Dr. Leen Kawas, CEO of EIT Pharma, Highlights on EASL Congress 2026

KIRKLAND, Wash., June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- EIT Pharma, Inc. presented new analyses from its lonafarnib development program for Chronic Hepatitis Delta (CHD) at EASL Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, held May 27–30, 2026. The presentations come under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Leen Kawas, a biotechnology executive, investor, and scientist who has led the company since 2025.

Dr. Kawas brings to the role a record of scientific leadership, clinical development, and company-building across the biotechnology sector.

About the Announcement

Dr. Kawas is a biotechnology executive, investor, and scientist with a career defined by advancing therapies that help people live healthier, longer lives. In addition to her role as CEO of EIT Pharma, she is co-founder and managing general partner of Propel Bio Partners, a life sciences investment firm that provides capital and strategic guidance to biotechnology companies with a particular emphasis on diverse and underrepresented founders.

Dr. Kawas is a serial entrepreneur with a strong track record of company creation and successful capital raising across multiple ventures. Beyond her own companies, she serves on the boards of and advises several biotechnology ventures, partnering with founders to translate early-stage science into enduring, scalable enterprises. She is a vocal advocate for women in biotechnology, actively working to expand access and opportunity for female talent in a field where they remain significantly underrepresented. Across all of her roles, her mission remains consistent: to advance patient-centered drug development and ensure that promising scientific innovations reach the individuals who need them most.

EASL Congress 2026: 
EIT Pharma presented new analysis from the lonafarnib development program at EASL Congress 2026. The D-LIVR study is the largest clinical trial ever conducted in chronic hepatitis D, enrolling more than 400 subjects across 21 countries. Lonafarnib is currently the only late-stage investigational therapy for CHD with an oral route of administration.

Presentations included:

• Oral Presentation: Lonafarnib/ritonavir and peg-interferon alfa drive histological improvement and inflammation resolution in chronic hepatitis D: results of the multicenter phase 3 D-LIVR study; presented by Dr. Saeed Hamid, "Viral Hepatitis B/D – New Therapies" session, May 29.
• Poster Presentation: Lonafarnib/ritonavir with or without peginterferon achieves rapid, durable responses in chronic hepatitis D: extended analyses from the phase 3 D-LIVR trial; "Viral Hepatitis B and D: New therapies, unapproved therapies or strategies" session, May 27.

"People living with chronic hepatitis D face a serious and progressive liver disease with limited treatment options," said Dr. Kawas in the press announcement for the presentations. "These new analyses from D-LIVR deepen our understanding of lonafarnib-based regimens for CHD treatment. At EIT Pharma, our focus is advancing therapies where the unmet need is high, the science is rigorous, and the potential patient impact is meaningful."

EIT Pharma Progress

Just over a year after restarting the lonafarnib program, EIT Pharma has defined a potential regulatory path forward, including engagement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, re-analysis of D-LIVR study data, and preparation for commercialization. Lonafarnib for CHD has previously received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation, Fast Track designation, and Orphan Drug designation. EIT Pharma expects to provide additional data from the D-LIVR program to the medical community over the coming months.

"The renewed momentum behind lonafarnib is truly exciting," said Jeffrey Glenn, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, gastroenterology and hepatology, at Stanford University, scientific cofounder and advisor to EIT Pharma. "As the only oral option in late-stage development for chronic hepatitis D, this program represents a critical opportunity for patients with significant unmet medical needs. I'm excited to work with the experienced team at EIT to advance this potential breakthrough therapy …"

About Dr. Leen Kawas
Leen Kawas, Ph.D., is a biotechnology executive, investor, and scientist focused on advancing therapies that help people live healthier, longer lives. She is CEO of EIT Pharma, Inc. and co-founder and managing general partner of Propel Bio Partners. Dr. Kawas earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Washington State University and a Pharmacy degree from the University of Jordan, and has completed executive education programs at the Wharton School and the University of Washington Foster School of Business. She serves on the boards of Inherent Biosciences and Persephone Biosciences and is a member of the Springboard Network. She is a vocal advocate for scientist-entrepreneurs and for increasing diversity in clinical trials and biotech leadership.

About EIT Pharma
EIT Pharma is a biotechnology company based in Kirkland, Washington, focused on developing therapies for patients with serious viral diseases. In addition to lonafarnib for chronic hepatitis D, the company has obtained rights to lambda, which is being developed for severe acute viral respiratory tract infections. EIT Pharma was established by experienced clinical and biotechnology leaders to identify and advance overlooked or underdeveloped assets in areas of high unmet medical need.

About Lonafarnib
Lonafarnib is an oral farnesyltransferase inhibitor. In chronic hepatitis D, it is thought to exert antiviral activity by inhibiting the prenylation-dependent assembly process required for the formation of new HDV virions. As the only late-stage investigational therapy for CHD with an oral route of administration, lonafarnib is being developed as a potentially accessible option for patients living with this chronic and serious liver disease. Lonafarnib is not FDA approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis D.

SOURCE EIT Pharma