US biotech heavyweights join OneVentures

Jim Scopa and Dr Dan Baker join OneVentures to drive global growth and commercial success across the OneVentures Healthcare portfolio

Sydney, AU, 5 May 2019 – OneVentures, an Australian venture capital firm which invests in innovative healthcare and technology companies solving global problems, has appointed Mr Jim Scopa and Dr Dan Baker to its Healthcare team. Mr Scopa and Dr Baker will help drive growth across the OneVentures healthcare sector portfolio and provide insight and access to  their networks in the US healthcare ecosystem.

OneVentures launched its $170M Healthcare Fund III (the Fund) in December 2016. A licensee of the Australian Government Biomedical Translation Fund (BTF), the Fund is investing $10-20 million in companies commercialising medical devices, drugs in clinical development or diagnostics. The Fund has currently invested in five healthcare sector companies including Blade Therapeutics in October 2018, a company developing small molecule drugs for the treatment of fibrosis, and BiVACOR in early 2018, creators of the first Total Artificial Heart for replacement of a patient’s failing heart.

Dr Paul Kelly, Managing Partner at OneVentures said “We are seeing the Australian healthcare landscape producing truly exceptional medical innovations based on decades of sound research being conducted by world-leading research teams. OneVentures is focused on commercialising these technologies globally. Jim Scopa and Dr Dan Baker are invaluable additions to the team in enabling these companies to achieve this.”

Dr Dan Baker joined OneVentures as Venture Partner in March 2019.

Dr Baker brings 19 years of clinical and business development experience to OneVentures, having previously held senior management roles covering drug development, product commercialisation and research and growth strategy. Most recently, Dan was Vice President at Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson and Johnson in the US, heading immunology drug development. He was responsible for the clinical development of Remicade, SIMPONI and STELARA, products which reached $13B in combined sales in 2018. In 2012 Dan became the Disease Area Stronghold leader for the Immunology Therapeutic Area where he was responsible for overall strategy, portfolio development, business development strategy and lead the early research and development efforts. Prior to this, Dan had a successful academic career with the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia for 18 years, before undertaking a research fellowship in Rheumatology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Mr Jim Scopa joins OneVentures as the firm’s Director on the Board of Blade Therapeutics, and member of the Advisory and Investment Committees for the Fund. Mr Scopa brings valuable insight into the US healthcare investment landscape, having previously served as Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee at MPM Capital, a US$2.6 billion US-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage life sciences technologies. In this role, he led investments in biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics. He is a fellow at Stanford University and sits on the board of Conatus Pharmaceuticals (CNAT:Nasdaq). Mr Scopa has 18 years of experience in health care investment banking, advising emerging growth companies on public and private financings as well as mergers and acquisitions. He graduated from Harvard College and completed a joint JD and MBA from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School.

Mr Scopa said “I look forward to joining the OneVentures team in driving their healthcare investment strategy, including offering a US and global perspective and network, in order to realise the global potential of these exciting new technologies.”

Dr Baker said “The OneVentures team has a track record of selecting and managing some of the most promising biomedical innovations Australia has to offer through to commercialisation. I look forward to joining the team in my capacity as Venture Partner.”

OneVentures is delighted to welcome Jim Scopa and Dan Baker and looks forward to the significant value they will add to its healthcare portfolio.

About OneVentures

OneVentures is one of Australia’s leading venture capital firms, with over $330M in funds under management. But we do more than invest. We take companies to that all important next stage, by actively shaping their future. We apply our years of international experience, operational and executional expertise to accelerate the growth of our portfolio companies.

A global growth focus drives our investment selection with our current portfolio including companies with truly innovative products tackling multi-billion-dollar problems, from needle-free vaccinations to virtual communications to adaptive e-learning.

Game changers, that deliver lasting gains.

Learn more at www.one-ventures.com.

About OneVentures Healthcare Fund III

In December 2016 OneVentures launched its $170M Healthcare Fund III, a licensee of the Australian Government Biomedical Translation Fund (BTF*). This Fund invests in therapeutics, devices and diagnostics at or near clinical development with a clear commercial, regulatory and reimbursement pathway; and well-defined value inflection and exit points on deal entry.

The Fund will invest $10 to $20 million per company in Australian domiciled companies. The OneVentures team will provide support to drive these opportunities through the clinical, regulatory and reimbursement processes to achieve prominence in global markets.

Learn more at www.one-ventures.com.au/funds

Contact

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