Newswise — BOSTON, Sept. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Benu BioPharma announced today the establishment of Benu BioVentures, a new biopharmaceutical investment initiative to fund and develop preclinical stage pharmaceutical investments to the human proof-of-concept stage. Leveraging Benu BioPharma's management expertise in technology commercialization and pharmaceutical development, Benu BioVentures is creating and financing virtual companies that will develop candidate drugs in a cost and time efficient manner. Funding activities will focus on product candidates with strong animal data and a clear regulatory path that address unmet medical needs. Benu BioVentures is led by Dennis Goldberg, Ph.D., FAHA and Fred Meyer, Ph.D., CFA, both recognized biopharmaceutical serial entrepreneurs.

According to Dennis Goldberg, Co-Founder and Partner, "With our clinical, regulatory and corporate development capabilities, we can offer founders a unique solution to the current funding gap for product focused start-ups. We collaborate with founders to move their drug candidates into the clinic and then partner with a large pharma or biotech company to complete development."

Bios

Dennis Goldberg, Ph.D., FAHA

Dennis Goldberg is a biotechnology and pharmaceutical drug development executive and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in these industries, ranging from drug discovery at a Fortune 25 pharmaceutical company to President and CEO of multiple "virtual" biotechnology companies. He is President and co-founder of Benu BioPharma, a biotechnology product development management and consulting firm. Benu currently provides full management services for two virtual biotech companies.

Fred Meyer, Ph.D., CFA

Fred Meyer specializes in strategy, finance, and business development within life science industries. Over the past 16 years, he co-founded Artisan Pharma, Exponential Pharma Partners, and LipimetiX Development, where he currently supports business development. At Apeiron Partners, he provided strategic advice to early and mid-stage ventures, designed and implemented financings, key technology licenses, and partnership deals for clients. Fred previously performed biotechnology equity research at Needham & Company and business development for the portfolio companies of Schooner Capital.

About Benu BioVentures (www.benubio.com)

Benu BioVentures, based in Natick, Massachusetts, utilizes a virtual company model to move validated candidate drugs into the clinic and establish human safety and efficacy. The experienced development team collaboratively works with founders to demonstrate human proof of concept in a cost and time efficient program. Benu focuses on creating a data package that will be sufficient to license/partner with larger companies, who will be responsible for completing clinical development and marketing developed drugs. Benu BioVentures is actively seeking opportunities in human biopharmaceuticals.

About Benu BioPharma (www.benubio.com)

Benu BioPharma is a biopharmaceutical development management and consulting company, that provides the essential functional expertise for drug development with the efficiency, nimbleness and speed that is critical to success for an entrepreneurial organization. The company is based in Natick, Massachusetts.

CONTACT: Benu BioVentures, Fred Meyer, Ph.D., CFA, Partner, [email protected], (508) 651-3700

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