Aclara Biosciences

Mountain View, CA

IPO (2000)

Biochip company that developed microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology with applications for genetic analysis, high-throughput drug screening and clinical diagnostics.

Anthera Pharmaceuticals

San Mateo, CA

Nasdaq: ANTH

Website

Anthera Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical development company focused on the advancement of promising clinical products for the treatment of serious inflammatory diseases. Anthera's lead products are inhibitors of secretory phospholipase A2. The lead product is in Phase 3 development for acute coronary syndrome and a second program is in Phase 2b trials to treat patients with lupus.

Arena Pharmaceuticals

San Diego, CA

Nasdaq: ARNA

IPO (2000)

Website

Biopharmaceutical company that has developed a technology to accelerate the development of lead compounds targeting G-protein coupled receptors. This core technology, called CART, allows for ligand-independent, direct identification of small molecule compounds that regulate the activity of G-protein coupled receptors.

Cequent Pharmaceuticals

Cambridge, MA

Acquired by Marina Biotech in 2010

Website

Cequent is an early-stage biopharmaceutical company developing new clinically compatible therapies based on RNA interference (RNAi). The company has developed a novel, proprietary method to deliver RNAi to diseased cells utilizing modified, live, nonpathogenic bacteria. Cequent is focusing its efforts on the pre-clinical development of products to treat gastrointestinal diseases, including familial polyposis, inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer.

Cerexa

Alameda, CA

Acquired by Forest Laboratories in 2007

Website

Cerexa, Inc. is a privately owned biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing, and commercializing hospital-based anti-infective therapies for the treatment of patients with serious, life-threatening infections. The Company was formed in the Spring of 2005 as a spin-out from Peninsula Pharmaceuticals in preparation for the acquisition of Peninsula by Johnson & Johnson.

EBM Solutions

Nashville, TN

Acquired by HealthGate Data Corp. in 2003

Evidence-based medical solutions provider that partnered high-quality health and medical information with ongoing monitoring and analysis of healthcare organizations' online initiatives. Its evidence-based clinical guidelines are backed by independent medical review support through affiliations with Duke University Medical Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

FlowCardia

Sunnyvale, CA

Website

FlowCardia is a medical device company commercializing products for the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) of coronary and peripheral arteries. Utilizing a technology known as high-frequency mechanical recanalization, the company's CROSSER™ System safely and quickly breaks up CTOs allowing subsequent stent placement or balloon angioplasty and avoiding the trauma of cardiac surgery. FlowCardia's products are marketed throughout much of the United States.

LEAD Therapeutics

San Francisco, CA

Website

LEAD Therapeutics is a chemistry-driven small-molecule drug discovery company, pursuing validated drug targets with rapid and efficient lead-optimization strategies. The company is leveraging its highly experienced, U.S.-based scientific team with high-quality, lower-cost chemistry capabilities in China. LEAD’s pipeline in oncology consists of a PARP inhibitor program and a Cyp17 inhibitor program. LEAD also has a glycopeptide program for infectious diseases.

NuVasive

San Diego, CA

Nasdaq: NUVA

IPO (2004)

Website

Medical device company that designs, manufactures and markets minimally invasive spine surgery systems. Its FDA-approved system allows the surgeon to perform common open spine operations through small incisions with a proprietary, easy-to-use guidance system.

Panacos Pharmaceuticals

Watertown, MA

Reverse merger in 2005

Website

Panacos engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule drugs to treat or prevent serious infectious disease. Its lead antiviral product is PA-457, the first in a new class of drugs to treat HIV infection.

Peninsula Pharmaceuticals

Alameda, CA

Acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2005

Pharmaceutical development company focused on in-licensing and developing clinical stage pharmaceutical products, including those aimed at treating infectious diseases.

Plexxikon

Berkeley, CA

Website

Plexxikon is a leader in the discovery and development of novel, small molecule pharmaceuticals. The company has utilized its proprietary discovery platform to successfully develop a portfolio of clinical and preclinical stage programs in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardio-renal disease, CNS, inflammation, metabolic disease and oncology. To date, Plexxikon has signed major collaborations with Roche and Wyeth.

Reprogenesis

Cambridge, MA

Merged with Ontogeny and Creative BioMolecules to form Curis (2000)

Website

Company developing in vivo tissue augmentation/repair products. Reprogenesis merged in July 2000 with Creative Biomolecules and Ontogeny to form Curis, a public company focused on regenerative medicine. Curis is developing products that are designed to recreate the conditions that support the growth of cells and tissue.

Syntonix Pharmaceuticals

Waltham, MA

Acquired by BiogenIDEC (2007)

Website

Syntonix was formed to discover and develop novel therapeutic proteins for treatment of chronic diseases such as hemophilia, anemia, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune disorders.

TargeGen

San Diego, CA

Website

TargeGen is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on vascular biology, which includes controlling vascular leakage (responsible for organ damage) and angiogenesis (new blood vessel growth). The company is in a Phase 1 trial with its Jak2 inhibitor for treatment of myeloproliferative disease.

Variagenics

Cambridge, MA

Nasdaq: NUVO

IPO (2000)

Website

Pharmacogenomics company with proprietary gene variance detection technology anticipated to streamline drug development.

X-Ceptor Therapeutics

San Diego, CA

Acquired by Exelixis in 2004

Website

Genomics-based drug discovery company focused on the discovery and development of novel therapeutics across various therapy areas, including metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.