Breakthru Medicine is advancing a portfolio of innovative cancer therapeutics designed to address critical unmet clinical needs.
Cancer drug developer Steve Potts sat down with Joan Koerber-Walker for a discussion on what it takes to accelerate health innovation at the AZAdvances Health Innovation Showcase during AZ Tech Week 2026.
Breakthru Medicine is advancing a portfolio of innovative cancer therapeutics designed to address critical unmet clinical needs.
How Breakthru is making an Impact:
Our team of veteran drug developers has collectively brought more than a dozen drugs to market. Members of our team have advanced late-stage programs that have the potential to transform outcomes for one of the most lethal forms of cancer. Members of our core team have already made meaningful contributions in oncology, and we aim to build on that track record. Our team’s experience is our “superpower,” and we know when to keep pursuing a target, when to pivot, and when to eliminate a program. This capability increases the likelihood of delivering meaningful new options to patients.
The Health Challenge Breakthru is Addressing:
Despite major advances, many cancers remain difficult to treat, and patients with aggressive solid tumors eventually experience treatment resistance or relapse. Breakthru Medicine is focused on these high-unmet-need cancers by addressing the specific molecular drivers and resistance mechanisms that enable tumor survival. To maximize impact, we’re developing multiple independent programs and platforms rather than relying on a single approach.
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with more than 600,000 lives lost each year. Identifying effective treatment options remains difficult in many advanced cancers and requires deep scientific and clinical expertise. For many patients, existing therapies eventually lose effectiveness, leaving clinicians with limited options. Advancing new, more durable treatments is critical to improving outcomes and giving clinicians better tools to help their patients live longer and better.
Dr. Steve Potts
Founder & CEO
Breakthru Medicine
Powered by Arizona’s Health Innovation Ecosystem:
Arizona has aggressively supported biotech development, with the Phoenix Bioscience Core, world-class healthcare centers, and strong advocacy by AZBio. Arizona is a place where biotech entrepreneurs want to live, work, and raise families. The state offers a collaborative, talent-rich environment that enables companies like Breakthru Medicine to build and scale efficiently while attracting top scientific and business talent.
Looking Ahead:
LifeSpan Digital Health is focused on scaling its predictive AI platform, expanding clinical and academic partnerships, and integrating even more deeply with hospital operations. The team is advancing its physiological and workload-aware analytics while broadening support across healthcare roles to ensure well-being becomes measurable and actionable at every level of care delivery.
About the Author
Ava Woods
Ava Woods is the Marketing & Communications Intern at AZBio, supporting digital communications, content creation, and member engagement initiatives. In her role, Ava assists with social media management, marketing campaigns, event promotion, and storytelling efforts that highlight Arizona’s growing bioscience community.
About AZBio Member Spotlights
AZBio Member Spotlights are just one of the ways AZBio is building awareness of the health innovations being developed and delivered across the state of Arizona. Telling Arizona’s Bioscience Story is a key goal of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap, the nation’s longest-running statewide strategic plan designed to build a robust bioscience sector.