Propel Bio Partners

Propel Bio Partners is a private equity investment firm established in March 2022 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Dr. Leen Kawas and Richard Kayne, the firm focuses on investing in high-potential companies within the biosciences sector, particularly those with disruptive technologies that are ready for clinical trials or regulatory approval. Propel Bio Partners aims to provide both capital and strategic guidance to its portfolio companies. Dr. Kawas, who has extensive experience in drug discovery and clinical trials from her previous role as Co-Founder and CEO of a pharmaceutical company, leads the firm alongside Richard Kayne, a veteran in private equity and venture capital. They are joined by Dr. Dasom Yoo, a Senior Advisor with expertise in regenerative medicine. The firm’s advisory board consists of leaders from prominent biosciences companies and government agencies, ensuring that their investments benefit from specialized knowledge in research, medicine, and business.

Sam Berry

Analyst

Erik Gonzalez-Leon

Analyst

Leen Kawas

Co-Founder and Managing Partner

4 past transactions

Achieve Life Sciences

Post in 2024
Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company based in Vancouver, Canada, focused on developing and commercializing cytisinicline as a treatment for smoking cessation. Cytisinicline is a plant-derived alkaloid that aids in reducing nicotine withdrawal symptoms by interacting with nicotine receptors in the brain. The company aims to make this established treatment, which is already approved and marketed in Central and Eastern Europe, widely available to assist those struggling with nicotine addiction. Achieve Life Sciences has formed licensing agreements with Sopharma AD and the University of Bristol to further advance its mission in addressing the smoking health epidemic.

Inherent Biosciences

Series A in 2022
Inherent Biosciences is a molecular diagnostics company focused on transforming the trial and error approach in medicine by leveraging insights from epigenetics. The company aims to provide clarity on complex health issues by identifying dysregulation across multiple genes and pathways, which informs personalized treatment strategies. Inherent Biosciences develops innovative therapies for a range of conditions, including pain, infertility, embryo quality, autism, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fetal heart disease, and COVID-19. By translating biological discoveries into actionable insights, the company seeks to enhance patient care and improve outcomes in various medical fields.

Persephone Biosciences

Seed Round in 2022
Persephone Biome, Inc. is a San Diego-based company focused on researching and developing products and therapies that modify gut microbial metabolism, particularly in relation to cancer treatment. Established in 2017, the company is creating innovative solutions aimed at enhancing the efficacy of oncology drugs by retuning the gut microbiome. This includes the development of a pill containing beneficial gut bacteria. In addition to its therapeutics, Persephone Biome aims to offer nutritional products that support the human gut microbiome, producing functional foods and beverages that cater to the growing consumer demand for health-oriented products. The company has plans to enter clinical trials to further advance its initiatives in the field of microbiome-directed therapies.

OmniVis

Seed Round in 2021
OmniVis is a biotechnology company that has created an integrated portable platform for the detection of pathogens in various environments, including food processing facilities. The company offers a handheld device that quantitatively measures pathogens, providing accurate results in under 30 minutes. This technology utilizes single-use disposable test kits that analyze swabs or liquid samples, significantly reducing the time and labor associated with traditional lab testing. By delivering a low-cost and user-friendly solution, OmniVis enables health organizations to enhance their pathogen detection capabilities effectively.
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