In this episode of the Vital Health podcast, host Duane Schulthess sits down with Steve Potts, a seasoned entrepreneur and CEO of SLAM BioTherapeutics. They dive deep into the challenges and opportunities in biotech, exploring how recent legislative changes, like the IRA, are reshaping the industry. Steve shares insights on the shift from small molecules to biologics, the funding landscape, and the critical role of American innovation in drug development. Tune in to hear about the state of biotech in the U.S., the future of drug discovery, and what it takes to succeed in this evolving field.
About: Steve Potts, PhD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, SLAM Biotherapeutics
Steve Potts, PhD, MBA has worked in the biopharma industry since 1999 and has had experience in a wide range of areas, including product development, sales, marketing, and general management. He has a proven track record of success, with 3 of his last 4 companies having returned investors a minimum of 8x (800%) on their investments.
Dr. Potts currently serves as chief executive officer for SLAM Biotherapeutics. The company is a preclinical-stage biotech company developing first-in-class monoclonal antibody therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. SLAM Bio’s lead assets have first-in-class potential and demonstrate a profound effect on the tumor microenvironment in preclinical models.
Dr. Potts served as founding CEO of OncoMyx Therapeutics, an immunotherapy company developing a novel systemic oncolytic agent against solid and hematologic tumors. While leading OncoMyx, he built a fantastic team and board. OncoMyx raised $75M to advance multiarmed candidates into the clinic.
He was Vice President of Medical Affairs at Ignyta, which was acquired by Roche for $1.7B, and he led the global operation of the testing of 30,000 patients in an oncology basket trial for entrectinib in 15 countries. The molecule was the first in industry to receive breakthrough designation equivalents in USA, Europe, and Japan.
Prior to Ignyta, he bootstrapped his first company, Flagship Biosciences, as founding CEO. He grew Flagship Biosciences to 75 employees and an exit for his investors.
He was General Manager Life Sciences at Aperio, which exited to Danaher for $180M. He also built the Bioinformatics Department for a Fortune 500 Company, Quest Diagnostics, which subsequently delivered $1B of annual revenue.
He earned a BS in Physics from Wheaton College, Illinois and PhD in Biological Engineering and MBA from the University of California Davis.
Disclosure: Dr. Steve Potts is a member of the AZBio Board of Directors.
About Vital Transformations
Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and policies. We measure their impact on current clinical practices in close collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform, client network, and Vital Health Podcast series, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders. Learn more at https://vitaltransformation.com/