Apax Partners Appoints Sharon Tetlow As Venture Partner To The Healthcare Investment Team

MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Funds advised by Apax Partners, one of the world's leading private equity groups, today announced the appointment of Sharon Tetlow as a Venture Partner on the firm's healthcare team.

"Sharon brings strong financial, capital markets and operational expertise that will bring immediate value to our portfolio companies as well as to our review of new investment opportunities," said Dr. Lori Rafield, Partner, who heads Apax Partners' U.S. Healthcare investment team. "Our investments range from early-stage companies to late-stage investments, including divestitures, late-stage growth equity investment opportunities and buyouts. We are known for providing operational support to our portfolio companies. Apax Partners is committed to providing resources to its investments in addition to capital. Sharon's deep operational experience fits perfectly with our philosophy of being a value-added investor."

"I am excited to join one of the most creative and successful teams in healthcare venture capital," said Ms. Tetlow.

Ms. Tetlow brings to Apax Partners nearly two decades of financial expertise at both public and private biotechnology companies. Prior to joining Apax Partners, Ms. Tetlow was chief financial officer at diaDexus, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel diagnostic products. At diaDexus, she was responsible for the company's financial strategy and capital markets activities.

During her tenure at diaDexus, Ms. Tetlow was instrumental in raising over $100 million in private equity in 2000, which, up to that time, was the largest single round raised by a private biotechnology company. She also managed shareholder relations, corporate public relations, facilities and information technology, and secured the company's largest diagnostic collaboration.

Before diaDexus, Ms. Tetlow was chief financial officer of two private biotech companies, Reprogen, Inc. and Terrapin Technologies, where she raised financings, closed corporate deals and oversaw all other financial operations. Prior to that, she was Corporate Treasurer and Director of Strategic Planning and Finance at Synergen, playing an instrumental role on the team that sold that company to Amgen. Before that, she served for several years in various strategic financial roles at biotechnology and pharmaceutical leaders Genentech Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company.

She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Delaware and holds an MBA from Stanford University. Ms. Tetlow is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

About Apax Partners

Apax Partners is one of the world's leading private equity investment groups, operating across the United States, Europe, Israel and Japan. With over 30 years of direct investing experience, Apax Partners' Funds provides long-term equity financing to entrepreneurs to build and strengthen world- class companies. It pursues a balanced equity portfolio strategy, investing in companies at all stages of development from early stage to buy-out. Apax Partners' Funds invests in companies across its six chosen global sectors of: information technology; telecommunications; healthcare; media; financial services; retail; and consumer. Some of Apax Partners Funds' healthcare investments include Zymogenetics, Affymax, Novacea, Aerovance, ESP Pharmaceuticals, and Skinmedica.

Apax Partners manages and advises over $12 billion on behalf of leading institutional investors around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.apax.com/.

For more information: Contact: Laura Brightsen Apax Partners Marketing Director 212-419-2461 Jim Weiss WeissComm Partners Office: 415-362-5018

Apax Partners

CONTACT: Laura Brightsen, Marketing Director of Apax Partners,+1-212-419-2461; or Jim Weiss of WeissComm Partners, +1-415-362-5018, for ApaxPartners

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