Newco NexDx debuts

Diagnostics company NexDx Inc. (San Diego, Calif.) made its public debut on Wednesday with a license from the University of California, San Diego and $500,000 in a series A round from City Hill Ventures. The university granted the newco exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize epigenetics research in rheumatoid arthritis from the lab of Gary Firestein, a professor of medicine at UCSD. NexDx said the research shows aberrant DNA methylation patterns in the synoviocytes of RA patients, which the company said may form the basis for diagnostic biomarkers. The company plans to develop a blood-based RA diagnostic, with clinical testing slated to begin for next year. ...