Ali Behbahani

Ali Behbahani, MD, is a Partner and Co-Head of Healthcare at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), based in Philadelphia. He specializes in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors, where he leads investments and helps build innovative healthcare companies from early formation through public growth. His role at NEA involves identifying and partnering with founders developing transformative treatments, including next-generation cell therapies and groundbreaking drug technologies.

Behbahani covers specific areas such as biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and cell therapy, with a particular focus on novel drug solutions and device platforms that can reshape clinical practice. His notable contributions include company-building in the cell therapy space, co-founding Arcellx (chimeric antigen T cell therapy) and Nkarta (natural killer cell therapy), as well as participating in investments in companies like Tesaro, CRISPR, Nevro, Hyperion, InterMune, and Acadia.

Prior to joining NEA in 2007, Ali worked at The Medicines Company, Morgan Stanley, and Lehman Brothers, and gained research experience at the National Institutes of Health and Duke University. He holds an MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, an MBA from The Wharton School, and bachelor's degrees in biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, and chemistry from Duke University.