The biotech success story from lab bench to FDA approval with Dr. Chris Burns.

Most of us step into science because we want to help patients. Very few ever get to see the work they touched turn into an approved medicine.

But some do. and this is one of these stories, including the 20+ years rollercoaster and multiple acquisitions taking momelotinib from a 14M deal to a 1.9 billion acquistion.

This story is a great illustration of what it means to push the boundaries of knoweldge further.

The team at Cytopia didn’t just design a first in class treatment (which is already an incredible achievement). Cytopia’s founder Andrew Wilks actually discovered the biological targets, the JAK kinases - all discovered and made in Australia… until the team had to go offshore.

Dr. Chris Burns, CEO of Amplia Therapeutics, former Head of R&D at cytopia where Momelotinib was developped.

Biotech series:

Featuring insights from Dr. Chris Burns, CEO of Amplia Therapeutics and former head of R&D at Cytopia.

I sat down with Dr Chris Burns to talk about the real path behind this drug, from its earliest sketches on a lab bench in Melbourne, through the years where it nearly died, the teams who saved it, and the moments that shaped both the molecule and the people working on it.

This article breaks our conversation into themes, so you can follow the lessons without getting lost in the timeline.

Drug Are Designed, Not Discovered

You do not stumble upon a drug. You build it, break it, rebuild it, and hope the data shows you a path forward before the money runs out.

Chris and his team repeated the design, make, test, analyse loop 387 times before landing on something worth taking into humans.
It is slow, creative work. Problem solving mixed with craft. And yes, stubbornness plays a role.

"A drug isn't found under a rock. It's designed."
"We went through that cycle 387 times."
"Some of the most creative people I've met are scientists."

You often don’t start with a disease in mind. Why JAK2, Why Myelofibrosis, Why Then?

In the early days, there was no obvious disease to target. The team worked on JAK enzymes because the biology mattered in cancer and immunity. They trusted that strong science would eventually reveal a direction.

Then in 2005, two papers linked a JAK2 mutation to myelofibrosis.
That changed everything. Years of foundational work suddenly had a purpose.

"We were running across a pond hoping the lily pads would appear."
"The clinical path only became clear once the mutation was found."

The Preclinical Rubik's Cube

Preclinical work is where optimism meets reality.

The compounds looked great in cell models but fell apart in animals. They were metabolised too quickly, too unstable, too fragile to be real drugs. Normally, that would be the end.

Solving that stability problem pushed the team into new chemical space, giving them both a viable molecule and a stronger IP position.

This stage was fast, iterative and collaborative: patient samples, early animal models, and weekly strategy shifts based on new data.

"The molecules looked great in cells but unusable in animals."
"Fixing one thing breaks another. It's a Rubik's cube."
"The near-death moment pushed us into new chemical space."

The Rollercoaster: Four Handoffs, Near Death Moments, and the Fight to Keep a Drug Alive

Clinical development is where drug programs usually die. It is expensive, political, and full of pressure points where shelving is not uncommon.

Momelotinib did survive it and it went from a USD 14 million acquisition in the middle of a financial crisis to a USD 1.9 billion acquisition two decades later.
That is a 135-fold jump in value, built on belief, timing, and a long chain of people who believed in it and with good reason as it is a first in class treatment for momelotinib.

Any scientist in drug development would feel proud of such achievement becasue first in class is the holy grail of drug discovery!

Let’s look at the series of acquisition:

• Cytopia to YM Biosciences (2009)

The global financial crisis hit. Funding dried up. Despite strong science, Cytopia could not raise enough to enter clinical trials.

Cytopia was acquired by YM Biosciences for about USD 14M.
The research labs closed. More than 30 scientists were let go. A small team stayed on to support development.

• YM Biosciences to Gilead (2012)

YM generated promising early clinical data. Big pharma noticed.

Gilead acquired the asset for more than USD 500M.
They improved manufacturing, strengthened IP, and ran a Phase 3 trial. But the trial design did not show the drug's full potential. Momentum stalled.

This could have been the end. Except it wasn’t, again because the people involved believed in it!

• Gilead to Sierra Oncology (2018)

Some of the original team members, now building Sierra Oncology, understood the molecule's real value and believed it deserved another chance.

Sierra acquired Momelotinib from Gilead, effectively rescuing it.
They redesigned the clinical strategy, partnered closely with the FDA, and ran a smart trial that produced clear, compelling data.

• Sierra Oncology to GSK (2022)

With strong efficacy data, GSK stepped in.

GSK acquired Sierra Oncology for USD 1.9B, the highest known price paid for an Australian-invented drug.

• FDA Approval (2023)

After twenty years, four companies, and multiple rescues, Momelotinib finally reached patients.

"This drug could have ended up on a shelf. Twice."
"Deals do not just move money. They decide whether a molecule lives or dies."
"It took four companies and two rescues to get Momelotinib over the line."

What Australia Can Learn About Science Commercialisation

Australia produces world-class discovery science, but we lose too many assets overseas.
When Momelotinib reached its clinical inflection point, there were fewer grants, fewer venture funds, and less late-stage capital to bridge the valley of death.

Things are improving. But founders still need to think regionally, build partnerships early, and map out the full cost of development long before they hit Phase 1.

"We had world-class science but no local capital to carry it."

From Medicinal Chemist to CEO

Chris still calls himself a scientist. The title changed, not the passion for science.

His leadership path formed through slow, steady steps: hiring talented people, trusting them, and learning how to read timing in both data and humans.

Biotech leadership is not about knowing everything. It is about steering a team through uncertainty and knowing where you add the most value at each stage of your career.

"The secret of my success is simple: work with good people."
"No one wants me near a lab now. I'm safer at the spreadsheet."

Recognition: The Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation

Seeing Momelotinib approved was a rare moment.
Receiving the Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation was the acknowledgement of decades of collective effort.

Chris was clear that although two people stood on stage, hundreds deserved to be there. Medicinal chemists, biologists, clinicians, formulation experts, manufacturers and regulators all played a part.

"Very few get to see their drug approved. It's a privilege."
"We stood on stage for a team of hundreds."

What This Story Means for Scientists and Founders

Momelotinib is a reminder that real progress in drug development is slow, messy, and full of sharp corners. You need stamina, collaboration, and the ability to keep going when everything tilts.

Here is what stands out:

• The molecule will break before it works

• Capital matters as much as clever chemistry

• Timing often beats control

• Collaboration saves time

• You will face one problem after another

• The drug survives because people fight for it

"Impact does not come from the lab alone. It comes from learning how to steer when the path tilts."