Tuesday, March 31, 2009

North Bridge pours $6.5M into Aushon BioSystems

By Mass High Tech staff

Aushon BioSystems Inc., a microarray-based tool developer in Billerica, has landed $6.5 million in financing solely from North Bridge Venture Partners.

Aushon applied the funds to its recent purchase of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.’s SearchLight Protein Array business, which will continue to hold the SearchLight marketing name while operating under Aushon BioSystems. SearchLight offers “disease-targeted biomarker panels” that will complete Aushon’s biomarker offerings from microarray printing to CLIA-certified lab testing, the company said.

Aushon BioSystems develops microarray printing technology, biomarker content and multiplex immunoassay development and detection systems for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostic industries, as well as for colleges and universities. The 2470 Arrayer is the company’s microarray printer for genomic and proteomic microarray use in one instrument.

Founded in 2003 by Peter Honkanen and John Austin, Aushon is privately held and closed its first funding round of $7.78 million in December of 2006, also led by North Bridge Venture Partners, with additional funds from angel investors.