GSK names biochemist, venture capitalist to lead its VC unit SR One

GlaxoSmithKline‘s (NYSE:GSK) venture capital arm SR One has a new president.  Jens Eckstein  will replace […]

GlaxoSmithKline‘s (NYSE:GSK) venture capital arm SR One has a new president

Jens Eckstein  will replace Christoph Westphal, who is leaving GSK at the end of the year to focus on business interests, including the Longwood Founder’s Fund, a venture capital fund that counts GSK among its investors. 

London-based GSK has its U.S. headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. SR One invests globally in emerging life sciences companies. Since 1985, SR One has invested more than $650 million in 140 companies.  U.S. portfolio companies include Scynexis, an RTP-based drug discovery and development company that counts Merck (NYSE:MRK), Roche (OTC:RHHBY) and Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:SNY) among its drug partners. 

Eckstein is trained as a biochemist. He comes to SR One from TVM Capital  where he has worked since 2004. As a general partner in that firm’s life sciences practice, he focused on early stage investments. Earlier this year, Eckstein became venture partner at TVM and was interim CEO and president of SelectX Pharmaceuticals. Before TVM Capital, Eckstein worked at Enanta Pharmaceuticals and Mitotix. 

Eckstein will take his new post at SR One on Oct. 1 and reportto GSK’s R&D Chairman Moncef Slaoui. He will be based in Boston.

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