BRISBANE, Calif. — SARcode Bioscience Inc. has
announced the completion of $44-million Series B private equity
financing with the aid of Sofinnova Ventures, Rho Ventures,
Alta Partners and Clarus Venture Partners, according to a company press
release.
Proceeds from the Series B financing will mainly support
further clinical development of SAR 1118, a topical small-molecule integrin
antagonist that inhibits T-cell-mediated inflammation.
In a phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 230
subjects with dry eye disease, SAR 1118 was well tolerated and effective,
improving
corneal staining at 12 weeks and increasing tear production
as early as 2 weeks, according to the release. Ocular adverse events were
primarily transient, mild and related to initial instillation of the drug.
SARcode plans to initiate Phase 3 clinical studies with
SAR 1118 in the second half of 2011, the release said.