Big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly important to drug developers. With the adaptation of new technologies, it’s no wonder that executives from the tech industry are finding new homes in biotech and the life sciences.
On Thursday, GeekWire highlighted four chief executive officers of life sciences companies who have made the leap from tech into the industry, including Sujal Patel, who is now the chief executive officer of Nautilus Biotechnology.
Seattle-based Nautilus is developing a platform technology that is designed to quantify and “unlock the complexity” of the proteome. The company aims to democratize access to the proteome in order to allow advancements that will benefit human health.
“We believe our technology will change the scale of what is possible in proteomics in an effort to enable significant advancements in drug development and help revolutionize the way biomedical research is conducted,” Patel said of his company earlier this year.
In June, Nautilus merged with Arya Sciences Acquisition Corp III, a special purpose acquisition company, to list on the Nasdaq Exchange. The move provided Nautilus with $345 million to advance its research.
Prior to the life sciences, Patel ran his software startup Isilon Systems, which he sold for $2.25 billion in 2010, GeekWire reported.
Another tech executive who crossed into the life sciences is former Microsoft executive Terry Myerson who now helms Truveta, a data platform company. Truveta’s platform harnesses data from millions of patients and care facilities to assist researchers in developing new therapeutics and treatment options. Truveta partners with 17 member organizations that provide more than 15% of all patient care in the United States.
“Together, we are hard at work to help researchers find cures faster, empower every clinician to be an expert, and help families know they are receiving the best care for their condition. We are building an unprecedented data platform and learning community for health. Our members’ data commitment, clinical expertise, and strategic capital will help us achieve our vision. We invite others to join us,” Myerson, who joined Truveta in 2020, said earlier this year when the company closed a $95 million Series A funding round.
