Third Rock Ventures Announces the Promotion of Andrea van Elsas, Ph.D., to Partner

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Third Rock Ventures announced today that Andrea van Elsas, Ph.D., has been promoted to a partner at the firm. Andrea joined Third Rock as a venture partner in 2020 and brings significant company creation and build experience with particular expertise in the discovery and development of novel oncology and immunology therapeutics.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Andrea’s extensive scientific, medical and leadership experience on board,” said Jeffrey Tong, Ph.D., partner at Third Rock. “We have been very impressed with his contributions both at the firm and across our portfolio of companies. As founding CSO at Abata Therapeutics, he has been instrumental in guiding the company’s Treg cell therapy platform. Andrea is an incredibly valuable addition to the team and one who shares our passion for making a positive impact on the lives of patients.”

“The breadth and depth of scientific, strategic and operational expertise across the firm is exceptional,” said Dr. van Elsas. “Since joining Third Rock, I have had the opportunity to experience first-hand how balanced and effective the firm’s collaborative philosophy is. This smart and driven team takes a very hands-on approach to company creation, while maintaining a laser-like focus on medical innovation and making a difference for patients and their families. I look forward to continuing to lean in to discover, launch and build innovative biotechnology companies.”

Andrea van Elsas, Ph.D., joined Third Rock as a venture partner in 2020. He currently serves as Abata Therapeutics’ interim chief scientific officer and was recently appointed to the Board of Directors at Celsius Therapeutics. Prior to joining Third Rock, Andrea served as chief scientific officer at Aduro Biotech following the acquisition of BioNovion, a company he co-founded in 2011. From 1999 to 2011, he held various positions at Organon, which was acquired by Schering-Plough and later by Merck. As director of tumor immunology, he oversaw the immuno-oncology portfolio and led the anti-PD1 program that later became known as pembrolizumab. As a postdoctoral researcher, Andrea worked in the lab of Nobel Laureate James Allison at the University of California, Berkeley and is a co-inventor on the original anti-CTLA-4 patents that formed the basis of the development of ipilimumab – the first checkpoint inhibitor approved by the FDA for the treatment of melanoma.

About Third Rock Ventures

Third Rock Ventures is a leading healthcare venture firm focused on advancing disruptive areas of science and medicine to deliver breakthroughs to patients. By starting with big ideas and fostering collaboration among people with expertise in science, medicine, business and strategy, we aim to discover, launch and build innovative companies that can transform the lives of patients. Our mission is to be the preferred partner for entrepreneurs, investors, employees and industry to build great companies that discover and develop products that make a difference for the patients we serve. For more information, please visit www.thirdrockventures.com.