Being a life science founder is demanding under any circumstances, but if you don’t align with the traditional image of a founder—typically white and male—you’re confronted with myriad additional obstacles.
In our new Female Founder Exchange Series, we will be asking seasoned life science CEOs to name the three biggest challenges (personal and/or professional) that they have encountered or are encountering by virtue of being a female leader and share what they did or are doing to overcome them.
These sessions are a forum for confidential exchange. They are not recorded.
Marina Udier, PhD is the CEO of Nouscom. During her 4-year tenure as the CEO, she lead the company through multiple IND/CTA submissions (lead asset is in Ph2), a Pharma deal, and most recently a successful private financing. Prior to Nouscom, Marina was an operating Principal with Versant Ventures, the founding investor of Nouscom. Prior to Versant, Marina was at Novartis Pharma in Basel in senior development and commercial roles.
Marina spent 5 years with McKinsey & Company in Chicago, working with Healthcare Fortune 500 companies in areas of marketing, strategy and pricing.
Marina received her PhD in Chemistry from Yale University. She authored peer reviewed publications covering HIV/AIDS research.
Nouscom is a Basel-based clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing off-the-shelf and personalized viral vector-based cancer vaccines targeting neoantigens, completed its Series C equity financing raising €67.5 million (CHF65 million) from a syndicate of renowned international healthcare investors. New specialist European and US life sciences investors joined existing investors: The Series C round was co-led by Andera Partners, Bpifrance(through its InnoBio 2 fund) and M Ventures, with participation from Revelation Partners, Indaco Venture Partners, Panakès Partners, XGen Venture, and other undisclosed investors together with continued support from existing investors 5AM Ventures, EQT Life Sciences and Versant Ventures. Concurrent with the financing, representatives from Andera Partners, Bpifrance and M Ventures have joined the Nouscom Board of Directors.