Semprus BioSciences, a US-based maker of coatings for medical devices that keep blood vessels open, has raised $18m in its series B round with drugs company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) co-leading the round.
GSK’s SR One co-led with venture capital (VC) firm Foundation Medical Partners as new investors. Simeon George, partner at SR One, has joined Semprus’ board.
VC peers 5AM Ventures, which provided Semprus’ seed money in 2007 after it won a Massachusetts Institute of Technology entrepreneurial competition, and Pangaea Ventures reinvested having previously provided $10.5m, including $8m in its series A round itwo years ago.
In addition to its equity financing, Semprus has gained $2.5m from the US Departments of Defense and Energy, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.