Agent Capital, a majority woman-owned international life sciences investment firm supporting disruptive healthcare companies, announced the appointment of John Orloff, M.D., as Venture Partner. Dr. Orloff’s significant research, non-clinical and clinical development, business development, and medical and regulatory affairs expertise augments the Agent Capital team’s reputation for value creation, strategic acumen, and access to premier life sciences industry talent and deals.
Dr. Orloff joins Agent Capital following his position as EVP and Global Head of R&D for Alexion, where his leadership in expanding the development pipeline from three to 30 programs supported the recent $39 billion acquisition of Alexion by AstraZeneca. His experience in multiple therapeutic areas across orphan and rare diseases, immunology, oncology, and neurology aligns with Agent Capital’s investment focus on subsectors that generate the highest potential returns.
“John brings deep clinical and product development expertise, along with a world-class track record of advancing innovation across all stages of development. He also has played a critical role in M&A, both buying companies to add to his pipeline as well as positioning two major industry transactions with Baxalta’s sale to Shire in 2016 and Alexion’s sale to AstraZeneca this year. His perspective will be of tremendous value to our management teams,” said Dr. Geeta Vemuri, Managing Partner and Founder of Agent Capital. “John is a welcome addition to the talented team we are building at Agent Capital, and I am excited to work with him again as we grow our firm.”
Founded in 2016, Agent Capital’s investment strategy and diverse team of industry veterans have earned them access to a vast pipeline of high-value potential deals and a syndicate network of investment partners that enables them to drive portfolio growth and exit strategies. Agent Capital’s first fund (Fund I), initially focused on novel, differentiated therapeutics and treatments that address unmet patient needs, has invested in 15 healthcare companies, the majority of which have executed collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies and successfully raised additional capital in the private or public markets.
“I have worked closely with Geeta and the team at Agent Capital while at Baxter/Baxalta, and I am delighted to continue my career amongst colleagues with shared values, mutual respect, and the integrity and passion to do the right thing for our portfolio companies and the patients they serve,” said Dr. John Orloff, Venture Partner, Agent Capital. “Agent Capital has built a track record and reputation not just for providing crucial support and resources to their portfolio companies, but also for coaching and mentorship, R&D and commercial stewardship, and strategic thinking while giving management teams the latitude to pursue their vision. I am excited for opportunity to apply my experience to help foster growth for the next generation of innovative life sciences companies.”
Prior to Alexion, Dr. Orloff was Global Head of R&D and Chief Scientific Officer at Baxalta, and has also held executive leadership roles with Novelion, Baxter International, Merck Serono, Novartis and Merck Research Laboratories. Before entering the biopharmaceutical industry, he was a faculty member at the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Orloff received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College, earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont, College of Medicine and completed a fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at Yale University School of Medicine.
ABOUT AGENT CAPITAL
Agent Capital is an international life sciences investment firm that supports disruptive healthcare companies focusing on novel, differentiated therapeutics and treatments that address unmet patient needs. Agent Capital aligns with scientists, entrepreneurs, and other investors to develop the next generation of healthcare innovations, leverages their industry expertise and successful track record to source premier deals, accelerate value, and drive successful exits. Their first fund invested in 15 portfolio companies, the majority of which have executed collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies and successfully raised additional capital in the private or public markets. For more information, please visit Agent Capital’s website at www.agentcapital.com.
