The Long Run with Luke Timmerman
Timmerman Report
"The Long Run"
Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton would appreciate today's biotech. Scientific entrepreneurs of the 21st century must be ready for what Shackleton called the “hazardous journey, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honor and recognition in case of success.” Today, the men and women who strive to apply science for the betterment of human health have a historic opportunity. They need stamina and resilience to achieve something meaningful. Biotech’s relationship with the society that sustains it has never been more tenuous.
Join host Luke Timmerman for in-depth, thought-provoking conversations with biotech newsmakers pursuing these great opportunities of the 21st century.
Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton would appreciate today's biotech. Scientific entrepreneurs of the 21st century must be ready for what Shackleton called the “hazardous journey, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honor and recognition in case of success.” Today, the men and women who strive to apply science for the betterment of human health have a historic opportunity. They need stamina and resilience to achieve something meaningful. Biotech’s relationship with the society that sustains it has never been more tenuous.
Join host Luke Timmerman for in-depth, thought-provoking conversations with biotech newsmakers pursuing these great opportunities of the 21st century.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 31, 2026 • 1h 17min
Ep197: Viswa Colluru on Discovering Drugs Inspired by Mother Nature
Viswa Colluru, founder and CEO of Boulder, Colo.-based Enveda, on drug discovery with a chemistry platform inspired by natural products.
10 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 1h 3min
Ep196: Otello Stampacchia on Europe's Biotech Crisis
Otello Stampacchia, founder and managing director of Omega Funds and transatlantic biotech investor, argues Europe must fix broken capital markets and regulatory barriers. He discusses fragmented exchanges, slow clinical trials, pension funds’ tiny venture allocations, and efforts to build a coalition to mobilize public and private capital. Conversation also covers talent flows, UK involvement, and urgency driven by geopolitics.
Mar 3, 2026 • 1h 6min
Ep195: Ken Song on T-cell Engagers for Autoimmune Diseases
Ken Song, biotech entrepreneur and CEO of Candid Therapeutics, previously led Raise Bio to acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb. He discusses developing bispecific T-cell engaging antibodies for autoimmune disease. Topics include why T-cell engagers may mimic CAR-T effects more safely, licensing clinical-stage assets from China, regulatory and geographic strategy for rapid trials, and choosing indications to hunt for broad immune-reset signals.
Feb 17, 2026 • 1h 9min
Ep194: Ansu Satpathy on Cancer and Autoimmune Drug Discovery
Ep194: Ansu Satpathy on Cancer and Autoimmune Drug Discovery by Timmerman Report
Jan 22, 2026 • 1h 5min
Ep193: Ron Renaud on Helping People Lose Weight With GLP-1 Medicines
Ron Renaud, CEO of Kylara Therapeutics and seasoned biotech leader, shares insights on developing GLP-1 medicines designed to combat obesity. He discusses the pivotal moment for GLP-1 treatments, highlighting impressive phase 2 results of rebupatide and its unique advantages over competitors. Renaud explains the significance of tolerability and market differentiation while outlining Kylara's focus on high-BMI patients. The conversation also touches on the societal impact of obesity treatments and the promising potential within this evolving healthcare landscape.
10 snips
Jan 8, 2026 • 1h 26min
Ep192: Kate Haviland on Following the Science to Precision Immunology
Kate Haviland, former CEO of Blueprint Medicines, shares her journey from a Glens Falls childhood to leading a $9.5 billion biotech acquisition by Sanofi. She discusses the strategic shift to precision immunology and highlights the importance of commercial thinking in drug development. Insights on patient engagement and the success of Avapritinib for rare cancers reveal her leadership philosophy. Haviland also emphasizes how a strong culture and adaptability contributed to navigating challenges and securing a successful partnership with Sanofi.
14 snips
Dec 15, 2025 • 1h 8min
Ep191: Emily Conley on Small Molecules to Correct a Rare Kidney Disease
Emily Conley, CEO of Renasant Bio, discusses groundbreaking approaches to autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). She shares her journey from caregiving and early scientific pursuits to executive roles at 23andMe and Federation Bio. Emily explains the potential of small molecules to correct genetic mutations in ADPKD and the hope for early interventions. She highlights the importance of targeting polycystins and the exciting developments on the horizon for kidney disease research.
10 snips
Nov 20, 2025 • 1h 13min
Ep190: Neil Kumar on Building a Rare Disease Drug Company
Neil Kumar, the visionary Founder and CEO of BridgeBio Pharma, dives into the complexities of developing drugs for rare diseases. He shares insights on the unique challenges of venture funding in this space and explains BridgeBio's innovative hub-and-spoke model that optimizes asset selection and team focus. Neil reflects on the lessons learned from his journey, including the significance of a patient-driven approach and adapting to setbacks. Above all, he emphasizes the importance of a diverse portfolio to balance risks while nurturing groundbreaking therapies.
10 snips
Nov 12, 2025 • 1h 13min
Ep189: Marc Tessier-Lavigne on Reinventing Drug Discovery with AI
Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a renowned neuroscientist and CEO of Xaira Therapeutics, shares insights on transforming drug discovery with AI. He discusses his journey from a military upbringing and academic career in neuroscience to leading innovative efforts at Zara. The conversation dives into the utilization of generative AI for protein design, tackling complex membrane targets, and creating models to understand disease drivers. Marc emphasizes the importance of collaboration in the biotech community and aims to revolutionize timelines and success rates in drug development.
9 snips
Oct 28, 2025 • 1h 9min
Ep188: Art Krieg on Innate Immune System Activators for Cancer
Art Krieg, a pioneering physician-scientist and CEO of Zola Therapeutics, discusses groundbreaking work in cancer immunotherapy. He shares how his early medical experiences shaped his interest in immunology and led to the discovery of immune-stimulatory CpG DNA. Art recounts his journey through clinical trials, exploring the balance between successes and setbacks. He explains Zola's innovative approach using synthetic retroviral particles to activate immune responses, all while emphasizing the importance of learning from veterinary studies to inform human applications.
