LVP Portfolio Companies

Biotechnology

Bayhill is developing a novel category of biopharmaceuticals to treat auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes and arthritis. The company was founded by Dr. Larry Steinman, Professor of Neurology at Stanford University.

 

Calistoga was recently acquired by Gilead Pharmaceuticals for total proceeds of up to $600 Million.  The company was a cancer pharmaceutical company developing cancer treatments targeting PI3 Kinase. 

 

 

Cellective Therapeutics

Cellective was acquired by Medimmune for proceeds of up to $175 million. Cellective was developing several new pharmaceuticals treating B Cell related cancers and immune diseases. The technology is based on research by Founder Tom Tedder, Chairman of Immunology at Duke University

Cell Biosciences developed and is marketing a variety of new biomedical research instruments which enable the rapid analysis of cellular components for use in biomedical research and pharmaceutical development. 

Evoke Pharma

Evoke is a new specialty pharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of products for G.I. applications. The company was founded by Cam Garner, who brings a long history of successful ventures to the company.

 

Femta Pharmaceuticals

Femta is developing a new generation of antibody therapeutics for several major disease indications.

 

ForteBio is developing a new biomedical research instrument for the rapid measurement of molecular binding useful in biotechnology research and pharmaceutical development.

Meritage Pharma

Meritage is a specialty pharmaceutical company developing products to treat Eosinophilic Esophagitis and potentially other immune disorders.

Naurex

Naurex is developing several next generation depression pharmaceuticals with significant improvements over current drugs.

Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals

Neuraltus is a neuropharmaceutical company with a portfolio of products treating Parkinsons, ALS, and other neurological diseases.

Oncomed is developing a new class of cancer therapeutics targeting cancer precursor cells based on recent discoveries by Founder Dr. Michael Clarke, a Professor at Stanford University.

 

Proteolix was recently acquired by Onyx Pharmaceuticals for proceeds of up to $851 million.  The company was developing a new category of cancer therapeutics which target the proteasome. The founding team was from Amgen, Merck, Caltech and Yale.

Tetralogic is developing a new generation of cancer therapeutics based on recent discoveries by Professor Yigong Shi at Princeton, relating to apoptosis.

Medical Device

Ensure Medical

Ensure was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for proceeds of up to $90 million. The company developed a new bio-erodable femoral closure device to seal the puncture wounds resulting from the millions of interventional cardiology procedures performed each year. The founders include leading engineers from Boston Scientific.

 

GMD developed and is marketing several specialty medical products with price per performance significantly superior to existing products.

INova Labs

INova is commercializing a new generation of lightweight Portable Oxygen Concentrators for patients with lung disorders who need continuous supplemental oxygen. 

www.lifechoiceoxygen.com

 

Pathway was recently acquired by Medrad, a division of Bayer, for $125 milliion.  Pathway developed and marketed an impressive new atherectomy device for treating peripheral artery disease.

www.pathwaymedical.com

 

Promed, Inc.

Promed is developing a new generation of large hole closure devices for use in interventional cardiology procedures.

 

Pulmonx developed and is marketing a new category of diagnostic and treatment devices to treat lung disorders such as COPD.

www.pulmonx.com

 

Revascular Therapeutics was recently acquired by Boston Scientific.  The company developed an impressive new percutaneous device to re-open chronically occluded vessels which received FDA marketing approval prior to the acquisition.

 

Transcend is developing a pioneering new glaucoma treatment device with impressive clinical results reducing intra-ocular pressure.

www.transcendmedical.com

 

 

Entrepreneurial Experiences

 

Revascular Therapeutics
Founder/Chairman             

Carl Simpson

"As with any first investment for a start-up company, you go first to the people you trust and know. I have known Peter and Pat for years, so we presented the Revascular Therapeutics plan to them first. Peter is an active interventional cardiologist, so he recognized the value of the technology as solving a key unmet clinical need in interventional medicine. Working with LVP on this venture I was impressed with their thinking from the standpoint of intuitively seeing the positive attributes of such a product and understanding how to deal with the weaker aspects in order to build a successful company. With the network that Pat and Peter have developed over the years, the due diligence was sophisticated and helpful, and we were able to close the financing very rapidly. An important aspect to realize as an entrepreneur, is that you want 'smart money' around the table as the company moves forward. Having a very experienced board and investors to work with adds tremendous value to a start-up company."

 

Pulmonx
CEO Michael Baker

"It's an old, and sometimes overused adage, that the best venture investors bring a great deal more than money to a company. Latterell Venture Partners support of Pulmonx is an excellent example of just how true the adage is in actual practice.  
 
A couple of years ago at a time when most other venture investors were retrenching, LVP had the industry expertise and creative insight to see the potential of making a significant strategic investment in the pulmonary space.  That key investment set the stage for Pulmonx to be the first company to commercialize a device therapy for emphysema and has positioned Pulmonx as the emerging leader in the Interventional Pulmonology market.  
 
As the CEO of Pulmonx, I've found their seasoned team to be an excellent sounding board in strategy and business development, and their broad network of contacts to be a tremendous resource in recruiting and fundraising."

Proteolix
Founder/CEO Phil Whitcome

"The most critical component to any successful start-up is people, whether technical, operational, or financial. Who invests is as important as what or how much is invested. In starting Proteolix, we sought out investors whose contributions to the company would extend far beyond their role as a source of capital. The partners at LVP have a proven track record of building successful companies founded on innovative science. Pat, Jim and the LVP team possess a rare blend of scientific sophistication and successful commercial development that is essential for success in biotechnology. The partners have a compelling combination of scientific depth and personal insights which are crucial to the cultivation and nurturing of an evolving enterprise from its inception to commercial success. Their expertise and perspective have been an invaluable resource in positioning and guiding Proteolix toward commercial success. In seeking supportive investors who will invest both the time and intellectual capital to understand your business, and help guide and refine your commercial strategy, Latterell Venture Partners should be your first stop."

 

Pathway
Chairman/CEO Paul Buckman

In my experience, LVP resides in the top tier of med tech venture capital firms and I find them highly valuable to partner with.  From a medical device perspective, Pat, Peter, and Steve offer a unique combination of skills that are extremely useful to any early stage company, management team and board.  Their collective experience covers a very broad spectrum including device concept creation, development, and clinical utilization, as well as technology evaluation and investment participation in all phases of the company life cycle.  I've been fortunate to work with both Peter and Steve for the past 15 years, and the confidence and trust which I have gained in their counsel over that time truly distinguishes LVP as a business partner from my perspective.

 

Ovalis
Founder/President Ronald Jabba

"A key aspect to successfully starting and growing a company is selecting the right investors. We believe that LVP has the right combination of expertise; technical, clinical, financial and business skills to invest in and grow a company. Steve has been an invaluable partner, assisting with matters such as intellectual property and offering his guidance on a broad array of technical and strategic issues. Steve's founding experience with his own startup has been a tremendous asset for us, especially in the early stage of our company. Peter Fitzgerald's depth of knowledge in the medical device field, particularly as it relates to clinical and technical matters, is a high value critical contribution and a necessity at all stages of a company's growth. Latterell Venture Partners understands what is necessary to build successful companies."

Oncomed Pharmaceuticals
Founder Dr. Michael Clarke

"Working with Latterell Venture Partners has been great. Without them, we would not have been able to develop our spin-off company from the University of Michigan. The LVP partners were instrumental in helping us to develop a cogent business plan, identify a fabulous group of investors, and put a first-class company together. The result is a focused company poised for success!"

 

Meritage Pharma
Evoke Pharma

Founder/Chairman Cam Garner

"I have started two companies with LVP and highly recommend them to anyone desiring savvy, helpful investors.  The most overlooked component in building a successful company is choosing the right financial partners.  LVP is an exceptional partner when it comes to building a company.  Their Partners have strong technical backgrounds, but more importantly to me, they have real world operating experience.  Additionally, they do a great job of working with management and supporting their efforts in creating a successful outcome.  Given my experience with LVP, and the speed at which they can operate, they are always one of the first calls I make when seeking financing for a new venture."

Cell Biosciences/Protein Simple
Founding CEO Linda Cahill

"Cell Biosciences' cell signaling technology requires an unusual combination of skill sets in engineering, cell biology and chemistry. The partners at LVP took the effort to understand the technology, the market and the business strategy that we were creating when we started this company - and then moved quickly to help us cement a very broad group of domestic and international venture investors to secure its future. LVP displayed the strength of character to lead this diverse group at a very difficult time in the financial markets. This strength and quality in our investor group helped us to recruit a strong and experienced management team and gave Cell Biosciences a solid start as a company."

Calistoga Pharmaceuticals
CEO Carol Gallagher

"Calistoga Pharmaceuticals benefited greatly from LVP's  investment and the support their experienced team provided.  Jim Woody's significant experience as an R and D leader provided helpful insights to our drug devlopment planning as well as our business development considerations.  Beyond providing the needed capital, LVP understands how to enable management teams to succeed.  Calistoga was fortunate to have LVP as an investor."

Bayhill Therapeutics
Founder Dr. Larry Steinman

"When I decided to form Bayhill, Pat was my first call due to his long history of successfully building new biotechnology companies and his excellent reputation for working diligently and creatively with entrepreneurial teams to overcome the many obstacles I know we will face along the way. Pat brings the full range of technical skills and company building experience to the team which exemplifies the concept of what I consider an excellent "value-added" investor. Pat has been extremely helpful in sorting out complicated patent issues, in strategizing corporate partnering, referring potential senior managers, and in creating a venture syndicate for our first financing."