A biotech company whose CEO faced allegations of manipulating data in papers used in NIH grant applications will pay a settlement of $4 million to resolve those allegations.

The settlement is the latest installment in a series of allegations surrounding research by Leen Kawas, the former CEO of the company Athira Pharma. In October 2021 an internal investigation found she falsified images in her doctoral dissertation and at least four research papers. Those papers "were referenced in several grant applications submitted to NIH, including in a grant that NIH funded in 2019", the statement continued.

The company’s transparency significantly helped Athira Pharma mitigate its damages and demonstrated its resolve towards coming into compliance with the relevant law and regulations. The settlement resolves claims made by Andrew P. Mallon, who filed a whistleblower suit under the False Claims Act. Mallon is to receive $203,434 as part of the settlement, according to the DOJ statement.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/bothell-biopharmaceutical-company-pays-4-million-resolve-allegations-it-relied