Tom McCarthy co-founded Molecule to Medicine (MTM) with his wife, Kirsty McCarthy. Building on their respective biotechnology and technology focused careers, they established MTM to build an ecosystem of biotechnology companies focused on solving unmet medical needs by discovering and developing first in class and/or best in class therapeutics. They recognised that successful biotechs operate at the intersection of high performing teams, innovative science and the right funding environment. MTM brings together each of these three "legs of the stool" to progress new therapies from idea to robust clinical data. To do this they borrow from the tech sector by implementing an agile philosophy and mindset coupled with fully embracing how all aspects of the utilisation of data inform the drug discovery and development journey. They have created a fertile middle ground between single asset and resource constrained biotech and large pharmaceutical companies, an environment where high performing teams identify and solve unmet medical needs by executing on integrated and comprehensive drug discovery and clinical development programs.
Tom’s career began with a curiosity about how the body works, including wanting to understand the molecules and pathways that go awry in human disease—and ultimately finding innovative treatments. This embrace of science culminated in him completing a PhD in organic chemistry from Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) in 1993, focused on discovering and developing new methodologies to make bioactive molecules. He then completed postdoctoral training (1993-5) at the University of Oxford in the group of Prof. Steve Davies, at a time when he was "spinning out" Oxford Asymmetry and Oxford Diversity (ultimately both were acquired and integrated into the Evotec organisation). Although only an “observer” of the creation and growth of these companies, this experience peaked his interest in the intersection of science and business, including ways to collaborate with large pharmaceutical companies on the journey to new medicines. He returned to Australia and embarked on augmenting his drug discovery knowledge with an understanding of the art and the science of drug development, including the critical steps to take a molecule into clinical trials and through to establishing robust Phase 2 proof of concept. He was fortunate to be part of high performing teams and benefited significantly from a generous and rich learning environment to take the first example of a new class of molecule into global clinical trials as VP Drug Development at Starpharma, ultimately an Australian listed biotech. Learnings absorbed from that environment of pooled collective intelligence were then poured into his subsequent role as President and CEO of Spinifex Pharmaceuticals. Initially an Australian VC backed private company, and one developing a new approach to the treatment of chronic pain without central nervous system side-effects, they ultimately established a US headquarters and he grew a clinical development team in Connecticut, USA. Funded to conduct late stage clinical development of its lead asset, Spinifex ultimately attracted the attention of Novartis and they completed their acquisition of Spinifex in 2015. Following a transition period with Novartis, Tom and his wife integrated their learnings from their respective biotechnology and technology careers to develop a business plan for MTM and this facilitated being granted an Entrepreneur Visa from the UK Government and ultimately a "full circle" return to Oxford. Over the intervening 10 years they have been responsible for the creation of six biotechnology companies; Tom has enjoyed being part of teams putting their shoulders to the wheel creating and growing these organisations and evolving the MTM team and ecosystem. Across the decades, they retain their singular focus on identifying and solving unmet medical needs to help people with these conditions.
