Former Blackstone president Tony James has launched Jefferson Life Sciences, a new healthcare and biotechnology investment fund operated through his family office, Jefferson River Capital, according to Bloomberg.
Based in New York, the fund will invest in innovative medical ventures from early development to commercial scale. It will be led by biotech entrepreneur Laura Lande-Diner as Managing Partner, supported by over six senior advisers.
This marks an expansion of James’s healthcare-focused portfolio, which already includes stakes in PM Pediatric Care, a U.S. children’s healthcare provider, and Renalytix Plc, a London-listed company developing AI-driven kidney diagnostics.
James, aged 74, left Blackstone in 2022 after nearly 20 years, during which he helped steer the firm’s IPO and its growth into a trillion-dollar alternative asset manager. His net worth is estimated at around $8.8 billion.
Founded nearly ten years ago, Jefferson River Capital has been extending its reach across private markets. Earlier this year, it backed a private equity spinout led by David Wittels, a longtime associate of James, closing its first fund with James as a cornerstone investor.
The creation of Jefferson Life Sciences reflects a wider trend among billionaire family offices turning toward specialised investments in healthcare innovation and biotech.
