Posts Tagged ‘SEBIO’
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
 ATLANTA – Southeast BIO (SEBIO) announced the winners of the Fourth Annual SEBIO Awards in a ceremony held at its Twelfth Annual Investor Forum in Atlanta, Georgia.
The awards honored companies in the following categories: Southeast (SE) Deal of the Year: Initial Funding; SE Deal of the Year: Venture Capital Transaction, and SE Deal of the Year: Strategic Transaction. In addition, the organization awarded its SE Leadership Award to an individual or organization that made a notable contribution to the growth of the life sciences industry in the region over the last year. The winners were InVasc Therapeutics Inc., TearScience Inc., Alimera Sciences Inc., and David Day of the University of Florida, respectively.
“Our SEBIO Annual Awards recognize those companies and individuals that are driving the growth of the Southeast region’s life sciences industry,” said former SEBIO Chair Garheng Kong, a General Partner with Sofinnova Ventures. “These success stories show the maturation of the industry in the Southeast and reflect very well on what is happening to those who have an interest in getting to know the region better. The SE Leadership Award, in particular, is a great way to highlight the role of individuals who really distinguish themselves by their unique contribution to our industry.”
InVasc Therapeutics, Inc. won the SE Deal of the Year: Initial Funding Award. InVasc was honored for its $3.15 million financing in July. The financing was led by Trois Investments Industriels Internationaux S.A., headquartered in Luxembourg. InVasc is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing drugs to treat or prevent cardiometabolic disease. The company is currently focused on advancing two lead drugs for chronic kidney disease and atherosclerosis.
TearScience, Inc. won the SE Deal of the Year: Venture Capital Transaction Award. TearScience was honored for its $44.5 million Series C financing in May. New investors participating were Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, Investor Growth Capital, and General Catalyst. The company’s existing investors, De Novo Ventures, Spray Ventures, and Quaker BioVentures, completed the round. TearScience has pioneered diagnostic and treatment devices for evaporative dry eye, providing significant clinical improvement. Of the more than 100 million dry eye sufferers worldwide, approximately 70 percent have evaporative dry eye caused by lipid deficiency of the eye’s natural tear film. TearScience’s integrated, in-office system is the first to enable eye care professionals to address the root cause of evaporative dry eye.
Alimera Sciences, Inc. won the SE Deal of the Year: Strategic Transaction Award for its initial public offering and venture debt raise totaling more than $100 million earlier this year. On April 21, 2010, Alimera (Nasdaq: ALIM) completed its initial public offering of 6.55 million shares of common stock, resulting in net proceeds to Alimera of approximately $68.4 million. In October, 2010, Alimera obtained a $32.5 million senior secured credit facility to help fund its working capital requirements. Alimera is a publically traded biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development, and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Currently, Alimera’s main focus is on Iluvien, which is being developed for the treatment of diabetic macular edema.
David Day, director of the Office of Technology Licensing and Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator at the University of Florida, was honored for the SE Leadership Award. David was recognized for his substantial involvement in SEBIO and his leadership in the growth of the life sciences industry in the Southeast. David has played a critical role in strengthening the life sciences industry in Florida and proactively working to attract capital to the region’s emerging companies.
He has served numerous roles within SEBIO, including Chair of the Investor Forum (2008), Chair of SEBIO (2010), and currently, Chair of the Standing SEBIO Investor Forum Committee.“These award winners have achieved outstanding success in 2010 and it’s a pleasure to honor them,” said SEBIO 2010 Awards Committee member Aaron Davidson, Managing Director with H.I.G. BioVentures. “We have high hopes for them in the future and believe that these recipients are an example of the many strong companies we have in the Southeast.”
Tags: Alimera Sciences, David Day, InVasc Therapeutics, SEBIO, TearScience Inc., University of Florida
Posted in Biotech, Events, Florida, Georgia | Comments Off
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
ATLANTA – Southeast BIO (SEBIO), a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the growth of the Southeast’s life sciences industry, has named the best life sciences deals in the Southeast, as determined by a Selection Committee comprised of regional and national venture capitalists. These companies, both early- and later-stage, will participate in the upcoming SEBIO Investor Forum being held on November 3-4, 2010 at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia.
Those companies chosen for the EARLY/Stage event are seeking their first rounds of venture capital and/or angel investment. During the Investor Forum, the companies will participate in an advisory session led by active early-stage investors. The MAIN/Stage presenting companies have generally completed at least one round of institutional financing and will each have the opportunity to make a ten minute pitch to the full conference audience.
Since 1999, companies that have participated in the SEBIO Investor Forum have raised over $2.5 billion in public and private offerings.
SEBIO has also selected four finalists for its Fourth Annual BIO/Plan Competition, a program developed to promote the creation of new, fundable life science companies based in the Southeast. Working closely with technology transfer offices and entrepreneurs throughout the region, the competition brings forward opportunities from leading Southeastern research universities and research centers. The BIO/Plan Competition received forty applications earlier this year from all across the Southeast.
SEBIO 2010 MAIN/Stage Companies
Avancen MOD Corporation (Mt. Pleasant, SC)
EGEN, Inc. (Huntsville, AL)
Intelliject, Inc. (Richmond, VA)
InVasc Therapeutics, Inc. (Tucker, GA)
RFS Pharma, LLC (Tucker, GA)
Visioneering Technologies, Inc. (Alpharetta, GA)
SEBIO 2010 EARLY/Stage Companies
Ariste Medical, LLC (Memphis, TN)
Atlanta Catheter Therapies, Inc. (Atlanta, GA)
AXOXY Laboratories, LLC (Gainesville, FL)
Bioshape Solutions, Inc. (Research Triangle Park, NC)
CvergenX, Inc. (Tampa, FL)
Endomimetics, LLC (Birmingham, AL)
GeneCapture, Inc. (Huntsville, AL)
Grace Innovative Technologies, Inc. (Mobile, AL)
HemoSonics, LLC (Charlottesville, VA)
NeurOp, Inc. (Atlanta, GA)
Physcient, Inc. (Durham, NC)
Restorative Physiology Group, LLC (North Charleston, SC)
Scytel Research (Chapel Hill, NC)
Vascular Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cary, NC)
Vivo Biosciences, Inc. (Birmingham, AL)
SEBIO 2010 BIO/Plan Finalists:
FibroTherapeutics, Inc. (Medical University of South Carolina)
NRG Biotechnology (Morehouse School of Medicine)
Reactive Diagnostics, Inc. (Georgia Institute of Technology)
SPECTROPATH Medical (Emory University)
Tags: Atlanta, Emory, GA, GA Tech, Investor Forum, life sciences, Medical University of SC, Morehouse School of Medicine, NC, Pharma, presenting companies, SC, SEBIO, VA
Posted in Alabama, Biotech, Carolinas, Events, Georgia, North Carolina, Other SE, Pharma, Potomac, South Carolina, Virginia | Comments Off
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
ATLANTA – Southeast BIO (SEBIO) has selected ten semifinalists in its fourth annual BIO/Plan Competition.
Launched in 2007, the BIO/Plan Competition is a program developed to promote the creation of new life science companies based in the Southeast.
The ten semifinalists were selected from nearly forty total applications. The applicant pool included applications from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
They represent a wide range of technologies including small molecule therapeutics, biologics, diagnostics, and medical devices. Five of the semifinalists selected are from Georgia, three are from Florida, one is from South Carolina, and one is from Virginia.
The technologies emerged from some of the region’s finest research institutions, including Emory University, Florida International University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Medical College of Georgia, Morehouse School of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, University of Florida, University of Georgia, and University of Virginia.
“Despite the funding crunch, the level of scientific innovation at universities and startup companies remains extremely impressive as seen from the BIO/Plan applications, and this bodes well for an outburst of valuable commercial opportunities that will attract investment dollars from firms like ours,” said Carlos Parajon, managing partner, Harbor Island Equity Partners .
“This quality of research and innovation leads to investment and growth, which in turn creates more innovation and positive economic outcomes for the region.”
Each semifinalist is now paired with a small mentoring team and beginning the mentorship phase of the Competition. Each mentoring team includes three or four experienced professionals from active venture funds or angel groups, biotech entrepreneurs and managers, and service providers with relevant start-up expertise.
The mentoring teams directly interact with the semifinalists over a period of 4 months focusing on the strategic development of the business concept and commercial opportunity.
The teams are also supported with additional resources including development plan templates and guidelines, regulatory consultants, and presentation guidelines and examples. The ultimate goal of the mentoring process is the creation of an executable development strategy and associated written plan. This rigorous mentorship process is the cornerstone of the Competition.
“Every year, our companies brag about SEBIO’s process and the terrific advice they get from the BIO/Plan mentors,” notes Susan Shows, Senior Vice President, Georgia Research Alliance. “This coaching and the visibility to investors is extremely valuable to the region’s early stage companies.”
Following the mentoring process, each of the semifinalists will submit their written development plan to a panel of judges. Four finalists will then be selected to present at the Twelfth Annual SEBIO Investor Forum, November 3-4, 2010, in Atlanta, Georgia. The finalists will present to the full conference audience, which includes more than 400 industry leaders from across the region, and over 100 investors from the Southeast and around the world.
The finalists will be awarded face-to-face, private meetings with top investors in the region at which time they can more fully promote their investment opportunity and development plan. One Southeast BIO/Plan Competition winner will be announced and recognized in a special ceremony at the Investor Forum.
More information about the BIO/Plan Competition, the SEBIO Investor Forum, and sponsorship opportunities can be found on the SEBIO website, www.sebio.org.
Tags: 2010 business plan competition, Alabama, Biotech, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, SEBIO, South Carolina, Virginia
Posted in Alabama, Biotech, Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Other SE, Pharma, Potomac, SEBIO, South Carolina, Virginia | Comments Off
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