Sage Healthcare adds directors in US and UK

Sage Healthcare named Joe Smith and Dr Rino Coladangelo as directors to expand its transaction advisory work across the United States and Europe. The appointments are aimed at strengthening the firm’s licensing, M&A, financing and regulatory support for biotech, pharma and healthcare clients.

Why it matters: - Sage Healthcare is adding senior deal and regulatory expertise as life sciences companies face tougher partnership, financing and transaction decisions. - The hires are designed to bolster the firm’s execution capacity on both sides of the Atlantic. - Sage is positioning its global advisory platform for more licensing, M&A and financing work worldwide.

What happened: - Sage Healthcare announced two senior appointments: Joe Smith in the United States and Dr Rino Coladangelo in the United Kingdom. - Both join as directors. - The company said the pair will support biotechnology, pharmaceutical and healthcare clients pursuing strategic partnerships and transactions. - Dr William Mason said the appointments strengthen Sage’s senior team in the United States and Europe.

The details: - Joe Smith brings more than 20 years of experience in M&A, partnerships, capital markets, strategy development, inorganic growth, commercial work and financing. - Smith has led or played a key role in more than 40 healthcare corporate transactions totaling more than $32 billion. - Smith has supported more than $200 million in equity financings. - Smith has held senior corporate and business development roles at Impel, OncoSec, EyePoint and Valeant, as well as at PE-backed companies Adare and Aton. - Smith founded BioVerity Partners in 2023 to provide development-stage biopharma companies fractional leadership for strategic and transactional execution. - Smith also has management consulting experience at Navigant and Easton Associates, plus capital markets experience at Lazard and Bear Stearns. - Smith earned an M.S. and B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a certification in Corporate Finance and Accounting from the Wharton School. - Dr Rino Coladangelo is medically qualified and has experience across clinical medicine, NHS management, pharmaceutical services, manufacturing compliance and corporate finance. - Coladangelo was Managing Director of Clinical Services at North Hertfordshire NHS Trust. - Coladangelo co-founded Medix UK, a healthcare market-research business. - Coladangelo later served as chief executive of Rephine, a global pharmaceutical quality and regulatory consultancy. - Rephine was sold to private equity in 2021. - Coladangelo is currently Managing Director of Toro Corporate Finance, which advises on funding for pharmaceutical and life-sciences projects. - His expertise includes GMP and GCP compliance, regulatory affairs, quality systems and pharmaceutical operations in major international markets. - Coladangelo trained in medicine at the University of London and holds MB BS and MRCP qualifications. - Sage Healthcare said the pair bring complementary expertise in global licensing, M&A, pharma transactions and financing. - The firm said its principals have led more than 300 multinational transactions across the United States, Europe, Japan, China, Australia, the Middle East and Latin America. - Sage says those transactions have covered assets from preclinical and early clinical programs to global commercial products. - Sage maintains offices and affiliated teams across North America, Europe, China, Israel and Asia-Pacific. - Sage’s services include licensing and strategic alliances, M&A and asset divestments, global acquisition and partner searches, deal readiness, transaction execution, due diligence, valuation and strategic and non-dilutive financing through industry partnerships. - Sage also cites SAGEIQ, its AI-enabled global intelligence platform, and Partner BioKinect, based near London, for deep global data analysis.

Between the lines: - The appointments broaden Sage’s bench at a time when transaction advisory firms are competing on specialized sector knowledge, regulatory fluency and cross-border reach. - Smith’s track record in biopharma deals and Coladangelo’s mix of clinical, regulatory and financing experience give Sage coverage across both commercial and technical diligence. - The move also reinforces Sage’s pitch that it can support companies from early-stage partnering through exit transactions.

What's next: - Sage said Smith and Coladangelo will work with its global team immediately on client mandates. - The firm is likely to use the appointments to deepen business development in the US and Europe and to expand support for licensing, partnerships and financing assignments. - Sage continues to market its international advisory platform and AI-enabled intelligence tools to life sciences companies seeking transactions.

The bottom line: - Sage Healthcare is adding two seasoned directors to strengthen its transatlantic life sciences dealmaking platform and widen its reach with biotech and pharma clients.