Catalyst Biosciences - Top 20 VC deals of 2008

Company: Catalyst Biosciences
Based: South San Francisco, CA
Amount: $40.28M

Investors: Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, Undisclosed Venture Firm, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, Burrill & Company, Novartis Venture Fund, HealthCare Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures, Sofinnova Ventures

Scoop: Catalyst programs redirect protein-degrading enzymes (called Alterases) to degrade specific proteins that promote disease. It's third round of funding, raised in December, gave the company cash to build its pipeline of Alterase therapeutics. Catalyst is advancing its lead protease, CB 813, an improved factor VIIa product for the treatment of acute bleeding in hemophiliacs, through Phase I/II proof-of-concept studies in patients.