Bridge Bank announced the launch of a new banking group -- Life Sciences Group (LSG) -- which will offer customized financial solutions to companies operating in the life sciences sector, including within the biotech, medical devices and pharma verticals. The Life Sciences Group will focus on providing term and revolving debt to life sciences companies for a variety of purposes including growth and working capital, refinancing, restructuring, recapitalization, as well as for financing mergers and acquisitions. In addition to providing tailored credit solutions, LSG will offer the full complement of Bridge Bank's financial solutions including treasury management and international banking services.
"Life sciences companies often face a unique set of uncertainties," said Thomas A. Sa, executive vice president and head of Bridge Bank's business lines. "With our experience as a leading lender to technology companies who face their own unique challenges, and the addition of Robert Lake and his team's track record, we are well-positioned to help life sciences companies navigate those uncertainties, allowing them to stay focused on the development, approval and growth of their products," added Sa.
Based in San Diego and offering financial solutions to companies nationwide, Bridge Bank's Life Sciences Group will be led by Robert Lake, a veteran lender with nearly 20 years of commercial lending experience specializing in venture-backed life sciences, technology and healthcare services companies. Before joining Bridge Bank, Lake was executive director at Oxford Finance LLC where he managed and assisted in the growth of the firm's portfolio in the western regions of North America. Lake has also held leadership positions at Silicon Valley Bank, Fifth Third Bank and the American Medical Association.
"Bridge Bank has built a superior platform and reputation, having banked a portfolio of high-profile tech companies throughout the country," said Robert Lake, senior vice president and head of Bridge Bank's Life Sciences Group. "The opportunity to extend the Bridge Bank brand into the life sciences sector is tremendous, and the synergies across the bank's business lines will represent a true value-add to our life science clients," added Lake.
Bridge Bank also recently announced the formation of its Equity Fund Resources group, whose purpose is to develop an eco-system of centralized resources to both private investors and Bridge Bank clients, including life sciences companies.
Bridge Bank is a division of Western Alliance Bank, the go-to-bank for business in its growing markets. Bridge Bank was founded in 2001 in Silicon Valley to offer a better way to bank for small-market and middle-market businesses from across many industries, as well as emerging technology companies and the private equity community.