Catalyst Biosciences Inc. has sealed a $7 million milestone payment from Pfizer, as part of a research and license agreement between the two companies. Catalyst recently initiated Phase 1 clinical trials for one of its products, designed to help treat hemophilia patients. Privately held Catalyst is backed by investors including Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, HealthCare Ventures, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, Morgenthaler Ventures, Novartis BioVentures, RCT BioVentures and Sofinnova Ventures.

Essex Woodlands has led a $22 million Series B round for BreatheAmerica, which develops and manages centers for patients suffering from allergies, sinusitis and asthma. The money will help BreatheAmerica open new centers across the United States.

CalPERS ratcheted up its venture capital commitments as better economic conditions returned in the middle of the last decade. This culminated in the banner year of 2008, when the California Public Employees’ Retirement System put about $1.27 billion into 23 funds, according to peHUB’s evaluation of the investment data updated through Dec. 31. The decision [...]

Revance Therapeutics Inc., a drug developer focused on dermatology and aesthetic medicine, has raised $45 million in new capital from Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, NovaQuest Capital, CNF Investments, Vivo Ventures, Technology Partners, Shepherd Ventures, Palo Alto Investors, Pac-Link Ventures and Essex Capital Corporation. Jonathan Tunnicliffe, a partner at NovaQuest, will join the Revance board as a result of the round. Revance closed a $25.62 million in Series D funding in late 2009.

Symphogen, a Copenhagen-based biopharmaceutical company focused on treatments for cancer and infectious and autoimmune diseases, has raised 100 million euros ($131 million) in new financing. Novo A/S led the round, which included participation from existing shareholder Essex Woodlands Health Ventures. Novo and Essex Woodlands are contributing 70% of the financing, which is slated to occur over three tranches. The Danish pension fund PKA also joined as a new investor.

Publicly traded Endologix has acquired venture-backed medical device company Nellix Endovascular for $15 million in stock, plus additional milestone-based stock payments totaling as much as $39 million. As part of the acquisition, Nellix’s majority investor, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, will also invest $15 million in the newly combined company. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Essex Woodlands Health Ventures has $2.5 billion under management. Endologix is based in Irvine, Calif.

George Carmany, a former Bankers Trust and American Express executive, has joined Essex Woodlands Health Ventures as a senior advisor.

Mark Pacala has joined Oak Hill Capital Partners as a senior advisor, with a focus on the healthcare sector. He has spent the past eight years as a general partner with Essex Woodlands Health Ventures. Before that, he ran both the Forum Group (sold to Marriot Corp) and American WholeHealth Inc.

Victory Pharma, a San Diego-based developer of pain treatment drugs, has sold to Sciele Pharma. for $150 million. Victory Pharma raised $45 million in March from Essex Woodlands Health Ventures and Ampersand Ventures. Press release: Sciele Pharma, Inc. (Head Office: Atlanta, Georgia, USA; CEO and Chairman: Patrick P. Fourteau; hereafter “Sciele”), a U.S.-based group company [...]

ATS Medical, Inc., a manufacturer of cardiac surgery products and services based in Minneapolis, closed a $20 million equity financing with Essex Woodlands Health Ventures. Press Release: ATS Medical, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, today announced that it has closed a $20 million equity financing with Essex Woodlands [...]