Cheston J. Larson

Mr. Larson’s experience includes more than 250 venture financings, including the representation of:

• CG Oncology, an oncolytic immunotherapy company focused on developing novel therapeutics for patients with urologic cancers, in its US$120 million Series E financing, co-led by ORI Capital, Longitude Capital and Decheng Capital, with participation from RA Capital Management, Acorn Bioventures, Malin Corporation, Ally Bridge Group, and Senora Capital
• Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc., a leader in converting IV biologics to subcutaneous delivery, in its upsized private offering of US$625 million of convertible senior notes
• Mineralys Therapeutics, focused on hypertension therapies, in its US$118 million Series B financing led by RA Capital and Andera Partners and earlier US$40 million Series A financing led by HBM Healthcare Investments, Samsara BioCapital, Adam Street Partners, and Catalys Pacific
• Boundless Bio, a precision oncology company, in its US$105 million Series B financing, led by Nextech Invest and RA Capital Management, with participation from Fidelity, Redmile Group, Wellington Management, Surveyor Capital, PFM Health Sciences and Logos Capital, and other existing investors
• Zerigo Health, which delivers the only connected light therapy solution for treating chronic skin conditions at home or on the go, in its US$43 million Series B financing with 7wireVentures, SV Health Investors, H.I.G. Capital, and Bluestem Capita, General Catalyst, Dragoneer, Cigna Ventures, Leverage Health Solutions, and Leaps by Bayer
• Icosavax, a vaccine development company, in its US$100M Series B financing with RA Capital Management, Janus Henderson Investors, Perceptive Advisors, Viking Global Investors, Cormorant Asset Management, Omega Funds, Surveyor Capital, Qiming Venture Partners USA, Adams Street Partners, Sanofi Ventures, and ND Capital
• Ocelot Bio, focused on liver disease, in its US$36 million Series A financing, led by Venrock Partners, Vivo Capital, and RA Capital 
• Erasca, whose mission is to erase cancer, in its US$236 million Series B financing, with investors including ARCH Venture Partners, Cormorant, Partner Fund Management, OrbiMed, DBI, Invus, Terra Magnum, and City Hill Ventures, as well as the company’s earlier US$64 million Series A financing
• Zentalis, a clinical-stage oncology company, it its US$85 million Series C financing, with investors including Matrix Capital, Viking Global Investors, Redmile Group, Farallon Capital, Perceptive Advisors, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company), and Eventide Asset Management
• Molecular Assemblies, developing an enzymatic DNA synthesis technology, in its US$26 Million Series B financing from Casdin Capital, Agilent Technologies, iSelect Fund, Codexis, LYFE Capital, and Argonautic Ventures, and earlier US$24 million Series A financing
• Neurelis, focused on neurology, in its US$40.5 million Series C financing with LYZZ Capital, HBM Healthcare Investments, CMS Medical Venture Investment (HK) Limited, and earlier Series A and B financings
• Crinetics, focused on endocrine disorders, in its US$40 million Series A financing and US$65 million Series B financing with 5AM Ventures, Versant Ventures, Vivo Capital, Perceptive, and RA Capital
• eFFECTOR Therapeutics in its US$45 million Series A financing and US$45 million Series B financing with U.S. Venture Partners, Abingworth, Novartis Venture Funds, SR One, Altitude Ventures, Astellas Venture Management, and AbbVie Ventures
• Alastin Skincare, an innovative skincare company, in several rounds of financing from angel and private equity investors

Mr. Larson’s selected IPO and other public offering experience includes the following:

• Representing the company: Hillevax, Icosavax, Erasca, Tyra Biosciences, Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Prometheus Bosciences, Avidity Biosciences, Phathom Pharma, Gossamer Bio, Crinetics, Ignyta, Zogenix, Ellipse Technologies, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, Exagen Diagnostics, Cytori Therapeutics, Evoke Pharma, Conatus Pharmaceuticals, Orexigen, Cadence, Somaxon, Santarus, CancerVax (MicroMet), EcoSoil
• Representing the investment banks: Longboard Pharmaceuticals, Synthorx, Equillium Bio, Mirati Therapeutics, Neurocrine, Heron Therapeutics, Travere Therapeutics, Poseida Therapeutic, Clovis Oncology, CareDx, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, AltheaDx, Auspex, Ambit, Celladon, La Jolla Pharmaceuticals, Sophiris, Optimer, ARIAD, TherapeuticsMD, Biocryst, Ardea, ImmunoGen, Insys, Tracon Pharma, Trius, Seattle Genetics, Genoptix, HTG Molecular

Mr. Larson’s merger, acquisition, divestiture, or other exit experience includes representing:

• Zogenix in its US$1.9 billion sale to UCB, S.A
• Ignyta in its US$1.7 billion sale to Roche
• Alastin Skincare in its sale to Galderma for an undisclosed amount
• Cadence Pharmaceuticals in its US$1.4 billion sale to Mallinckrodt plc
• Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits in its US$1.0 billion sale to Constellation Brands and related spin-out of Cutwater Spirits
• Ellipse Technologies in its sale to NuVasive for proceeds of up to US$410 million
• Elevation Pharmaceuticals in its sale to Sunovion for proceeds of up to US$430 million
• SkinMedica in its sale to Allergan for proceeds of up to US$350 million and related spinout of Colorescience
• Bonti in its sale of Allergan for an up-front payment of US$195 million
• Cutwater Spirits in its sale to Anheuser-Busch for an undisclosed amount
• Zavante Therapeutics in its sale to Nabriva plc for up-front stock-for-stock consideration and up to US$97.5 million in regulatory and commercial milestones
• Agility Clinical in its sale to Precision Medicine Group for proceeds of up to US$46 million
• Neurelis in its acquisition of Aegis Therapeutics, a proprietary drug-delivery technology company, for an undisclosed amount
• Ignyta in its acquisition of oncology research and development programs from Cephalon/Teva
• Prometheus Laboratories in its sale to Nestle Health Sciences and earlier acquisition of Lotronex® from GlaxoSmithKline and cancer diagnostics from Rosetta Genomics
• Provide Commerce (proflowers.com) in its acquisitions of RedEnvelope.com and Shari’s Berries, and earlier US$477 million sale to Liberty Media Corp
• Advantar Laboratories in its sale to Eurofins Scientific
• Management of Bumble Bee Seafoods in a leveraged buyout from ConAgra Foods
• Conatus Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition of a subsidiary from Pfizer
• Proprius Pharmaceuticals in its sale to Cypress Biosciences
• Cadence Pharmaceuticals in its option to acquire Incline Therapeutics
• Vivendi Universal, in several M&A transactions involving internet music businesses, including MP3.com and EMusic
• Hitachi Home Electronics in a variety of asset divestitures

Leadership

• Mr. Larson currently serves as Managing Partner of the firm’s San Diego office. He previously served as Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Life Sciences Industry Group. He is a frequent speaker on IPO and securities law-related topics.