Clarified Precision Medical
“Over the last 10 to 20 years, there's been a lot of progress in how we can better diagnose disease, understand the oncogenic drivers that are driving cancer, and then looking to targeted therapies (cell therapies, gene therapies, immunotherapies) that can help us better treat cancer and do so in ways that have less toxicity, better outcomes, and better survival rates.
The challenge is that there's often a gap between where the advancements in science and medicine and advancements in reimbursement coverage are and where patient access and physician adoption are.
We're trying to bring those closer together so that as the science and medicine and technology are advancing, we're actually bringing that into clinical care.”
- Lisa Alderson pitching Clarified Precision Medicine
In our very first episode of Closing Time, cancer survivor and serial entrepreneur Lisa Alderson offers insight into her journey as a serial entrepreneur who shifted from consumer tech to healthcare with an emphasis on advancing genomics, specifically precision oncology. Her company, Clarified Precision Medicine, aims to bridge the gap between scientific advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the actual adoption of these technologies by physicians and access by patients. Their clinical support tool is designed to help oncologists select the right tests, like sequencing tumors, to identify the best targeted therapies, moving beyond the traditional trial-and-error approach to something more precise.
Our guest VC on this episode, Deena Shakir, along with co-hosts Michael Esquivel and Halle Tecco probe into the business asking:
How does this tool integrate into oncologists' existing workflow?
Who pays for this software and service?
What is the go-to-market strategy?
Who are the competitors?
What is the exit strategy?
We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a convertible note or SAFE over other forms of funding.
The episode offers an in-depth look into the intersection of technology and healthcare, specifically in the realm of precision oncology. It highlights the challenges and opportunities of making advanced cancer treatment more accessible and tailoring it to individual patients' needs. We hope you enjoy it!
Meet the co-founder
Lisa Alderson is a mission-driven founder, CEO, and board member dedicated to improving patient care and advancing the adoption of precision medicine. She has extensive experience creating and scaling innovative, high-growth businesses at the intersection of technology and healthcare with a focus in genomics, digital health, SaaS, telehealth and molecular diagnostics.
As a successful serial entrepreneur, Lisa has raised venture capital, launched new products into market, acquired and integrated companies, and taken companies public.
Ms. Alderson is the founder of Genome Medical, the leading telehealth provider delivering genomics based care to patients nationwide, and served as CEO from 2016 to 2022. Genome Medical partners with health systems and providers to deliver genomics expertise via its nationwide network of genetic specialists and efficient genomic care delivery platform. As CEO, Lisa raised over $120 million in capital from leading investors (including Canaan, Google Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, Illumina Ventures, Casdin Capital, Perceptive and Echo Health), acquired Gene Matters, contracted with 50+ health systems, became a covered benefit for 170 million people across 50 states, grew to 200+ employees and improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients.
Prior, Ms. Alderson served as the Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Strategy Officer of Invitae (NYSE: NVTA), a genetic information and molecular diagnostics company. In this role, Lisa led the company from inception through commercial launch, scale-up, and IPO. She is also the former CEO and president of CrossLoop Inc., a marketplace for technical services (acquired by Nasdaq: AVG). Prior to that, Lisa was part of the start-up team at Genomic Health Inc. (acquired by Nasdaq: EXAS), president of Cinema Circle Inc., (acquired by Nasdaq: GAIA) and the former manager of strategic planning at The Walt Disney Co. She has an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from Colorado State University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Ms. Alderson is also a board member at Adela, which is focused on early cancer detection and monitoring, and a co-founder of Clarified Precision Medicine.
Meet the VC
Deena Shakir is a General Partner at Lux Capital, where she invests in transformative technologies improving lives and livelihoods. Her investments span stages and sectors, and include women's health (Maven Clinic, Alife, Summer Health, Gameto, Adyn), digital health infrastructure (SteadyMD, H1, Trial Library, AllStripes, Everly Health), health equity (Waymark, Galileo, Miga), foodtech (Shiru), and fintech (Mos, Ramp, Neo.tax). Above all, she seeks out extraordinary, mission-driven founders.
Prior to Lux, Deena was a Partner at GV (formerly Google Ventures), led product partnerships at Google for health, search, and AI/ML, and directed social impact investments at Google.org. Deena also served as a Presidential Management Fellow at The U.S. Department of State under Secretary Clinton, where she helped launch President Obama’s first Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
Deena self-funded her undergraduate degree at Harvard (Social Studies and Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations) and MA at Georgetown through a variety of merit scholarships and side hustles, including co-founding her first company while in college. She is currently a Lecturer in Management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a Board Director for the National Venture Capital Association, and a member of Kauffman Fellows, Aspen Finance Fellows, and The Council on Foreign Relations.
Deena is a frequent speaker and commentator and has been featured in print and television on Bloomberg, CNBC and NBC, in print in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, Techcrunch, Marie Claire, STAT, and more, and has delivered keynote addresses at major industry conferences. She was named a "Top 30 Under 40 in Healthcare" by Business Insider and "Top Senior Woman to Watch in Venture Capital" by the Wall Street Journal in 2021, "Top 50 in Digital Health" by Rock Health and 40 Under 40 by Fortune Magazine in 2022.