LSP announces $280m final closing of life sciences venture fund

LSP (Life Sciences Partners), the European life sciences investment group, has announced the final closing of its new life sciences fund, LSP 5.

The fund surpassed its $170m target and reached the ‘hard cap’ of $280m, making LSP 5 one of the largest life sciences funds in Europe.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr René Kuijten, Managing Partner at LSP, said: 'The basis of this fundraising success is reflective of our strong financial performance as well as meeting the challenges of life sciences investing. This has been recognised by not only large and loyal institutional investors, but also by strategic partners such as the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb, who selected LSP as a partner to identify and invest in European breakthrough technologies. Moreover, the interest from family offices and private investors looking for broad exposure to life sciences in Europe has increased significantly with time.'

The fund has already started to invest, taking positions in nine companies. Examples include Irish medical device company, Neuravi, active in acute ischaemic stroke, Swiss-based immuno-oncology company Nouscom, and Kuros Biosciences, recently listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange and focused on tissue repair and regeneration.

The fund, primarily focused on Europe, will look to invest in around 20 companies across the areas of drug development, medical devices and diagnostics. LSP has helped several well-known life sciences companies to grow and prosper, including Dutch companies Crucell, Merus, Prosensa and Sapiens; Belgian companies argenx and Movetis; German companies Activaero, Jerini and U3 Pharma; Swiss company Okairos and Danish company Zealand Pharma.

Dr Kuijten added: 'The healthcare sector is developing favorably and European science is reaching new heights. There are a lot of opportunities for investment in the sector and we will continue to explore these avenues as we have done in the past.'