A Heart of Gold: Julio Gagne’s Mission to Transform Cancer Care

About Mr. Julio Gagne

Julio Gagne is the Disease Area Strategy Head for AML, Multiple Myeloma, and Solid Tumours at Kite Pharma, a division of Gilead Sciences. His career is a testament to his dedication to advancing medical science to improve patient outcomes. He has profound experience in volunteering during the AIDS epidemic and has witnessed paediatric oncology firsthand. Mr. Gagne is also committed to mentoring future leaders, especially from underrepresented groups. He is renowned for his deep understanding of complex regulatory affairs and his exceptional skill in establishing successful collaboration between research teams, regulatory bodies and healthcare providers. 

Pharma Now: Mr. Julio Gagne, thank you very much for speaking with Pharma Now. You've had an impressive career in the pharmaceutical industry spanning several decades. Could you share with us what initially sparked your interest in this field and how your journey led you to Kite Pharma?

Mr. Julio: I studied biochemistry at UC Berkeley originally with the intent to go to medical school. It was the 1980s, and it was the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Once a week, I’d take the BART train across the bay to volunteer at UC San Francisco in the AIDS ward. I’d do whatever was needed from changing bed pans to helping patients with meals to just playing some chess with the guys. I’d get to know the patients only to come back the next week to find out they had died. It so happened that the paediatric oncology unit was in the same building; so, I’d often see little kids with neuroblastoma in the elevator on the way to their chemo appointment. It was gut wrenching for an eighteen-year-old and also made me realise I wouldn’t be tough enough to be a medical doctor. 

I was still interested in treating disease though. So, I parlayed my interests and fear of patient interactions into a first job in the then-infant biotech industry. Kite Pharma is a business unit of Gilead Sciences. At Kite, we’re trying to cure all cancers, and at Gilead, they’re also focused on curative therapies. After years of trying to do the same, moving to Gilead Sciences and Kite Pharma just made sense to me.

Pharma Now: At Kite Pharma, you serve as the Disease Area Strategy Head for AML, Multiple Myeloma, and Solid Tumours. What does this role entail, and how do you approach strategising for such critical disease areas?

Mr. Julio: Disease area strategy (DAS) looks at longer-term horizons than the single-asset strategy. It’s both complicated and fascinating, in which you need to try to predict where the field will go in 10 years (or more!) and ensure that the assets we’re developing will add value to patients at that point. It’s a team effort, of course, with input and advice from many functions across Kite and Gilead. 

Pharma Now: That’s interesting. Let’s rewind a little: During your tenure at Travere Therapeutics, you were the Vice President of Program & Alliance Management. Can you walk us through some of the key challenges you faced in this role and how you overcame them?

Mr. Julio: Travere is a great company focused on rare and super rare diseases. The challenges that come with developing therapies in that space are not for the faint of heart! For super rare indications, we were often blazing new ground in terms of what clinical endpoints to measure and how to design a small but convincing study. Keep in mind that, for some of the super orphan indications, there might be just a few hundred patients with the ailment in the entire world! I’ve worked at several places in my career, and every one will tell you that they put the patient first. At Travere, I never doubted it.

Pharma Now: You've led significant programs at various organisations, including ImmunoGen and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Could you share a project or initiative that you’re particularly proud of and the impact it had on the company and patients?

Mr. Julio: Cancer affects all of us, even if indirectly. We all have a family member or friend who has developed the “Emperor of all Maladies”. While at ImmunoGen, I was fortunate enough to lead our initial clinical efforts on a new approach to treat ovarian cancer, one that an aunt actually had at the time. I was with the team as we filed the IND, completed the first clinical study and eventually the first pivotal study. Unfortunately the first pivotal read out negative for the primary endpoint but with a signal in a subset of patients. While the company unfortunately had to retrench and conduct a major lay-off, they were able to continue on, conduct a second pivotal study and eventually receive approval for the ovarian cancer therapy in that subset of patients.

Pharma Now: That’s excellent to hear. Looking forward, what excites you most about the future of oncology and the role Kite Pharma will play in advancing treatment options for patients with AML, multiple myeloma and solid tumours?

Mr. Julio: Our lead asset in multiple myeloma is very exciting in terms of what we're seeing clinically already (stay tuned for data updates at the major congresses!), but I'm even more excited about all the potential that cell therapy can bring to diseases where there are NO good options like AML, glioblastoma and others.

Pharma Now: From what i understand, these areas are particularly challenging. I also hope that new therapy options will be developed soon. Perhaps, new minds will be able to give new input. Speaking of new minds; As someone who has held numerous leadership positions, how do you approach mentorship and developing future leaders within your teams?

Mr. Julio: It's important to be open and honest, and it’s necessary to give development opportunities to future leaders whether they are at Kite or other places. I'm particularly interested in mentoring people who are in underrepresented groups and being a Latino, even more so for them. I'm active in Gileados, the Gilead employee resource group at Gilead/Kite, and also recently joined a formal mentoring program via Latinos in Bio, headquartered in Boston but with representation throughout the US. 

Pharma Now: I’m sure you’re having an excellent impact among new professionals and students. From their point of view, I have a question: what keeps you motivated and inspired to continue leading in such a challenging and impactful field?

Mr. Julio: We've managed to cure some diseases but there are so many more out there. The job won't be done in my lifetime, but it's amazing to see the progress. When I started at the bench right after finishing my biochem degree, we would pour these massive long gels to sequence DNA a few base pairs at a time. Now, you can do entire genomes in a day. Imagine what we'll be able to do in another 30 years!

Pharma Now: I can only imagine the developments in the next 30 years! But, I can confidently say disease treatment will be exceptionally efficient. As a contributor to Pharma Now, what key insights or themes do you hope to bring to our readers, especially those aspiring to make a significant impact in the pharmaceutical industry?

Mr. Julio: I'd like to bring issues of medical access into more conversation. I came to the US from Mexico as a child, and lots of medical innovations we have here are simply not available to my relatives in Mexico. 

Pharma Now: Finally, Mr. Julio, what advice would you give to the next generation of pharmaceutical leaders who are just beginning their careers?

Mr. Julio: It's a tough job market right now in biotech/pharma, but it's cyclical. Don't get discouraged and keep looking for that foot in the door. Our industry has its issues, no doubt, but we're the only one trying to end all human disease.

Pharma Now: Thank you Mr. Julio for speaking with us.