ABOUT US
Current Kiniciti Operating Companies Include:
Cellistic’s goal is to meet a distinct and increasingly important market need: To develop novel iPSC-based manufacturing technologies that give therapeutic developers access to the scale they need to make their cell therapies a reality. And as they achieve their objectives, so, too, will the patients who depend on access to more affordable, effective cell therapies to treat their severe conditions.
For the past decade at Ncardia, the team has collaborated with a broad array of clients to forge ahead their drug discovery programs for cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Throughout that process, they’ve leveraged human iPSC products and services to increase their probability of downstream success in the discovery and development of new therapies. Ncardia leans into advanced technology to provide the right solutions: high-quality cells, relevant screening assays and robust iPSC differentiation processes for drug discovery and regenerative medicine.
Kiniciti Leadership Team
The core Kiniciti team has a proven track record for helping life science companies scale and deliver compelling customer value.
Geoffrey Glass | Founding CEO
Geoff has spent more than 25 years helping lead services and therapeutic companies in the Life Sciences sector. Having started his career in EY’s consulting practice, Geoff spent nearly 10 years running major accounts and practice areas for the firm. At Valeant (now Bausch Health), Geoff served on the executive team for nearly five years, first as CIO and then running the company’s Asia business. In 2009, he was recruited to help lead the turn-around of Patheon. During a seven-year tenure at Patheon, Geoff had leadership of key functions that included Strategy, Corporate Development, Sales, Marketing, Pricing and Contracting, and concluded his tenure as the President of the Banner Life Sciences division. He has also served as the CEO of Sancilio Pharmaceuticals and worked with many Private Equity groups, including as an Operating Partner at LongueVue Capital. In addition to leading Kiniciti, Geoff also currently serves as the Chairman of Avadel Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AVDL).
Jason Conner | Chief Strategy Officer
Jason has spent more than two decades serving high-growth companies in Life Sciences, with experiences ranging from corporate development, strategic planning and venture-capital investing to providing strategic legal advice on mergers and acquisitions, financings, public offerings, development deals and commercial transactions. He most recently served the pharma services businesses of Thermo Fisher Scientific as Group Vice President, Strategy and General Counsel, joining that business as part of the acquisition of Patheon Inc., a leading global CDMO. Jason served these businesses for more than 10 years. Jason has also spent a decade in private legal practice, specializing in financings, M&A, strategic transactions and general corporate practice for companies in the life sciences industry. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and began his career in business development and strategy for Becton Dickinson.
Chad Hooper | Vice President, Corporate Development
Chad has spent the last decade supporting industry-leading pharma services companies, with a focus on corporate development activities, including leading mergers and acquisitions and venture capital investments, driving partnerships, and establishing and executing multi-year growth strategies. Chad most recently served the clinical research group of Thermo Fisher Scientific as Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy, joining that business as part of the acquisition of PPD Inc., a leading CRO. Prior to PPD, Chad served in a similar capacity at Patheon Inc., a leading global CDMO. Chad is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and began his career in investment banking at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and then Edgeview Partners.
Kiniciti Advisory Board
Members of Kiniciti’s Advisory Board offer their unique perspectives and specialized expertise across the Cell and Gene Therapy ecosystem as we evaluate and execute on investment opportunities, including insights into technology developments, process science and regulatory trends.
Denis Bedoret, Ph.D. | CEO, Imcyse
Denis Bedoret, Ph.D., is CEO of Imcyse, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of active, specific immunotherapies for the treatment of severe, chronic autoimmune diseases. Prior to Imcyse, Dr. Bedoret was CEO at MaSTherCell SA, Belgium and president of MaSTherCell Global Inc., U.S., for four years. Under his leadership, the company expanded significantly, becoming a leading CDMO in Cell Therapy manufacturing, and was acquired by Catalent Pharma Solutions, Inc. Prior to leading MaSTherCell, Dr. Bedoret held the position of chief operations officer at Quality Assistance S.A., a leading European analytical CRO, where he was also a member of the Board of Directors. Before that, he served as engagement manager at McKinsey & Company, focusing on life science projects. Dr. Bedoret holds a doctorate in Life Sciences from the University of Liège and completed a postdoctoral degree in Immunology at Harvard Medical School.
Andrew Knudten | COO, Jaguar Gene Therapy
Andrew Knudten is Chief Operating Officer at Jaguar Gene Therapy, which is focused on advancing its pipeline of AAV9-based Gene Therapy programs targeting diseases with significant unmet need. Prior to Jaguar Gene Therapy, he was the chief technical officer and head of Technical Operations Strategy at AveXis, Inc., where he led the development and successful commercialization of Zolgensma® from a manufacturing, process development and supply chain perspective. Andrew’s biotechnology career started in 1994 at Amgen, Inc., where he served in a number of leadership roles within Protein Chemistry, Product Development, Finance and Operations. He went on to leadership roles at Novartis, Hospira and other leading companies. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Health from Concordia University, a Master of Science degree in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and a Master of Business Administration degree from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
Kiniciti is a platform company of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS)
Welsh Carson: 40+ Years of Building Healthcare and Technology Leaders
Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS), is the largest private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare and technology industries. Founded in 1979, WCAS has an extensive global network and formidable expertise across the Life Sciences continuum. Thirty-five public healthcare companies can trace their roots to WCAS. A pioneer in the private equity sector, WCAS has a 40-year track record of building strong, sustainable platforms working hand-in-hand with management teams.
For more information on WCAS, please visit: www.wcas.com
Investing in Life Sciences Technology
Biospring Partners is a growth equity firm that invests in healthcare technology. Founded in 2020, Biospring leverages its deep experience in the life sciences and technology industries to support companies that are driving innovation across the healthcare industry and beyond. For more information, visit biospring.com.
Contact us.
We are actively working on growing and developing key partnerships throughout the cell and gene therapy market. Connect with us to explore how our team can support your short- and long-term goals.