Venrock’s Anthony Evnin Receives NVCA Lifetime Achievement Award

Business Wire, April 30, 2009

Life Sciences Pioneer Honored for Exceptional Service

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Venrock, a premiere venture capital firm originally established as the venture arm of the Rockefeller family, today announced that Anthony (Tony) Evnin, Ph.D. has been recognized by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) for his achievements in life sciences venture capital. The ceremony recognizing this year’s Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital honorees took place at the NVCA 2009 annual meeting in Boston this week.

“Tony helped shape the venture model for the life sciences industry and played a crucial role in not only building some of today’s most impactful healthcare companies but also mentoring a new generation of venture capitalists,” said Ray Rothrock, partner at Venrock and NVCA board member. “What’s more, he has helped make Venrock what it is today and continues to build on our legacy of cultivating meaningful companies that shape our future.”

Evnin joined Venrock in 1974 and established the firm’s healthcare franchise. He helped build companies such as Centocor, IDEC Pharmaceuticals, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Genetics Institute and IDEXX Laboratories, and over 29 of his investments have been through an IPO during his tenure with the firm. Venrock holds one of the best performing healthcare portfolios in the industry, which includes five of the largest U.S. biotech companies ever founded. With 39 companies in its current healthcare portfolio, Venrock continues to build some of tomorrow’s most promising new companies, such as Anacor, Ikaria and Ironwood.

Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital Award

The Lifetime Achievement in Venture Capital Award recognizes NVCA members who have dedicated their professional lives to creating and building successful and highly competitive venture firms as well as portfolio companies that have made a significant contribution to economic growth and innovation in the United States. This year the NVCA is honoring five venture capitalists who, through their vision and tenacity, helped to create the life sciences industry. Life sciences companies today represent more than one third of all venture capital investment and have improved and saved the lives of millions of Americans.

About Venrock

Venrock is a premier venture capital firm with offices in Palo Alto, New York, Cambridge, MA, and Israel. Originally established as the venture capital arm of the Rockefeller family, Venrock continues the eight-decade tradition of partnering with entrepreneurs to establish successful, enduring companies. Having invested $2.3 billion in 430 companies resulting in 124 IPOs over the past 40 years, Venrock’s investment returns place it among the top tier venture capital firms that have achieved consistently superior performance. With a primary focus on technology, healthcare, and energy, portfolio companies have included Adify, Adnexus Therapeutics, Apple Computer, Centocor, Check Point Software, DoubleClick, Gilead Sciences, Idec Pharmaceuticals, Illumina, Intel, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Sirna Therapeutics, StrataCom, and Vontu. For more information, please visit Venrock’s website at www.venrock.com.