The regulatory progress follows the completion of the D-LIVR study, which ranks as the largest clinical trial for chronic hepatitis D to date, spanning 400 participants across 21 countries. Beyond Lonafarnib, Kawas is overseeing the development of Lambda, a Phase 2 candidate targeting severe acute viral respiratory infections. Kawas, who co-founded the investment firm Propel Bio Partners in 2022, brings a decade of leadership experience to the role, including a successful tenure taking a neurodegenerative-focused firm through a $400 million IPO in 2020.

Dr. Jeffrey Glenn, EIT Pharma co-founder and professor at Stanford University, credited Kawas’s combination of scientific rigor and business experience for the firm’s rapid momentum since operations began in early 2025. Kawas emphasized that the company’s focus remains strictly on high-need patient populations, aiming to bridge the gap between complex research and accessible clinical outcomes.