Board

Francesco De Rubertis, PhD
Chairman

Francesco is a General Partner at Index Ventures, and is responsible for the firm's life sciences practice as well as Index's networks within the scientific community. His areas of expertise include biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals. He joined Index in 1998 and has served on the board of several companies including Cellzome, 7TM, ParAllele Bioscience, BioXell and GeneBio. Prior to joining Index, Francesco was involved in post-doctoral research in genetics at the Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is also the author of several publications in international scientific journals including Nature. Francesco has a BA in Genetics and Microbiology from the University of Pavia and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Geneva. He is also a CFA charter holder.
 

Kevin Johnson, BSc PhD FRSA
Chief Executive Officer

Kevin began his career in the biotech industry when he joined Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) soon after its formation in 1990, directing the company's pioneering research in the field of monoclonal antibodies. In 1997 he was appointed to the Board, where he held the posts of Research Director and Chief Technology Officer. Kevin led both the development of CAT's leading platform technologies, and also their application to the discovery of the world's largest portfolio of human antibody drugs, including the first such drug, D2E7 (Humira™) to reach the market. He played key roles in the company's IPO, and in the negotiation of some of Europe's largest biotech alliances with US biotech and pharmaceutical companies. An internationally recognised industry leader, Kevin has served on a variety of associations and advisory bodies, and has lectured in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Prior to joining CAT, Kevin held positions at the University of Cambridge and the University of Melbourne, Australia. He has a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Cambridge.

In addition to his role as Chief Executive of PanGenetics, Kevin is a Venture Advisor at Index Ventures, and a General Partner at Ash Biotech Consulting.
 

Geert-Jan Mulder, MD
Director

Geert-Jan is a General Partner at Forbion Capital Partners. A Medical Doctor by training, he has two years of clinical experience in the Academic Hospital in Utrecht. He then joined Searle as Medical Adviser in the field of arthritis and pain (COX-2 technology) and worked on the local and European positioning of celecoxib. Before joining ABN AMRO Capital he was responsible for Clinical Research of Byk Gulden (Altana Pharma) in The Netherlands. His department dealt with phase IIa, IIb, IIIa and IIIb clinical trials, focused on proof of concept designs and new indications in Gastoenterology, Imaging, Respiratory (asthma and COPD) and Intensive Care Medicine. On corporate level he was one of the members of the Global Medical Marketing group of the Respiratory Franchise. Besides taking an active role in the ABN AMRO investment process, he serves on a number of boards and assists portfolio companies in their Clinical Development Programs and Strategy.
 

Philippe Guinot, MD PhD
Director

Philippe Guinot is Senior Partner at Crédit Agricole Private Equity. He joined Crédit Agricole Private Equity in July 2001 to start and manage the firm's Biotechnology and Life Sciences investments and set-up a team of Life Sciences specialists. Dr Guinot is a Medical Doctor and an anaesthetist. He kept a clinical activity as Consultant Physician in Internal Medicine (Hôpital Broussais, Paris, until 2000. He also holds a PhD in Life Sciences and is the author of numerous international scientific articles. From 1977 to 1994, he pursued his career in the pharmaceutical industry in Business and Drug Development, working for several international laboratories in Switzerland, France, Germany and the UK (Searle, Sandoz, Schwabe & Ipsen-Beaufour). He was also appointed Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Davis, from 1992 to 1996. During this time, he was in charge of the development of new drugs, several of which are marketed today, as well as starting in London the international business development of Ipsen-Beaufour with Dr Albert Beaufour. Dr Guinot then managed three US and French biotechnology companies in France and headed the drug development of one of these companies in the US. Under his supervision, the portfolio of LS projects created up to now of consists in 14 European companies, and he serves on the board of eight of them.
 

Mark de Boer, PhD
Director

Mark has for the last ten years worked for, managed and started early stage biopharmaceutical companies in the field of innovative novel biopharmaceuticals. He most recently served as Director Discovery Research, Europe at Tanox, Inc., a NASDAQ listed US biotech company and was Managing Director of Tanox Pharma B. V.  Mark serves as a member of the supervisory board of a small German Biotech Company. He teaches entrepreneurship in the Life Sciences at Utrecht University in The Netherlands.
 

Jeff Price, PhD
Director

Dr Price was formerly Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Cetus Corporation, (later acquired by Chiron Corporation, Emeryville, CA), where he directed a staff of approximately 500 scientists, engineers, physicians and support personnel. Two new therapeutic human proteins now on the market worldwide were developed under Dr Price's management of Cetus' R&D. PCR DNA amplification, the only biotechnology company invention to result in a Nobel Prize, was also discovered and developed by Dr Price's R&D team. He was a member of the executive management team at Cetus that raised approximately $500 million in financing. Dr Price has extensive experience in several critical areas including business and technology management, drug development, operations and finance. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Octamer, Inc., a company producing therapeutic drug products through conventional synthetic chemistry means.
 

Jan van Heek
Director

Jan van Heek joined Genzyme in 1991.  During this period till April 2004 Mr van Heek has been responsible for building the worldwide therapeutics, surgical and genetic testing businesses.  He established Genzyme’s European offices in the early 90’s; and after moving to the US Mr van Heek helped build Genzyme’s broad portfolio of businesses and manufacturing infrastructure worldwide.  As of April 1, 2004, Mr van Heek’s is employed as a Senior Advisor to the CEO and the senior management team of Genzyme Corporation.  In this capacity he is focused on expansion of business opportunities outside the U.S.  Prior to Genzyme, Mr van Heek held various management positions at Baxter Healthcare Corporation in Europe and the U.S. for over a decade.  At Baxter, his last position was as vice president/general manager of the global Fenwal Division of Baxter Healthcare Corporation based in Deerfield, Illinois.  Mr van Heek is a board member of Viacell Corporation in Cambridge, MA and Zelos Corporation in Waltham, MA.  Mr van Heek received a M.B.A. from St. Gallen University, Switzerland and an executive degree from Stanford Business School, California.