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Joseph L. Faber

Partner | He/Him/His
Partner | He/Him/His
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Areas of Focus

Overview

Joe was the founder and managing principal of Faber Daeufer & Itrato, a premier life sciences boutique firm, and now helps to lead Crowell Life Sciences. He often serves as outside general counsel for venture-backed drug discovery and development companies. In addition, he functions as lead outside transactional counsel for emerging companies seeking strategic business partnering or private financing, as well as for mature companies seeking to acquire technologies and platforms. 

Before founding Faber, he served as associate general counsel of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited). At Millennium, he managed the Corporate Law and Research and Product Alliance Groups, served on the executive management team responsible for the corporate strategic planning process, and served on the Strategic Business Team that managed Millennium’s oncology franchise.

Joe has spoken on business law and ethics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Program of Health Sciences and Technology), Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan (Net Impact Conference), and Boston College Law School.

Career & Education

    • Associate General Counsel, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
      • Managed the Corporate Law and Research and Product Alliance Groups
      • Served on the executive management team responsible for the corporate strategic planning process
      • Served on the strategic business team that managed Millennium’s oncology franchise
      • Led a coalition of biotechnology companies and the Biotechnology Industry Organization to obtain the issuance of SEC Rule 3a-8, which substantially increased opportunities for strategic investments by cash-rich biopharmaceuticals in early-stage growth companies
      • Vice President and Associate General Counsel, United Asset Management Corporation (now Old Mutual Asset Management)
      • Served on the strategic deal team that acquired over 40 investment advisory firms located in the U.S. and Europe
    • Associate, Hill & Barlow
      • Concentrated on mergers and acquisitions and venture capital
    • Associate General Counsel, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
      • Managed the Corporate Law and Research and Product Alliance Groups
      • Served on the executive management team responsible for the corporate strategic planning process
      • Served on the strategic business team that managed Millennium’s oncology franchise
      • Led a coalition of biotechnology companies and the Biotechnology Industry Organization to obtain the issuance of SEC Rule 3a-8, which substantially increased opportunities for strategic investments by cash-rich biopharmaceuticals in early-stage growth companies
      • Vice President and Associate General Counsel, United Asset Management Corporation (now Old Mutual Asset Management)
      • Served on the strategic deal team that acquired over 40 investment advisory firms located in the U.S. and Europe
    • Associate, Hill & Barlow
      • Concentrated on mergers and acquisitions and venture capital

    • Boston University School of Law, J.D.
    • Harvard College, A.B.
    • Boston University School of Law, J.D.
    • Harvard College, A.B.

    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New York
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New York

    • Joe is or has been involved in a wide range of philanthropic and community organizations, including:
      • Pen Bay / Waldo Community – Board, MaineHealth
      • Board of Trustees, past member, Center for Maine Contemporary Art
      • Genetics Advisory Council, past member, Partners Healthcare Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine
      • Medical Science and Technology Council, past member, Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons
      • Board of Directors, past member, CAVU Foundation, an organization that supported community programs that enhance the health care of underserved children in Massachusetts
      • Board of Directors, past member, Venturing Out, an innovative not-for-profit organization that taught entrepreneurship to incarcerated and court-involved adults and high-risk youth
      • Co-Founder, The Possible Project, a not-for-profit that helps young people imagine, create and run their own business
      • Member, Slow Money an organization that provides pathways for individuals and families to provide financial assistance to farmers and agriculture businesses promoting sustainable local food systems, Maine and New York chapters
    • Member of the National Finance Council and actively involved in the voter protection team for the Stacey Abrams for Governor campaign in 2018.
    • Member of the Mondaire Jones for Congress Finance Committee since 2020.
    • Joe is or has been involved in a wide range of philanthropic and community organizations, including:
      • Pen Bay / Waldo Community – Board, MaineHealth
      • Board of Trustees, past member, Center for Maine Contemporary Art
      • Genetics Advisory Council, past member, Partners Healthcare Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine
      • Medical Science and Technology Council, past member, Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons
      • Board of Directors, past member, CAVU Foundation, an organization that supported community programs that enhance the health care of underserved children in Massachusetts
      • Board of Directors, past member, Venturing Out, an innovative not-for-profit organization that taught entrepreneurship to incarcerated and court-involved adults and high-risk youth
      • Co-Founder, The Possible Project, a not-for-profit that helps young people imagine, create and run their own business
      • Member, Slow Money an organization that provides pathways for individuals and families to provide financial assistance to farmers and agriculture businesses promoting sustainable local food systems, Maine and New York chapters
    • Member of the National Finance Council and actively involved in the voter protection team for the Stacey Abrams for Governor campaign in 2018.
    • Member of the Mondaire Jones for Congress Finance Committee since 2020.

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Representative Matters

Before joining Crowell Life Sciences in 2025, Joe was the Managing Principal at Faber Daeufer & Itrato. In this capacity, Joe led dozens of equity financings and strategic transactions for biopharmaceutical and biotechnology clients including mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments, combinations, collaborations, and spin outs. Select representative matters:

  • Acquisition of a private company’s clinical-stage stem cell platform for $320 million
  • Sale of a pharmaceutical company’s FXR program for the treatment of NASH and other liver diseases for up to $470 million
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals acquisition of Sirna Therapeutics from Merck for $175 million plus milestones and royalties
  • Strategic investment by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in Tekmira Pharmaceuticals in connection with business combination of Tekmira Pharmaceuticals and Protiva Biotherapeutics
  • Equity financing of Tasca Therapeutics
  • Equity financings of Claris Bio and advice on strategic coordination of manufacturing collaborations
  • Organization and equity financing of Diceros Therapeutics
  • Equity and debt financings of PanOptica
  • Equity investment by Novo A/S in Galera Therapeutics
  • Spin-out of epigenetic modulators for CNS disorders by Proteros Biostructures, and equity financing from Atlas Ventures and J&J Development Corp. to launch Rodin Therapeutics
  • Multiple spin-outs, strategic funding agreements, and ongoing advice on grant funding strategies on behalf of industry participants and innovative non-profit research organizations and foundations

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