Two Massachusetts biotechs got a significant funding boost from Rusnano, the Russian government’s $10 billion global investment fund focused on nanotechnology. Cambridge-based BIND Biosciences and Watertown-based Selecta Biosciences announced separate $22 million series D financing rounds from Rusnano, which included new investors, and existing investors, Polaris Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, and NanoDimension.

In addition to the Series D round, each company will receive additional funding up to $25.25 million to set up wholly-owned subsidiaries in Russia. The similarities don’t end there. Both companies have drug development platforms based on proprietary nanotechnology from the labs of two well-known leaders in the field, Robert Langer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Omid Farokhzad of Harvard Medical School. Selecta’s platform also draws from the immunology research of Ulrich von Andrian, a professor at Harvard Medical School.

BIND Biosciences uses its nanoparticle technology to develop highly selective targeted therapeutics for oncology, inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases called Accurins. The particles accumulate at the site of disease to enhance efficacy while minimizing toxicity. BIND’s lead candidate is in early stage testing in cancer patients with solid tumors.

Selecta Biosciences’ synthetic vaccine particle platform also offers the potential for improved efficacy and safety over existing vaccines and is flexible enough to enable immune responses to all types of antigens. Applications include autoimmune diseases, allergies, and transplant rejection. Its pipeline currently contains a vaccine for smoking cessation and relapse prevention, a vaccine for type 1 diabetes, and vaccines for several infectious diseases. It recently received a National Institutes of Health contract for the development of a vaccine against malaria.

Selecta Biosciences is also backed by OrbiMed Advisors and Leukon Investments. Existing investors in BIND Biosciences include ARCH Venture Partners, DHK Investments, and EndeavourVision.

Both companies plan to use their new Russian subsidiaries to advance clinical development of their pipeline candidates and accelerate their presence in emerging markets. They also expect that Rusnano’s commitment will help them in their partnering efforts, as well as help them access global sources of funding.

“This financing is truly transformational for BIND,” says Scott Minick, the company’s CEO. “The combination of a strong investment partner like Rusnano, the culture of science and engineering excellence in Russia, and the commitment of the Russian government to support leading companies like ours makes this an outstanding opportunity for BIND.”

Werner Cautreels, president and CEO of Selecta, said the deal creates a unique opportunity for Selecta to expand its global footprint, accelerate development of its pipeline, and more fully realize the potential of its vaccine platform.

The new investments are further examples of the Russian government’s push to grow its pharmaceutical industry through Rusnano and part of a broader effort by Russia to diversify its economy. In the past few months, Rusnano has announced joint ventures with Cleveland Biolabs and Celtic Pharma.

Portola Pharmaceuticals signed a global collaboration and licensing deal with Biogen Idec for a class of highly selective drugs worth up to $553.5 million for the South San Francisco-based biotech. Both companies will develop and commercialize novel oral Syk inhibitors to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Portola’s lead molecule has been shown to be a highly potent and specific oral inhibitor of Syk in a broad panel of in vitro kinase and cellular assays and is currently in early-stage clinical studies that suggest the compound is well-tolerated and suitable for once-daily dosing.

Biogen Idec will pay Portola $36 million cash upfront and take a $9 million equity investment in the company, with additional payments of up to $508.5 million based on the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones. It will also lead the global development and commercialization efforts for the Syk inhibitor program in major indications such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, while Portola will lead U.S. development and commercialization efforts for select smaller indications as well as discovery efforts for follow-on Syk inhibitors. Portola retains an option to co-promote products of the partnership alongside Biogen Idec in the United States in major indications. The deal assigns 75 percent of worldwide expenses and profits to Biogen and 25 percent to Portola.

About 1.3 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic and debilitating autoimmune disease, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Worldwide, the disease is believed to affect more than 23 million people, according to the World Health Organization. Another 1.5 million Americans, and 5 million people worldwide, suffer from the debilitating chronic disease lupus, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.

Portola Pharmaceuticals is independently developing betrixaban, a long-acting, oral direct Factor Xa inhibitor, and its companion product, a recombinant Factor Xa inhibitor antidote, both ready for late stage studies. The company also has a partnership with Novartis to develop elinogrel, an antiplatelet, that is also ready for late-stage clinical trials.