Once a lesser known firm in US life sciences investing, Vivo Capital has emerged as a global leader in biopharmaceutical and medtech start-ups, raising a $750 million fund that will be invested in the US, Europe, and China.

Essex Woodlands, the large growth equity and venture capital player, became the latest U.S.-based venture capital firm to officially enter the China market by opening an office in Shanghai.

Funded initially in 1996 by private and government sources in Taiwan, Vivo Ventures has emerged as a leader among US-based VCs investing in China. The firm’s partners say its success will come through an intricate web of business development and licensing arrangements between health care companies in China with their counterparts in the US. The strategy has produced results. In the US, specialty pharmaceutical company Sagent Pharmaceuticals went public last year after building a booming business at least partially upon arrangements with China suppliers. In China, Medtronic stepped up in October to acquire Kanghui Medical, an orthopedics company with global vision and connections to privately held US companies.

Start-Up's monthly comprehensive review of emerging life science companies that have received venture funding during the month, including companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic and research instrumentation and reagent sectors.