Mark Jones

Mark represents high-growth companies, founders, investors and management teams in a range of corporate matters, centred primarily on M&A, emerging companies and venture capital, and corporate reorganisations. He has experience counselling emerging life sciences and tech companies on their formation, corporate governance and general life cycle, including private and public exits.

Mark received the Financial Rising Star award at the 2024 LMG Life Sciences EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Awards ceremony for his work in the life sciences industry, particularly in respect of venture capital and portfolio company matters. He is also recognised by The Legal 500 UK in its Corporate and commercial – M&A: lower mid-market deals (50 million – 500 million pounds) category.

Mark has spent time on secondment at Medicxi, a leading life sciences investment firm.

Mark’s recent transactions/matters include advising:

Emerging companies/venture capital

• AviadoBio on its exclusive option and licence agreement with Astellas Pharma worth up to $2.18 billion and simultaneous Series B round
• Ottimo Pharma on its $140 million Series A round
• Sofinnova Partners, Gilde Healthcare and Forbion on their investment in Purespring Therapeutics as part of its $105 million Series B round
• New Enterprise Associates, F-Prime Capital and Lightstone Ventures on their investment in Amber Therapeutics as part of its $100 million Series A round
• Snyk, the world leader in developer-led security, on its $196.5 million Series G round, $530 million Series F round, $300 million Series E round and $200 million Series D round
• Orchard Therapeutics on its $150 million Series C round
• Ascend Advanced Therapies on its $130 million Series A round
• Accel on its 85-million-pound investment in Monzo
• Proximie on its $80 million Series C round
• Balderton Capital on its investment in Lindus Health as part of its $55 million Series B round
• Bit Bio, a cell coding company, on its $41 million Series A round
• Gymbox, a London-based gym chain, on its 39-million-pound investment from BGF and HSBC
• LoQus23 Therapeutics on its 35-million-pound Series A round
• Manual, a wellness platform, on its $30 million Series A round
• Petalion Therapeutics on its $25 million Series A round
• Rooser, an online seafood marketplace, on its $23 million Series A round
• Biofidelity on its 10-million-pound Series A round
• General Catalyst on its investment in Beauty Pie, an online beauty platform
• Several early-stage life sciences and tech companies on their Series Seed, A, B and C rounds

M&A

• The management team of software company Calypso Technology on the company’s sale to Thoma Bravo, a US-based private equity house, for $3.4 billion
• Medicxi on the sale of one of its portfolio companies, Versanis Bio, to Eli Lilly and Company for up to $1.925 billion
• EsoBiotec on its ~$1 billion sale to AstraZeneca (pending)
• Ascend Advanced Therapies on its acquisition of Advanced BioScience Laboratories and simultaneous equity investment from EW Healthcare Partners
• Kpler, a leading provider of technology-led data, analytics and market insight, on its strategic growth investment of more than $200 million from Five Arrows and Insight Partners
• Eagle Pharmaceuticals on its recommended acquisition, by way of a scheme of arrangement, of Acacia Pharma Group
• Pizza Hut Restaurants UK and its senior leadership team on the management buyout of the business from Rutland Partners
• Susquehanna Private Capital on its 70-million-pound purchase of thebigword Group, a leading provider of language translation services
• Primary Capital Partners on the sale of Leisure Pass Group to Exponent Private Equity
• Blue Minerva Limited, an HG Capital-backed acquisitive company, on the 40-million-pound purchase of PS Financials (Holdings) and various other portfolio companies
• Journey Group on its $24 million scheme of arrangement and recommended offer from Jaguar Holdings
• Thrasio, the world’s largest Amazon aggregator and fastest-ever profitable US unicorn, on several acquisitions of UK-based companies’

Capital markets/holding company reorganisations

• Immunocore, a leading UK biotech company, on its $273 million initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq
• Autolus Therapeutics, a leading UK biotech company, on its $173 million IPO on Nasdaq
• Entasis Therapeutics on its $75 million IPO on Nasdaq
• Medicxi on the corporate reorganisation and integration of the platforms and assets from six of its portfolio companies – Aldena Therapeutics, Graegis Pharmaceuticals, Granular Therapeutics, KliRNA Biotech, Nira Biosciences and Vimela Therapeutics – into Alys Pharmaceuticals
• F-star Therapeutics on its corporate reorganisation

During his training contract, Mark was seconded to Amazon, where he acted on a variety of matters, including the resolution of small claims, the negotiation of commercial terms and conditions, and actioning notice and takedown requests.