Synopsis: 
Sekar Kathiresan is the Co-Founder, CEO and Board Member of Verve Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing gene editing medicines to treat patients with cardiovascular disease. Sekar discusses Verve’s work developing single-course, in vivo liver-directed gene editing medicines for patients with and at risk of cardiovascular disease and what the company pipeline looks like. He talks about the evolution of his pitch after years of experience with fundraising, how he approaches team building, and his perspective on why people are leaving academia for biotech. He also discusses what he’s learned about being a board member and what a good board for a pre-revenue biotech looks like.

Biography: 
Dr. Sekar Kathiresan is co-founder and CEO of Verve Therapeutics, a biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to the care of cardiovascular disease, transforming treatment from chronic management to single-course gene editing medicines. Dr. Kathiresan is a cardiologist and scientist who has focused his career on understanding the inherited basis for heart attack and leveraging those insights to improve the care of cardiovascular disease. Based on his groundbreaking discoveries in human genetic mutations that confer resistance to cardiovascular disease, Dr. Kathiresan co-founded Verve Therapeutics with a vision to create a pipeline of single-course, gene editing therapies focused on addressing the root causes of this highly prevalent and life-threatening disease. Today, Verve is advancing two initial programs that target PCSK9 and ANGPTL3, respectively – genes that have been extensively validated by Dr. Kathiresan and others as targets for lowering blood lipids, such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is a major driver of cardiovascular disease.

Prior to joining Verve, Dr. Kathiresan’s roles included director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Genomic Medicine, director of the Cardiovascular Disease Initiative at the Broad Institute and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. There, Dr. Kathiresan’s research laboratory focused on understanding the inherited basis for blood lipids and myocardial infarction. For his research contributions, he has been recognized by the American Heart Association with its highest scientific honor – a Distinguished Scientist Award and by the American Society of Human Genetics with the 2018 Curt Stern Award.

Dr. Kathiresan graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in history from the University of Pennsylvania and received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine and cardiology at MGH and his postdoctoral research training in human genetics at the Framingham Heart Study and the Broad Institute.

Single-course gene editing for cardiovascular disease, Sekar Kathiresan, Co-Founder & CEO, Verve Tx

Lofi remix of Midnight Ghost Hunt theme (heard on menu and piano on carnival map!)

Midnight Ghost Hunt Theme -- Lofi

Synopsis: 
Asit Parikh, M.D., Ph.D., is the President and CEO of MOMA Therapeutics, a biotech company discovering the next generation of precision medicines by targeting  highly dynamic proteins that underlie human disease. Asit discusses his experience and learnings being the CEO of a biotech for the first time and his approach to recruiting high quality talent. He also talks about the inherent risks in drug development, how he manages the emotional ups and downs, and provides his perspective on how drug development has changed and evolved over the last couple decades. 

Biography: 
Asit Parikh, M.D., Ph.D., joined MOMA in 2021 as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors.

Asit brings to MOMA more than 20 years of academic and industry experience. Prior to MOMA, Asit served as senior vice president and head of Takeda’s gastroenterology unit from 2014 to 2020. Under his leadership, Takeda achieved global approvals for Entyvio® for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease; European adult and U.S. pediatric approvals for Gattex®/Revestive® for short bowel syndrome; Japan and China approvals for Takecab®/Vocinti® for acid-related disorders; a European approval for Alofisel® for perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease; and a U.S. approval for Motegrity® for chronic constipation. During this time, to ensure a sustainable pipeline, Asit oversaw the creation of a drug discovery unit focused on gastroenterology and liver diseases and identified and executed over 25 business development deals. These diverse transactions included regional and global licensing (eg Arrowhead A1AT), M&A (eg Tigenix SA) and company creation (eg Ambys Medicines).

Previously, Asit served as the general internal medicine franchise head at Takeda. Earlier, he held leadership roles in inflammation and oncology clinical development at Millennium Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Takeda in 2008). During his tenure at Millennium/Takeda, Asit was regularly recognized at the enterprise level for his inspirational leadership style, and as an identifier and developer of talent.

Asit remains actively engaged in the practice of medicine as a consulting gastroenterologist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, and serves as a board member of Ambys Medicines, Phathom Pharmaceuticals and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Basic Sciences.

Asit earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry and M.D. from Vanderbilt University, completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania and subspecialty training in gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He performed postdoctoral research in cancer biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Targeting highly dynamic proteins to develop precision medicines, Asit Parikh, Pres. & CEO, MOMA Tx

MC DUDU DO MGH - AI QUEM ME DERA SEU TIVESSE UMA M4 EU IA EXPLODIR O BARRO ((DJS 2M FAIXA E PSICO DE CAXIAS))
AI QUEM ME DERA SEU TIVESSE UMA M4, EU IA EXPLODIR A FAVELA DO BARRO - DJS 2M FAIXA E PSICO DE CAXIAS

AI QUEM ME DERA SEU TIVESSE UMA M4, EU IA EXPLODIR A FAVELA DO BARRO -2M FAIXA E PSICO DE CAXIAS

Sequência Do CV 🚩 - MG / Jacaré / S.J / Macacos / MGH 🚂👹🧠🍀🇮🇶 > 131 BPM - #VT 👑

Mandela 2 / MGH / Macacos / S.J / Mangueira / Arará 🐭 - SEQUÊNCIA DO CV > SÓ As RLK 👹🖕🏻🎭🍀 #VT

TROPA DA FRANÇA CEHAB RITMO AFROBEAT ( DA PUMA FEAT. TIAGO SUCESSO )

MELHOR GESTÃO É O CHAPOLIN E O MAURINHO CEHAB ( DA PUMA FEAT. TIAGO SUCESSO )

PUTARIA COM OS RONCA DO CEHAB ( DA PUMA FEAT. TIAGO SUCESSO )

Nova Do CV 🚩 - JACARÉ & MGH 👑 ( Amaro / Azul / 🎃 / Vasco ) 🐊 ( 31 MIN. ) AS MELHORE$ - RLK #VT

Biotech2050 Podcast is a think tank chronicling the disruptions changing the biotech industry over the next 50 years.

New tracks tagged #MGH