Detecting Cancer Early When It’s Most Treatable: Kevin Conroy on The Long Run

Today’s guest on The Long Run is Kevin Conroy.

Kevin is the chairman and CEO of Madison, Wis.-based Exact Sciences.

Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO, Exact Sciences

Exact Sciences has grown over the past decade into a success story for cancer screening and diagnosis. It’s best known for marketing the noninvasive Cologuard test that screens people for colorectal cancer.

It also markets the Oncotype DX test that’s used to predict the likelihood that a patient with breast cancer will have a recurrence, and whether a preventive round of chemotherapy is likely to be beneficial. Exact is also developing a blood-based screening test that it hopes will be able to detect early signs of many, many types of cancer that aren’t routinely detected until the disease has already caused a lot of damage.

The Cologuard test has now been run 12 million times.

Kevin has a fascinating personal story, starting with the environment where he grew up — Flint, Michigan. He joined Exact Sciences as CEO in 2009 when the company was on the ropes. Kevin and his colleagues set audacious goals, and persevered to build a company that now has a market value of more than $16 billion.

In this conversation, Kevin shares this company story, along with some of his insights into building a company in the Upper Midwest, the importance of partnerships, and where cancer screening and diagnosis is heading.

And now for a word from the sponsor of The Long Run.

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It’s summertime, which means it’s time to plan for the next biotech team expedition. The Timmerman Traverse for Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is scheduled for Feb. 7-18, 2024. I’m assembling a team of biotech executives and investors to hike to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. If you are up for this trip of a lifetime and want to be part of a team that raises $1 million to support bright young cancer researchers all over the US, send me a note: luke@timmermanreport.com. 

Now, please join me and Kevin Conroy on The Long Run.