Selected Start-Ups (7/02)

In Vivo briefly summarizes the technologies of these recently founded companies: AgaMatrix Inc., BioMark Diagnostics Inc., CareX SA, ConPharma AS, GenPath and Nanoplex Technologies Inc.

Summarizing the technologies of companies founded within the last year

AgaMatrix Inc.

411 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.agamatrix.com

AgaMatrix Inc. is developing a suite of embedded software products, based on proprietary digital signal processing technologies, designed to improve the performance of biosensors in blood glucose monitors, point-of-care analyzers, and other medical diagnostic devices. Sonny Vu is founder and CEO of the company, which has secured $500,000 in seed money from angels and from incTANK.

BioMark Diagnostics Inc.

65 Fred Tysor Road

Pittsboro, NC 27312

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.biomarkdiagnostics.com

Formed by a team of Duke University scientists led by radiology professor Edward F. Patz, Jr., MD, BioMark Diagnostics Inc. will use protein expression analysis to develop clinical diagnostics. The company's initial focus is on a blood test to identify proteins unique to lung cancer, offering patients a non-invasive method for early stage detection.

CareX SA

11 rue Humann

F-67000 Strasbourg, France

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.carex.fr

A spin-off of France's Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, CareX SA is focused on the discovery and development of novel small-molecule drugs for the treatment of metabolic diseases including Type II diabetes and obesity, as well as cardiovascular disease. CareX's chairman and CEO is Bernard Gilly, PhD, the former CEO of Transgene SA and a partner in lead investor Soffinova Partners.

ConPharma AS

Parkveien 55, Number 256

Oslo, Norway

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.conpharma.com

Norway's ConPharma AS aims to improve the safety and efficacy of drugs—initially cancer therapeutics—with proprietary Lipid Vector Technology that chemically binds them to fatty acids. NeoMed Innovation and MVM Ltd. are backing the company, which spun out from Norsk Hydro AS in June 2001.

GenPath Pharmaceuticals Inc.

300 Technology Square, 7th Floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.genpathpharma.com

A $15,500 first round led by MPM Capital will fuel the development of GenPath Pharmaceutical Inc.'s genetic models for drug discovery. Founded by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , GenPath's first goal is to identify the pathways involved in the origin and maintenance of cancerous tumors. Tuan Ha-Ngoc, former EVP of Genetics Institute Inc. (now Wyeth-Genetics Institute Inc.), was recently named president & CEO.

Nanoplex Technologies Inc.

2375 Garcia Avenue

Mountain View, CA 94043

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web Site: www.nanoplextech.com

SurroMed Inc. spin-out Nanoplex Technologies Inc. aims to develop and commercialize metal nanoparticle-based products and surfaces for biological and non-biological tagging applications and for ultra-sensitive molecular ID. Former SurroMed CTO Michael J. Natan, PhD is Nanoplex's CEO.