SOFINNOVA-PARTNERS
22.4.2024 12:01:32 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Sofinnova Partners (“Sofinnova"), a leading European life sciences venture capital firm based in Paris, London, and Milan, announced the promotion to Partner of two exceptional team members, both of whom have served distinguished tenures at the firm, with expertise across different strategies. These promotions underscore Sofinnova's dedication to developing talent from within its own ranks and commitment to driving impactful change in the sector.
"We are delighted to announce the well-deserved promotions of Anta Gkelou and Guillaume Baxter to Partner level, recognizing their outstanding growth and expertise since joining us in 2017," said Antoine Papiernik, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners. "Their journeys exemplify our commitment to cultivating talent and investing in the future."
Gkelou joined Sofinnova as an Analyst in the Capital Strategy in 2017 after working as an immunology scientist at Danone Nutricia. She holds a PhD from Imperial College London where she worked on respiratory diseases at the National Heart and Lung Institute and conducted her post-doctoral research in heart failure post myocardial infarction at INSERM in France. Her strong interest in scientific discoveries and their development path to new products, alongside her ability to identify promising investment opportunities have contributed significantly to the firm's success. As a Partner in the Capital Strategy, Gkelou will play a key role in investing in the next generation of early-stage biotech companies.
"In my new role as Partner, I look forward to contributing to building companies that develop products with transformative effects on patients’ lives,” said Gkelou. "I am fully committed to the firm's continued success and up for the challenge of making a long-term meaningful impact.”
Baxter was one of the pioneering members of Sofinnova’s Industrial Biotech Strategy team. Joining as a Senior Associate in 2017, he has consistently demonstrated a strong passion for industrial biotechnology and impact investing. Baxter brings robust experience and valuable insights from the chemical industry, having held various positions at Solvay including Solvay Ventures, which further enhanced his understanding of the intersection between industry and investment practice. As Partner, Baxter will continue to leverage his enthusiasm to identify and support groundbreaking companies within the industrial biotech and renewable chemistry sectors to drive positive transformation across global industries.
"I am honored to have been part of the Industrial Biotechnology team since its early days," Baxter said. "As a Partner, I will continue to leverage my experience to support game changing companies in these sectors, while simultaneously focusing on establishing Sofinnova as a leading sustainable investor driving impactful change.”
These promotions further strengthen Sofinnova Partners' position as a leading venture capital firm in the life sciences sector, with a reinforced commitment to talent development and capital investment expertise. The firm remains dedicated to identifying and supporting innovative companies that have the potential to transform healthcare, improve patient outcomes, and drive sustainable solutions.
About Sofinnova Partners
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage. The firm actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop transformative innovations that have the potential to positively impact our collective future.
Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is a deeply established venture capital firm in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies and creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2.5 billion under management. For more information, please visit: sofinnovapartners.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240422219891/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Media Release: Financial Worries Rise and Match Health Concerns as Cost-of-Living Pressures Mount in 20266.7.2026 10:00:00 CEST | Press release
Globally, people are united in their top personal worries: Financial and health issues rank at the top in 2026, averaging 13 percentage points ahead of other concerns.Financial pressure is prominent across Europe, rising in France, Germany, and U.K., and emerging as a top concern in newly measured markets, Spain and Switzerland.Allianz published these results in “The Allianz 3am Report 2026,” which surveyed 10,000 people across 10 countries worldwide about what keeps them awake at night.Addressing financial concerns requires accessible, targeted financial and risk education. To support this, Allianz has launched the “Allianz School For Life” learning platform. Households around the world are feeling the strain of the rising cost of living, with financial pressure increasingly shaping everyday choices and long-term confidence. Finances and health are now tied as the top global worries, at 48% each, followed by concerns about the future at 35%, according to consumer surveys in 10 countri
HAZAMA ANDO Becomes an Official Partner in Helical Fusion’s Commercial Fusion Initiative and Signs MoU Toward Construction of the Fusion Pilot Plant6.7.2026 08:40:00 CEST | Press release
A long-established Japanese general contractor will contribute construction expertise to advance Fusion Pilot Plant development toward commercially viable fusion power. Helical Fusion Co., Ltd. (“Helical Fusion”), a Japan-based fusion energy startup developing fusion power plants, and HAZAMA ANDO CORPORATION (“HAZAMA ANDO”), a long-established Japanese general contractor, today announced that HAZAMA ANDO has become an Official Partner in the Helix Program, Helical Fusion’s commercial fusion initiative. The two companies have also signed a memorandum of understanding (“MoU”) to collaborate toward the construction of Helix KANATA, Helical Fusion’s Fusion Pilot Plant targeted for the 2030s. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260706176052/en/ (L-R) Kazuhiko Kuniya (Representative Director and President, HAZAMA ANDO CORPORATION) and Takaya Taguchi (Co-Founder and CEO, Helical Fusion Co., Ltd.) at a press conference in
Sofinnova Partners Announces Myricx Bio Agrees to Be Acquired by Novartis6.7.2026 07:15:00 CEST | Press release
Sofinnova Partners co-led the seed investment in 2019 and has supported the company from founding through to exitThe proposed acquisition combines the oncology expertise of Novartis with Myricx Bio’s novel ADC assets and platform having broad potential across multiple solid tumor typesMyricx Bio's first-in-class NMTi payload platform is designed to improve the therapeutic index of ADCs, offering the potential for more effective and better-tolerated treatment options for cancer patientsThe transaction valued at up to $1.5 billion including $1.1 billion cash upfront Sofinnova Partners, a leading European life sciences venture capital firm, today announced that its portfolio company Myricx Bio (“Myricx”) has reached agreement to be acquired by Novartis, for up to $1.5 billion including $1.1 billion cash upfront plus potential milestone payments. This marks Sofinnova Partners' seventh exit in three years. Myricx Bio is a UK-headquartered transatlantic biotech company focused on the discove
Global New Material International Wins Technology Innovation Best Practice Award at Sino-European ESG Conference6.7.2026 05:59:00 CEST | Press release
Global New Material International Holdings Ltd. has received the Technology Innovation Best Practice Award at the Third Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference recently in Mainz, Germany, in recognition of its efforts to advance sustainable development through material innovation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260705533555/en/ Thorsten Giehler (L), Director of the Economic, Social Development and Employment Division of The German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), delivered the award to Zhou Fangchao, Executive Director and Vice President of Global New Material International. The annual conference, initiated by the Chinese Consulate General in Frankfurt and jointly organized with Chinese and European partners, recognizes corporate best practices in environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. This year's event brought together government officials, business leaders and exper
Access Advance Welcomes Samsung and Sharp to the VVC Advance Patent Pool6.7.2026 02:00:00 CEST | Press release
Access Advance LLC today announced significant additions to the VVC Advance Patent Pool, including Samsung Electronics and Sharp Corporation joining as both Licensors and Licensees. The additions strengthen Access Advance's position in VVC licensing, bringing two of the world's largest video codec patent holders into the program on both sides of the license. "The growth we are seeing in VVC Advance reflects the broad range of industries and companies that are moving toward VVC as the next standard for video delivery," said Peter Moller, CEO of Access Advance. "Samsung and Sharp joining as both Licensors and Licensees is significant, but so is the participation of leading smartphone brands and the range of consumer electronics and technology companies now executing licenses. We are building a program that reflects where the video market is actually heading." The following companies have joined the VVC Advance Patent Pool as Licensees since the beginning of 2026: American Future Technolo
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom