About Us

Mitchell H. Finer, PhD.

Managing Partner, Life Sciences Practice

See Life Sciences Services.

Mitchell H. Finer, Ph.D., is a pioneering scientist in the development of cell and gene therapies, as well as a leader in the development and management of biotechnology companies through internal development, mergers, spin-outs, and acquisitions. His expertise spans discovery research through phase III clinical trials, market launch, technology licensing, and raising capital. Mitchell has over two decades of experience focused on the development of recombinant proteins, human monoclonal antibodies, DNA and cell-based therapeutics for cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as infectious and metabolic diseases.

Mitchell served as CEO of Intracel Holdings and Genteric Inc, as Vice President of Research and Development for the Gencell Division of Aventis Pharma (now Sanofi Aventis), and Vice President of Research for Cell Genesys. He is a founder of Avalanche Biotechnologies, Cell Genesys, and Abgenix, and serves as a strategic business and scientific advisor to Advantagene and Colby Pharmaceuticals.

Mitchell's expertise includes reshaping and restructuring of privately held biotechnology companies, as well as advancing product development programs from a pre-clinical state through phase III clinical trials, and regulatory and compliance work with the FDA. He has also negotiated out-licensing arrangements for numerous products, overseen fundraising in excess of over $20M in venture financings, and directed merger and acquisition transactions. Mitchell has managed global discovery and research teams of more than 150 people, as well as conducting his own scientific research, which led to significant improvements in gene delivery vectors currently in clinical use today. As a founder of Cell Genesys, Mitchell developed the company’s first partnered product, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and directed the cloning and assembly work that enabled the creation of the Xenomouse monoclonal antibody platform, developed by Abgenix, which was acquired by Amgen in 2006.

Mitchell received a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Harvard University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, where he undertook pioneering work on retroviral vectors for human gene therapy.

Mitchell is a member of the American Society for Gene Therapy (ASGT) and the holder of more than 15 patents in the U.S. and other countries. He serves on the board of directors for both Advantagene and Avalanche Biotechnologies. He is an avid bicyclist and skier, as well as an amateur astronomer.

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