Leena Das-Young, Pharm.D. is a founder, investor, and biopharmaceutical C-suite executive with diverse leadership experience spanning multiple functional areas across the product development and commercial continuum including CXO, general management, global product development (both late and early phase programs) as well as global and regional commercial leadership roles.
Leena is currently a Partner at Emerald Bioventures focused on building innovative life sciences companies in the fields of Oncology, Immunology, Infectious Disease, Maternal-Fetal Health, and others. She is also the founder/CEO of RaniBio LLC providing advisory services to biopharmaceutical, VC, health technology, and private equity. Leena currently serves as an advisor to Artis Ventures, an early-stage Oncology company, a Health technology company, Springboard Enterprises, and as a scientific advisor for Micronoma. Previously, Leena served as the General Manager and Chief Lunar officer at Guardant Health, the leading liquid biopsy diagnostics company for cancer. In her role at Guardant, she was responsible for building the business unit around the early-stage cancer detection program focused on the development of innovative assays for both cancer detection and for cancer screening applications.
Prior to Guardant Health, Leena served as the Vice President, Head of Oncology Late Phase Strategy and Development Group at Pfizer responsible for a portfolio of 13 assets representing over 200 active single agent and combination clinical trials with both large biologic and small molecules across a spectrum of solid tumor and hematologic malignancies. Over the last several years, Leena has played an instrumental role in the development and approvals of several innovative agents such as Ibrance, Xalkori, Lorbrena, Sutent, Besponsa, Bosulif, Talzenna, and Mylotarg including stewardship of six breakthrough designations through to approval. She also oversaw the complex submissions, regulatory defense, and subsequent approvals of both Mylotarg and SUTENT where novel clinical endpoints were established to set new precedents for regulatory approval.
Prior to product development roles at Pfizer, Leena held increasingly responsible marketing positions in the oncology & infectious disease areas in US operational marketing, new product planning and assessment, business development, global strategic marketing and in product development at Pfizer and Bayer.
Leena holds a B.S.in Pharmacy and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) from Purdue University. She is a classically trained musician, plays several instruments, and enjoys traveling and spending her time with her family.