Exit watch, week of Dec. 10, 2007

Xtera scoops up Azea

Xtera Communications, an Allen, Texas-based optical networking and services company, has acquired Azea Networks Ltd., a U.K.-based provider of optical networking solutions. No financial terms were disclosed. Azea had raised more than $57 million since 2002 from such firms as Atlas Venture, Accel Partners, Quester Capital Management, TVM Capital and Lago Partners. Xtera has raised more than $218 million in total VC funding from such firms as The Wellcome Trust, New Enterprise Associates and Arch Venture Partners.

E-Mul buys Quantomix

E-Mul Technologies, a Yavne, Israel-based maker of particle detection and field emission components used in nanotech instruments, has acquired QuantomiX, a Rehovet, Israel-based developer of a capsule technology that enables direct imaging of wet samples in scanning electron microscopes. No financial terms were disclosed. QuantomiX had raised about $13.5 million in VC funding since 2001 from such firms as Evergreen Venture Capital, Pitango Venture Capital, Shrem Fudim Kelner Technolofies and Vitalife Life Sciences Fund.

Nokia calls Avvenu

Nokia has acquired Avvenu, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based provider of secure remote access and private sharing technology that allows users to access and view PC files remotely. No financial terms were disclosed. Avvenu had raised about $10 million in VC funding since 2005 from such firms as Charles River Ventures, Motorola Ventures and Worldview Technology Partners.

Fox nabs spiritual website

Fox Entertainment Group, a unit of News Corp., has acquired Beliefnet, a website that focuses of faith and spirituality related content. No financial terms were disclosed. Beliefnet had raised $26 million in VC funding between 1999 and 2002 from such firms as Highland Capital Partners and Primus Capital Funds, but then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It then raised around $7 million from Softbank Capital and Blue Chip Venture Co. Beliefnet was advised on the sale by Savvian LLC.

Cloakware sells for $72.5M

Irdeto, a content security subsidiary of Naspers (JSE: NPN), has acquired Cloakware Corp., a Vienna, Va.-based developer of secure software, for $72.5 million. Cloakware had raised more than $14 million in VC funding from Fairhaven Capital, Globespan Capital Partners and Intel Capital.

McAfee goes Dutch with software buy

Summit Partners has completed its sale of Dutch enterprise security software vendor SafeBoot NV to McAfee Inc. (NYSE: MFE) for $350 million in cash. Summit acquired a majority stake in SafeBoot from ABN Amro Capital for $47 million in 2005.

Inverness buys Alera for $302M

TA Associates has completed its sale of Alere Medical Inc., a Reno, Nev.-based provider of disease management services to group health plans, to Inverness Medical Innovations (AMEX: IMA). The deal was valued at $302 million, including $125 million in cash and $177 million in Inverness common stock. The transaction comes six months after TA acquired Alere for $175 million from a syndicate of venture capital firms.

Aussie company Mediaware bought

General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) has acquired Mediaware International Pty Ltd., an Australia-based provider of real-time full-motion compressed digital video processing software and systems for defense, intelligence and commercial customers. No financial terms were disclosed. Mediaware had raised an undisclosed amount of VC funding from Australian firm Epicorp.

Orexo acquires Biolipox

Orexo AB (STO: ORX) has completed its acquisition of Biolipox AB, a Swedish drug company focused on therapies for inflammatory diseases, including pain management and respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Biolipox had raised about $60 million in venture funding from such firms as HealthCap (which has a 24.4% ownership), Apax Partners (21.2%), Sofinnova Partners (19.9%), Scandinavian Life Science Venture (9.8%), Credit Agricole Private Equity (8.4%) and Auriga (6%).