Vertex Ventures HC Announces the Addition of George Golumbeski, PhD and Faheem Hasnain as Executive Advisors

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertex Ventures HC, a healthcare and life sciences venture capital fund investing in transformative innovation, today announced the recent additions of George Golumbeski, PhD and Faheem Hasnain as Executive Advisors.

"Faheem and George bring industry-leading experience in the evaluation and management of early-stage biotech companies with an unparalleled eye for operational excellence and needle-moving innovation," said Lori Hu, Co-Managing Director of Vertex Ventures HC. "We welcome them to the Vertex Ventures HC team as Executive Advisors where they will be an invaluable resource to our investment evaluation processes as well as to our portfolio companies."

Vertex Ventures HC is an independent fund within the worldwide Vertex Ventures fund network, anchored by Singaporean long-term backer, Temasek Holdings, with a specific focus on global investments across biotech, medical devices and digital health. Access to the broader global Vertex Ventures network brings a broad international lens and perspective to investments as well as the ability to scale with companies as they mature and geographically diversify.

"The Vertex Ventures HC approach exemplifies the combination of a grand mission, a healthy level of ambition, and a sense of practicality and humility that are critical when evaluating the complex problems we hope to solve in the biotech industry," said Faheem Hasnain, Executive Advisor of Vertex Ventures HC. "Not only do they have a strong science-first, fundamentals-driven investment philosophy, the team is deeply respectful of the entrepreneurs and scientists they work with and are active partners in helping their companies grow in a holistic way – from globalization to tackling difficult issues such as diversity and representation. I am excited to join this team to engage in long-term collaborative partnerships with healthcare companies focused on overcoming these challenges."

Vertex Ventures HC invests in a diversified portfolio across different therapeutic areas of high unmet medical need, from discovery to clinical stage, and from platform to asset-centric plays. Under the leadership of Co-Managing Directors Lori Hu and Carolyn Ng, PhD, Vertex Ventures HC has raised $320M in committed long term capital to date and has made over 15 investments including Visterra, Inc. (acquired by Otsuka for $430m), Twelve (acquired by Medtronic for $458m), and Obsidian Therapeutics where Bristol Myers Squibb recently exercised their option to an exclusive worldwide license on their first product.

Selected areas of interest and representative investments from the current portfolio include targeted oncology (Boundless Bio and Elevation Oncology), novel cancer biology (Palleon Pharmaceuticals and Twentyeight-Seven Therapeutics), platform technologies (ElevateBio, Obsidian Therapeutics, and Bicycle Therapeutics), orphan diseases (Epirium Bio), and therapeutic devices (Ivantis and Nuvaira).

"It is my pleasure to work with Lori and Carolyn who represent the leading edge of a new wave of female leadership in venture capital," said George Golumbeski, PhD, Executive Advisor of Vertex Ventures HC. "Their thoughtful, balanced approach underlies an investment thesis that draws not only from their deep experiences in the global healthcare industry, but also their forward-thinking understanding of the importance of investment in the next generation of executive leadership."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

"Effective leaders of the future are the product of decades of experience that all must begin with the extension of an opportunity today," said Carolyn Ng, PhD, Co-Managing Director of Vertex Ventures HC. "I am excited to be co-leading our fund that not only leverages deep scientific and clinical expertise to drive investments, but is also an avid advocate for the diversity and mentorship that is necessary to ensure that the healthcare of tomorrow benefits from complete representation. Our existing global reach and connections are now further strengthened by the addition of George and Faheem's experience and network, placing us in a unique position to play a strong role in the evolving healthcare investment ecosystem."

Faheem Hasnain
Mr. Hasnain serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mirati Therapeutics, Aspen Neuroscience, and SENTE. Mr. Hasnian also serves as Lead Independent Director of Kura Oncology. Mr. Hasnain is Co-Founder and Chairman of Gossamer Bio, and has previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Receptos, Facet Biotech Corporation, and PDL BioPharma. Mr. Hasnain was the Executive Vice President in charge of the oncology/rheumatology strategic business unit at Biogen Idec. Prior to Biogen Idec, Mr. Hasnain held roles with Bristol-Myers Squibb, where he was President of the Oncology Therapeutics Network, and for 14 years at GlaxoSmithKline and its predecessor organizations. He resides in San Diego, California with his wife Marie. They have two boys.

George Golumbeski, PhD
George Golumbeski holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. George is an industry leader in biopharmaceutical collaborations & business development. In his nearly 30-year career in this sector, George has worked on many medications that have reached the market and are benefiting patients worldwide. George is known globally within the biotechnology industry for his interest in leading-edge science, and his constructiveness / creativity in forging inter-company collaborations. George was most recently Executive Vice President of Business Development for Celgene Corporation, where he and his team were responsible for the full array of worldwide business development activities. George currently serves on the Board of Directors of young biotechnology companies, which are focused on potentially "game-changing therapies". George previously held leadership positions at Novartis, Elan Pharmaceuticals and Schwarz Pharma. George is committed to conservation of the environment and he serves on the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society.

About Vertex Ventures HC

Vertex Ventures HC is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm investing in life sciences innovation. The firm is an independent fund within the worldwide Vertex Ventures fund network. At Vertex Ventures HC, we invest primarily in global companies developing transformative technologies across biotech, medical devices and digital health. With a focus on areas with significant unmet need, we seek to build great companies that improve the health and quality of human life. We take an active role in our portfolio companies and work with exceptional entrepreneurs, industry partners and fellow venture investors to create value. For more information, please visit www.vertexventureshc.com.

Media Contacts
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Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Vertex Ventures HC

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