The News

Growing and Nurturing the Right Ideas Sofinnova Partners invests in EOS S.p.A. (Ethical Oncology Science)

19/06/2006

The investment in EOS is the first one in Italy by Sofinnova since 2000
Milan, June 19 2006 - EOS S.p.A., company founded by a team led by Silvano Spinelli, previously CEO of Novuspharma, to advance ethical and innovative oncology projects through the successful development of innovative drugs, and Sofinnova Partners, a leading independent European venture capital firm dedicated to investing in seed and early-stage companies in Life Sciences (and a founding investor of Novuspharma) have announced today to have signed an agreement according to which Sofinnova acquired about 32% of EOS share capital..

EOS S.p.A. (Ethical Oncology Science) will seek innovative and courageous ideas with strong scientific rationale that can ultimately help people with cancer and will turn these ideas into properly conducted projects according to international standards. This is where the company will generate value for investors, partners and shareholders.
After several years as hands-on bio-entrepreneurs, EOS management has an extensive scientific and medical network and can access top scientists and professionals all over the world thus fitting any project requirement
EOS vision is to be a new link that can nurture the relationship between independent research and the pharmaceutical industry. EOS will be attractive for researchers seeking the right partner for their creative and innovative ideas, as well as for biotech and biopharmaceutical industry willing to find innovation while reducing the risk of development.

Silvano Spinelli, Chief Executive Officer, said:”EOS’s aim is to turn into value the immense and unexploited capital represented by researcher’s innovation with the objective of sharing value with all those who will effectively contribute to our work. We intend to run several relevant investments in Oncology R&D in Italy in the next 3-4 years”.
Antoine Papiernik, Managing Partner of Sofinnova, commented:”We have found in EOS several key ingredients for a successful entrepreneurial initiative: a management whom we know well, and which has performed extremely well in the past, a strong focus in oncology, an area of clear unmet clinical needs, and a robust business strategy to develop a balanced portfolio of assets in this field. For Sofinnova, Italy has historically been a source of good projects and good returns, and we are happy to make a new investment in this country”.

E.O.S. has been founded by a team led by Silvano Spinelli to seek and grow excellence. Our mission is to advance clinical oncology through the successful development of innovative drugs, thereby generating value to shareholders and to all our partners. We will seek out and help realize the commercial potential of novel research programs based on sound science that can progress cancer treatment. EOS is based in Milan.

Sofinnova Partners
"Sofinnova Partners” is a leading European venture capital firm dedicated to investing in seed and early-stage companies in Life Sciences and Information Technologies.
Founded in Paris in 1972, Sofinnova Partners has €900 million of active funds under management.
For 30 years we have played a major role as lead or co-lead investor in ambitious projects in information technologies and life sciences, in France and throughout Europe. We look for earlystage companies with high growth potential and strong management, in which we invest up to €20 million in several stages. We are a hands-on investment firm committed to creating successful independent business.

Per further informations:
E.O.S. S.p.A.
Via Monte di Pietà, 1/A
20121 Milano
tel:. +39 02 837391608
fax: +39 02 837391617
email: silvano.spinelli@eosmilano.com
segreteria@eosmilano.com

Sofinnova Partners
Antoine Papiernik
Managing Partner
17 rue de Surène
75008 Paris
tel: +33 1 53 05 41 00
fax: +33 1 53 05 41 08
email: apapiernik@sofinnova.fr