Leon Chen
Partner at The Column Group
Palo Alto, California
Overview
Work Experience
Partner
2019 - Current
Venture Partner
2013 - 2019
OrbiMed is a healthcare-dedicated investment firm focusing on biopharmaceuticals for medical devices and diagnostics.
Partner
2007 - 2013
As a Partner at Skyline Ventures, I sourced, did diligence and negotiated new investments with a focus in therapeutics, life science tools and diagnostics. While at Skyline I was a board member of Sutro Biopharma, Crescendo Biosciences and Genocea Biosciences and a Board observer at Celula and DiscoverX.
Skyline Ventures, formed in 1997, is a nationally-known venture capital firm that specializes in investing in outstanding product-focused
Entrepreneur in Residence
2007 - 2007
As an EIR at Venrock, I worked on forming a new company in the field of epigenetics. Together with the team there we evaluated relevant targets in the space that could be a focus for novel drugs in oncology.
Venrock is a venture capital firm investing in technology and healthcare companies.
Founder
2002 - 2007
KAI Pharmaceuticals focused on peptide based therapeutics targeting Protein Kinase C for a variety of indications. The company developed clinical programs in cardiovascular disease, pain and renal indications Founded out of the labs of Dr. Daria Mochly Rosen at Stanford, the company was acquired by Amgen in 2012 for $315M. As a founder of KAI Pharmaceuticals I served as the first employee and helped build the organization from the ground up. While at KAI I held a number of responsibilities including leading a team of pharmacologist in the research organization, project management of pre-clinical and early clinical programs, managing corporate IP, and participating in business development and corporate financing efforts.
PhD Student
1998 - 2001
Education
MBA
2007 - 2009
PhD
1998 - 2001
Ph.D
1998 - 2001
Bachelor of Arts
1993 - 1997