LK

Leen Kawas

Managing General Partner of Propel Bio Partners LLC

Los Angeles, California

Overview 

Leen Kawas is the Managing General Partner of Propel Bio Partners LLC in Los Angeles, California, with a background in institutional investing, entrepreneurship, and expertise in the pharmaceutical industry and drug development. Notable highlights of her career include serving as the CEO & President of Athira Pharma and being a Member of the Board of Directors for Inherent Biosciences, Inc. and Persephone Biosciences.

Work Experience 

  • Managing General Partner

    2021 - Current

    Propel Bio Partners (www.propelbio.com) is a global venture fund that is focused on life science investments. Propel Bio provides an entire ecosystem of experts to support entrepreneurs achieve their vision.

Propel Bio Partners is a global venture capital firm that invests in life science companies.

  • Member

    2022

Forbes Business Council is a vetted professional networking community for senior executives and business.

  • Member Board of Directors

    2022

    Biotechnology company pioneering epigenetic medicine for complex diseases. Inherent epigenetic platform detects dysregulation across multiple genes and related pathways to pioneer a new category of diagnostics and therapeutics that leverage the biology's inherent mechanism for gene regulation, to radically transform how we diagnose and treat complex diseases.

Inherent Biosciences is a molecular diagnostics company that revolutionizes trial and error medicine and restore hope.

Raised $2,155,959.00 from National Institutes of Health and The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

  • Member Board Of Directors

    2022

    Persephone is pioneering the use of synthetic biology for microbial products that impact patient and infant health. We are building an end-to-end platform to industrialize the development of engineered cells that restore health to damaged human ecosystems.

  • Board Observer- Investor

    2023

    Our mission is to modernize procedures for ENT surgeons through thoughtfully designed solutions, streamlined workflows, and transformative patient experiences.

Tympanogen is a medical technology company that develops ear, nose, and throat (ENT) devices and wound-healing therapies.

Raised $3,292,369.00 from NO/LA Angel Network and Virginia Venture Partners.

  • Board Observer

    2023

  • Advisor-Seattle

    2022

    Nucleate is a student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. We streamline company formation so that founders can focus on translating cutting-edge science.

a collaborative venture program enabling the formation of biotechnology companies addressing climate & sustainability challenges

  • Member

    2022

Chief is a private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders.

Raised $140,000,000.00 from BoxGroup, General Catalyst, Notable Capital, Primary Venture Partners, Inspired Capital Partners, Flybridge and CapitalG.

  • CEO & President

    2014 - 2021

  • Vice President of Research

    2011 - 2014

Athira Pharma is a clinical stage drug development company that specializes in biotechnology and pharmaceutical.

Raised $233,600,000.00 from National Institute on Aging.

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