Fundraising Fox

Dominik Escher

Investor

Managing Partner at Pureos Bioventures

Zurich, Switzerland

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

About

Dominik Escher is a biotechnology entrepreneur who founded ESBATech in 1998 and served as its CEO until 2016, raising over $90 million in venture capital before the company's acquisition by Alcon for $589 million in 2009. Following Alcon's acquisition by Novartis in 2011, he led ESBATech as part of the Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research, where the company developed antibody fragment therapeutics including Brolucizumab, which received FDA approval for wet age-related macular degeneration in 2019. Escher currently serves as Managing Partner of Pureos Bioventures, Chairman of CDR-Life AG, and Board Member of Adcytherix, and previously served as President of the Swiss Biotech Association from 2013 to 2022.

Experience

  1. AdcytherixBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
  2. Tavo BiotherapeuticsBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
  3. Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering – BIIEChairman of the Board of Trusteescurrent2024 — presentBasel, Switzerland
  4. Swiss Biotech AssociationHonorary Membercurrent2022 — present
  5. Swiss Biotech AssociationPresident2013 — 2022
  6. Swiss Biotech AssociationBoard member and Vice President2002 — 2013
  7. CDR-Life Inc.Chairmancurrent2017 — presentZurich, Switzerland
  8. Pureos BioventuresManaging Partnercurrent2017 — presentZurich, Switzerland
  9. PulseSight TherapeuticsBoard Membercurrent2020 — presentParis, Fort Worth
  10. NovaGo TherapeuticsBoard of Directorscurrent2019 — presentZurich
  11. Topadur Pharma AGBoard Member2017 — 2026Zurich, Switzerland
  12. Araris Biotech AGBoard Member2020 — 2025Zurich, Switzerland
  13. ESBATech, a Novartis company LLCHead ESBATech2009 — 2016
  14. ESBATech, a Novartis company LLCCEO1998 — 2009

Education

  1. University of ZurichPh.D., Molecular Biology1995 — 1999
  2. University of California, San FranciscoMolecular Biology1995
  3. University of ZurichM.S., Molecular Biology1991 — 1995
  4. ETH ZürichMaster, Education1988 — 1992

Skills & more

Immunology13Molecular Biology15Biochemistry12Biotechnology31Lifesciences12Drug Discovery32Clinical Development18Pharmaceutical Industry12Drug Development13Clinical Trials9Clinical Research5Biopharmaceuticals39
+8 moreLife SciencesOncologyCommercializationPatentsCROTechnology TransferPharmacologyProtein Chemistry

From Dominik's professional profile.

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