Jay Lichter

Jay Lichter is an entrepreneur and seasoned investor in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical arena with over 25 years of expertise in management, scientific research, and business development. He currently serves as president and CEO of COI Pharmaceuticals. As managing director of Avalon Ventures, Dr. Lichter led investments in Afraxis, Carolus, Otonomy, Sova and Zacharon Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Lichter has served as CEO of many these companies, which has included leading both their business and scientific operations during the companies’ formative periods. He is on the board of directors for most of these companies and also served as Chairman of the Board of RQx, another Avalon company. He led the first life science investments for the Avalon IX portfolio, Sova Pharmaceuticals, and serves as its CEO and board member. He also led the investment in Aratana Therapeutics, where he serves as chairman of the board. Dr. Lichter took over the leadership of Avelas in order to turn that company around after a change in management and serves as a director on the board. Dr. Lichter is the inventor on over 260 patent and patent applications for six Avalon portfolio companies, including 78 issued patents. Dr. Lichter has been involved in licensing or merger and acquisition deals valued in excess of $1 billion. In addition to his Avalon activities, Dr. Lichter serves as a director on the board of the John Wayne Cancer Institute and a trustee and Chairman to Pacific Ridge School located in Carlsbad. Dr. Lichter held postdoctoral positions in Human Genetics at Yale University and pharmacogenetics at DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Co. Dr. Lichter obtained his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a B.S. from the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.