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Isaac Zike, Ph.D. is a Managing Director at RiverVest Venture Partners, where he supports operational and development activities of current portfolio companies, manages diligence processes on potential new investments, and facilitates the development of novel opportunities.
It is a privilege to be part of such a strong and cohesive team that is committed to identifying impactful technologies and empowering entrepreneurs to develop therapies that dramatically improve patients’ lives.
Isaac Zike,
Ph.D.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
JOINED IN 2019
A managing director at RiverVest since 2023, Isaac Zike, Ph.D., joined the firm in 2019 as a senior associate and was promoted to principal in 2021. He brings a strong combination of scientific and investment expertise that adds depth and rigor to deal origination, due diligence, and portfolio company support. These skills have proven instrumental in advancing several early-stage drug candidates during his tenure with RiverVest.
As a board observer, Isaac supports RiverVest portfolio companies Glycomine, Sparrow Pharmaceuticals, and Allotera Therapeutics (formerly Wugen). He previously served as a board director of SeQure Dx, Scout Bio, and a stealth biopharma company. Isaac is also a member of the BioSTL Coalition, which brings together academic, philanthropic, and scientific leaders to advance research, entrepreneurship, and long-term economic growth in the St. Louis region.
Isaac’s academic training began at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where he earned a B.S., double majoring in Biochemistry and in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development. He then completed a Ph.D. in Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University, where he worked in the Veenstra-VanderWeele research group, focusing on the evaluation and validation of novel animal models for psychiatric disease.
Prior to joining RiverVest, Isaac worked as a life science associate at Huron Consulting Group in New York City. There, he assisted pharmaceutical and biotech clients on strategic projects ranging from early optimization of R&D processes to commercialization strategies for marketed products.