Targeting validated drivers of cancer, Nima Farzan, CEO, Kinnate Biopharma
Oct 25, 2023
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Nima Farzan, CEO of Kinnate Biopharma, discusses his journey in the biotech industry and the challenges of growing a company during a pandemic. He explores the evolution of genomics and the surprises it has brought. Additionally, he talks about indication selection and the importance of diversity and immigrant perspectives in team building and leadership. Finally, he highlights the emotional aspects of being a CEO in the biotech industry and the value of confidence and a fixed vision.
Nima Farzan emphasizes the importance of empowering his team and finding a balance between short-term responsiveness and long-term vision for the company.
Nima highlights the complexity of the genome and the need to target constellations of mutations, as well as the importance of incorporating multi-factorial genomic inputs for increasing the effectiveness of targeted therapies.
Deep dives
Nima Farzent's Career Path and Motivation in Biotech
Nima Farzent, CEO at Kynate BioPharma, shares his journey in the biotech industry. Growing up in the Bay Area, Nima was inspired by the innovation at Genentech. He pursued a degree in human biology at Stanford University and started working in biotech in the late 90s. After obtaining an MBA from Harvard Business School, Nima worked at Novartis in various roles. He then joined a startup vaccine company, Poxvax, as CEO, leading it to licensure and acquisition. Eventually, Nima became the CEO of Kynate, a public company with multiple clinical programs.
Nima Farzent's Evolution as a CEO
Nima discusses how his leadership approach has evolved over time. As a first-time CEO, he felt the need to control every detail, but with experience and confidence, he shifted towards empowering his team. Nima reflects on the challenge of leading Kynate, starting with a small team and growing it to over 100 employees while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between being responsive to investors and shareholders while maintaining a long-term vision for the company.
Kynate's Journey as a Biotech Company
Nima shares the story of Kynate's growth as a biotech company. He joined Kynate when it had only 10 employees and played a key role in expanding the team and taking the company public. Kynate currently has two compounds in the clinic targeting specific mutations in various tumor types. Nima highlights the importance of partnering with external resources to accelerate development and adapt to changing market dynamics.
The Future of Genomics and Challenges in Targeted Therapies
Nima discusses the evolution of genomics over the past 20 years and the future of precision medicine. He emphasizes the complexity of the genome and the need to target constellations of mutations rather than single alterations. Nima also addresses the challenges of developing targeted therapies, including regulatory and commercial innovations. He believes that incorporating multi-factorial genomic inputs and adopting innovative approaches will be crucial for increasing the number of patients who can benefit from targeted therapies.
Synopsis:
Nima Farzan is the CEO of Kinnate Biopharma, a clinical-stage precision oncology company focused on expanding on the promise of targeted therapies for those battling cancer. The company is developing medicines for known oncogenic drivers where there are no approved targeted drugs. Having started his biotech career in the late 90s, Nima discusses how his vision of leadership has evolved over the years. He talks about joining Kinnate in March of 2020 and the challenges of running the company and growing the team during a pandemic. He dives into the evolution of genomics over the last several years and what has surprised and impressed him about the genomic ecosystem as a whole. He discusses where Kinnate is from a development perspective and how he thinks about indication selection. Finally, he talks about how being an immigrant has shaped his approach to team building, culture and leadership style.
Biography:
Nima brings over two decades of executive leadership experience in the biopharma industry to our team. Prior to joining us, Nima spent seven years at PaxVax, where he was most recently President and CEO. While there, he successfully led a team of 250 people through a number of commercial product launches and negotiated the sale of PaxVax to Emergent BioSolutions in 2018. Prior to PaxVax, he was at Novartis AG in a series of roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as Vice President of US Marketing at Novartis’ Vaccines and Diagnostics division. Prior to Novartis, Nima worked at DoubleTwist, a pioneering genomics company, and was a consultant with Boston Consulting Group. He was a member of the founding Board of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). He is on the Executive Committee of the Northern California Chapter of Young President’s Organization (YPO) and a Trustee at the Hamlin School. He is also a Director of Keros Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KROS). He holds a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
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