LONDON – Tacalyx GmbH has raised €7 million (US$7.7 million) in seed funding to initiate research on a new generation of antibodies targeted at tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) expressed on a wide variety of tumor cells.

HONG KONG – South Korean biotech venture Spark Biopharma Inc., based in Seoul, has secured KRW25 billion (US$21 million) in series B funding to support new R&D efforts. The company plans to accelerate its development of small-molecule compound-based immuno-oncology therapeutics and treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

DUBLIN – Versantis AG raised CHF16 million (US$16.1 million) in a series B round to progress clinical trials of a liposomal-based fluid in development for eliminating ammonia and other toxic metabolites from the circulation of patients in acute stages of liver failure who are undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Croívalve, a Dublin-based startup supported by Enterprise Ireland that is developing a treatment for tricuspid regurgitation (TR), recently secured €4 million (US$4.4 million) in additional financing. The financing includes €2.5 million from the EU's Horizon 2020 SME Instrument grant and €1.5 million from Broadview Ventures and current investors Halo Business Angel Network Medtech and Irrus Syndicates, Atlantic Bridge University Fund and Sos Ventures. The funding will accelerate the development of the company's technology into first-in-human (FIH) studies.

Washington-based life sciences conglomerate Danaher Corp. has executed a long-anticipated spinout for its dental products business Envista Holdings Corp. via a $589 million IPO. Based in Brea, Calif., the company priced a bit below the middle of the anticipated share price range at $22 and sold 26.8 million shares, as it had planned.