SPOTLIGHT: Kleiner Perkins starts pandemic fund

With H5N1 now officially in Europe and governments scrambling to develop effective response plans, expect to hear a lot more about the avian flu in weeks to come. A good indication that things are getting serious: Wall Street is starting to ante up. Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers said it has created a $200 million fund to invest in companies that develop technologies designed to fight pandemics. The fund will target late stage companies that are close to bringing a product to market, partner John Doerr told The Wall Street Journal. Article (sub. req.)