DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Medicine Partners, an organization that delivers process development, manufacturing, analytical development and testing for advanced therapy products with a specialty in viral vectors for gene and cell therapies, today announced a new financing agreement led by Deerfield Management, with additional support from ARCH Venture Partners and other investors. Upon completion of this latest financing round, the total direct investment in Advanced Medicine Partners since its separation from Jaguar Gene Therapy will tally up to $60 million.
Advanced Medicine Partners also announced the appointments of Ray Kaczmarek and Felix Hsu to the company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Kaczmarek will serve as Executive Chairman. Existing members of the Board include Jonathan Leff, Partner at Deerfield Management Company and Chairman of the Deerfield Institute; Elise Wang, Partner and Head of Private Equity Capital Markets at Deerfield Management Company; David Greenwald, Ph.D., Vice President of Business Development at Deerfield Management Company; and Andrew Knudten, CEO of Advanced Medicine Partners.
“The gene and cell therapy space is at an exciting inflection point and in need of new manufacturing solutions that can efficiently and reliably bring promising precision therapies to patients at scale,” said Jonathan Leff. "We are pleased to support Advanced Medicine Partners and its newest board members with additional capital, helping the company realize its mission to address capacity constraints across the industry while enhancing quality in the design and manufacturing of this therapeutic class.”
“Ray Kaczmarek brings deep knowledge of CDMO operations and biopharmaceutical manufacturing to Advanced Medicine Partners, and his leadership philosophy aligns well with our distinct company culture,” said Mr. Knudten. “Our board will also greatly benefit from Felix Hsu’s proven expertise in building out a successful CDMO business. Both of these experienced leaders will be invaluable resources as we continue to accelerate our company’s growth and deliver best-in-class manufacturing and analytics to our partners.”
Mr. Kaczmarek is a seasoned biopharmaceutical leader with more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing and development. Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Genezen Laboratories, Senior Vice President of GMP Operations for TriLink Biotechnologies, President of Nitto Avecia Pharma Services, and Vice President of Commercial Manufacturing and Supply Operations for Pacira Biosciences, Inc. He is also a proud veteran of the United States Army.
“I’m excited to join Advanced Medicine Partners and contribute to the company’s strategic planning as well as support the strong leadership team,” said Mr. Kaczmarek. “I’m confident Advanced Medicine Partners has the expertise, track record and best-in-class platform necessary to be the gold standard in manufacturing and analytics for gene and cell therapies in the eyes of regulators, biopharmaceutical companies and investors.”
Mr. Hsu is a C-suite executive whose career spans more than 30 years of focus on building businesses and delivering revenue and profit growth. He previously served as Senior Vice President of WuXi AppTec and President of WuXi AppTec Advanced Therapies, Senior Vice President of WuXi AppTec and President of the U.S. Business Unit, and Vice President of Supply Chain Integration at Medtronic. He is also a co-founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of the Brain Cancer Research Alliance, which raises awareness and funding for brain cancer research to enable new treatment options.
“I’m pleased to join the Board of Directors for Advanced Medicine Partners during this critical building phase of the company,” said Mr. Hsu. “I look forward to working with other board members and the executive leadership team to ensure the company produces consistent growth and profitability.”
ABOUT ADVANCED MEDICINE PARTNERS
Advanced Medicine Partners, LLC is driven to accelerate the development of innovative advanced medicines to enable partnering companies to make a positive difference for the patients they serve. With one of the most experienced genetic medicines teams in the industry – at all levels, from bench to boardroom – the company uses its expertise to produce best-in-class advanced therapy products and analytics with a specialty in viral vectors for gene and cell therapies. Advanced Medicine Partners’ exclusive manufacturing platform consistently produces yields that are among the highest in the industry and purity profiles that continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. For more information, please visit www.ampgtx.com and follow Advanced Medicine Partners on LinkedIn.
ABOUT DEERFIELD MANAGEMENT
Deerfield is an investment management firm committed to advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy. The Firm works across the healthcare ecosystem to connect people, capital, ideas and technology in bold, collaborative and inclusive ways. For more information, please visit www.deerfield.com.
