Kevin Kimberlin

In 1982, Kimberlin invested in Millicom, a startup selected by the Federal Communications Commission to demonstrate the feasibility of cellular telephony.^[1][2][3] As advisor to the CEO, he structured the first equity financing for Millicom, which led the Racal–Millicom joint venture —subsequently renamed Vodafone Group plc.^[4]

Kimberlin co-founded Ciena Corporation with Optelecom and David R. Huber to commercialize the first dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) system.^[5][6][7] This system is the common basis of all high-capacity fiber communications networks.^[8]

Prior to its public offering, Kimberlin was the sole general partner of Next Level Communications, a broadband access company, 20% owned by Kimberlin LLC and 80% owned by General Instrument Corporation.^[9] Kimberlin took Next Level through its IPO, achieving a market capitalization of $17 billion before it was acquired by Motorola in 2002.^[10]

In 1986, Kimberlin co-founded the Immune Response Corporation with Jonas Salk.^[11] The Immune Response Corporation patented the basis of the first FDA approved cancer vaccine, and contributed to developments in the field of immunotherapy.^[12]

He then co-founded Myriad Genetics, the first human genome company, with Walter Gilbert, Peter Meldrum, and Mark Skolnick, the scientist who, with several colleagues, devised the gene-mapping technique that preceded the Human Genome Project.^[13] Myriad Genetics discovered the breast cancer gene, BRCA1, in 1994.^[14]

Osiris Therapeutics, also co-founded by Kevin Kimberlin, patented and developed the mesenchymal stem (stromal) cell (MSC). As of June 2020, a search of MSC in ClinicalTrials.gov turned up 1,116 clinical trials registered to treat 928 different medical conditions. Using the MSC as a drug, Osiris received the world's first regulatory approval for a stem cell-based therapy.^[15]

Kimberlin helped launch^[when?] Health Dialog based on the research of John Wennberg. Health Dialog provided $130 million in support of Wennberg's evidence-based medicine efforts.^{[citation needed]}

Kimberlin was a founding shareholder in Robert Langer's first company, Enzytech which later merged to form Alkermes.^[16]

Kimberlin's philanthropic activities in environmental science, education, and creativity include the Audubon Society, Harvard University and Yaddo, where Kimberlin is a lifetime honorary director.^[17]

In 2014, Kimberlin was reported as one of a number of "prominent investors [who] have taken to Transcendental Meditation".^[18] He received his Bachelor of Sciences degree from Indiana University and his master's degree from Harvard University.