AN

Asha Nayak

Health Investments at Johnson & Johnson Innovation

San Francisco Bay Area

Overview 

Asha Nayak is a Board Director and Venture Capitalist with a background as a Healthcare Executive and Practicing Physician in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a diverse skill set in technological innovation, healthcare, business growth strategies, and venture capital, she has held key roles at organizations like Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Intel Corporation. Notable highlights include serving on the Stanford Biodesign Board and holding positions at New Leaf Venture Partners and Medtronic Vascular.

Work Experience 

  • Global Head and Corporate Vice President, Consumer Health Investments

    2020 - Current

    Leading investment strategy, new investments, global portfolio, and investment team across Europe, Asia, Middle East, and the US. Shaped J&J's overall venture portfolio ($3.6Bn invested, 170+ companies) as member of J&J's tri-sector investment committee presiding over Consumer Health, MedTech, and Pharmaceutical portfolio. Guiding growth strategy for J&J Consumer's 2 largest growth divisions, Self-Care and Skin Health. • With JJDC, deployed over $500M/year in equity investments • Grew Consumer Health portfolio to 22 companies ($250M+ invested) • Two companies achieved sustained profitability, exceeding $100M and $300M in annual revenue. • Three companies were acquired by scale partners. • Orchestrated 1 strategic acquisition and 2 strategic R&D partnerships with J&J • Identified strategic buyers and negotiated acquisitions to profitably exit 8 companies • Hired and mentored investors serving on boards in France, Germany, Belgium and China • Provided Board Leadership at: QUIP - New York, NY – Board Director READY, SET, FOOD - Los Angeles, CA – Board Director CALA HEALTH - Foster City, CA – Board Director HIDOC / CARA CARE - Berlin, Germany – Board Director PIVOT HEALTH, Redwood City, CA – Board Director DERMALA, San Diego, CA – Board Director PICNIC HEALTH, New York, NY - Board Director CHALKBOARD HEALTH, Princeton, NJ – Board Director FOUNDERS FACTORY of NEW YORK, New York, NY – Board Director THIRTY MADISON, New York, NY – Board Observer INFINANT HEALTH, Davis, CA - Board Observer

  • ER Physician

    2001

  • Board Member

    2021 - 2024

  • Strategic Contributor

    2018 - 2020

  • Independent Director

    2017 - 2020

    Guided commercialization of zuranolone for post-partum depression. Advised on digital, clinical, and commercialization strategies as company pursued FDA approvals in major depression, anxiety, tinnitus, epilepsy, and other neuropsychiatric conditions for a large pipeline of new chemical entities showing early signs of efficacy. • Company launched the first ever drug to treat post-partum depression • Entered into an international deal to enable commercialization in Japan • Raised $920M in 2 separate NASDAQ offerings in 2017 and 2018 • Member of “Science and Technology” and “Nominating and Corporate Governance” Committees.

SAGE Therapeutics develops and delivers novel medicines for most debilitating and disabling central nervous system disorders.

Raised $2,701,000,000.00 from Biogen.

  • Independent Director

    2014 - 2020

    • Guided product, GTM, clinical / regulatory, and fundraising strategies. Attracted critical corporate investment dollars and partnerships. Grew the team to include a CMO and cross-functional Board. • Helped CEO to build technology, investor, and partner networks in the US as the company moved from Australia to the US.

  • Chief Medical Officer

    2012 - 2018

    Created Intel Capital’s first corporate-wide healthcare investment strategy. Led internal development teams building solutions to advanced medical problems using Intel core technologies. Conducted clinical studies to show they worked. Advised Intel business units on product roadmaps, FDA regulatory strategy, and partner / BD strategy. Represented Intel in C-suite meetings with payers, providers, health systems, academic institutions, and governments. • Evaluated hundreds of healthcare companies, resulting in 4 new strategic investments. • Facilitated critical partnerships for technology development including those with Panasonic, OHSU, MIT Broad Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Intermountain Health • Designed and conducted 4 clinical studies in cardiology and oncology. Enrolled over 600 patients collectively and proved that the Basis smartwatch, Intel’s TAP analytics platform, and genomics technology could uncover unknown cardiac risk and extend lives of patients with advanced cancer. • Gave opening keynote at Oracle Open World with Intel CEO (60K in-person attendees, 2.1M live-streamers) and presented at Global Milken Institute Conference showcasing Intel’s breakthroughs in healthcare. Created publicity and drew partner interest from payers, providers, and health systems.

An ecosystem of software & hardware vendors, integrators and solution providers focused on adoption of NFV and SDN-based solutions.

  • Vice President

    2010 - 2012

    Led evaluations of investment opportunities for $450M fund, contributing to investment decisions across medical devices, pharmaceuticals, medical diagnostics, and healthcare IT portfolio. • Sourced, evaluated, and negotiated terms to deal closure and served on portfolio company Boards. • Deployed $34.5M in medical device investments for NLVP (and $114M+ across syndicates). • Invested in iRhythm’s Series C, creating significant ROI after IPO in 2016. • Board service: iRHYTHM (NASDAQ: IRTC), San Francisco, CA – Board Observer SPIRACUR (acquired by 3M), Sunnyvale, CA – Board Observer ALTURA MEDICAL (acquired by Lombard), San Clemente, CA – Board Observer CARDIOKINETIX, Menlo Park, CA – Board Observer

New Leaf Venture Partners is a venture capital firm focused on investments in healthcare technology companies.

  • Senior Principal, Advanced Technologies and Corporate Development

    2002 - 2009

    Led Advanced Technology teams building treatments in interventional cardiology, taking concepts from invention through business plan, internal funding, prototyping, IP filings, pre-clinical development, clinical / regulatory strategy, and into first-in-man. Advised and eventually led investment assessments for Medtronic’s (MDT) venture group. • Served as technical lead driving from start to completion MDT’s equity investment in Ardian, Inc. ($20M, 2009), later acquired for $1.3B (2010), entering MDT into $20B+ global hypertension market. • Headed 4 internal development programs in peri-arterial drug delivery, structural heart disease, interventional MRI, and heart failure, creating 100+ disclosures and 14 patents. • Served on corporate-level 5-year Strategic Planning Committee, developing growth strategies across multiple business units

Medtronic is a healthcare technology company that designs and develops AI-based products and solutions for the medical industry.

Raised $9,105,978,217.00 from NHS England.

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