Frazier Life Sciences, the Palo Alto-based investment firm specializing in innovative therapeutics, has made two exciting additions to its leadership team.
Mitchell H. Gold, M.D., and Stanford L. Peng, M.D., Ph.D., have been appointed as Venture Partners, bringing with them impressive backgrounds in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.
Dr. Gold’s Track Record in Biotech Innovation
Dr. Gold joins Frazier Life Sciences after a distinguished career leading successful biotech companies.
He recently served as the Co-Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman of Alpine Immune Sciences (Nasdaq: ALPN), where Frazier Life Sciences was involved in the company’s Series A financing.
Under Dr. Gold’s leadership, Alpine Immune Sciences grew from its early stages to a major success, culminating in a $4.9 billion acquisition by Vertex Pharmaceuticals in May 2024.
Before his time at Alpine Immune Sciences, Dr. Gold founded Alpine Biosciences, a privately held company focused on developing new treatments for cancer and rare diseases. Alpine Biosciences was sold to Cascadian Therapeutics in 2014, which was later acquired by Seagen. Dr. Gold holds an M.D.
from Rush Medical College and completed his urology residency at the University of Washington Medical Center.
He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Peng’s Expertise in Drug Discovery and Clinical Development
Dr. Peng brings a wealth of experience in drug discovery, clinical development, and biotech leadership to his new role at Frazier Life Sciences.
Before joining the firm, he served as President and Head of Research and Development at Alpine Immune Sciences, where he was responsible for the discovery and clinical introduction of multiple drug candidates, including povetacicept, which eventually attracted Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Peng has held leadership roles at Seagen, Roche, and Stemcentrx, and has academic experience at institutions such as the Benaroya Research Institute and Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Peng earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Music and Biological Sciences from Stanford University.
He also holds an M.D. and Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
He further honed his expertise with a clinical and research fellowship in rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Peng continues to practice as a rheumatologist.
Frazier Life Sciences: A Global Leader in Biopharmaceutical Investments
Frazier Life Sciences is known for its global investment strategy in both private and publicly traded companies that specialize in the discovery, development, and commercialization of biopharmaceuticals.
With more than $3.9 billion in managed capital, the firm invests through its Venture Funds, which focus on creating new companies and supporting private biotech firms.
Additionally, it operates a Public Fund that focuses on small and mid-cap public companies in the biopharmaceutical sector.
This move to bring in Dr. Gold and Dr. Peng strengthens Frazier Life Sciences’ ability to drive innovation in the industry and supports its commitment to discovering transformative therapies.