Adynxx glimpses gain from no-pain drugs

Adynxx's Julien Mamet and Rick Orr.

A team that built and sold three Bay Area drug companies over the past decade is looking for a fourth. But the latest venture, called Adynxx Inc., could be a big pain. The young San Francisco company is entering its first human trial of a treatment to prevent post-surgical pain and, ultimately, chronic pain.

Pain drug developer Adynxx enrolls first trial

Adynxx founder Julien Mamet.

Adynxx Inc., led by a team that has built and sold three other Bay Area drug developers over the past decade, said Tuesday that it has completed enrollment in an early-stage drug trial that could take the pain out of surgery. The 30-person, Phase I study is the first in-human test of AYX-1, the San Francisco company’s experimental preventative treatment for post-surgical pain. The study of healthy volunteers is designed to test the drug’s safety. Adynxx leaders expect to move the drug into a 90- to 100-patient Phase II efficacy trial in the fourth quarter.

Veracyte thyroid test gets boost with Genzyme deal

When biotech drug developer Genzyme Corp. said Friday that it will market a thyroid nodule analysis test, South San Francisco-based Veracyte Inc. got a big boost.
Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, Genzyme’s promotion means the Afirma test from Veracyte will get higher visibility. Genzyme, which was bought last year by French drug developer Sanofi, markets Thyrogen for patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer.
After a Johns Hopkins study last year found that Afirma’s use could save money for the health care system, I spoke with Veracyte co-founder and CEO Bonnie Anderson.

Aria Diagnostics raises $52.7M in oversubscribed round

Aria Diagnostics Inc. said Tuesday it has raised $52.7 million in an oversubscribed Series C round of funding.
The San Jose-based molecular diagnostics company, formerly Tandem Diagnostics, said new investors included Palo Alto-based Meritech Capital Partners and an undisclosed mutual fund group. They were joined by existing investors Venrock, which has an office in Palo Alto, and Domain Associates.

Spine repair device maker Benvenue Medical raises $35.5M

Benvenue Medical Inc. said Monday it closed a third round of funding with $35.5 million.
The Santa Clara company, which develops minimally invasive solutions for spine repair, said it is entering a $9 billion global spinal device market with three breakthrough minimally invasive products to treat vertebral compression fractures and degenerative disc disease.
The round was co-led by new investors, San Diego-based Domain Associates and Palo Alto-based Technology Partners.
Also participating were Versant Ventures and DeNovo Ventures, which both have offices in Menlo Park.