A&S Biovecteurs S.A said Monday that it closed on a $3.7 millionfinancing, and also changed its name to Biovector Therapeutics S.A.

The privately held company in Ramonville St. Agne, France, nowhas raised nearly $8 million since its inception in 1989. Biovector'sproprietary drug-delivery technology, called supramolecularbiovectors, involves particles that mimic the body's natural transportproteins, low density lipoproteins, and can be used to entrap anddeliver drugs and proteins.

Participants in the financing included previous investors Sofinnovaand Finovelec, both of Paris, and Medical Science Partners, ofBoston. New investors were Atlas Venture, of Amsterdam and Paris,and TMV Techno Venture Management GmbH & Co. KG, ofMunich.

Biovectors consist of an inner solid core of cross-linkedpolysaccharide surrounded by an outer lipid membrane. The coreacts as a reservoir for entrapped drugs, while the lipid membraneprovides a biomimetic appearance that allows injected biovectorsextended circulation.

Mike Ullman, president director general of Biovector, told BioWorldhis company has ongoing feasibility studies assessing thecompatibility of its delivery technology with the drugs of unnamedcompanies. If successful, Ullman said, the expectation would be tofurther the agreement.

Early studies are assessing the potential to include various ligandsright in the membrane, allowing Biovector to target specificreceptors on cells, he said. _ Jim Shrine

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