Stonehaven Incubate launches at Boston Summit: Dr Mark Heffernan appointed CEO

7th March, 2018

Stonehaven Incubate will be officially launched at the Human Biotech and Animal Health Business Partnering Summit in Boston on 12th March, when the company’s newly appointed CEO, Dr Mark Heffernan, will be presenting this exciting new venture while the company also sponsors a networking drinks reception at the Hilton Dedham Hotel.

Stonehaven Incubate is a vehicle for human health companies to work with experienced executives to be able to expand their innovations into the animal health sector. With the animal health market estimated to grow between five and six per cent per annum and be worth in excess of US$30 billion by 2020, Dr Heffernan believes there is a growing need for innovation in a consolidating animal health industry. As a result, animal health companies are becoming more reliant on external innovators, with human health biotechs pioneering much of the disruptive technology.

However, he says that human health start-ups with potential animal health-related technologies often require the specialised animal health experience, networks or insights to be able to successfully fund, develop, and ultimately exit the business.

Stonehaven Incubate provides support across all these areas and draws on the global network and resources of its parent company, Stonehaven Holdings AG. Dr Heffernan himself also brings extensive experience of product development and capital-raising for both human and animal health companies.

“We are particularly excited to launch this unique start-up business model for new animal health companies at the inaugural Human Biotech and Animal Health Business Partnering Summit,” says Dr Heffernan. “The event’s strong attendance by both human and animal health companies represents an exciting new era for innovation in animal health, and we are pleased to be a sponsor. We will harness this opportunity to engage with potential partners, while also building awareness of our capabilities in this developing market.”

Dr Heffernan was the founding CEO and board director at NASDAQ-listed animal health monoclonal antibody company Nexvet Biopharma plc from 2011-2017, and co-founder of an Irish biotechnology company, Opsona Therapeutics, focused on therapeutics for human inflammatory diseases and oncology from 2003-2011. He will be presenting at the Human Biotech and Animal Health Business Partnering Summit at 4.50pm on 12th March, where he will outline to delegates the opportunities he sees for human health companies wishing to successfully develop a spin-off into the animal health sector. This will be followed by a drinks reception at 5pm.

ends

Notes to editor:

Dr Mark Heffernan will be speaking at the Human Biotech and Animal Health Business Partnering Summit in Boston on 12th March, where he will officially launch Stonehaven Incubate. Formed in February 2018, Stonehaven Incubate is headquartered in Switzerland.

Its parent company, Stonehaven Holdings AG, was founded in 2015 by George Gunn, former CEO of Novartis AH.

For more information contact Sue Milne-Bennett at Garnett Keeler PR on +44 (0)20 8647 4467 or sue.milnebennett@garnettkeeler.com

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