BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Third Rock Ventures, LLC, a venture capital firm focused on building life sciences companies, today announced that Ben C. Askew, Jr., Ph.D., has joined Third Rock as an entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR). As an EIR, Dr. Askew will provide strategic input on new and existing portfolio companies.
“We are excited to bring Ben on board and to leverage his experience and knowledge,” said Kevin Starr, partner of Third Rock Ventures. “As we continue to build our team of experts, we believe Ben’s background in designing and developing selective kinase inhibitors will be a tremendous asset to current and potential portfolio companies, and bring added expertise to Third Rock in these areas.”
Dr. Askew has more than 20 years of experience in senior research positions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, where he specialized in building high functioning medicinal chemistry organizations, designing selective kinase inhibitors and developing drugs against GPCRs, nuclear receptors, integrin antagonists and protease inhibitors. In 2005, Dr. Askew joined the EMD Serono Research Institute, where he most recently served as vice president of research, global head of new chemical entities (NCE) technologies. Prior to joining Serono, Dr. Askew held escalating positions of seniority at Amgen and Merck. He holds a B.A. from Gannon University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Third Rock team and have the opportunity to play an integral role in the important science coming out of its portfolio companies,” said Dr. Askew. “I truly believe that Third Rock’s portfolio companies have the knowledge, innovation and support to develop new and better treatments for patients, and I look forward to helping make this a reality.”
About Third Rock Ventures
Third Rock Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2007 with the mission to launch transformative life sciences companies. With more than $800 million and two funds under management, the firm is focused on working with passionate entrepreneurs to build exceptional companies working in areas of disruptive science that will make a difference in the lives of patients. The firm has assembled a team with deep expertise and a proven track record of building respected and successful life sciences companies. With decades of complementary, cross-functional operational and leadership experience, the Third Rock team actively engages with its portfolio companies to provide hands-on strategy and experience to successfully launch companies with the best vision, science, operations, people and culture. With offices in Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA, Third Rock is well positioned geographically to closely collaborate with its portfolio companies to achieve their goals. To learn more about Third Rock and its portfolio companies, please visit www.thirdrockventures.com.
Current Third Rock Portfolio Companies
Ablexis, Afferent Pharmaceuticals, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Eli Lilly & Co. in 2010), bluebird bio, Blueprint Medicines, Constellation Pharmaceuticals, CytomX Therapeutics, DC Devices, Edimer Pharmaceuticals, Eleven Biotherapeutics, Foundation Medicine, Kala Pharmaceuticals, Lotus Tissue Repair, Nine Point Medical, PanOptica Pharmaceuticals, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Seventh Sense Biosystems, Taris Biomedical and Zafgen.
CONTACT:
Pure Communications, Inc.
Dan Budwick, 973-271-6085
KEYWORDS: United States North America Massachusetts
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Biotechnology Pharmaceutical Professional Services Finance
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