Genocea Biosciences, a US-based vaccine development company backed by GlaxoSmithkline’s (GSK) corporate venturing division, has hired Chip Clark as chief business officer.
Clark will focus on commercial, business development and venture capital financing at Genocea. He previously held a similar role at Vanda Pharmaceuticals, which completed a licensing deal with pharmaceuticals company Novartis worth $200m upfront plus $265m in additional milestones, and raised more than $220m in multiple public and private financings, including from corporate venturing unit MedImmune Ventures, before its parent’s acquisition by AstraZeneca.
Previously, Clark was a principal at Care Capital, a venture capital firm that invested in Vanda and spent 10 years at SmithKline Beecham (now part of GSK).
In February last year, Genocea raised a $23m series A round led by GSK’s SR One, and venture capital firms Auriga Partners, Cycad Group, and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Lux Capital Management, Polaris Venture Partners and Morningside Ventures. Lux and Polaris had provided initial, undisclosed funding to Genocea in December 2006.