NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New York City-based Investment Bank boutique HealthPro BioVentures announced today the appointment of James Kuo, M.D., M.B.A., as managing director of its newly opened San Diego, CA office. Dr. Kuo's joining HealthPro expands the organization's capabilities to include strategic management support, in addition to HealthPro's ongoing services of capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, and licensing and partnering.
"Too many early-stage life sciences companies lack a critical element to finance, develop or maximize the commercial impact of their technology to take them to industry leadership," stated Dr. Kuo. "Our goal at HealthPro is to apply our intellectual curiosity and creative drive to identify those elements and to provide solutions, world-class advice and unparalleled services to transform and empower life sciences companies."
"In addition to Jim's impressive scientific and clinical background, he brings to HealthPro a long history of successfully creating, managing and financing life sciences companies," added Martin Kratchman, managing partner and founder, HealthPro BioVentures. "Jim's background significantly expands our suite of client offerings well beyond the range of services generally seen from other similarly positioned investment banks."
Dr. Kuo has more than 20 years of experience in the life sciences industry, as a venture capitalist, business development executive and as CEO of multiple companies. In addition to his role at HealthPro BioVentures, Dr. Kuo serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of BioSavita, a private company using genetically engineered, high-secreting yeast to more rapidly and inexpensively produce antibodies and antibody-like drugs. He is also co-founder and chairman of MSK Pharma, a private company developing pharmaceutical therapies for pain and musculoskeletal diseases. Dr. Kuo is also co-founder and Chairman of Monarch Labs, a private company commercializing a biosurgery medical device for treating non-healing wounds and antibiotic-resistant infections.
Previously, Dr. Kuo has served as Chairman and CEO at several public and private biotechnology companies, including Adeona Pharmaceuticals, BioMicro Systems, and Discovery Laboratories – all of which were either acquired by industry leaders, or experienced appreciable growth under his leadership. Previously, he was associate director of licensing and development at Pfizer and vice president of business development at Myriad Genetics. He also served as managing director of venture analysis at HealthCare Ventures, a venture capital firm with $378 million in funds under management.
Dr. Kuo received an M.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, and a B.A. in Molecular Biology from Haverford College.
About HealthPro BioVentures, LLC:
HealthPro BioVentures provides strategic advisory and investment banking services to companies in the life sciences sector. HealthPro's highly experienced staff of financial professionals from within the investment banking and life sciences communities intimately understands the full scope of support that life sciences companies need. HealthPro's network includes directors of major financial institutions, portfolio managers of first-tier healthcare venture capital firms, and senior level executives at both public and private biotech and pharmaceutical companies. HealthPro accepts only a limited number of clients, and our senior principals are involved in every mandate that we undertake. HealthPro prides itself on its ability to provide this dedicated support and unparalleled service, to which our portfolio companies attribute their transformative success.
Please visit the company's website at healthprobioventures.com.