Karen Wagner

Dr. Karen Wagner is Managing Partner at Ysios Capital, a leading life sciences venture capital investor, where she focuses on therapeutic investments and coordinates the identification and evaluation of investment opportunities. She serves on the board of Galecto, Vivet Therapeutics, AELIX Therapeutics and Minoryx Therapeutics and is an observer at the board of Xeltis. Formerly, she was board member at Cardoz and Kala Pharmaceuticals.

Prior to joining Ysios in 2008, Karen had over 10 years of experience in business development in various biotech and pharma companies. At GLYCART in Zurich, Switzerland, she worked together with Ysios colleague Joël Jean-Mairet. After the sale of GLYCART to F. Hoffmann-La Roche in 2005, she was responsible for business development and alliance management for Roche in the areas of drug discovery technologies, preclinical oncology and viral diseases. After leaving Roche, she managed a consultancy firm providing advice and hands-on support to various biotechnology companies in business development and strategy.

Karen holds a master’s degree in Molecular Biology and a PhD in Cell Biology, both from the University of Konstanz, Germany.