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03/13/2025
Zynext Ventures invests in Illexcor Therapeutics to advance novel oral therapy for sickle cell disease
Zynext Ventures USA LLC (Zynext Ventures), the venture capital arm of Zydus Lifesciences (Zydus), today announced its investment in Illexcor Therapeutics (Illexcor), a pioneering biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation oral therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD). This investment underscores Zynext Ventures’ commitment to supporting disruptive healthcare innovations that address significant unmet medical needs. Illexcor is developing …
03/05/2025
Virginia Catalyst Awards $3.2 Million in Grants to Support Life Sciences in the Commonwealth
The Virginia Catalyst, also known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), today announced that it has awarded $3.2 million in grants to four life and bioscience projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia. These projects were awarded in Grant Round 17. “The Catalyst works to help industry partners and academic investigators to raise follow-on …
02/27/2025
Hourigan Strengthens Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing and Data Centers with Key Appointments
Hourigan is expanding its leadership team to support the firm’s growing presence in two of the region’s most technical and high-demand industries: advanced manufacturing and data centers. Hourigan has named Mark Hourigan, Jr. to lead its advanced manufacturing and logistics sector and Mark Rainey to oversee its mission-critical and data center expansion. These appointments build …
“Robert is a proven industry leader with extensive and highly relevant experience in Ophthalmology and DED,” said Anil Asrani, President and CEO of TearSolutions. “I am genuinely excited and honored to have Robert join our board, as we work together to bring next generation therapeutics to patients suffering from the maladies associated with ocular surface disease.”
“I’m thrilled to work closely with the TearSoultions team to help advance their programs and take the Company to the next level,” said Robert Dempsey. “With their lead product’s highly differentiated and well-characterized mechanism of action, human clinical data illustrating speed of relief, safety, and a best-in-class tolerability profile, as well as the potential to work in a majority of patients, I believe we have a novel disease-modifying solution that can bring much needed relief to patients as well as their treating physicians.”
Robert brings more than two decades of domestic and global leadership experience in the Ophthalmology space driving successful drug development in public and private sectors through efficient organizational structure and capital investments. His widespread experience in Ophthalmology stems from diverse leadership roles across commercial, business development, medical affairs, and venture-backed startups. Currently, Robert serves as the Chief Executive Officer at AsclepiX Therapeutics focused on advancing an integrin regulating peptide for posterior segment diseases and recently led a successful Series A-3 financing. He joined Asclepix in 2021, after serving as the Chief Executive Officer for TearClear where he accelerated the business and commercial strategies including a successful Series B financing and positive FDA engagements. Prior to that, he served as the Global Head of Ophthalmology at Shire, then Takeda, responsible for one of the top ten largest biopharma M&A deals in 2019, the divestiture of Xiidra® (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution) 5%, to Novartis in June 2019 for up to $5.3B.