Essex Woodlands Health Ventures Raises $900 Million Healthcare Fund

HOUSTON, TX and LONDON and NEW YORK, NY, and PALO
ALTO, CA, Mar 30 (MARKET WIRE) --
Essex Woodlands Health Ventures (www.ewhv.com), a leading venture capital
firm dedicated exclusively to healthcare investing, announced today that
it has raised $900 million for its latest fund, Fund VIII. To capitalize
on market dynamics and the continuing flow of innovation in the healthcare
field, EWHV will primarily make growth equity investments in companies
with a rapidly expanding revenue base and venture investments in
companies with breakthrough technologies. As in each of the last two
funds, EWHV will invest across the spectrum of drug, device and service
companies in North America, Europe and Asia.

"Healthcare remains a highly attractive market for investing," offered
Marty Sutter, a Founder and Managing Director at EWHV, "and the
opportunities created by the market changes underway together with the
rapidly growing need for capital make the timing of this fund particularly
important." He added that, "This latest fund and the extraordinary team of
professionals behind it allow us to be a strong partner to high growth
companies whose capital requirements will allow them to assume leadership
positions in their field and to venture companies which need to validate
and monetize their new technologies."

Immanuel Thangaraj, one of EWHV's Managing Directors, commented that, "We
are particularly pleased that in a difficult economic environment, we have
raised one of the largest healthcare-only venture funds. We attribute this
to our past performance, disciplined strategy, and the experience of the
team that we have assembled. We are proud that we have attracted most of
our existing investors while a third of the investors are new."

About Essex Woodlands Health Ventures

With $2.5 billion under management, Essex Woodlands is one of the largest
and oldest venture capital firms pursuing investments in pharmaceuticals,
biotechnology, medical devices, health care services and health
information technology. Since its founding in 1985, Essex Woodlands has
maintained its singular commitment to the healthcare industry and has
been involved in the founding, investing, and/or management of over 100
healthcare companies ranging across all sectors, stages and geography.
The team is comprised of 25 senior investment professionals with offices
in Palo Alto, Houston, New York, and London. For more information please
see www.ewhv.com or contact Immanuel Thangaraj at 650-543-1555 or
ithangaraj@ewhv.com.

Contact:
Immanuel Thangaraj
650-543-1555
Email Contact

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