Karen Hong
Partner at Novo Ventures
Karen Hong
Partner at Novo Ventures
Boston, Massachusetts
Overview
Work Experience
Partner
2019 - Current
Novo Holdings is recognized as a world-leading life science investor with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Ventures is a global team of investment professionals employed by Novo affiliates that supports Novo Holdings’ investments in private, public and structured product opportunities in the life sciences industry.
Board Member
2019
Cyteir, a private company based in Lexington, Mass., is an innovator in DNA repair, developing the next generation of synthetic lethal therapies designed to treat cancer. Cyteir exploits the synthetic lethality of gain-of-function DNA-damaging genes and DNA repair inhibition, resulting in selective death among cells with high levels of DNA damage.
Senior Investment Director, Takeda Ventures, Inc.
2017 - 2019
Takeda Ventures, Inc. (TVI) is the corporate venture group of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, founded in 2001 with the vision of generating therapeutic advances for patients through venture-based partnerships. TVI invests in an array of therapeutic areas including oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous systems disorders.
Board Director
2011 - 2016
Clarus is a men's specialty pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing JATENZO, the first and only FDA-approved oral testosterone undecanoate for testosterone replacement therapy.
Board Director
2006 - 2016
Agile Therapeutics is a women's healthcare company dedicated to fulfilling the unmet health needs of today’s women. Agile's initial product, Twirla®, (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) transdermal system is a non-daily prescription contraceptive.
Partner
2001 - 2016
ProQuest Investments is a healthcare dedicated venture fund with ~$900M under management. ProQuest invests across development stage from pre-clinical to marketed products with a focus on therapeutic drugs and devices. Partner 2013-2016 Principal 2004-2012 Associate 2001-2004
Board Observer
2004 - 2010
Due diligence lead and board observer for Gloucester Pharmaceuticals, a venture backed oncology company developing Romidepsin (brand name Istodax), an HDAC inhibitor for CTCL and PTCL. Acquired by Celgene at approval in 2010.