On this episode of Biotalk, Locust Walk‘s Andy Meyerson welcomes Helen Ho, Chief Business Officer of Blueprint Medicines, to the podcast. Blueprint Medicines is a pioneering global precision therapy company committed to crafting life-altering medications for individuals with cancer and blood disorders.

During the conversation, Helen shares her journey into the biotech realm, and ultimately, Blueprint. She delves into the unique experience of stepping into the role of CBO, a position previously held by the CEO, and the intriguing dynamics that come with such a transition.

Helen provides insights into how Blueprint strategically navigated the turbulent waters of the ever-evolving biotech landscape. She discusses the pivotal role that the shift towards commercialization played in helping the company adapt to the current disruptions and challenges in the biotech industry.

We invite you to tune in to this engaging podcast episode. Subscribe or follow Biotalk on Apple Podcasts | Spotify.   

Timestamps:  

1:48: What attracted you to biology and to industry, particularly biotech?

6:41: What is the biggest thing that you’ve learned from each of your prior roles that enables you to be successful in your current position at one of the faster growing biotechs?

8:53: What drew you to Blueprint?

10:50: What was it like stepping into the role of CBO knowing your CEO originally held that role when you were first hired?

13:33: Blueprint has undergone tremendous change since you first joined in 2018. In the last 6 years, the company has shifted to a commercial stage company with multiple drug approvals, a global collaboration with big pharmas, and much more. From a company perspective, what is the most challenging aspect of stepping through these milestones in corporate growth?

19:42: How do you make the determination that the best thing for Blueprint is to go off and forward integrate and become your own organization?

29:07: Blueprint has shown to have tremendous research capabilities, with a history in kinase inhibition. Last year you announced the expansion of your R&D platform to include targeted protein degradation. How is this work going?

32:38: How has the shift of commercialization helped Blueprint navigate the dislocations we are currently seeing in biotech?

36:34: How have some of the political headwinds like the IRA impacted Blueprint given your focus on small molecules?

39:53: What are your three biggest reasons to remain optimistic about biotech and the future of drug development?