Fred Middleton, M.B.A. Managing Director
Fred Middleton has over thirty years of experience in the biotechnology and biomedical industries in both corporate operating management and as an institutional venture capital investor. At Sanderling, he has worked as an investor, management team member and director in over 20 new biomedical ventures built in Sanderling’s venture investment portfolios since 1988.
Recently, he has played an active role as Chairman, CEO or Director of a number of current Sanderling portfolio companies, including as Chairman of Pacira Pharmaceuticals (PCRX), Stereotaxis (STXS), Viacyte, and Altor Biosciences. He also served as an early stage investor and director of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN), CardioNet (BEAT), Endocyte (ECYT), LineaGen, Inc., and Actimis.
Mr. Middleton began his career as a consultant for McKinsey & Company’s San Francisco office from 1973 to 1975. He subsequently worked as a Vice President in corporate development for Chase Bank in New York in 1977 to 1978.
In 1978, Mr. Middleton joined Bob Swanson and Herb Boyer, the founders of biotechnology pioneer Genentech, Inc., as the third member of the original management team, where he served in various capacities, including Vice President of Finance, Administration, Corporate Development, Chief Financial Officer, and as President of Genentech Development Corporation. While at Genentech, Mr. Middleton successfully completed over $200 million in corporate partnering and institutional funding transactions, which included managing the Company’s (and the biotech industry’s first) successful IPO in 1980.
In 1984, Mr. Middleton founded Morgan Stanley Ventures, an affiliate of Morgan Stanley, serving as Managing General Partner of an institutional fund making technology investments. Mr. Middleton joined Sanderling in 1987 as a General Partner and Managing Director to invest in and build early stage biomedical companies.
Mr. Middleton earned his B.S. in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971 and received an M.B.A with distinction from Harvard Business School in 1973. In 2007, he was elected to serve as a member of the M.I.T. Corporation.