Dr. Brian Druker helped change the course of modern oncology through his central role in the development of imatinib (Gleevec), a therapy that transformed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and helped establish the modern era of precision oncology.

In this episode of Precision Signals, Dr. Sean Khozin speaks with Dr. Brian Druker about the scientific, clinical, and human story behind Gleevec, from the early search for a drug that could inhibit the abnormal signal driving CML, to skepticism around targeted therapy, to the first clinical trials and the broader impact on cancer medicine.

The conversation also explores Dr. Druker’s path into oncology, the development of targeted therapies beyond CML, the limits of molecularly targeted drugs, the arrival of immunotherapy, the challenge of persistent leukemia cells, current work in AML, and how AI may help generate hypotheses while still requiring rigorous biological validation.

This is a conversation about scientific persistence, translational medicine, precision oncology, and what meaningful progress in cancer research really requires.

In this episode of Precision Signals, Sean Khozin, MD, MPH sits down with Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, FASCO, CEO of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), to trace a career that began with a childhood memory of Brian Piccolo and Memorial Sloan Kettering, and now sits at the helm of the world's largest professional society in cancer care.

Dr. Hudis reflects on his path from Northeast Philadelphia to an accelerated BA/MD program, to a transformative fellowship at MSK under Larry Norton, and through three decades building the modern breast cancer clinic. He shares what it has meant to lead ASCO through a period of profound change: the rise of AI and real-world evidence, the persistence of access and equity gaps, the evolving science of clinical trials, and the tension between precision and pragmatism at the bedside.

Takeaways:

• Dr. Clifford A. Hudis reflects on his transformative journey from a modest upbringing to becoming the CEO of ASCO, illustrating the profound impact of early life experiences on career trajectory.
• The evolution of oncology, particularly in breast cancer treatment, is marked by significant advancements such as dose-dense chemotherapy and HER2-targeted therapies, reshaping patient outcomes.
• ASCO's guidelines are undergoing a revolutionary change towards dynamic, living guidelines, ensuring that oncologists have access to the most current and relevant treatment protocols.
• AI is positioned to become an integral component of clinical practice, enhancing decision-making and patient care, thereby allowing oncologists to focus more on patient relationships.
• The tension between science and societal perceptions of healthcare necessitates an ongoing dialogue to build trust and understanding, particularly in the face of misinformation and skepticism.
• Leadership in oncology requires not only clinical excellence but also an embrace of business acumen and a visionary outlook, fostering progress in a rapidly changing medical landscape.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• ASCO
• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Memorial Sloan Kettering
• Genentech
• MD Anderson
• Dana Farber
• NCCN
• NIH
• NCI
• AACR
• ACS

Sunil Verma, SVP and Global Head of Oncology at AstraZeneca, has lived a life defined by reinvention. Born in Zambia, raised across Africa, India, and Canada, he was accepted to medical school at 19, became one of the most respected breast cancer oncologists in Canada, built a cancer center in Calgary from the ground up, and then left academia entirely to help write the next chapters of oncology at AstraZeneca alongside the late Jose Baselga.

In this conversation, Sean Khozin and Sunil explore the formative experiences that shaped his worldview and leadership philosophy, what it means to build healthcare infrastructure around the concept of healing, and how AstraZeneca's oncology portfolio expanded from a single asset into one of the most consequential in the world.

They go deep on the science and strategy behind antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the frontier of ADC and immunotherapy combinations, and a distinction Sunil considers the true next frontier of the field: the difference between precision medicine and genuinely personalized medicine, where patient values are matched to therapeutic value.