INVESTMENT TEAM
James Gale
Founding Partner & Managing Director
James (Jim) Gale is the founding partner of Signet Healthcare Partners. Jim has over 35 years of healthcare investing and finance experience.
He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Bionpharma, Inc; lead director of Knight Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: GUD); and also serves on the Board of Directors of the following Signet portfolio companies: Juno Pharmaceuticals Corp, Chr. Olesen Synthesis A/S, Pharmaceutics International (Pii), RK Pharma, and Ascendia Pharmaceuticals. He also serves on the Board of Hyloris Pharmaceuticals SA (Euronext: HYL) and Cerium Pharmaceuticals. Prior portfolio company Boards include: Advantice Health (acquired by TA Associates), Arbor Pharmaceuticals, Amarin Corporation, eResearch Technologies Inc., Teligent Inc, and Valera Pharmaceuticals.
Prior to founding Signet, Jim was head of principal investment activities and head of investment banking for Gruntal & Co., LLC. While at Gruntal, he made a number of investments including Andrx Corporation, Royce Laboratories (merged with Watson Pharmaceuticals), Lifecell Corporation (now part of AbbVie), Neurocrine Biosciences, and BML Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals).
Prior to joining Gruntal, he originated and managed private equity investments for the Home Insurance Co., Gruntal’s parent. Earlier in his career, Jim was a senior investment banker at E.F. Hutton & Co.
Jim received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
Ashley Friedman
Managing Director
Ashley Friedman has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare investing and finance, with a focus on the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors. He joined Signet Healthcare Partners in 2014 and currently serves as a Board member at Altasciences, Paragonix Technologies, Smart Medical Systems, and as a Board observer at Pharmaceutics International (Pii). Ashley has previously served as a Board member at GI Supply (acquired by Laborie Medical Technologies), TELA Bio (NSDQ: TELA), and Vigene Biosciences (acquired by Charles River Laboratories).
Prior to joining Signet, Ashley worked for over 11 years at Investor Growth Capital (Investor AB), where he was a Vice President, focusing on private and public healthcare investments. During his time there, he was involved in several successful investments in the biotechnology, specialty pharmaceutical, and medical devices sectors. Some of the prior portfolio companies he was involved with include Achillion Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ: ACHN), Cayenne Medical (acquired by Zimmer Biomet), CHF Solutions (acquired by Gambro), Corcept Therapeutics (NSDQ: CORT), and LifeCell Corporation (part of Abbvie). Ashley began his career as a healthcare investment banker at Lehman Brothers.
Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Yale University in Economics and Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology (MCDB) with a concentration in biotechnology.
Nikhil Puri
Managing Director
Nikhil Puri has over 25 years of experience serving the pharmaceutical industry. Nikhil has held senior positions within the pharma industry and as a healthcare investment banker.
Nikhil currently serves on the Board of Directors of Curida Group, Laxai Life Sciences, Leading Pharma, and Goodwin Biotechnology.
Prior to joining Signet as a Managing Director in 2016, Nikhil was responsible for worldwide business development of the Global Established Pharmaceuticals ("GEP") business at Pfizer that encompasses a broad portfolio (annual revenues of c. $25 bn) of legacy brands, sterile injectables, generics and bio-similars. During his five-year tenure at Pfizer, a number of key inorganic growth initiatives were consummated for GEP including the acquisitions of Hospira, Innopharma and Nextwave Pharmaceuticals within the United States as well as several international transactions, including in Latin America, Japan and China. Nikhil was a member of both Pfizer's Business Development leadership team and the GEP leadership team and Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Pfizer, Nikhil spent 15 years as an investment banker in the United States and in Asia at firms including Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns, predominantly focused on the pharmaceutical sector. During that time period he was involved in the consummation of over 50 capital raising and strategic advisory transactions with an aggregate value exceeding $20 bn for clients including Endo Pharmaceuticals, Valeant Pharmaceuticals and MedPointe.
Nikhil received his Masters of Business Administration from New York University. He has a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
Emad Piracha
Vice President
Emad Piracha serves as a Vice President of Signet Healthcare Partners where he focuses on investment activities, including investment evaluation, transaction execution, and post-investment value-add oversight to Signet's portfolio companies. Emad is either a director or observer on the Board of Directors at Curida Group, Laxai Life Sciences, and Paragonix Technologies.
Before joining Signet in 2021, Emad worked at BBH Capital Partners (BBHCP), the private equity division of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co, where he was involved in all aspects of the private equity investment process, with a focus on healthcare, business products and services, and technology sectors. Emad also previously served as an Investment Banker at RBC Capital Markets.
Emad holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in Applied Economics and Management (AEM) with concentrations in finance and accounting.
Audrey Liu
Associate
Audrey Liu serves as an Associate of Signet Healthcare Partners where she focuses on investment activities, including investment evaluation, transaction execution, and post-investment value-add oversight to Signet's portfolio companies.
Before joining Signet in 2023, Audrey was an Investment Banking Analyst at Moelis & Company where she was involved in all aspects of M&A and capital raise processes, with a focus on healthcare, consumer and retail, and industrial sectors.
Audrey holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from The University of Texas at Austin in the Canfield Business Honors Program with a concentration in finance and a minor in management information systems.
OPERATING PARTNERS & ADVISORS
Theron Odlaug, Ph.D.
Dr. Theron (Ted) Odlaug brings over 40 years of experience with significant leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. Ted is an advisor to Signet and has worked with several Signet portfolio companies over the last 14 plus years.
Ted is currently a Board Member of Signet portfolio companies Ascendia Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Pharma Nobis, LLC. He is also President of the Board of the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. He was a Board Member of CoreRx Inc. until the 2021 sale to NovaQuest. Prior he was Executive Chairman of Impopharma Inc. and CEO of leon-nanodrugs GmbH, and a member of its Supervisory Board. He was the Executive Chairman of Cedarburg Pharmaceuticals until the company was sold to Albany Molecular Research Inc. in 2014. From 2011 Ted was the Executive Chairman and CEO of Planet Biopharmaceuticals until the company was sold to Ares Life Sciences in 2014. From 2008 until 2011, he was President and CEO of CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at which time the company was sold to Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and a member of the senior management committee at Fujisawa Healthcare Inc. until its merger with Yamanouchi in 2005, which resulted in the formation of Astellas Pharma. He left Astellas in 2006 after successfully supporting the U.S. post-merger integration process. Earlier in his career he had senior positions at Bayer AG and Baxter.
Ted holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and a Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Minnesota.
Arindam Bose, Ph.D.
Dr. Arindam (Arin) Bose brings over 35 years of experience with significant leadership roles in Biopharmaceutical R&D. Arin is an advisor to Signet.
Dr. Bose is currently Vice President (part-time) of Process Development at Akero Therapeutics, responsible for drug substance process development and manufacturing for its lead asset. He is also an Independent Director of Dyadic International (Nasdaq: DYAI), a global biotechnology company. Prior to that, he spent over 30 years at Pfizer where he last served as Vice President of External Affairs & Biosimilars Strategy in the Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences division. His numerous technical and leadership positions at Pfizer encompassed process development, clinical supply/commercial manufacturing, corporate biotechnology strategy and lobbying for science-based regulations for biologics and vaccines.
Arin has served as the Chair of the Biologics and Biotechnology Leadership Committee of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the chief advocacy arm of the US pharmaceutical industry. His outstanding accomplishments have been recognized by his election as “Fellow” of 3 leading professional organizations: American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering; as well as by his election to Membership in the prestigious US National Academy of Engineering.
Arin holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, an MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a BTech in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
Michael Bogda
Michael Bogda brings over 30 years of experience with significant leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. Michael is an advisor to Signet and has worked with several Signet portfolio companies over the last 10 plus years.
Michael is currently a Board Member of Signet portfolio company Pharmaceutics International Inc. His prior experience includes serving as President & Chief Operating Officer of Pharmaceutics International Inc, President & Chief Operating Officer of Lannett Company, Executive Vice President Americas Operations of Teva Pharmaceuticals, and President & Chief Operating Officer of Barr Laboratories (subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.).
Michael has extensive experience in corporate strategy and development, mergers & acquisitions, sales & marketing, global business integration, and global operations. He is an experienced board member and executive team participant with an exceptional track record of team building and goal achievement. An entrepreneurial mindset has enabled success in building a pharmaceutical start up as well as operating successfully in large, multi-national corporate environments. He also has international experience in managing active pharmaceutical ingredient businesses and global pharmaceutical operations.
Todd Berg
Todd Berg has over 25 years of experience in the medical device industry. Todd is an advisor to Signet and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Smart Medical. Todd previously served as the Executive Director on the Board of Directors of GI Supply (acquired by Laborie Medical Technologies).
Todd has been the President & CEO of Metavention, a clinical stage company developing metabolic treatments, since January 2018. Prior to Metavention, Todd was the founder, President and CEO of Torax Medical until its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2017. Todd oversaw the discovery, clinical development, regulatory clearance and commercialization of a novel therapeutic implant for drug refractory gastroesophageal reflux disorders.
Prior to that, Todd was with St. Jude Medical, where he was the Vice President of Emerging Technology. He joined St. Jude Medical through the acquisition of Vascular Science in 1999 where he was the Vice President of Research and Development. Prior to Vascular Science, he was with SciMed Life Systems and Boston Scientific.
Todd holds over 60 patents in the area of medical technology. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota.
OPERATIONS & FINANCE
Jaime Sosa
Assistant Controller
Jaime Sosa serves as the Assistant Controller at Signet Healthcare Partners, focusing on core fund management, fund administration, investor relations, and compliance functions.
Prior to joining Signet in 2023, Jaime was employed at IQ-EQ, where he provided Outsourced CFO Services to alternative investment management firms, supporting various aspects of fund management, finance, reporting, compliance, and accounting. Earlier in his career, Jaime held the position of fund accountant at SS&C Technologies.
Jaime holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from The College of New Jersey.
Louise Hamilton
Executive Assistant
Louise Hamilton serves as an Executive Assistant at Signet Healthcare Partners, bringing over 15 years of service to the firm. She manages executive schedules, coordinates meetings, and oversees firm-wide communications. Louise's long-standing tenure underpins her expertise in office administration and supports the firm's operational needs.