OriGene Technologies, a US-based serial acquirer of gene development companies, has acquired Blue Heron Biotechnology from its venture investment backers, including Nasdaq-listed Invitrogen.
News provider VentureWire said Blue Heron was OriGene’s fourth acquisition after it raised $16m in its series B round in March from venture investors IDG-Accel, a joint venture between publisher International Data Group and venture capital firm Accel, SBI & TH Venture Capital Enterprise, a jointly funded entity by the Tsinghua holding group and Japan-based VC firm SBI, China-focused investment bank Zero2IPO, and previous investors Morningside Venture Investments and President International Development.
Invitrogen backed Blue Heron at the end of 2006 in exchange for worldwide rights to distribute Blue Heron’s custom gene synthesis services. VentureWire said Blue Heron had raised about $9m from VCs Crabtree Ventures and Integra Ventures as well as Invitrogen.