NISHAN DE SILVA

Nishan de Silva, M.D., M.B.A. has more than 25 years’ experience in strategy, finance and operations spanning management consulting, private equity investing and C-suite

operational and Board of Director roles in public and private venture capital-backed

biopharmaceutical businesses.

Dr. de Silva began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where most recently as an Engagement Manager he led project teams in addressing critical strategic issues facing senior management in Fortune 500 healthcare companies. He then spent eight years as a private equity investor at Warburg Pincus, the oldest private equity firm in the country. Dr. de Silva most recently served as Principal, negotiating, structuring, evaluating and leading multiple $30-100M investments in biopharmaceutical companies, with a focus on oncology, and serving on their Boards of Directors. For the next 12 years, he held C-suite executive roles in public and private, venture-capital-backed small-medium biotechnology companies. His positions include Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy for a $2B market cap public biotechnology company (Ligand Pharmaceuticals), and Chief Executive Officer and Acting Chief Financial Officer for two private venture capital-backed companies (Radionetics Oncology and AFYX Therapeutics).

Two of Dr. de Silva’s operating companies have been acquired, including Poseida

Therapeutics (by Roche for up to $1.5B), where Dr. de Silva started as the second employee and served as President & Chief Operating Officer, overseeing all operations outside of early-stage research. Ligand grew from $200M to $2B market capitalization during his tenure and remains a successful ~$2B+ market capitalization public company. Radionetics Oncology announced a strategic agreement with Eli Lilly for a $140M upfront payment and exclusive acquisition right for $1B.

He currently focuses on leveraging his diverse set of experiences to advise small-medium life science businesses on management, growth and exit strategy. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Cartesian Therapeutics, a public late-stage biotechnology company, where he is a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees, and a previous member of the Science & Technology Committee. He also serves as an Advisor and Investment Advisory Group member for Desert Forge Ventures, an early-stage focused venture capital fund.

Dr. de Silva graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Harvard University, and received his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, as well as an M.B.A. degree with Distinction from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.