“We were all fooled… this person looked perfect on paper, but they crashed on culture, and it was bad for them and bad for us.”
In this episode, I talked with Johan Baeck, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Promontory Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech focused on developing novel small molecule immunogenic anti-cancer therapies.
Johan shares insights from a career spanning large pharma (Novartis, Abbott) and biotech startups, with contributions to therapies like Vidaza, Kisqali, Zykadia, and PT-112. He also discusses why cultural fit is non-negotiable in hiring, how small molecules can trigger anti-tumor immune responses, and the personal journey of shifting from commercial to clinical focus.
In this episode, we cover:
- How small molecules like PT-112 can trigger immune responses against cancer, and why this approach stands apart from traditional immunotherapies.
- Why cultural fit is a critical success factor for biotech hiring, and how the wrong hire can break a small company's momentum.
- How CMOs in biotech balance hands-on clinical work with C-suite leadership and constant fundraising challenges.
- Why managing uncertainty is a survival skill in biotec, and how top teams create order from chaos.
- How Johan transitioned from a commercial career track to clinical development leadership.
- What makes Promontory’s company culture unique.
- How to assess if your clinical development team is truly high-performing or just getting by.
- Why recruiting without deep listening leads to bad hires.
- Advice for biotech leaders: building resilience, embracing risk, and never losing sight of patient impact.
Timestamps:
01:26 Johan’s Journey: From practicing physician to entering pharma
04:38 Lessons from a difficult career moment
04:49 PT-112 and a novel approach to cancer treatment
08:43 A culture of curiosity, openness, and diverse backgrounds
10:15 Hiring the right fit: why technical skill isn’t enough
18:46 Challenges facing CMOs in biotech
23:46 What defines a high-performing clinical team
26:03 Best and worst practices in recruitment
Listen Now:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dTr5RTygre7bvL8ylAqwL?si=53e71928453d4864
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/johan-baeck-evp-and-cmo-at-promontory-therapeutics/id1736051162?i=1000710372645
About Johan
- Johan Baeck is EVP and Chief Medical Officer at Promontory Therapeutics.
- His experience spans clinical development, medical affairs, and commercial operations across large pharma and biotech.
- He has contributed to the development of therapies like Vidaza, Kisqali, Zykadia, and PT-112, and has lived and worked across three continents, bringing a global perspective to clinical innovation.
Connect with Johan: linkedin.com/in/johanbaeck
About Promontory Therapeutics
- Promontory Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing novel small molecule immunogenic anti-cancer agents.
- Their lead agent, PT-112, is a highly potent inducer of immunogenic cell death (ICD), currently in Phase 2 clinical development.
- Originally known as Phosplatin Therapeutics, the company rebranded to Promontory Therapeutics Inc. in May 2022 to better reflect its focus on advancing small molecule immunotherapies in oncology.
- In September 2023, Promontory Therapeutics became the first international biotech company to join the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC), a leading European hub for oncology research and innovation.
Company Website: https://promontorytx.com/
Pipeline: https://promontorytx.com/clinical-trials
About me
- My name is Charles Spence and I lead Discera.
- After many years working in the life-science recruitment world, I decided to work for myself. Before doing recruitment I graduated with a biomedical degree, have worked in hospitals (including translation work in Seoul, South Korea), and also spent a year working in diabetes research in Stockholm.
- After doing research and travel, a career in business and science felt the most appropriate.
- In 2023, I decided to launch my firm - Discera Search.
- A firm committed to solving the biggest talent needs of early clinical stage SME biotechs on the East Coast and DACH.
Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-spence-clinical/
Website: https://www.discera-search.com/
Opinions and comments expressed by the guest do not represent the company and are fully their own.
