Sofinnova Investments, a biopharmaceutical investment firm based in Menlo Park, California, announced on September 9, 2026 that Merdad Parsey, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the investment team as an Executive Partner. Dr. Parsey joins the investment team with more than 25 years of experience spanning scientific research, clinical development, regulatory approval, commercialization, and company building across biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and academic settings. His appointment reflects the firm's ongoing commitment to strengthening its leadership team with seasoned biopharmaceutical executives.
Extensive Biopharmaceutical Leadership
Dr. Parsey most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Gilead Sciences, where he oversaw clinical development, medical affairs, and clinical operations. In that role, he managed development from pre-IND through launch and chaired the company's Portfolio Committee. Before Gilead, he was Senior Vice President of gRED Early Clinical Development at Genentech and Roche and served as Chief Executive Officer of 3-V Biosciences, now Sagimet Biosciences.
Strategic Support for Portfolio Companies
Jim Healy, M.D., Ph.D., Managing Partner at Sofinnova Investments, said that building exceptional teams is central to the firm's investment approach. He added that Dr. Parsey brings a rare combination of scientific, clinical, and operational expertise that will be invaluable when evaluating new opportunities. His ability to translate innovative science into medicines is expected to help portfolio companies advance through development and regulatory milestones.
Commitment to Patient-Focused Innovation
Dr. Parsey said he is excited to join Sofinnova Investments and work alongside a team with a long history of identifying important science and partnering with entrepreneurs to build companies. He noted that his career has spanned early research and clinical development through regulatory approval and commercialization, always with the goal of bringing innovative medicines to patients. He looks forward to continuing those efforts as part of the Sofinnova team.
Board Roles and Earlier Career
Earlier in his career, Dr. Parsey held clinical development leadership roles at Sepracor, Regeneron, and Merck Research Laboratories. He also served as Assistant Professor and Director of Critical Care Medicine at NYU School of Medicine. He currently serves on the boards of Ardelyx and ArriVent Biopharma and previously served on the boards of Arcus Biosciences and Sagimet Biosciences.
Scientific and Medical Education
Dr. Parsey earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and a B.S. in Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Maryland at College Park. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Stanford University Hospital and a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado Medical Center. This combination of rigorous scientific training and clinical practice has informed his approach to drug development.
Sofinnova Investments Overview
Sofinnova Investments is a healthcare investment firm committed to funding innovative products that strive to meaningfully impact the lives of patients. The firm invests in both private and public equity companies and actively partners with entrepreneurs across all stages of company formation. Founded in 1976, Sofinnova has approximately $4.8 billion in assets under management and committed capital as of June 30, 2026.
The appointment of Dr. Merdad Parsey as Executive Partner strengthens Sofinnova Investments' ability to identify transformative science and guide portfolio companies through clinical and commercial milestones. His extensive leadership across drug development, regulatory affairs, and company building aligns with the firm's long-term focus on patient impact. With this addition, Sofinnova continues to reinforce its position as a collaborative partner for biopharmaceutical entrepreneurs and companies.