Leon Chen

Partner

2019 - Current

Venture Partner

2013 - 2019

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.

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.

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