In Hydra Biosciences Inc.'s recent $22 million Series D round, three of its seven venture capital investors were corporate investing arms, a trend that's likely to increase if VC money becomes as hard to find as many industry experts are predicting.

Embryonic stem cells, which have been hailed as a potential revolutionary development in the field of regenerative medicine since the creation of the first cell line more than 10 years ago and also have generated a hailstorm of controversy in political and religious arenas, finally have a chance to prove their mettle in patients. (BioWorld Today)

The Bethesda, Md.-based biotech is no stranger to such preclinical deals, having partnered its early MT203 program with Nycomed A/S in a potential €125 million deal and its D93 antibody with Tracon Pharmaceuticals Inc. for up-front and milestone payments that could top $100 million. (See BioWorld Today, March 19, 2007, and May 25, 2007.) (BioWorld Today)