Frazier Life Sciences Appoints Biotech Innovators Mitchell H. Gold and Stanford L. Peng as Venture Partners

Rhea-AI Summary

Frazier Life Sciences (FLS) has appointed Mitchell H. Gold, M.D., and Stanford L. Peng, M.D., Ph.D., as Venture Partners. Dr. Gold, previously Co-Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman of Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN), led the company from inception to its recent $4.9 billion acquisition by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in May 2024. He also founded Alpine Biosciences, which was sold to Cascadian Therapeutics in 2014.

Dr. Peng joins FLS from his role as President and Head of Research and Development at Alpine Immune Sciences, where he led the development of multiple drug candidates, including povetacicept. His experience includes leadership positions at Seagen, Roche, and Stemcentrx. Both appointments aim to strengthen FLS's capabilities in identifying and developing breakthrough biopharmaceutical companies.

Positive

• Recent successful exit: Alpine Immune Sciences sold to Vertex for $4.9 billion
• Addition of experienced biotech executives with proven track record in company building and exits
• Strong expertise in drug development and clinical research from both appointees

Negative

• None.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Frazier Life Sciences (FLS), a longstanding investment firm focused on innovative therapeutics, today announced the appointments of Mitchell H. Gold, M.D., and Stanford L. Peng, M.D., Ph.D., as Venture Partners.

"We believe Mitch and Stanford bring exceptional leadership and experience that will elevate our ability to create and nurture breakthrough biopharmaceutical companies,” said Jamie Topper, M.D., Ph.D., Managing Partner at FLS. “Mitch's history of building transformative companies, his relentless pursuit of scientific excellence and his proven ability to identify transformative scientific and investment opportunities make him a valuable addition to our team. Similarly, Stanford's perspective as a physician-scientist and his deep breadth of knowledge in developing innovative therapies will strengthen our efforts to identify and advance world-class life science companies.”

Prior to joining Frazier Life Sciences, Dr. Gold most recently served as the Co-Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman of Alpine Immune Sciences (Nasdaq: ALPN), where Frazier Life Sciences co-led the Series A financing, focused on discovering and developing innovative, protein-based immunotherapies. He led Alpine Immune Sciences from its inception to its $4.9 billion acquisition by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in May 2024. Prior to co-founding Alpine Immune Sciences, Dr. Gold was the Chairman and Founder of Alpine Biosciences, a privately held biotech company dedicated to developing the next generation of cancer and orphan disease treatments. Alpine Biosciences was sold to Cascadian Therapeutics in 2014 which was subsequently acquired by Seagen. Dr. Gold earned his M.D. from Rush Medical College in Chicago and completed his urology residency at the University of Washington Medical Center. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"I am honored to join Frazier Life Sciences, a firm I deeply respect for its long-term vision and commitment to creating transformative companies,” said Gold. “My passion has always been in building science-driven organizations that make a real difference for patients, and FLS’ approach and team offer the ideal environment to pursue this work. I look forward to collaborating with the talented group here in their work to bring forward the next generation of impactful therapies."

Dr. Peng brings to Frazier Life Sciences a deep background in drug discovery, clinical development, and biotech leadership. Most recently, he served as President and Head of Research and Development at Alpine Immune Sciences (Nasdaq: ALPN), where he led the discovery and clinical introduction of multiple drug candidates, including povetacicept, which attracted the interest of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Peng’s career spans leadership roles in both biotech and pharmaceutical companies, including Seagen, Roche and Stemcentrx, as well as academic appointments at institutions such as the Benaroya Research Institute and Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Peng earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Music and Biological Sciences from Stanford University, as well as an M.D. and Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and a clinical and research fellowship in rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Stanford continues to practice as a rheumatologist.

"Joining Frazier Life Sciences is an exciting opportunity to focus on what I love most—identifying promising scientific discoveries and translating them into meaningful treatments for patients,” shared Peng. “Having worked with the Frazier Life Sciences team during my time at Alpine, I have immense respect for their strategic approach and dedication to impactful innovation. I am eager to contribute to the team's efforts in advancing novel therapies and building companies that can truly change lives."

About Frazier Life Sciences

Frazier Life Sciences invests globally in private and publicly traded companies that discover, develop, and commercialize innovative biopharmaceuticals. Frazier Life Sciences manages over $3.9 billion in capital, including Venture Funds focusing on company creation and private companies and the long-only Public Fund focused on small and mid-cap public companies. Since 2005, over 60 Frazier Life Sciences portfolio companies, many of which were created or seeded by FLS, have completed IPOs or M&As. The Frazier Life Sciences team consists of over 40 professionals with deep expertise in biopharmaceuticals, primarily located in Palo Alto, Calif. (headquarters), San Diego, Seattle, Boston, New York and London.

For more information about Frazier Life Sciences, please visit frazierls.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Venture Partners are employed by a subsidiary of FLS, provide advisory and consulting service to FLS and often serve in operational positions within FLS portfolio companies or search companies (“SearchCos”). Venture Partners are permitted to receive a material equity position in a portfolio company or SearchCo, and any compensation paid to such Venture Partners is borne directly or indirectly by the portfolio companies, SearchCos or the applicable FLS fund and will not offset any management fees.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250109478180/en/

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ailsa Dalgliesh, Ph.D.

Head of Investor Relations

ailsa@frazierls.com

Source: Frazier Life Sciences

FAQ

What was the acquisition value of Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN) by Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN) was acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals for $4.9 billion in May 2024.

What roles did Mitchell Gold hold at Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN)?

Mitchell Gold served as Co-Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman of Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN).

What was Stanford Peng's role at Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN)?

Stanford Peng served as President and Head of Research and Development at Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN), where he led the development of multiple drug candidates, including povetacicept.

What key drug candidate did Stanford Peng develop at Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN)?

Stanford Peng led the development of povetacicept at Alpine Immune Sciences (ALPN), which attracted interest from Vertex Pharmaceuticals.