenerative medicine. The company highlights its patented XC-marrow ECM™, an extracellular matrix laid down by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells that creates a 3D microenvironment to preserve stem cell phenotypes. The XC-marrow ECM™ enables faster replication and better preservation of “stemness” compared with traditional tissue culture plastic and lets SBS grow stem cells from adipose tissue, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. StemBioSys positions the product for research, pharmaceutical and novel clinical uses and frames the XC-marrow ECM™ as the centerpiece of its expansion. Financially, a regulatory filing shows the company has landed $2,377,802 and is seeking an additional $5,622,198. The company is in a quiet period of funding that Chairman Dr. Steve Davis said should end Aug. 5; officers named in the article include Dr. Steve Davis, Dr. Xiao-Dong Chen, Edward “Sy” Griffey and CEO Peter Savas.

• Xenex

  Participated · Equity · Jan 2015

  Xenex designs and manufactures the LightStrike Germ‑Zapping Robots, a pulsed xenon Full Spectrum UV room disinfection system that destroys viruses, bacteria and spores including C.diff, MRSA and CRE. The robots run four‑ to five‑minute cycles and, according to Xenex customers, can disinfect roughly 30–62 hospital rooms per day. Outcome studies published in peer‑reviewed journals and hospital reports cited by the company show 50–100% decreases in C.diff, MRSA and surgical site infection rates when its devices are used. Approximately 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense facilities across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa and Japan use Xenex robots, and the devices are also deployed in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long‑term acute care facilities. The company notes its devices contain no toxic mercury and are differentiated by the use of xenon as the UV source. Xenex plans to use new capital to grow its sales force, advance product development, expand scientific research and pursue international expansion. Xenex produces a patented pulsed‑xenon Full Spectrum UV room disinfection system (the Xenex Germ‑Zapping Robot) designed for quick, chemical‑free disinfection of patient rooms and other hospital areas. The robot runs five‑minute cycles and, according to customers, can disinfect 30–62 hospital rooms per day. More than 250 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and DoD facilities, and other care sites are using Xenex robots, and six peer‑reviewed studies have confirmed the technology's efficacy, including three showing reductions in C.diff, MRSA and other MDRO infections. Concern over outbreaks (including Ebola) and CMS penalties for hospital‑acquired infections have heightened demand for the product. The company announced it secured $25 million in new funding and plans to use the capital for product development, international expansion and increasing its U.S. sales force. Xenex positions its technology as a faster, mercury‑free alternative to other disinfection methods and aims to expand adoption in healthcare settings worldwide. Xenex Disinfection Services develops a portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) room disinfection system for healthcare facilities. Its device uses pulsed xenon UV light to destroy viruses, bacteria, mold, fungus and bacterial spores, with a five-minute disinfection cycle and portability that lets environmental services staff operate without disrupting hospital operations or using chemicals. The system contains no mercury or hydrogen peroxide and is described as a green automated room disinfection technology. Nearly 200 hospitals and Veterans Affairs facilities in the U.S. use the Xenex system, and peer-reviewed studies—including work at MD Anderson—have shown reductions in C. diff, VRE and MRSA infections (for example, a 53% C. diff reduction at Cooley Dickinson and a 56% MRSA reduction at Cone Health). Xenex recently unveiled a next-generation product design with user enhancements and says its technology is about 20 times more effective than standard chemical cleaning. The company plans to use new funding for product development, international expansion, and increasing its U.S. sales force.

• DNAtriX

  Participated · Series B · Oct 2014

  DNAtrix is a clinical-stage oncolytic immunotherapy company that develops modified viruses for the treatment of cancer. Led by president and CEO Frank Tufaro, Ph.D., the company’s lead product is the oncolytic virus DNX-2401. DNAtrix intends to use newly raised funds to advance DNX-2401 into late-stage clinical trials for glioblastoma. The company completed a $20M Series B equity financing to support that development. DNAtrix is based in Houston, Texas and San Diego, California. The financing also coincided with a board appointment from the lead investor. DNAtrix is a clinical-stage biotech developing genetically modified oncolytic adenoviruses to treat aggressive cancers, with a lead candidate DNX-2401. DNX-2401 selectively kills tumor cells and is currently being evaluated in a Phase Ib trial in combination with temozolomide for recurrent glioblastoma. An earlier Phase I study of DNX-2401 demonstrated an excellent safety profile and promising efficacy, including observations of long-term survival and tumor destruction. The company plans to use newly awarded funds to accelerate clinical development and pursue commercialization for malignant glioma. Financially, DNAtrix was awarded a $10.8 million product development grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to support its glioblastoma program. DNAtrix is privately held and headquartered in Houston, Texas.

• Bluegrass Vascular Technologies

  Led · Series A · Jul 2014

  Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, founded in 2011 and based in San Antonio, Texas, develops lifesaving devices and methods for vascular access. The company is advancing the Surfacer™ Inside-Out Access Catheter System, a proprietary system that allows physicians to gain venous access using a novel "inside-out" approach. Bluegrass closed a $4.5M Series A financing led by Targeted Technology Fund II. The company intends to use the funds to obtain CE Mark for the Surfacer system, enhance manufacturing capabilities, and proceed with U.S. regulatory submissions. Bluegrass is led by CEO Jim Clifton. The financing is intended to support regulatory progress and manufacturing scale-up for the Surfacer system.

No current team members are available.