Press Release: February 19, 2002
Investment Banks Team Up to Serve Biomedical Companies
New York, NY, February 19, 2002—eMedsecurities, Inc., the life sciences investment bank, and WR Hambrecht + Co, the San Francisco-based financial services firm, have agreed to partner to provide enhanced investment banking services to biomedical firms.
eMedsecurities and WR Hambrecht + Co will publish research jointly and will use WR Hambrecht + Co’s OpenIPO™ and other auction processes to present public and private offerings in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device firms. In addition, the firms will jointly offer M&A, strategic and financial advisory and corporate partnering services.
Bill Hambrecht, Founder and CEO of WR Hambrecht + Co said, “It makes sense for us to leverage eMedsecurities’ expertise in the healthcare field to serve the biomedical industry. We are particularly excited about eMed’s MedTRACK™ database which allows investors to research medical related companies by target disease, industry segment or financial criteria comparing product pipelines and other market metrics. This framework of relevant, objective information complements our approach to include more quantitative analysis for investors.”
Bob Naismith, PhD and CEO of eMedsecurities, concurred. “The combination of eMed’s knowledge and WRH+Co’s capital-raising capabilities will serve the biomedical sector well.”
Naismith further stated, “One area we will be focusing on are the small-cap firms. Small-cap biomedical firms find it difficult to attract and retain the services of large investment banks because it is not cost effective for these banks to complete the $10-40 million deals small firms require. Yet the small-cap segment of the biomedical industry has been an engine of innovation and discovery, with nearly 300 products in late-stage clinical development. eMedsecurities and WR Hambrecht + Co recognize the key role of underserved small-cap companies and support such firms with a full spectrum of investment banking services.”
About eMedsecurities, Inc.
eMedsecurities, Inc. is a New York-based investment bank serving sciences sector exclusively. eMed offers investment banking services to emerging healthcare and biomedical companies that strive to provide efficient healthcare systems and services or effective therapeutic solutions and medical devices. In 1999, the firm became one of the first investment banks to merge or sell a biotechnology company via the Internet. Member FINRA/SIPC.
About WR Hambrecht + Co
WR Hambrecht + Co (www.wrhambrecht.com) is a financial services firm committed to using the Internet and auction process to level the playing field for investors and issuers. The firm’s impartial Internet-based auctions, which allow the market to determine pricing and allocation, are dramatically changing the financial services landscape. WR Hambrecht + Co provides underwriting and advisory services for technology and emerging growth companies, as well as equity research, sales and trading, full-service and online brokerage and private equity offerings for institutions and individuals. WR Hambrecht + Co has offices in San Francisco, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Seattle and is backed by industry leaders including: American Century, American Express, Crimson Ventures, epartners, Fidelity Ventures, Instinet Corporation, Novell, Park Avenue Equity Partners, LP, Scudder Technology Fund, Kemper Technology Fund and Texas Pacific Group. Member FINRA/SIPC.
