Question 14: Name the investor who has announced its/his/her investment in Venturis Therapeutics / Cardiovascular Biotherapeutics (CVBT) since Calvin Wallen's hostile takeover in 2014?
A) NEA - the premier VC firm in the biotech industry
B) The Gates Foundation
C) 3rd Street Beverage, an especially cash-rich operation these days
D) Warren Buffett
E) Too Sweet Cakes - Bend OR's finest cake bakery, whose business has exploded the last couple of years.
The correct answer is: (G). None at all. Not a single investor has ever announced investment in CVBT/Venturis since Calvin Wallen’s hostile takeover 7 years ago. Not one. That’s rather telling. It’s the norm in biotech for any substantial investor to announce investments. Indeed, CVBT announced its investments when the prior leadership was running the company. So either there have been no significant investments since Mr. Wallen took over, or Mr. Wallen has only “invisible” investors. Given that Venturis CFO Robert Schleizer stated at the 2018 annual shareholders meetings that CVBT/Venturis had received a going concern qualification from its auditors, well, I think we know the answer. That, plus Judge Gary Spraker in CVBT’s involuntary bankruptcy stated that CVBT/Venturis is unable to pay its bills as they become due. Now that Venturis has suffered a binding 7-figure judgment to the former CEO, Venturis is all but certainly facing liquidation or bankruptcy. Either way, I believe the curtain falls for good very soon. If you selected (F) instead, while that is technically correct, it’s actually the wrong answer because it implies there are some other choices even if not listed here. In fact, there has not been a single investment announced for Venturis Therapeutics. (G) is the correct answer.
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