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Anacor Pharmaceuticals Raises $25 Million
in Series C Financing
New Investments from Care Capital,
Venrock Associates
to Fund Clinical Development
PALO ALTO, CA
May 11, 2005
Anacor Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company developing novel pharmaceuticals
for dermatology, today announced that it has raised $25 million in
Series C financing. The financing was co-led by Care Capital and Venrock
Associates. Other new investors included Red Abbey Venture Partners
and individuals associated with the company. Existing investors Aberdare
Ventures and Rho Ventures also participated in the round.
The financing will be used to fund the clinical development of Anacor's
first two products through Phase II studies and to advance other research
programs. Anacor also announced today that Richard J. Markham, partner,
Care Capital and Anders Hove, general partner, Venrock Associates
have joined the company's board of directors.
"Anacor's unique boron chemistry coupled with its advanced stage
of development places the company in a strong position to quickly
bring new therapeutics to market," stated Markham. "The
experienced team at Anacor is well-versed in the intricacies of guiding
new products through the clinical development process. Care Capital
is pleased to participate as a co-lead in this round and I look forward
to being actively involved in the success of the company."
"Anacor is targeting promising markets through the development
of new therapeutics for specific dermatological disorders," stated
Hove. "Venrock has a long, proven history of helping our portfolio
companies create value from their intellectual capital, and Anacor's
broad platform has the potential to produce a number of successful
products."
"We're pleased that these two highly reputed firms, Care Capital
and Venrock Associates, have recognized Anacor's potential to quickly
address unmet needs in dermatology," stated David Perry, CEO
of Anacor Pharmaceuticals. "As we move forward in the clinical
development of our novel therapeutics, the support and expertise of
our new investment partners will prove a valuable asset for the company."
About Venrock Associates
Venrock Associates was founded as the venture capital arm of the Rockefeller
Family and continues a six-decade tradition of funding outstanding
entrepreneurs and establishing successful, enduring companies. Venrock
was formed in 1969 to build upon the successful investing activities
of the Rockefeller Family that began in the late 1930s, when Laurance
Rockefeller pioneered early-stage venture financing. Today, having
invested more than $1.3 billion into more than 350 companies over
the past 35 years, Venrock is one of the most established venture
firms in the United States, with investment returns that place it
among a small number of premier organizations that have achieved consistently
superior performance. Venrock's investments include Apple Computer,
Check Point Software, DoubleClick, Intel, 3Com, Caliper Technologies,
Centocor, Illumina, and Millennium Pharmaceuticals. For more information,
visit www.venrock.com.
About Care Capital
Care Capital is a life sciences investment firm focused on later stage
drug development opportunities in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical
companies. For more information, visit www.carecapital.com.
About Anacor
Anacor Pharmaceuticals is engaged in the discovery and development
of novel drugs based on proprietary boron chemistry. Anacor is currently
leveraging its expertise and intellectual property to develop and
commercialize drugs for dermatology. The company's technology is based
on work originally conducted by Dr. Lucy Shapiro at Stanford University
and Dr. Stephen Benkovic at Pennsylvania State University. Privately
held and based in Palo Alto, Calif., Anacor is funded by Aberdare
Ventures, Care Capital, Rho Ventures and Venrock Associates. For more
information, visit www.anacor.com
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