346 - Scaling biotech and improving global health: lessons from an extraordinary career in medicine

Susan Desmond-Hellmann is a physician and scientist whose remarkable career has spanned clinical medicine, oncology, biotech innovation, and global health leadership. In this episode, Susan shares insights from her journey training in internal medicine during the early AIDS crisis, treating HIV-related cancers in Uganda, and developing groundbreaking cancer therapies like Herceptin and Avastin. She reflects on her leadership roles at UCSF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, offering lessons on guiding large-scale health initiatives, navigating uncertainty, and fostering scientific innovation. The conversation explores the promise of precision medicine, the integration of patient care and policy, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in transforming diagnostics, drug development, and global access to care. View show notes here: https://bit.ly/4inBEeF Become a member to receive exclusive content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/ Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/ We discuss: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:37 - Susan’s medical training, the start of the AIDS epidemic, and the transformative experiences that shaped her career 0:12:56 - Susan’s experience working on the frontlines of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Uganda 0:29:54 - Susan’s time working in general oncology and her transition to biotech where she helped develop taxol—a top-selling cancer drug 0:41:21 - Genentech’s origins, and its groundbreaking use of recombinant DNA to develop biologic drugs 0:51:03 - Susan’s move to Genentech, and her pivotal role in the development and success of Herceptin as a groundbreaking therapy in targeted oncology 1:00:57 - The rise of antibody-based cancer therapies: the development of Rituxan and Avastin 1:12:12 - The step-by-step drug development process and the scientific and strategic challenges involved 1:24:40 - The ethical and economic controversy surrounding Avastin’s high cost and limited survival benefit 1:27:22 - Susan’s tenure as chancellor at UCSF: leading during a financially strained period, and her strategic approach to fundraising and institutional development 1:41:14 - What Susan learned as CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: strategic processes and decision-making frameworks 1:53:18 - Susan’s philosophy of leadership and how she sought to build an empowering, values-driven culture at the Gates Foundation 1:58:15 - The erosion of public trust in science during COVID, the communication failures around controversial treatments like ivermectin, and the need for better public health engagement and transparency 2:14:30 - The role of AI in transforming medicine: from drug development to cancer detection and beyond -------- About: The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more. Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan. Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com Connect with Peter on: Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG Subscribe to The Drive: Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. I take conflicts of interest very seriously. For all of my disclosures and the companies I invest in or advise, please visit my website where I keep an up-to-date and active list of such companies. For a full list of our registered and unregistered trademarks, trade names, and service marks, please review our Terms of Use: https://peterattiamd.com/terms-of-use/