Most recently CEO and on the Board of Directors of Jade Therapeutics (acquired by EyeGate Pharmaceuticals in 2016) and Gem Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Monopar Therapeutics in 2017), Klausner was Chief Business Officer of Neurotez from March 2011 until April 2012. A seasoned life sciences venture capitalist, he spent a total of 18 years at Domain Associates (1990-2004) and Pappas Ventures (2005-2009). During that time, he was involved in the investment in and subsequent nurturing of a variety of biotechnology, specialty pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. Klausner has been a board member at Santarus (IPO in 2004, Nasdaq: SNTS), X-Ceptor (acquired by Exelixis in 2004), Orexigen (IPO in 2007, Nasdaq: OREX), CeNeRx BioPharma, and Syndax Pharmaceuticals (IPO in 2016, Nasdaq: SNDX), and a board observer at Peninsula Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 2005) and Cerexa (acquired by Forest Laboratories in 2007). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Monopar Therapeutics and Cennerv Pharma (Singapore) and on the Life Sciences Investment Review Board for the New York University Innovation Venture Fund.
Klausner began his venture capital career after earning an M.B.A. at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. While attending business school, he completed summer internships emphasizing corporate planning and market research functions at ImClone Systems and Neurogen, two start up biopharmaceutical companies that subsequently went public. Previously, Klausner had spent six years at Bio/Technology magazine (now Nature Biotechnology), where as Senior Editor he researched and prepared over 200 articles concerning scientific and business aspects of applied biology. He has also performed consulting projects for the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment, Arthur D. Little Decision Resources, and a range of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. His undergraduate degree in Biology is from Princeton University.