Dr. Leen Kawas knows what it takes to disrupt an industry and she has done it with biotech in ways few could imagine. From pioneering drug developments for Alzheimer’s to founding Propel Bio Partners, a life science investment firm, she’s breaking ground not just in treatments, but in how the entire sector thinks about investment, growth, and inclusivity.
Her story is not one of luck or easy success. Every milestone is hard-won, grounded in relentless innovation and an eye for opportunity that few others can see. For Leen, the mission has always been clear: develop solutions that have real, lasting impacts on human health. This means discovering and investing in technologies that others might overlook but that she knows can change lives.
The Rise of a Biotech Pioneer
Leen’s journey in biotech didn’t start with a cushy role or generous funding. She built her expertise and career from the ground up. In 2014, she co-founded Athira Pharma and brought in groundbreaking ideas around neurological diseases. In biotech, the pressure to deliver isn’t just on profits but on producing tangible, life-saving results. Leen’s relentless drive helped her raise over $400 million, culminating in one of the industry’s most notable IPOs, and she did it while breaking stereotypes left and right.
What’s the secret? Leen focuses on the big picture while zeroing in on every detail. She doesn’t just want new therapies in the market—she wants to reshape how patients receive them, how researchers think about them, and how investors support them. It’s a vision that goes beyond products; it’s about shaping the future of healthcare, and she’s just getting started.
Propel Bio Partners: Rethinking Biotech Investments
Now at Propel Bio Partners, Leen leads as Managing General Partner, targeting a very specific challenge: finding the biotech firms with potential for transformational change and giving them the support they need to get there. Propel Bio Partners is not just another investment firm; it’s a platform built around collaboration and support for high-potential, early-stage life sciences companies.
“We’re investing in people and ideas that have the potential to fundamentally improve lives,” she says. With a focus on both small-cap public and private companies, Propel Bio is taking a holistic approach. For Leen, each investment decision goes beyond finance; it involves evaluating the technology, the team, and the impact they could have on the future of healthcare. Her eye for finding and nurturing potential doesn’t just come from years of experience but from a deep-rooted belief in what biotech can achieve when fueled by the right vision and values.
Challenges and Triumphs of Being a Female Leader in Biotech
In a sector where innovation and progress are key, Leen has seen that for women, the path is often more challenging. She’s one of just 22 female founders and CEOs to take a company public in biotech as of 2021—a staggering statistic that underscores the rarity of her accomplishment. Despite these odds, Leen didn’t just navigate the biotech landscape; she reshaped it for herself and those who came after her.
But it’s not just about breaking records. Leen knows that leading a company in biotech means confronting a unique set of challenges. When she led Athira through its IPO, it marked the first time in over 20 years that a woman had guided a biotech company to public status in Washington State. The recognition, while significant, only made her more aware of the work left to do for women in science and leadership.
“It’s harder as a woman; there’s no doubt about it,” she says. “But I didn’t let that define me or limit my goals.” For Leen, the focus is clear: build companies that can stand the test of time, and create pathways for other women to do the same. It’s an approach that has seen her gain not only industry accolades but also the trust and respect of a new generation of female scientists and entrepreneurs.
Building a Company from Vision to IPO
To understand Leen’s leadership, look no further than her work at Athira. As co-founder, she didn’t just oversee operations; she was deeply involved in scientific research and drug development. Athira’s lead candidate, ATH-1017, aimed at treating Alzheimer’s, represents one of her major contributions to the field. Bringing this to life required not only scientific acumen but also the tenacity to secure funding and navigate the complexities of clinical trials, regulatory pathways, and public interest.
Raising $400 million and successfully taking Athira public, Leen put herself—and the company—on the map. She says, “The hard work wasn’t just in getting to the IPO; it was in ensuring that what we were building had real substance, real potential to change lives.” That clarity of purpose gave her the edge needed to see the company through its most challenging times, including the immense pressure that comes with a public listing.
Leading Propel Bio Partners: A Hands-On Approach to Investing
Today, at Propel Bio Partners, Leen leverages everything she learned from her years at Athira. She’s not interested in being a passive investor; she’s actively involved in guiding portfolio companies, offering strategic input on everything from regulatory pathways to product development. Propel Bio isn’t just about injecting money—it’s about being part of the journey, ensuring that the companies they support have the resources and guidance they need to succeed.
Propel Bio Partners operates on a simple but powerful premise: real transformation in healthcare takes more than just capital; it takes a community of experts and advisors. By providing this network, Leen and her team are rethinking what it means to be a life sciences investor.
“Every company we work with is part of a larger mission to create better, more effective healthcare solutions,” she says. For Leen, it’s not enough to see a promising technology; she needs to know it has the potential to benefit patients and that it’s being led by people who share that commitment.
A Voice for Women in Biotech
Beyond the boardroom and lab, Leen’s voice is one of advocacy. She actively supports gender equity, but not in a performative way. At Propel Bio, her focus on diversity in portfolio companies happened naturally, with a majority of her firm’s investments landing in women-led ventures. For Leen, it wasn’t a quota to be filled but rather a reflection of her belief that great ideas can come from anyone and should be supported wherever they arise.
“Sometimes, it’s about just showing up and proving that women can lead at the highest levels,” she says. Leen’s straightforward approach resonates across the industry, inspiring other women to see their own potential in biotech and entrepreneurship. She recognizes that being one of the few women to take a biotech company public is meaningful, but she’s more focused on ensuring that others follow her path—and perhaps even surpass it.
What’s Next? Revolutionizing the Investment Landscape in Life Sciences
As Leen looks to the future, her goals for Propel Bio Partners are ambitious. She’s not content to simply grow the fund; she wants to build an investment model that others in the industry can look to. This means actively engaging with companies and setting a new standard for what investors can—and should—bring to the table beyond funding. Her eyes are on the horizon, thinking about the evolution of patient-centric healthcare and how Propel Bio can play a role in making it a reality.
Dr. Kawas is quick to point out that her role is far from conventional; she sees herself as part of a new breed of investors who are deeply involved in the companies they support. “We invest methodically and support thoughtfully,” she explains. For her, success isn’t just measured in returns but in real-world impact, in seeing companies she backed achieve breakthroughs that reshape the healthcare landscape.
Legacy and a Vision for the Future
Leen’s journey has not been an easy one, and that’s exactly why it’s so inspiring. From groundbreaking scientific work to breaking down gender barriers in biotech, her path has been anything but typical. She’s setting an example not just for female leaders, but for anyone who believes in the power of innovation to make a difference.
In an industry that’s slow to change, Leen Kawas is a catalyst. Her work at Propel Bio Partners isn’t just about returns or prestige—it’s about creating something bigger than herself. She’s a visionary who’s rewriting the rulebook on what it means to lead, invest, and innovate in biotech.
For Dr. Leen Kawas, the mission is clear: revolutionize healthcare, one breakthrough at a time. And as she does, she’s showing an entire industry what it looks like to lead with purpose and passion.
