Kevin McBribe

Board Member

2024 - Current

General Partner & CSO

2023

Partner & CSO

2017 - 2022

Excited and ready for the challenge of being a Partner in our second AmorChem fund!

Vice President, Research

2015 - 2017

VP Research in an early stage life science venture capital fund. Hands-on day-to-day coordination and management of roughly half of AmorChem's portfolio projects, and increasingly involved in business development aspects as those projects mature. On top of the day job, additionally acts as curator of the Twitter account of @AmorChem and publishes a weekly blog on venture capital in a life science world!

Director, Project Management

2013 - 2015

AmorChem is the fourth fund raised at GeneChem and represents $41.25M of committed capital that is focused on the commercialization of life science research carried out in Quebec universities and research centres. The novel approach of AmorChem is to invest in discovery level projects to enable them to reach preclinical proof-of-concept at which point the assets will ideally be sold to large biotech/pharmaceutical companies that have the resources necessary to further develop them for the marketplace. Involved in assessment of and diligence on candidate technologies, presentation of investment opportunities to the AmorChem investment committee, managing funded projects from maturation plan set-up through to completion, and contribution to business development aspects throughout.

CEO

2021

Member Board Of Directors

2020

Associate at Creative Destruction Lab - Toronto

2019

Board Member

2018

Scientific Consultant (Preclinical development program)

2009 - 2012

Scientific input and oversight for various aspects of IND-enabling studies to develop two drug candidate assets (one CNS, one dyslipidemia) for Phase I clinical study in man. Contract negotiation and project management with partner CROs, and assistance with preparation of presentations to management/board.

Scientific Consultant for development of novel CNS drug candidate

2008 - 2009

Based on scientific expertise and prior business dealings with personnel at this company, I was invited to come on board and assist/advise on transitioning of a new CNS (Alzheimer's disease) drug candidate into their development pipeline.

Scientific & Business Development Consultant

2007 - 2008

Invited to move premises to downtown offices of a local VC agency (T2C2) to continue the business development activities surrounding two preclinical stage assets - one in the CNS segment, the other in fibrosis. Fulfilled scientific reporting/oral presentations required by the revenue agencies for return of tax credits for the previous two fiscal years. Scientific due diligence coordinator during negotiations on the CNS asset which ultimately closed in sale of this asset to a US biopharma.

Program Director

2005 - 2008

Leadership and direction of preclinical development program for a novel CNS (Alzheimer's) disease candidate therapeutic. Set-up and management of all sub-teams, meetings chairperson, documentation and follow-up on action items . Reported directly to the CEO and made significant contributions at the board level, in maintaining buy-in and increasing levels of fiscal support for the development program. Wrote the management and board approved drug development plan and was responsible for identifying partner CROs, and contractual negotiations and ongoing progress monitoring. Recognized as the lead senior project manager in the company. Management and stakeholders expanded the role considerably to include representing the company at the board level, with the CEO, due to routine outstanding communication skills and scientific rigor. Additionally, achieved excellence in initiation and development of new business relationships with bigger pharma executives, for the CNS program. A solid period of business development led to serious interest in our program and ultimately resulted in the outright sale of the drug candidate and intellectual property surrounding it, to a US-based biopharma.

Group Leader

2003 - 2005

Responsible for driving a discovery team working in the age-dependent disease segment. Came up with a new screen at company start-up that found the HIT (inside two months) that was the foundation of the company's business moving forward. My program was the number one funded program at Chronogen throughout its existence. Project manager for collaboration with outsourced medicinal chemistry provider, including chairing steering committee meetings and documentation of all ongoing research. Expertise in knowledge transfer and translation to a more general audience, at various board meetings. General laboratory management responsibility.

Scientific Director

2001 - 2003

Responsible for scientific team leadership at two distinct R&D sites (BRI and HMR). Personally identified the mouse/human gene of interest to the company, prior to commencing actual employment. Set-up of molecular biology lab and team at BRI. Significantly improved staff performances and raised the profile of the company via cutting edge research output, to a point where an offer-to-purchase was made by a larger local biotech company.