🧬How One Leader United 120 Experts to Transform Cancer Care | Samir Khleif (Part 3/4)
August 11, 2025
"I always kept my lab at NCI, so I was always doing my research. But I was asked by him to lead the oncology critical path at the FDA, and I did that. I was doing that while also helping the King of Jordan develop the biotechnology strategy of Jordan and what it would take to move it forward."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Samir Khleif shares pivotal moments from his career at the crossroads of government, research, and entrepreneurship—reflecting on being chosen by FDA commissioner Andy von Eschenbach to lead oncology reform at the FDA, while simultaneously running his NCI research lab and advising Jordan’s national biotech strategy.
He highlights the power of academic freedom, assembling a task force of over 120 top experts to advance regulatory change, and the leadership lessons gained building world-class teams—all culminating in a breakthrough that sparked the founding of Georgiamune.
🧬 The Biotech Startups Podcast is powered by Excedr—helping life science startups accelerate R&D and commercialization with founder-friendly equipment leasing. Skip the upfront costs, stay lean, and focus on breakthrough science.
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"I always kept my lab at NCI, so I was always doing my research. But I was asked by him to lead the oncology critical path at the FDA, and I did that. I was doing that while also helping the King of Jordan develop the biotechnology strategy of Jordan and what it would take to move it forward."
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Samir Khleif shares pivotal moments from his career at the crossroads of government, research, and entrepreneurship—reflecting on being chosen by FDA commissioner Andy von Eschenbach to lead oncology reform at the FDA, while simultaneously running his NCI research lab and advising Jordan’s national biotech strategy.
He highlights the power of academic freedom, assembling a task force of over 120 top experts to advance regulatory change, and the leadership lessons gained building world-class teams—all culminating in a breakthrough that sparked the founding of Georgiamune.
Key topics covered:
- Leading National Reform: Spearheading FDA oncology reform with 120+ experts.
- Balancing Multiple Roles: Navigating government, research, and global biotech.
- The Value of Academic Freedom: Leveraging flexibility to drive innovation.
- Building Top-Performing Teams: Attracting and motivating elite talent.
- From Breakthrough to Startup: Turning discovery into Georgiamune.
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Find our guest, Samir Khleif, at these links:
Website: http://www.georgiamune.com/
Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/
Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:
Website: https://flow.page/kyojin
Resources & Articles:
Oncology Critical Path Initiative at the FDA: https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/critical-path-initiative
Building a World-Class Cancer Center: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK584196/
2025 Trends in Biotech Venture Capital Funding https://www.excedr.com/blog/trends-in-biotech-venture-capital-funding
Impact of Regulatory Environment on Life Sciences VC https://www.excedr.com/blog/impact-of-regulatory-environment-on-life-sciences-vc
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:
FDA: https://www.fda.gov/
Andy von Eschenbach, MD: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-von-eschenbach-m-d-9439ab10/
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:43 Transition: From Building a Cancer Center to the Next Phase
01:56 Leading National Reform at the FDA
03:01 Balancing Research, Government, and Global Biotech Advisory
03:36 Innovating Drug Development: The FDA’s Critical Path Initiative
05:31 Identifying Challenges and Building Solutions
07:11 Engaging the Community and Assembling Expert Teams
09:11 Recruiting Talent: Bringing Experts Back to Jordan
11:01 From Scientific Discovery to Entrepreneurial Action
12:31 Launching Georgiamune: Taking Control of Innovation
22:43 Outro
The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.