John S. Lewis Email & Phone Number

Private equity investment and advisory firm focused on special situations and recapitalization investment opportunities in investor-orphaned and financially challenged late stage venture-financed companies. Also available to provide financial and strategic advisory services to the management and boards of companies that could result in investment opportunities for LCG.

Sole-managed investment and advisory services firm focused on origination of secondary investment opportunities for institutional investors, and raising capital for venture-financed companies.

$70 million in capital under management in two venture funds raised in 1984 and 1990. Firm was focused on start-up and early stage investing in technology (networking, data communications, software, semiconductor peripherals), business services, and medical devices. Mr. Lewis originated and managed investments in seventeen companies across the two funds, achieving a 44% IRR on his investments in the first fund, and a 63% IRR for the second fund. As one of five general partners affiliated with the firm, Mr. Lewis' companies accounted for 75% of the total portfolio value realized by both funds. Mr, Lewis was also responsible for over half of the $70 million raised by the firm.

$206 million in capital under management in two venture funds raised in 1995 and 2000. Firm focused on start-up and early stage investing in healthcare services. Mr. Lewis originated three investments which were valued at cost when he departed the firm. Mr. Lewis primary contribution during his tenure with the firm was helping to organize the partnership, and coordinating the institutional fund raising strategy. Mr. Lewis resigned from the firm for personal reasons and due to disagreements with his other partners over the direction and investment policy of the firm.

Vital Therapies has developed an extracorporeal liver assist device (ELAD) which bridges patients with acute liver disease to liver transplants, and helps patients with chronic liver disease from Hepatitis or drug or alcohol abuse to survive. The ELAD is comprised of a human cell line that has been re-engineered to replicate a high percentage of the metabolic functions of the liver. There is no other comparable bio-therapeutic procedure in existence, and VTL is currently completing its final clinical trials before submission for FDA approval. In essence, the ELAD is similar to kidney dialysis in that it processes and treats a patient's blood to help the liver, which is a regenerative organ, to recover to its normal metabolic state. My venture partnership first invested in the company in 1992, and I've served on the board and been involved with the company in various positions. Due to the uniqueness of its treatment regimen, the company experienced a number of false starts with its clinical trials over the years which led to several recapitalizations after raising a substantial amount of venture capital. In 2003, the company was forced into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and my partnership acquired the assets of the company for $400,000 in bridge notes, and I became its first President, and helped the company raise a restart round of venture financing. The company was eventually able to raise additional private capital, and undertake a successful IPO.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba)

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Mechanical Engineering