Chris Ehrlich is currently the CEO of Launch One Acquisition Corp. (NASD: LPAA) as well as CEO and Chairman of CERo Therapeutics (NASD: CERO), a novel cancer immunotherapy company. He also serves as the Principal of Ehrlich Bioventures, LLC, a consultancy working with emerging biopharma companies. He previously served as the CEO of Phoenix Biotech Acquisition Corp. (NASD: PBAX) until its merger with CERo Therapeutics, Inc. Prior, he served as the CEO of Locust Walk Acquisition Corporation (NASD: LWAC) until August 2021 when it merged with eFFECTOR Therapeutics. From 2013 to 2021, he was a Senior Managing Director at Locust Walk, a life sciences transaction firm, where he served as the Global Head of Biotechnology and Head of Strategic Transactions.
Mr. Ehrlich has been involved with sourcing and leading multiple transactions for emerging biopharmaceutical companies, including the sale of Xyphos Biosciences, Inc. to Astellas in 2019 and the sale of Thar Pharmaceuticals to Grunenthal in 2018. Prior to Locust Walk, he was a Managing Director at InterWest Partners, a venture capital firm. As a General Partner, he served on the boards of KAI Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Amgen in 2012), Biomimetic Therapeutics, Inc. (NASD: BMTI, then acquired by Wright Medical Technologies in 2013), Invuity, Inc. (NASD: IVTY, then acquired by Stryker in 2018) and Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASD: XENE). Prior to joining InterWest, Mr. Ehrlich worked as the Director of Licensing and Business Development at Purdue Pharma, in business development at Genentech, in venture capital at the U.S. Russia Investment Fund, and in biotechnology strategy development at L.E.K. Consulting.
Mr. Ehrlich currently serves on the Advisory Boards of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at the University of San Francisco, the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth as well as the Healthcare at Kellogg Program at Northwestern University. He is a member of YPO Gold. He is also an Adjunct Professor at University of San Francisco where he teaches a course on the Business of Biotechnology.
Mr. Ehrlich has a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College and a M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.