Frazier Life Sciences Appoints Experienced Biotech Innovator and Global Business Leader, James Li, as Venture Partner

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frazier Life Sciences (FLS), a longstanding investment firm focused on innovative therapeutics, today announced the appointment of James Li, M.D., as a Venture Partner.

“We are thrilled to welcome James to the team,” said Patrick Heron, Managing Partner at FLS. “We believe his deep breadth of experience in launching transformative therapies and navigating cross-border opportunities will add considerable value to our portfolio companies and investment strategies.”

Dr. Li brings over 30 years of biotechnology knowledge with a track record in company building, cross-border leadership and strategic investing. Most recently, as Co-founder and CEO of JW Therapeutics, he transformed the company into a fully integrated, commercial-stage cell therapy leader, launching China’s first domestically developed CAR-T therapy, raising over $520 million which includes a successful IPO in 2020 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Prior to JW Therapeutics, Dr. Li held key leadership roles at Amgen, where he led the company’s expansion into Greater China, and at Merck, where he advanced from bench scientist to leadership roles in clinical research, regulatory affairs, product development and franchise management across the U.S. and Asia Pacific. Dr. Li also previously served as Partner in the life sciences practice at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, where he led investments in pandemic preparedness and China-focused health ventures, guiding early and growth-stage companies, including one that went public in 2010.

“I am honored to join a firm with such a tenured history in life sciences innovation,” shared Dr. Li. “FLS’ mission aligns perfectly with my drive to help build impactful companies that address significant unmet medical needs, and I look forward to collaborating with the FLS team to work towards creating the next wave of transformative biotech companies."

Dr. Li received his M.D. from Shanghai Medical University and his M.S. in Microbiology from the University of Montana.

About Frazier Life Sciences

Frazier Life Sciences invests globally in private and publicly traded companies that discover, develop, and commercialize innovative biopharmaceuticals. Frazier Life Sciences manages over $3.9 billion in capital, including Venture Funds focusing on company creation and private companies and the long-only Public Fund focused on small and mid-cap public companies. Since 2005, over 60 Frazier Life Sciences portfolio companies, many of which were created or seeded by FLS, have completed IPOs or M&As. The Frazier Life Sciences team consists of over 40 professionals with deep expertise in biopharmaceuticals, primarily located in Palo Alto, Calif. (headquarters), San Diego, Seattle, Boston, New York and London.

For more information about Frazier Life Sciences, please visit frazierls.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Venture Partners are employed by a subsidiary of FLS, provide advisory and consulting service to FLS and often serve in operational positions within FLS portfolio companies or search companies (“SearchCos”). Venture Partners are permitted to receive a material equity position in a portfolio company or SearchCo, and any compensation paid to such Venture Partners is borne directly or indirectly by the portfolio companies, SearchCos or the applicable FLS fund and will not offset any management fees.