Biopharmaceutical company eFFECTOR Therapeutics has completed a $45 million Series A financing. Investors include U.S. Venture Partners, Abingworth, Novartis Venture Funds, SR One, Astellas Venture Management, Osage University Partners and Mission Bay Capital.

Epizyme, a six-year-old, Cambridge, Mass.-based biopharmaceutical company that’s focused on researching treatments for tumors and blood cancer, has filed an S-1 with the SEC.

San Diego headquartered biotech company Fate Therapeutics has appointed William H. Rastetter as chairman and interim CEO. Rastetter is also a partner in venture capital firm Venrock. Fate Therapeutics has secured venture backing from OVP Venture Partners, Astellas Venture Management, Genzyme Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners, Polaris Venture Partners and Venrock. PRESS RELEASE Fate Therapeutics, Inc. [...]

Cleave Biosciences has raised $42 million in venture capital to develop new treatments for cancer. The Series A round investors include U.S. Venture Partners, 5AM Ventures, Clarus Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors and Astellas Venture Management. The financing will support multiple small molecule discovery and development programs in the area of protein homeostasis, the company said.

Boston-based Verastem has raised $32 million in Series B financing, only eight months after wrapping up a $16 million Series A round. Advanced Technology Ventures and Astellas Venture Management led the Series B, and were joined by all previous investors: Longwood Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cardinal Partners and MPM Capital. The money will support ongoing research and development. Verastem is and developing drugs to treat breast and other cancers by targeting cancer stem cells.

PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals has closed a $25 million Series B round after adding $15 million in venture capital and nearly $500,000 in grants. The company, based in Malvern, Penn., is developing drugs to treat diabetes, metabolic disease and cardiovascular disease. Investors include Astellas Venture Management, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, Hatteras Venture Partners and Fletcher Spaght Ventures.

DecImmune Therapeutics, a Massachusetts-based medical research company, received a $1 million equity investment from Astellas Venture Management, the company has announced. DecImmune also received $2.2 million in Phase II Small Business Innovation Research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Amgen Ventures and HealthCare Ventures also participated in the financing.