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SUMAN LAL / My Interests

I partner with independent inventors and academic/research scientists to develop early stage ideas/concepts, raise the initial funding, form high quality teams and create series-A investment ready entities. My focus is on value creation and capture, and on rewarding the inventors of the technology and the early stage founders. I enjoy working in the 0 to 1 phase of building a product/company - a niche with its own challenges and characteristics.

My current interests are in the area of drug discovery and development. I am fortunate to be working closely with, and learning from, a group of highly experienced advisors, mentors, investors and fellow entrepreneurs in this space.

I did my MD in clinical medicine from Mahatma Gandhi University in India, MSc in human genetics and PhD in pharmacogenetics/personalized medicine/oncology from the National University of Singapore, and completed my MBA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Sloan Fellow with a focus on innovation and global leadership.

Portfolio

DeckTherapeutics, Inc

I worked with Dr Richard Deckelbaum, Director of the Institute of Human Nutrition, Robert R Williams Professor of Nutrition and Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology at Columbia University to create DeckTherapeutics, Inc. The company has built a strong IP portfolio around a novel, semi-synthetic omega-3 glyceride emulsion platform and developed the lead drug candidate THDG3 for treatment of acute hypoxic ischemic organ injuries. Acute, IV injection of THDG3 emulsion results in up-to 90% reduction in brain injuries and preservation of both short term and long term functional outcomes. After serving as the founding CEO for 1.5 years, I recruited a high caliber team - Board, SAB and CEO Soren Weis Dahl (formerly CEO of Prophylix, acquired by RallyBio) and transitioned to an operations role, working with the team to raise capital from highly sophisticated and experienced institutional investors to develop DeckTherapeutics as a signature company in the field of acute omega-3 therapeutics.

Working Together

If you are an early stage founder or academic research scientist currently engaged in drug discovery and development, I will help you commercialize your invention. I will work closely with you on matters related to technology licensing from the University, company incorporation and structuring (equity distribution and roles of the founding team members), preparing investment presentations and business plans, crafting the intellectual property strategy, and crystallizing the business opportunity to present to potential investors (angel as well as institutional). I invest occasionally, and sometimes take on an interim CEO role while assisting the founders in recruiting a high caliber leadership team to build the company to the next stage.

If you excel at execution & operations, strategy development and/or M&A, and are interested in taking operational roles (CEO,COO, BD) in series-A stage companies in exchange for equity+cash compensation, please get in touch. I am also seeking a colleague/assistant who can work with me (part-time, virtual) in the area of company creation. Ideally you’d have a background in life sciences research and/or clinical medicine, strong interest in entrepreneurship, an ability to multi-task and excellent communication skills.

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