Managing Directors
Partners
Principals/Advisors

Office: South San Francisco, CA

Executive Assistant:
Christine Esguerra

(650) 238-5055

Kurt C. Wheeler
Managing Director

Kurt Wheeler has been Managing Director of Clarus Ventures since the firm’s inception in 2005. Prior to Clarus, Mr. Wheeler was a General Partner at MPM Capital, a healthcare venture capital firm. He has over 25 years of direct investment and industry experience within the healthcare sector.

Mr. Wheeler was founder and CEO of InControl (NASDAQ:INCL), a medical device company sold to Guidant. Prior to founding InControl he was a Principal with the Mayfield Fund focused on healthcare investing. Mr. Wheeler began his career with Elli Lilly & Co.

Mr. Wheeler holds a BA from Brigham Young University, and a MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School.

Mr. Wheeler represents Clarus Ventures on the Board of Directors of Globus, Flowonix, SFJ, and Zogenix (NASDAQ:ZGNX). In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Cardiac Dimensions.

Previous directorships include Hemosense (AMEX:HEM) acquired by Inverness Medical, Intrathrerapeutics acquired by Sulzer Medica, Eyetech Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:EYET), SenoRx (NASDAQ:SENO) acquired by CR Bard, Neuromed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ZLCS), and Somaxon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SOMX).

 

Clarus Board Seats

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Public
Team: Nicholas J. Simon
Kurt C. Wheeler
Michele Park

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHN)

Achillion is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel, small molecule inhibitors targeting infectious disease. Pipeline programs include a first-in-class HCV replicase inhibitor partnered with Gilead and an HCV protease inhibitor. Additional drug candidates target treatment of HIV and bacterial infections.

Achillion Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Private
Team: Kurt C. Wheeler
Dennis Henner
Emmett Cunningham

Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Aerie Pharmaceuticals is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel treatments for glaucoma. Aerie’s internal research and development engine has generated an innovative glaucoma pipeline. In addition to AR-12286, the Company’s Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, the pipeline includes AR-13165, a novel product candidate with a dual mechanism of action that represents the first of a new proprietary class of glaucoma drugs. AR-13165 is currently in preclinical, IND-enabling studies.

Aerie Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Private
Team: Kurt C. Wheeler
Dennis Henner
Emmett Cunningham

FerroKin Biosciences, Inc. acquired by Shire Plc. in March 2012

FerroKin Biosciences Inc., a San Carlos, Calif.-based company, is developing an iron chelator for the treatment of iron-overload in patients with transfusion-dependent hereditary and acquired refractory anemias. Clarus Ventures has co-invested with Burrill & Co. and Celgene Inc.

Ferrokin Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Medical Device
Status: Private
Team: Robert W. Liptak
Kurt C. Wheeler
Emmett Cunningham

Flowonix Medical

Flowonix Medical is focused on developing better treatment options for the 75 million Americans in chronic pain, more than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.  Our first product for delivery of intrathecal medication, the Prometra® programmable implantable pump, is undergoing clinical trials.  Flowonix is headquartered in Mount Olive, NJ.

Flowonix Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences I, L.P.
Sector: Medical Device
Status: Public
Team: Robert W. Liptak
Kurt C. Wheeler

Globus Medical, Inc. (NYSE:GMED)

Globus Medical, Inc. is focused on the development of products that enable spine surgeons to employ both fusion and non-fusion solutions to promote healing in patients with spinal disorders. Today Globus is one of the fastest growing spinal implant companies in the world and a recognized leader in the development of motion sparing technology.

Globus Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Public
Team: Scott Requadt
Nicholas J. Simon
Kurt C. Wheeler
Dennis Henner

Intercept Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ICPT)

Intercept is focused on the development and commercialization of novel, small molecule therapeutics to treat chronic liver disease by leveraging its expertise in bile acid chemistry.  Its lead candidate, obaticholic acid (OCA), is an FXR agonist that is currently in pivotal trials for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), a chronic autoimmune liver disease.  OCA has received orphan designation for PBC in both the US and Europe.  OCA is also being evaluated in an NIH-sponsored trial for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Intercept Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Medical Device
Status: Private
Team: Kurt C. Wheeler
Emmett Cunningham

Neomend, Inc. acquired by Bard, Inc. in October 2012

Neomend, Inc. based in Irvine, CA has developed advanced surgical sealant, adhesion barrier, and applicator technologies based on its proprietary protein and polymer based hydrogel platform. Targeted surgical procedures include thoracic, spine, gynecology and general surgery. The company's initial product, ProGELTM Pleural Air Leak Sealant, has received FDA PMA approval and is the only indicated surgical sealant in the U.S. for sealing lung air leaks in thoracic surgery. ProGEL showed statistically significant reductions in intra-operative air leaks and length of hospital stay days in the PMA trial.

Neomend Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences I, L.P.
Sector: Diagnostics & Tools
Status: Private
Team: Scott Requadt
Michael Steinmetz
Kurt C. Wheeler

Oxford Immunotec, Ltd.

Oxford Immunotec Ltd develops and sells clinical diagnostic products based on its patented, regulatory approved T-SPOT® technology. T-SPOT is a novel platform technology that opens up new ways of diagnosing and monitoring infections by providing a simple and extremely accurate method of studying a person’s cellular immune response to an infection. Oxford Immunotec’s first product T-SPOT®.TB, is a revolutionary new blood test for diagnosing Tuberculosis infection, offering unmatched sensitivity.

Oxford Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences I, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Private
Team: Nicholas J. Simon
Kurt C. Wheeler
Emmett Cunningham

Pearl Therapeutics, Inc.

Pearl Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately-held company focused on improving the treatment and prevention of widely prevalent respiratory disorders.  Pearl has licensed a suite of particle technologies from Nektar Therapeutics, Inc. to rapidly advance their product candidates through development.

Pearl Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Medical Device
Status: Private
Team: Kurt C. Wheeler
Emmett Cunningham

Restoration Robotics, Inc.

Restoration Robotics, Inc., a privately held medical device company, is dedicated to revolutionizing the field of hair transplantation by developing and commercializing a state-of-the-art image-guided system (ARTAS™ System) that enables follicular unit extraction.

Restoration Robotics Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences II, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Private
Team: Robert W. Liptak
Kurt C. Wheeler
Michele Park

SFJ Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

SFJ Pharmaceuticals (SanFrancisco/Japan) serves as a clinical development specialty pharma company with a focus on obtaining product approval in Japan. Targeted candidates for development in Japan are low risk compounds that are already approved or have a high likelihood of approval in the US with projected Japan annual sales in excess of $100M. To date, SFJ has entered definitive agreements with two major global pharma companies to fund Phase 3 trials for oncology assets. Pre-determined milestone payments to SFJ shall be received on approval of the asset in pre-specified countries.

SFJ Pharmaceuticals Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences I, L.P.
Sector: Medical Device
Status: Private
Team: Nicholas J. Simon
Kurt C. Wheeler
Michele Park

Sientra, Inc.

Sientra is a private medical device company focused on developing and marketing a broad portfolio of products within the rapidly growing plastic surgery and aesthetics market. In April 2007, Sientra secured $85 million in a Series B financing co-led by Clarus Ventures.

Sientra Website

Fund: Clarus Lifesciences I, L.P.
Sector: Biotechnology
Status: Public
Team: Kurt C. Wheeler
Michele Park
Emmett Cunningham

Zogenix, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZGNX)

Zogenix, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of medicines to treat CNS disorders and pain. Zogenix’ initial focus is the late-stage development and commercialization of Intraject® sumatriptan -- a needle-free, single-use, disposable, subcutaneous delivery system that will compete in the $2.5 billion triptan segment of the migraine market.  In August, 2006, Zogenix secured $60 million in a financing co-led by Clarus Ventures.

Zogenix Website