| Host |
Sam Kessel
|
| Listen | Apple Podcasts Spotify |
| Watch | YouTube |
Summary
In this episode, we sit down with Laurence Reid — former CEO of Decibel Therapeutics and Warp Drive Bio, former Chief Business Officer at Alnylam, and one of biotech’s most seasoned company builders. He reflects on his path from growing up in the UK and discovering science early, to finding his way into biotech through family influence, academic training, and his first scientific lab exposure at Celltech.
Laurence shares how he moved from bench science into a broader role in biotech, starting with editorial work at Cell and then business development at Millennium. He talks about learning how to evaluate science, build trust in partnerships, and keep complicated deals focused on what really matters. He also explains how Millennium grew from a genomics-driven platform company into a drug development business.
The conversation also covers Laurence’s time at Alnylam, where he helped push RNAi toward real products, and his later move into the CEO role at Warp Drive Bio. He reflects on what it took to lead companies through technical bets, strategic shifts, and mergers, and why the goal should be to build a company that matters rather than one designed to be sold quickly.
A major part of the episode focuses on Decibel Therapeutics, where Laurence led through restructuring, COVID, and the company’s push into gene therapy for hearing loss. He speaks about the otoferlin program, the science behind inner ear delivery, and the promise of restoring hearing in children born without it. He also closes with clear advice for founders: work on something important, make sure your approach is meaningfully different, and learn how to tell that story well.
Show Notes
Time Stamps
[00:00] Laurence explains biotech to a five-year-old
[01:55] Early life in the UK and first steps toward biotech
[02:47] How The Double Helix and Celltech shaped his path
[07:15] Moving from bench science to Cell and a wider view of research
[13:04] Learning business development at Millennium
[15:30] Why relationships matter in biotech deals
[17:43] How Millennium changed from platform company to drug developer
[28:01] Joining Alnylam and building around RNAi
[39:19] Becoming a CEO at Warp Drive Bio
[44:36] Novel antibiotics, molecular glues, and the RevMed merger
[52:07] What founders should know about building to make a lasting impact
[54:50] Joining Decibel during restructuring and COVID
[58:55] Rebuilding culture and sharpening strategy
[1:09:49] Why Decibel focused on gene therapy for the inner ear
[1:25:05] Advice for founders raising money in a hard market
Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-reid/
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
