Research Triangle Park, NC - A. M. Pappas & Associates, a life science venture capital firm, announced today the appointment of Dr. Charles Hsu as a venture partner with the firm. AMP&A also announced that Dr. Geoffrey R. Barker has joined the firm as an Executive-in-Residence. Dr. Hsu, based in San Francisco, will focus on identifying and evaluating new life science investment opportunities in California and elsewhere on the West Coast. Dr. Barker will provide clinical development support to the firm’s portfolio companies and will assist in assessing potential portfolio companies’ clinical and regulatory programs. Dr. Barker began working with AMP&A in mid-2004 and is based in the firm’s Research Triangle Park office.
Dr. Hsu has been an active venture capital investor since 1990. He was a General Partner of the Walden Group or its affiliate, Walden International, from early 1996 through early 2003. Prior to joining Walden, he co-managed life sciences investments at Advent International, a global private equity firm based in Boston. He has served as a lead investor or board member for more than 25 life science and healthcare companies, and he was a founding investor of Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals (IPO in 1996). Some of his other realized investments include Aviron (IPO in 1996, later acquired by MedImmune); KOSAN Biosciences Inc. (IPO in 2000); and Lexicon Genetics (IPO in 2000). AMP&A has worked closely with Dr. Hsu on several investments, including its current portfolio company Plexxikon.
Dr. Hsu is a director of Asia Renal Care, the leading independent dialysis services company in Asia, of which he was a co-founding investor, and he is Chairman of Eureka! Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held life sciences company based in San Francisco and Shanghai. Dr. Hsu received his AB in Biochemistry from Harvard University, and his PhD and MBA from Stanford University.
Dr. Geoffrey Barker further strengthens AMP&A’s extensive medical and regulatory affairs expertise. He has held senior executive, medical, scientific and clinical positions with Astra, Actelion Pharmaceuticals, and Quintiles Transnational, for which he most recently served as Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. He was a member of Actelion’s senior management team when it completed its successful IPO. Dr. Barker is a UK-qualified physician and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons. He is currently an Adjunct Professor in Immunology at Duke University Medical School.
“We are delighted to have Charles and Geoff on board,” said Arthur M. Pappas, Managing General Partner of A. M. Pappas & Associates. “Charles’ years of experience investing in and building biotech businesses, along with Geoff’s drug development experience and medical knowledge, will further strengthen our ability to find the most promising new investments and to add value to our current portfolio companies.”
Dr. Hsu becomes AMP&A’s third venture partner, joining W. Thomas Amick, a former senior executive with Johnson & Johnson; and Dr. Rosina Maar Pavia, a board-certified internist with extensive experience in managing global clinical development programs. Amick joined AMP&A in mid-2004, while Maar Pavia became a venture partner one year ago after three years as a member of AMP&A’s transactional advisory group.
About A. M. Pappas & Associates A. M. Pappas & Associates is a Research Triangle Park, North Carolina-based venture capital firm that invests nationally in the life science industry. Founded in 1994, A. M. Pappas & Associates has $200 million under management, and has recently begun investing its third venture capital fund, A M. Pappas Life Science Ventures III, LP. Among AMP&A’s more than 40 portfolio companies are AtheroGenics, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Gene Logic, NuVasive, Panacos Pharmaceuticals and Peninsula Pharmaceuticals. The firm’s primary investment focus is on product-oriented biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies with a secondary focus on medical technologies.
Contact: Ford S. Worthy, Partner A. M. Pappas & Associates, LLC 919-998-3330 fworthy@ampappas.com
