Biotech Leader Spotlight Series

Welcome to Partnology’s Biotech Leader Spotlight Series, where we highlight the remarkable accomplishments and visionary leadership of biotech industry pioneers. This series is about showcasing the groundbreaking strides made by exceptional leaders who have transformed scientific possibilities into tangible realities. Through insightful interviews, we invite you to join us in following the inspiring journeys of these executives who continue to shape the landscape of the biotech industry. This week we are recognizing:

Andrew Rudd, Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Andrew Rudd is the Cofounder and CEO of Palm Therapeutics. His career has centered around developing chemical tools to interrogate biological lipids and their roles in health and disease. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from UC San Diego where he authored eight high-impact papers and was the recipient of several awards, including the Inamori Fellowship, which recognizes one chemistry Ph.D. student each year based on outstanding research performance. During his Ph.D. work, he developed the first small molecule probes for directly inhibiting protein palmitoylation in cells. In January 2021, he launched Palm Therapeutics at JLABS San Diego with the mission of developing the first palmitoylation-targeted therapies. He has secured over one million dollars in non-dilutive funding from the NIH and serves as the lead PI on two active SBIR grants at Palm. He is also the recent recipient of the 2023 Servier FAST Discovery Award from Servier Laboratories and California Life Sciences.

INTERVIEW:?

Walk me through your academic background: (i.e. what made you want to study Chemistry? What were some of the most pivotal moments or decisions throughout?)

I earned my Bachelor’s in Chemistry at a small liberal arts college in Minnesota called St. Olaf College. I was very interested in the sciences in general. During my time there, I had the opportunity to explore a wide range of scientific disciplines. I quickly realized that my interests lay at the interface between chemistry and biology, and that's where I found my passion. However, I still wasn't sure what career path I would follow. Later in my undergraduate work, I started doing research in a lipid biochemistry lab and fell in love with the lab and biochemical research. I knew then that I wanted to pursue a research career. So, I went to UC San Diego to do my PhD in Chemical Biology in Professor Neal Devaraj’s group. There, I became fascinated with chemical biology and building tools to study lipids in a variety of biological contexts. This experience allowed me to gain expertise across several disciplines, from pure synthetic chemistry to in vivo studies. During this time, I laid the groundwork for a future in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, even though I may not have realized it at the time.

Why did you decide to launch Palm Therapeutics? Tell me about the transition from academia to industry.?

Towards the end of my PhD, I was still set on pursuing a career in academia. However, I worked on a project that transformed my thinking and presented a unique opportunity to translate our research into a potential therapeutic platform. We discovered that some of the tools we had developed to study biological lipids could be used as drugs to target a post-translational modification called palmitoylation. The more we studied this lipid-based protein modification, the more we saw its potential as a drug target. This realization presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a company and translate this research into real-world therapeutic applications. So, I jumped right in and started learning how to be an entrepreneur. You encounter challenges every day. No matter your experience level, you're always learning something new. It's been a great opportunity, and I’ve grown more doing this than I would have in any other role.?

Can you expand on the work you're currently doing at Palm Therapeutics?

At Palm, we're developing first-in-class, best-in-class palmitoylation inhibitors for several high-value drug targets. The foundation of the company is our proprietary drug discovery engine, which has unlocked this new area of palmitoylation-targeted drug discovery. Using this tool, we've pursued a number of high-impact drug targets that depend on palmitoylation for their activity. Our lead program is an NRAS palmitoylation inhibitor for over half a million cancer patients in the US with an activating NRAS mutation. Beyond that, we're excited about the broad platform potential of this approach and are exploring additional targets in oncology, inflammatory disease, and autoimmune disease. It’s definitely unique. There’s no one else out there who has established themselves as a palmitoylation drug company.

What do you see as the most promising technologies in biotech over the next 5-10 years?

I'm partial to our own technology, but beyond that, I’m excited about recent advances in covalent drugs. This approach has given us access to many new therapeutic targets. In the next five to ten years, I think we’ll see many advances and breakthroughs with this therapeutic strategy.

With the experience and insights you have gained, what advice would you give to young people aspiring to work in the biotech industry?

I would emphasize the importance of seeking experienced advice early and often. I would also encourage early-career biotech professionals to build genuine relationships with people in your ecosystem, whether in your industry or geographical area. Building a network is fulfilling on a personal level and immensely helpful as you progress in your career.