Jeffrey D. Wager

Jeff Wager was co-creator and board observer to Grupo Biotoscana SL, a Latin American specialty pharma roll-up financed by Advent International and Essex Woodlands Healthcare Ventures, focused on cancer, infectious and rare diseases, leading to its USD 1 billion 2017 IPO on sales of ~$240M and 600 staff in 10 LatAm markets. From 2006 – 2010, he formed and led Artisan Pharma, Inc. as its founding CEO, raising $53M, building the entire team, and implementing a 750-patient, 17-country Phase 2b/3 study ultimately leading to Artisan’s acquisition by Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation (Japan) in 2011. In 2000, Jeff formed Apeiron Partners, a FINRA-registered (via its affiliate Commonwealth PharmaSecurities LLC) life sciences investment bank focused on corporate spin-outs, M&A, corporate venture capital, and principal investments. In the process, successfully completed six spin-outs, including Targacept, Inc. (NASD: TRGT), Artisan Pharma (from Asahi Kasei), Biocritica ($120M annual revenue Xigris® franchise from Eli Lilly), and KBI BioPharma (acquired by JSR Corporation (Japan)). Between 2003 and 2006, advised on the establishment and investment of Z-Cube s.r.l., the €60M corporate venture fund of the Zambon Group, a privately held Italian pharmaceutical company. Between 1995-2000, Jeff was with Medical Science Partners, a Harvard-founded VC fund focused on forming spin-outs from the Harvard medical system, including deCODE, ICAgen, Inspire, Oravax (subsequently Acambis), ZYCOS, Inc., and Diatide, amongst others.

Jeff Wager began his career with a life sciences unit of the Bank of Tokyo, where he led business development, and was responsible for helping Japanese pharmaceutical clients establish overseas affiliates, design, and conduct overseas clinical development, and structure strategic alliances. Jeff is also a co-founder and Chairman of Proterris, Inc., a phase 2 clinical-stage firm focused on therapeutic uses of low-dose gaseous and small molecule carbon monoxide for transplant, fibrosis, and oncology indications. Jeff Wager earned his MD from Rush Medical College and his MBA from the University of Chicago.