Leen Kawas – CEO, M3 Biotechnology

"There's work that needs to be done and we're going to do it." - Leen Kawas

Nothing better illustrates the grit, determination, and enthusiasm of today's guest, Leen Kawas. Leen is the CEO and president of M3 Biotechnology, a Seattle-based startup tackling diseases of the brain. As a leader in her field and an award-winning entrepreneur, she knows no bounds when it comes to tackling the daunting challenge of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. As a Ph.D. student at Washington State University, Leen stumbled into an unlikely career as a startup CEO. But Leen's journey to entrepreneurship was completely unplanned.

As an immigrant from Jordan, Leen started her professional journey as a pharmacist. Not long into her career, Leen realized pharmacology didn't suit her ambitions, so she returned to academia, in pursuit of her Ph.D. at Washington State University. The opportunity to move from academia to the startup world came during her time at Washington State University. Like most great entrepreneurs, Leen saw the opportunity and felt compelled to change the status quo. Her passion, intelligence, and charisma quickly catapulted her to the role of CEO. And the rest is, as they say, history.

During our time with Leen, we explore the research behind M3 Biotechnology and find out:

• What happens to our brains as we age?
• What is a cognoscopy?
• What data points can you use to address neurodegeneration?
• What is the difference between small and large molecule treatments?

Leen's charm, wit, and ability to keep T.A. on his toes makes for an incredibly insightful and fun conversation. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Note from Leen: M3 Biotechnology is introducing a new webpage and flyer to support recruitment for our NDX-1017 Phase 1 clinical trials. Please refer to our webpage at ndx-1017.com or call 1-800-839-2095 for more information. Thank you for your interest in our program and novel therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease.

About Leen

• M3 Biotechnology
• Leen Kawas Twitter

Show Links

• APOE4 gene
• Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
• Allen Institute for Brain Science
• Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
• A-𝛽 hypothesis