J.P. Morgan Asset Management has launched its new life sciences private equity team, Life Sciences Private Capital.

The team will invest in early and growth-stage healthcare companies aligned to specific market opportunities with a focus on novel therapeutics and technologies. It looks to finance the continued growth of private companies and taps into significant pre-initial public offering value creation opportunities in the consumer and technology, climate technology and life sciences sectors. Stephen Squinto has been hired as chief investment officer and managing part of Life Sciences Private Capital.

“Our major focus will be to offer our investors a differentiated investment platform that harnesses our deep operational expertise to act as true partners to the companies we invest in – from building strong leadership teams, guiding early drug discovery efforts, designing clinical development programs, and navigating the regulatory environment through to commercial launch strategies,” says Squinto.