Therapeutic Momentum

In this episode I am joined by Kate Haviland, who most recently served as President and CEO of Blueprint Medicines, guiding it from a clinical-stage company through a fully integrated commercial business and ultimately through its roughly $9.5 billion acquisition by Sanofi in 2025. Over a more than twenty-year career spanning Genzyme, PTC Therapeutics, Sarepta, Idera, and Blueprint, Kate has built...

In this episode, I speak with Sam Scarpino, Director of AI and Life Sciences at Northeastern University's Institute for Experiential AI and Professor of Public Health and Health Sciences. With a background spanning evolutionary biology, pandemic response during H1N1, and pathogen surveillance at the Rockefeller Foundation, Sam offers a distinctive perspective on artificial intelligence in the life...

Robert Plenge is a physician-scientist known for his work at Merck, Celgene, and BMS, translating insights from human genetics into breakthroughs in drug discovery and development, resulting in new medicines. On his well-known blog, he writes with inspiring clarity about genomics, therapeutic target validation, and lessons from translational research, bridging academic rigor and industry practice...

Dame Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Bingham is a British biochemist and life‑sciences venture capitalist. She earned a first‑class MA in Biochemistry from Oxford and an MBA (Baker Scholar) from Harvard. Since 1991, she has been a managing partner at SV Health Investors, co‑founding the Dementia Discovery Fund and helping launch multiple first‑in‑class drugs. In May 2020, she chaired the UK’s Vaccine T...

Mathai Mammen is a world-renowned innovator in drug discovery, development, and team- and company-building responsible for creating 13 transformational medicines from discovery through commercial launch and more than 25 other potential medicines that have achieved clinical proof-of-concept, many of these practice-changing. Mathai is the CEO, President and Chairman of Cambridge-based Parabilis Medi...

The Therapeutic Momentum podcast series illuminates the inspiring personal stories, touchstone moments, and transformational events that fuel the relentless pursuit of life-changing treatments. It reveals the intricate tapestry of experiences that drive people in the biomedical field who share the collective goal of improving patient outcomes. We hope to offer listeners a multifaceted perspective...

Andy Plump discusses his journey from a postdoc at UCSF to a leading roles in pharmaceutical research. Andy, who joined Merck in 2001, worked in clinical pharmacology. He highlighted the importance of genetics in target selection and shares his experiences at Sanofi and Takeda, emphasizing the cultural sensitivities and leadership lessons gained from global experiences. The interview explores the...

Coronary heart disease is no longer a mystery. Listen to the story of one of medicine’s greatest triumphs — a battle fought in labs, clinics, kitchens, and boardrooms. This is the story of cholesterol. And how we turned a silent killer into a preventable disease.