Chris Leamon, CSO at Fusion Therapeutics - Acquisition of Endocyte, Career reflections and more

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?What are big mistakes companies are still making today? Timestamps:02:41 Early Influences and Career Beginnings06:43 Transitioning into Radiotherapeutics Field13:36 The Process of Pivoting Trials16:50 Dealing with Workforce Reduction20:53 Joining Fusion Pharmaceuticals and Future Aspirations24:36 Insights on Trial Failures and Learning Experiences29:17 Hiring Practices and Building a Strong Team34:11 Advice for Aspiring Biotech Professionals About ChrisDr. 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 ChrisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-leamon-393639b/ Company Website: https://fusionpharma.com/ About meMy 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/Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.