Flexion Therapeutics (Woburn, MA) a clinical-stage biopharma focused on autoimmune disease, ulcerative colitis and tinnitus, closed a $9M Series A financing, bringing the total round to $42M. Participants include Pfizer Venture Investments, Versant Ventures, 5AM Ventures and Sofinnova Ventures.

arGEN-X (Netherlands) a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on a monoclonal antibody platform with potential indications in autoimmunity, oncology and bone disease, closed a $4.5M Series A financing, bring total round proceeds to $18.3M. Participants have included Credit Agricole Private Equity, Forbion Capital Partners, Life Science Partners, KBC Private Equity, BioGeneration Ventures, Erasmus MC Biomedical Fund, [...]

CalciMedica (La Jolla, CA) a preclinical-stage small molecule company focused on autoimmune and inflammatory via the inhibition of calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels, closed a $5M Series C financing, bringing the total round up to $9M. Participants include Biogen Idec, Sanderling Ventures and SR One.

Note: 2009 Year-in-Review Trend Analysis Coming 15 Feb

Zyngenia (Rockville, MD) a pre-clinical stage biotherapeutics company focused on multi-specific antibodies for oncology and autoimmune disorders, closed a $10M Series A financing. Particpants include New Enterprise Associates.
Note: 2009 Year-in-Review Trend Analysis Coming 15 Feb

Receptos (San Diego, CA) a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on structural biolog GPCR approaches targeting autoimmune disease, closed a $25M Series A financing. Participants include ARCH Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, Lilly Ventures and Venrock.
Note: 2009 Year-in-Review Trend Analysis Coming 15 Feb

Virdante Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge, MA) a development-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on increasing potency of plasma-derived intravenous immune globulin for the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune disease, closed a $30M Series A financing. Participants include Thomas, McNerney & Partners, Osage Partners, Clarus Ventures, Venrock, MedImmune Ventures and Biogen Idec New Ventures.

Alvine Pharmaceuticals (San Carlos, CA) a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on autoimmune related GI disease such as Celiac disease, closed a $21.5M financing bringing the total round to $47.5M. Participants include Panorama Capital, InterWest Partners, Prospect Venture Partners, Sofinnova Ventures, Black River Asset Management and Flagship Ventures.

aTyr Pharma (San Diego, CA) a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on inflammation, autoimmune, hematopoietic and metabolic disorders, closed a $12M Series C financing. Participants include Alta Partners, Cardinal Partners and Polaris Ventures.

Avila Therapeutics (Waltham, MA) a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on protein silencing drugs for viral infections, cancer and autoimmune diseases, closed a $30M Series B financing. Participants include Novartis Option Fund, Abingworth Management, Advent Venture Partners, Atlas Venture and Polaris Venture Partners.

Allostera Pharma (Canada) a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on autoimmune diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, gout and type II diabetes, closed a $15.4M Series C financing. Participants include iNovia Capital, Genesys Capital, BDC Venture Capital and GO Capital.