Wednesday, September 2, 2009Visiogen Acquired By Abbott For $400MIrvine-based Visiogen, a developer of intraocular lens technology for treating cataract patients, is being acquired by Abbott in a deal worth $400M. According to Abbott, it will pay $400M in cash for VisioGen, whose intraocular lens technology addresses presbyopia for cataract patients. VisioGen was venture backed by Novartis Venture Fund, Technology Partners, Three Arch Partners, New Leaf Venture Partners, Prospect Venture Partners, CMEA Ventures and Foundation Medical Partners, and had raised (More info...)
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Big Stage In Deal With MTV's JackassPasadena-based Big Stage Entertainment, which develops avatar creation software, inked a deal with MTV earlier this week as part of a campaign for MTV's Jackass. According to the firms, MTV will use Big Stage's avatar technology to insert the faces of fans into videos of the stunts of Jackass stars Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and others. Financial details of the effort--which includes a co-branded page on the Jackassworld web site--were not disclosed.
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TTM Technologies Shuts Los Angeles Facility, Lays Off 347Santa Ana-based TTM Technologies, a printed circuit board
manufacturer, announced late Tuesday that the firm is closing both its Los Angeles and Hayward, California facilities, resulting in the layoff of 347 employees. The firm said the move comes due to "continued weak demand" in North America for commercial printed circuit boards and backplane products. TTM said that it had employed 263 full-time employees in Los Angeles, and 84 full-time employees in Hayward. The cuts represent approximately (More info...)
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Mabvax Finds $500KSan Diego-based Mabvax Pharmaceuticals, which is developing vaccines and human antibodies targeted at treating cancer, has gained $500,000 out of a $4M funding round, according to a regulatory filing from the firm. Mabvax had previously raised $8M in Series A funds from GBP Capital in February of 2008. No details on the new round have been released by the firm.
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Experian Claims Win In Lawsuit Against LifeLockCosta Mesa-based Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, is claiming today that it has scored a win in its legal battle against credit theft protection firm LifeLock. Experian, which sued LifeLock in February of 2008, said that a a federal court in California has denied a request to reconsider a ruling which found that LifeLock's practice of setting 90-day fraud alerts on Experian and other credit bureaus was unlawful. Experian is now seeking a permanent injunction against LifeLock. Ari (More info...)
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BrightScope Gets $2MSan Diego-based BrightScope, which operates an online service for rating 401k plans, announced today that the firm has raised $2M in a Series B funding round. The round was led by Jim Caccavo of Steelpoint Capital Partners, along with an unnamed group of executives, plus principals at hedge funds and private equity firms. BrightScope offers ratings and analytics on 401(k) retirement plans. The company said the new funding will go to build out its database of 401k plans, and further develop its p (More info...)
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Marshal8e6 Renames Itself M86 SecurityMarshal8e6, the Orange-based developer of web and email security products, announced today that it has renamed the firm and brand to M86 Security. The firm said the name change comes to "reflect the company's vision," and follows the recent merger of Marshal and 8e6 Technologies, as well as its acquisition of Avinti. Marshal and 8e6 merged in November of 2008; the merged firm acquired Avinti in April of this year. M86's software includes web blocking and filtering technology, as well as email fi (More info...)
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Life Technologies Sells JV For $450MCarlsbad-based Life Technologies, a developer of biotechnology tools, announced this morning that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its ownership stake in its mass spectrometry joint venture, to Danaher for $450M. Danaher is buying Life Technologies' partner in the joint venture, MDS Analytics Technologies. Life Technologies said the sale will enable the firm to "focus on our core competencies." The sale is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009.
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BlackLine Systems: Strongest Quarter EverCalabasas-based Blackline Systems reported Tuesday that the firm saw what it describes as its "strongest quarter on record" in Q2. The privately held firm, which develops software used by companies to reconcile their balance sheets, said it had an increase in revenues of 45 percent, and three times the number of customers signed versus the same quarter last year. Financial details of the increase were not disclosed. The firm said it signed Four Seasons, Unified Grocers, and Express Jet during th (More info...)
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Xirrus Rolls Out New Management SoftwareThousand Oaks-based Xirrus, a developer of wireless access devices, said Tuesday that it has rolled out a new software product which helps allocate wireless bandwidth using its products. The firm said that the new RF Performance Manager (RPM) product from the firm will allow load balancing across wireless access points, quality-of-service (QoS) functionality, wireless data rate optimization, cell sizing, and other features. The new software works with the Xirrus Wi-Fi Array, the firm's product (More info...)
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TriZetto Wins New Mexico FirmNewport Beach-based The TriZetto Group, a provider of outsourcing of heathcare information technology, reported Tuesday that it has landed a deal with Lovelace Health Plan, a New Mexico-based health plan with roughly 200,000 members. Financial impact of the deal was not disclosed. TriZetto said it will provide business process outsourcing services and software for the health plan. TriZetto's systems will be used for claims administration, enrollment, administration, billing, and other parts of L (More info...)
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