RESI on MaRS Panel Announcement: Diagnostics Investors

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By Claire Jeong, Research Analyst, LSN

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The field of diagnostics can be a difficult space to navigate due to challenges in the regulatory and reimbursement processes that hinder successful commercialization. However, the implications of diagnostic technologies can be enormous; from precision genomics that enable optimum health management and personalized care to novel biomarkers that can successfully detect high mortality diseases in its earliest stages, diagnostics companies are developing some of the most highly disruptive technologies in the industry.

In this session, we invite 5 investors with strong expertise in this diverse space to speak about their unique approaches in working with early-stage companies. Investors will discuss the types of investment opportunities they seek and share valuable insights on building long lasting relationships, differentiating your technology from similar competitors, and more. We hope you will be able to join us for the RESI Toronto Conference in the MaRS Innovation Center on April 10th to meet these awesome panelists!

Moderated by Drew Taylor, Lead Medical Researcher, Epic Capital Management, the panel participants are:

  • Yiu-Lian Fong, Innovation Lead for Diagnostics, Johnson & Johnson (Medical Devices)
  • Kelly Holman, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Genesys Capital
  • Yvan Côté, General Manager of Dynacare Next & Orchid PRO-DNA, Dynacare
  • Amine Benmoussa, Principal (Healthcare), BDC Healthcare Fund

 

Hot Investor Mandate 1: France-Based VC Initially Invests Up to $15M in Eary-Stage Therapeutics and Medical Device Companies

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A venture capital firm based in Paris, France invests in early stage life science companies and seeks to be the first institutional investor in a company. The firm has raised numerous funds to date and currently has approximately €1.4 billion AUM. The firm is currently investing from its recent fund of €300M. The firm makes seed and venture investments, oftentimes investing in a company’s seed round and later leading the Company’s A round. The firm can allocate €1-15M initially and up to € 30 M over the life of the investment.

The firm is currently looking for biotech therapeutics and medical devices and tends to steer away from service companies. For therapeutics, the firm is agnostic in terms of subsector and invests in small molecule, biologics, cell and gene therapy, etc. The firm is also indication agnostic, but currently most interested in oncology (especially CAR-T assets), immunology/inflammation, CNS/neurology (with a particular interest in rare neuro conditions). The firm will consider products as early as 24-months from IND through to Phase III. For medical devices, the firm seeks paradigm-shifting technologies that can reach a human proof-of-concept stage in a relatively short period of time, and prefers PMA regulatory pathways although is open to other regulatory pathways as well.

The firm prefers to lead or co-lead an investment and generally requires a board seat in its portfolio companies. The firm seeks outstanding entrepreneurial management teams.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Investor Mandate 2: Strategic Venture Fund of a Japanese Pharma Seeks to Invest in First-In-Class Therapeutics Opportunities, with Strong Focus in Oncology

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A strategic corporate venture capital fund by a full-fledged oncology pharmaceutical company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, seeks to make equity investment in startup companies that discover and develop innovative therapeutic products and/or drug-enabling platform technologies that demonstrate a clear potential to benefit cancer patients. Investment size can be flexible depending on the deal. The firm will also consider the option-type of investments and spin-outs, in addition to pure equity investments. The fund is currently seeking opportunities in the USA, Europe and Japan, the focus being mainly in USA and Europe.

The firm will consider early-stage (generally research to pre-IND) first-in-class/new biology-based approaches in drug discovery and innovative platform technologies for drug discovery, especially assets that have a strategic angle to the pharmaceutical’s pipeline. The firm considers a wide variety of modalities (biologics/oncolytic viruses and small molecules) as well as cell and gene therapy, on an opportunistic basis. The firm’s primary indication of interest is oncology, but the firm is also interested in immunology, allergy, musculoskeletal, and orphan indications.

While the firm is primarily focused on therapeutics, the firm may review technologies in medical device, diagnostic, or digital health sectors if there is a strong strategic alignment.

The firm is looking for teams with strong sector expertise. With the support of the pharmaceutical’s established expertise in the field of oncology product discovery and development, the firm will provide financial resources and company outreach to build strategic alliances to help translate novel research and high potential drug candidates into cornerstone products. The firm may request regional option or rights on a case-by-case basis.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Investor Mandate 3: PE Firm with Offices in North America Invests & Provides Advisory Support to Medical and Surgical Devices and Healthcare IT Companies

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A private equity firm founded in 2014 with offices in USA and Canada manages a fund that provides equity and equity-like investments in high growth companies in healthcare technology verticals. The size of investments generally fall under the range of $2-5 M per company, and the firm seeks to make 2-3 investments per year.

The firm works closely with clients of the firm’s advisory arm that provides companies with financial, strategic, and growth consulting and transaction advisory services including M&A. The firm will also help companies through regulatory approvals and developing new strategic and financial partnerships. The firm will consider companies that are outside of this network, but it is important that these companies form a close long-term relationship with the firm in leveraging their development. This integrated network provides for superior insight and strategy of lower risk. The firm looks globally with a strong focus in North America.

The firm is interested in highly innovative medical and surgical device companies, healthcare IT, healthcare services. The firm will not consider products in pharma or biotech industries. Medical device products should be patented and on the cusp of FDA clearance. The firm will support all classes of medical devices including 510k and PMA regulatory pathways. Healthcare IT companies are expected to demonstrate market traction prior to investment.

The firm seeks to work with companies with an experienced, motivated management team. The firm can act as the lead investor in all financing rounds, and requires a board seat in its portfolio companies.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Investor Mandate 4: Global Organization Provides Seed Capital to Early-Stage Healthcare Technologies Applicable to Emerging Markets

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A global charity organization with an established footprint in over 100 countries worldwide, dedicated to tackling the problem of poverty and injustice, has launched a new initiative through its Canada operations. In 2016, the organization built an investment team to support entrepreneurs developing innovative technologies for emerging markets. Currently, this is the organization’s only operation with an investment vehicle.
The organization seeks to invest up to $250K in early-stage social innovations. In addition to providing capital, the organization will take an active role in helping entrepreneurs with growing their companies and providing valuable connections through their global reach.

The organization will consider any early-stage technology in the healthcare sectors that can help address and solve problems in emerging countries, with a high potential for social impact.

The organization does not have specific management team requirements, but prior experience in working with or developing technologies for emerging countries is a plus.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

Meet Global Investors Focused on Your Domain

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By Chris Cummings, Senior Marketing Manager, LSN

On April 10th, the 3rd annual RESI on MaRS conference will bring over 300 early stage life science investors into the Toronto ecosystem. The Life Science Nation Investor Research team thoroughly vets each of these investors, and collects detailed information on their focus sectors and investment criteria. Below are some of the firms who will be at the MaRS Discovery District in three weeks, separated by sector of interest. Click here to register for the conference.

Life Science Cross-Domain Investors

(Biotech, Medtech, Diagnostic & Digital Health)

 

Therapeutics

 

Digital Health and Related Technologies

 

Medtech and Diagnostics

RESI on MaRS Panel Announcement: Corporate Venture Capital

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By Cole Bunn, Director of Research, LSN

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Large corporations, especially in the pharmaceutical and biotech world, play a very important role in anchoring an innovation ecosystem. The most notable activity of these corporations is perhaps their role as an investor in and buyer of innovation – an exit partner. However, attracting and concentrating talent, and providing access to resources and experts are also vital elements of a healthy entrepreneurial community that big pharma brings with its presence. Corporate venture funds, which can serve as a vehicle for big pharma to make riskier/earlier investments, continue to find their way into more and more biotech venture rounds every year.

Toronto, looking to ramp up commercialization of its world-class research and put its name on the map as a life science powerhouse, will host the RESI conference for the third time as a part of the Toronto Health Innovation Week and welcome a panel of Corporate Venture investors. This increasingly important investor class will discuss trends in the space, their current interests, and how entrepreneurs can best prepare to pitch to and work with a group like theirs.

Moderated by Salim Teja, President, Venture Services, MaRS Discovery District, this panel will feature:

  • Marian Nakada, VP of Venture Investing, Johnson & Johnson
  • Jens Eckstein, President, SR One
  • Richard Osborn, Managing Partner, TELUS Ventures
  • Tom Gibbs, Director, Debiopharm Innovation Fund

By registering for RESI on MaRS, you’ll be able to listen to the Corporate Venture Capital panel live and learn how to position yourself to work with this type of group as well as interact with the a range of investors and entrepreneurs and experience numerous opportunities to expand your network in the life sciences.