BioRelix Inc., a New Haven, Conn.-based antibiotics developer, has received a follow-on investment of $269,160 from Connecticut Innovations (CI).
This investment, which was made through CI’s Eli Whitney Fund, will be part of a funding round of approximately $2.5m for the company.
CI made its first investment of $500k in December 2011 (see related news).
Led by CEO Brian Dixon, BioRelix is developing antibiotics using a new riboswitch-based drug discovery platform. Riboswitches are short stretches of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that bind small molecules and control genes that are essential for the survival of many human pathogens. First identified in the laboratory of Prof. Ron Breaker at Yale University, several different classes of riboswitch mRNAs have been identified and each potentially could serve as a novel anti-infective drug target.
The company’s most advanced initiative is an antibiotic for a hospital-acquired infection. BioRelix is also involved in a research collaboration with a subsidiary of Merck & Co. to identify new antibacterial drug candidates.
Investors also include CHL Medical Partners, Novartis Bioventures, New Leaf Ventures, Aisling Capital, Elm Street Ventures, Alexandria Equities.
FinSMEs
06/04/2012
Related News
22/01/2012: BioRelix Raises $4.24M in Funding