“What is beautiful being in the biotech arena is the fast-paced, rapid decision-making, and the ability to explore something that may be related, but slightly different than your ground bait technology.”
In this episode, I talked with Dr. Chris Leamon, Chief Scientific Officer at Fusion Pharmaceuticals, where he shares his journey in the biotech industry, discussing his early influences, the founding of Endocyte, and . He also discusses the challenges faced in drug development, the importance of leadership during workforce reductions, and the lessons learned from trial failures. Chris emphasizes the significance of execution, continuous learning, and building a strong team in the biotech field.
Here's what you're in:
- What made Chris pursue a career in oncology?
- Why did Chris join Fusion Pharmaceuticals?
- Why did he get involved in radiotherapeutics?
- What gave Chris the confidence to pivot trials?
- How did he dealt a workforce reduction?
- What are some painful lessons you have learnt through hiring? What do you wish you knew earlier?
- What mistakes do you see job applicants make or people in their career make?
- What advice would you give someone looking to build a successful career like yours?
- What are big mistakes companies are still making today?
Timestamps:
02:41 Early Influences and Career Beginnings
06:43 Transitioning into Radiotherapeutics Field
13:36 The Process of Pivoting Trials
16:50 Dealing with Workforce Reduction
20:53 Joining Fusion Pharmaceuticals and Future Aspirations
24:36 Insights on Trial Failures and Learning Experiences
29:17 Hiring Practices and Building a Strong Team
34:11 Advice for Aspiring Biotech Professionals
About Chris
- Dr. Chris Leamon is the Chief Scientific Officer at Fusion Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that specializes in developing targeted alpha therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.
- He is also a scientific co-founder of Endocyte, the company that developed Pluvicto, and he has been an executive associated with two biotech acquisitions over the past six years: Endocyte (purchased by Novartis in Dec. 2018) and Fusion Pharmaceuticals (purchased by Astra Zeneca in June, 2024).
- Dr. Leamon earned his PhD in Biochemistry at Purdue University.
Connect with Chris
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-leamon-393639b/
About Fusion Pharmaceuticals
- Fusion Pharmaceuticals specializes in developing targeted alpha therapeutics for cancer treatment.
- It utilizes proprietary Fast-Clear technology for improved safety and rapid clearance from healthy tissues.
- Its piipeline consists of:
- FPI-2265: Advanced program in Phase II trials for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
- FPI-1434: Targets solid tumors and is in clinical development.
- Acquired by AstraZeneca in June 2024 for approximately $2.4 billion.
Company Website: https://fusionpharma.com/
Pipeline: https://fusionpharma.com/fusion-pipeline/
About Me
My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera. After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm. After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.
In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search. A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.
Connect with me:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/
Website: https://www.discera-search.com/
