Abingworth in US.

Abingworth Management, the life sciences venture capital group, has opened a new office in Waltham, MA, US. The new office will be run by director Michael F Bigham, enabling the firm to focus on East Coast deals more actively. To support this expansion, Abingworth also announces the appointment of Dr Roy Lobb as adviser. His responsibilities will include evaluating new opportunities and assisting portfolio companies on the East Coast. This is the firm’s fourth office, the others being located in London, Cambridge (UK), and Menlo Park, US.

Lobb held a number of academic positions at Harvard Medical School before joining Biogen in 1987 as a senior scientist, where he and his team were the first to identify a drug to inhibit the VLA-4 leukocyte adhesion pathway. He was promoted to director of biological research and then senior director, exploratory research. He has consulted for a number of life science companies including Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (an Abingworth investment). He remains a consultant for Biogen Idec.