ANAGENEX Case study

Anagenex is a pre-clinical biotechnology innovator advancing drug discovery through its small molecule (directed evolution) platform. The company’s unique ML-driven technology enables Anagenex to discover first-in-class and best-in-class small molecule medicines addressing historically intractable targets.

CHALLENGE

Anagenex had relatively little in the way of organizational structure or funding in place when Occam was engaged. The task was to help create a framework around which first time CEO, Nicolas Tilmans, could begin to realize his scientific ambitions to disrupt the way small molecule drugs are discovered at scale. At the same time we provided him with strategic guidance around board construction.

SOLUTION

In parallel, Occam successfully executed along both axes, recruiting a Board Chair as well as an operational heavyweight to lead all DEL creation. In Tito Serafini, Nicolas captured for his board an established scientifically trained biotech CEO who had been through the same company-building exercise as Nicolas found himself in the midst of. At the same time, Occam provided a strategic perspective on organizational development. In Joe Franklin, an R&D operational heavyweight, Nicolas found an anchor around which he was able to then scale the infrastructure of Anagenex.

Both recruitments enabled Tillmans to focus on fundraising, and he subsequently closed a $50M A round from blue chip investors in an austere financing environment. Occam then capitalized on the momentum to recruit an established entrepreneurial drug hunter as CSO in Ryan Kruger, a Nimbus alum, thereby positioning the company on an accelerated trajectory towards the clinic.