DAFNA Capital Management

Nathan Fischel, the founder, serves as Chief Investment Officer and leads the investment team. He built the firm around his background in biotechnology investing and genomic science. The firm's public record indicates a lean structure where portfolio decisions flow through Fischel and a small team of scientifically trained analysts.

DAFNA runs a concentrated, long-biased public-equities portfolio focused exclusively on healthcare — specifically biotechnology, specialty pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and life-science tools. The firm invests where genomic and molecular data create an edge in understanding drug-development pipelines. It typically avoids healthcare services, facilities, and non-innovator large-cap pharma, keeping the portfolio tight at roughly 20 to 35 positions.

DAFNA is structured as a public-equities manager. There is no public record of a dedicated venture fund, private-placement vehicle, or crossover arm operated by the firm. It may occasionally access pre-IPO biotech rounds through its public-market broker relationships, but its core mandate is liquid, listed healthcare equities.

The firm relies on proprietary scientific due diligence conducted by an investment team with genetics, biology, and medical training. Fischel has positioned DAFNA to evaluate companies at the genomic and molecular level rather than through traditional Wall Street healthcare research. The firm's Los Angeles base and academic ties provide access to biotech clusters on both US coasts, but its primary edge is scientific literacy, not geographic proximity.

DAFNA Capital Management is an independent asset manager, not a family office. It was founded by Nathan Fischel as a dedicated healthcare investment firm. The firm manages capital for institutional and qualified investors, with no disclosed connection to a single-family wealth source.