Episode 215 - Kathleen Gallagher - CEO at Atrium Therapeutics

We were delighted to be joined by Kathleen Gallagher, CEO of Atrium Therapeutics.Kathleen has built a fascinating career across the biotech industry, with experience spanning corporate communications, investor relations, clinical development and executive leadership. Before founding Atrium, she spent time at companies including Merrimack Pharmaceuticals and Akcea Therapeutics, before joining Avidity Biosciences, where she ultimately became Chief Program Officer.At Avidity, Kathleen was closely involved in the company’s evolution and the development of its RNA therapeutics platform, including its work in myotonic dystrophy. The company’s journey ultimately culminated in its landmark acquisition by Novartis for up to $12 billion, one of the largest transactions in the biotech sector.Following that experience, Kathleen took on the CEO of Atrium Therapeutics. Atrium is developing targeted RNA therapies for genetically driven cardiovascular diseases, with the ambition of addressing serious rare diseases where patients currently have limited treatment options.Today, we’re going to talk about Kathleen’s journey through biotech, how her career evolved from communications and investor relations into drug development and ultimately the CEO role, what she learned from helping build Avidity, and what it was like to go through such a significant company transaction.We’ll also explore the opportunity in RNA therapeutics, the decision to start Atrium, what it takes to build a biotech from the ground up, and Kathleen’s perspective on leadership, culture and what makes an early-stage biotech successful.