Profiles of Two Iconoclasts

In recent years, most venture capital firms have focused on investing in companies with well-developed product pipelines. In this issue of START-UP, we profile two trendsetters: Fred Cohen, managing director at Texas Pacific Group Ventures; and Christoph Westphal, formerly a partner at Polaris Ventures and now vice chairman and CEO of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals. Both men are physician scientists turned investors, who have tapped into their scientific and clinical knowledge to make investments in "high concept" discovery stage companies. And although the investments are intriguing, it's too early to say whether or not the strategies adopted by these two men will yield returns for their backers.

By Ellen Foster Licking and Christopher Morrison

Fred Cohen, MD, DPhil, and Christoph Westphal, MD, PhD, despite not having the track record of some of their more experienced peers, are two of the more interesting biotech venture...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Strategy

Bayer Boosted By Third FDA Approval For Nubeqa

 
• By 

US green light will further expand sales of the prostate cancer blockbuster.

Atai/Beckley Merger Comes At A Transformative Time For Psychedelics

 
• By 

All eyes are on the upcoming readout of BPL-003 for treatment-resistant depression.

Bristol Will Pay BioNTech $1.5bn Up Front To Enter PD-L1xVEGF Space

 
• By 

BMS is guaranteeing BioNTech at least $3.5bn to share development costs and potential profits on the Phase III bispecific, to compete with Summit, Merck and Pfizer.

Sanofi Plays It Safer With Blueprint Buy After Bumpy 2025

 
• By 

But the French major is still keen on early-stage M&A.

More from Business

Atai/Beckley Merger Comes At A Transformative Time For Psychedelics

 
• By 

All eyes are on the upcoming readout of BPL-003 for treatment-resistant depression.

Stock Watch: How GSK’s Nucala Info Drip Helped Share Price

 
• By 

The information flow in the months before the approval of GSK’s Nucala in COPD provides an interesting case study, and brings to mind the cautionary tale of Alnylam’s Onpattro.

Bristol Will Pay BioNTech $1.5bn Up Front To Enter PD-L1xVEGF Space

 
• By 

BMS is guaranteeing BioNTech at least $3.5bn to share development costs and potential profits on the Phase III bispecific, to compete with Summit, Merck and Pfizer.