Please see below a list of all our HGLSF investments by sector. To go to individual portfolio companies websites please click on company logo.
Biotechnology / Biopharmaceuticals
Allos Therapeutics: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Developing and commercializing innovative small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.
Axys Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Protease-inhibitor based products for cancer & inflammatory diseases.
Cerebrus: UK - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
CNS drug discovery (Acquired by Nigra, which was then bought by Vernalis)
Cytomed: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Leukotriene inhibitors for asthma (Acquired by LeukoSite Inc and then by Millenium).
Geltex Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Further investment: 2008 - Expansion
Development of novel non-absorbed pharmaceuticals.
Acquired by Genzyme Corporation after our exit.
Incyte Pharmaceuticals: UK - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Functional genomics (Acquired by Incyte).
Kinetix Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Kinase targeted drug discovery (Acquired by Amgen).
LeukoSite: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Treatment of Inflammatory diseases and cancer (Acquired by Millenium).
Metris Therapeutics: UK
First investment HGLSF I: 2008 - Start Up
First investment HGLSF II: 2008 - Start Up
Metris is a women’s healthcare company that is developing drugs for the treatment of chronic gynecological and menstrual conditions.
Micromet: Germany
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Micromet designs and develops novel antibody derived therapeutics for the treatment of cancer diseases. These drugs are unique in their ability to engage immune effector cells to selectively eliminate disease causing cells.
Shire Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease.
Strides Arcolab: India - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals.
Triangle Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Antiviral and anticancer drug development (Acquired by Gilead).
Vanguard Medica (Vernalis): UK - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Antiviral and anticancer drug development. (Acquired by Vernalis)
Achillion: US
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Based in New Haven, CT, Achillion is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative small molecule therapeutics for the treatment and/or prevention of serious infections associated with drug resistant viruses or bacteria.
Aderis Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Cardiovascular, renal and neurological disease focused therapeutics focused upon making a significant difference to people living with cardiovascular, renal and neurological diseases.
Affibody: Sweden
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Affibody is a biotech company that uses unique affinity ligands to develop products for molecular imaging, targeted therapy and biotechnology applications. The lead product is a Her2 affibody for clinical imaging in breast cancer, and its pipeline includes other oncology imaging affibodies. In addition, affibodies are sold as research reagents and for use in protein separations.
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Male Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Celldex/Lorantis: UK
First investment HGLSF II: 2008 - Start Up
First investment HGLSF III: 2008 - Early Stage
Celldex, formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Medarex Inc., merged with Lorantis Ltd in 2008. Celldex pursues immunological approaches to the treatment of cancers, infectious disease and immunological disorders.
Cellzome: Germany
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Cellzome is a drug discovery company building a R&D pipeline in chronic diseases by leveraging its unique drug proteomics engine. The business is based in Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK.
Cognis: Luxembourg
First investment: 2008 - Buy Out
Global supplier of specialty chemicals using renewable, bio-degradable,natural oils as the key raw material base. Customers include international manufacturers of cosmetics, vitamins and nutritional supplements and homecare products as well as a broad range of industrial customers.
Eyetech Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Bought by OSI Pharmaceuticals after our exit. Opthalmolological drug development.
Ingenium: Germany - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Functional genomics and drug development.
KuDOS Pharmaceuticals: UK - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Oncology drug development.
Metris Therapeutics: UK
First investment HGLSF I: 2008 - Start Up
First investment HGLSF II: 2008 - Start Up
Metris is a women’s healthcare company that is developing drugs for the treatment of chronic gynecological and menstrual conditions.
Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals: India - Exited
Private investment in Public Equity
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Manufacture of bulk generic pharmaceuticals.
Oxagen: UK
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Oxagen, based in Oxford, UK, is a biopharmaceutical company building a novel drug pipeline based on targets validated in man through its genetic platform. Oxagen’s work is focused in inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
Quantum Dot: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Nanocrystal biological reagents.
Solexa: UK - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Ultra high throughput DNA sequencing.
Third Wave Technologies: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Products for analysing genetic variations
Trine Pharmaceuticals: US
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Trine, formerly Essential Therapeutics Inc., in-licenses, develops and plans to commercialize new classes of pharmaceutical products focused on renal, metabolic and GI clinical areas.
Versicor: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Drug development for infectious diseases (Changed name to Vicurion Pharmaceuticals in 2008)
Alantos Pharmaceuticals: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Alantos is a chemistry-driven company seeking to discover and develop drugs targeted at osteoarthritis and inflammatory processes. The company attempts to fast follow others to reduce risk.
Alba Therapeutics: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Based in Baltimore, MD, Alba is focused on the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of inflammatory and immune mediated diseases. Alba’s technology provides the ability to transiently open or close internal barriers such as the intestinal mucosa. Alba is applying its technology to develop treatments for celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions.
Alinea: US
First investment: 2008 - Expansion
Based in Cambridge MA, Alinea is a virtual company developing technology from IDD (Institute for Diabetes Research in New Haven CT) and using IDD as the principle CRO. Alinea will develop a PTP1b inhibitor for insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. IDD will continue to perform research for Alinea under contract for an additional 1-2 years. Alinea has an ongoing right of first refusal to license any new metabolic disease related drugs which come from IDD. PTP1B is a highly attractive but historically intractable target for an orally active compound. Even early discovery success should lead to value creation with Pharma.
Archemix: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Based in Cambridge, MA, Archemix is developing nucleic acid aptamers for therapeutic indications, building on a broad IP portfolio acquired from Gilead/Nexstar.
Avera Pharmaceuticals: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Based in San Diego, CA, Avera is focused on the development of small molecule drugs for the treatment of diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Key programs are Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia associated cognition deficits, IBS, and OAB, and developing an ultra-short acting anaesthesia compound.
Celldex/Lorantis: UK
First investment HGLSF II: 2008 - Seed
First investment HGLSF III: 2008 - Seed
Celldex, formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Medarex Inc., merged with Lorantis Ltd in 2008. Celldex pursues immunological approaches to the treatment of cancers, infectious disease and immunological disorders.
Dynogen Pharmaceuticals: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Dynogen is a neuroscience-based company focused on genito-urinary (GU) and gastro-intestinal (GI) disorders. The company is using its knowledge of neurology and GU/GI disorders to build a pipeline of clinical candidates.
ESBATech: Switzerland
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
ESBATech is a preclinical stage drug discovery company that intends to refocus the business to build a world class Ophthalmology company on the back of an attractive, proprietary antibody fragment platform which can deliver uniquely stable, soluble and monomeric fragments and compelling data on penetration of these fragments into the eye following topical treatment.
Fundamental Applied Biology, Inc.: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Fundamental Applied Biology’s (FAB)mission is to enable the production of low-cost, high quality rapidly developed protein pharmaceuticals and innovative vaccines that cannot be manufactured by existing technologies.
GlycoFi: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Production and engineering of therapeutics proteins.
Intranasal Therapeutics: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Based in Montvale, NJ, Intranasal Therapeutics, Inc. (“ITI”) is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative, nasally delivered pharmaceutical products with a particular focus on drugs treating pain and CNS-related disorders for which there is proven, unsatisfied consumer demand. The company will be developing new formulations of already marketed drugs and will pursue U.S. regulatory approval using the FDA 505(b)2* regulations.
Lux Bioscience: US
First investment: 2008 - Seed
Lux is developing drugs for ophthalmic diseases. Their lead products are a Cyclosporin implant for corneal transplant,and ISA247 for uveitis. Both programs are in Phase III development. Additional programs are an ISA247 implant for dry eye and Age-related Macular Degeneration.
Mpex Pharmaceuticals: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Based in San Diego, CA, Mpex is focused on the discovery and development of new-antibacterial drugs that meet the growing clinical need created by multi-drug resistant bacteria. Mpex has identified several approaches to increase the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and decrease the incidence of drug resistance to these antibiotics. Mpex’s first product will be an inhaled antibiotic for serious lung infections.
Neurotech: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Based in Lincoln, RI, Neurotech has developed an encapsulated cell therapy for the delivery of therapeutic proteins in retinal diseases. The first product is ciliary neurothrophic factor (CNTF) for retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration (geographic atrophy).
PowderMed: UK - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Development of therapeutic DNA vaccines in the areas of chronic viral diseases and cancer.
Rinat Neuroscience: US - Exited
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Developing proteins for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the nervous system.
Sapphire Therapeutics: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Sapphire is developing small molecule drugs based on the biology of ghrelin,a gut peptide known to stimulate appetite. The lead compound is in Ph II for cancer cachexia; a second compound has completed an initial clinical study and is moving toward Ph II for post-operative ileus. Additional indications are being explored for follow-on compounds.
ADiMaB: US
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Adimab, Inc. (“Adimab”) is developing a fully integrated platform for antibody discovery and manufacturing which will offer customers/ acquirers a 3rd party royalty free and very rapid, 2-3 month path from target to optimized antibody.
Affinium Pharmaceuticals : USA
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
Affinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery,
development and commercialization of novel anti-infective medicines stemming from the bacterial fatty acid synthesis pathway.
EUSA Pharma : UK
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
EUSA Pharma (“EUSA) is a fast growing, transatlantic specialty pharma company developing and commercialising for healthcare professionals and patients a range of prescription products in pain, oncology and critical care.
Itero Biopharmaceuticals: US
First investment: 2008 - Early Stage
An early stage biosimilars company focused on the large number of product opportunities with product patents.
Logical Therapeutics: US
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Logical Therapeutics is a clinical stage drug development company with a focus on inflammation. The lead product, LT-NS001, is a prodrug of naproxen designed to minimize GI toxicity. The company is also working on a prodrug of aspirin, also designed to minimize GI toxicity.
NeurogesX (NGSX): US
First Investment: 2008 - PIPE
Developing novel topical products to relieve chronic pain and improve quality of life.
NKT Therapeutics, Inc: US
First Investment: 2008 - Early Stage
A biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based on a unique subset of immune cells called natural killer T (”NKT”) cells.
Ophthotech: US
First investment: 2008 - Start Up
Ophthotech is a start-up company dedicated to developing drugs for ophthalmic diseases with high unmet medical needs.
RespiVert: UK
First Investment: 2008 - Seed
RespiVert, Inc. (“RespiVert”) is a discovery company focused on COPD and severe asthma. The company’s goal is to develop novel inhaled and intranasal drugs for respiratory disorders with high unmet medical need and high commercial potential based on novel insights on biology and chemistry.
