Today marks World Lung Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of the millions of people worldwide who struggle with respiratory conditions. Lung diseases significantly impact daily life, and they rank among the leading causes of illness, disability, and death worldwide. Asthma alone affects nearly 300 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization. Despite the wide availability of corticosteroid inhalers, many patients still have poor control over their asthma, enduring repeated exacerbations, which can be life-threatening.
In recognition of this day and our commitment to respiratory health, Laurie Lee, MD, who recently joined Generate:Biomedicines as the chief medical officer for our immunology and inflammation portfolio, shares her thoughts on patient needs and where the science is headed.
Dr. Lee is a board-certified pediatrician and allergist-immunologist with more than 17 years in industry. Most recently, she served as vice president of R&D, transplant and immunology at CSL Behring, leading global clinical development programs. Before that, she spent more than a decade at GlaxoSmithKline, guiding late-stage respiratory and allergy programs. She was also a member of the Duke University Medical Center faculty in pediatrics and allergy/immunology for 11 years.
As we mark World Lung Day, we also mark progress in our work. GB-0895, our AI-engineered antibody for asthma targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), is progressing toward later-stage clinical development, with early data supporting the potential for dosing just twice a year. For patients still struggling despite available asthma therapies, this kind of regimen could ease the daily burden of treatment and open a new chapter in severe asthma care. With this context, we sat down with Dr. Lee to hear her perspective as a physician and clinical leader.
Q: What drew you to Generate at this moment in your career?
A: There were three things that drew me to Generate. First, the pipeline itself. I believe it has the potential to address a wide breadth of conditions, from rare diseases to common conditions that affect millions of people. The range of impact is really exciting to me as it parallels my own practice, in which I’ve treated both rare immunodeficiency syndromes and the more prevalent allergic diseases. Second, it’s the people. When I met with Generators, I could just feel this energy and passion for what they’re doing. Everyone seemed genuinely engaged with the mission, and there’s a strong sense of urgency about getting treatments to patients who need them. The collaborative culture was also something I knew I wanted to be part of. And third, I’m convinced that GB-0895 will be very impactful for patients with severe asthma — changing clinical practice for this condition.
Q: You’ve worked on major respiratory programs before. How does GB-0895 stand out to you?
A: I am convinced that targeting TSLP will change the lives of patients with severe asthma. Not only is there genetic validation for TSLP in asthma and other atopic diseases, but there is also now clinical validation in asthma. When you block TSLP in asthma patients, the clinical benefits are broad: You reduce exacerbations, improve lung function, improve quality of life, and reduce asthma symptoms.
There are not many other medications that can do all of that — aside from inhaled corticosteroids. But those have to be taken every day and often aren’t enough for patients with severe asthma. What’s appealing to me about GB-0895 is its potential to offer the broad, anti-inflammatory benefits we associate with inhaled corticosteroids — but as an add-on option for patients who need more than standard therapy. And severe asthma patients will only need two doses of GB-0895 per year — a regimen that could better fit into patients’ lives.
Q: How does an every six-month regimen have the potential to change the way severe asthma is treated?
A: When you have severe uncontrolled asthma, you are at risk of exacerbation — losing control of your asthma, experiencing respiratory distress, and needing oral corticosteroids or even hospitalization. These events are very disruptive and can be life-threatening. Current inhaled treatments are not always enough and require daily use. It can be challenging to take asthma medications every single day, especially when you’re feeling well. GB-0895 is being developed as a twice-yearly injection, and that kind of regimen has the potential to ease the treatment burden and fit more naturally into patients’ lives.
Q: Beyond GB-0895, how do you see AI-engineered antibodies shaping the future of immunology and inflammation?
A: As a physician, I think about patients who still live with daily symptoms and limited options. What excites me about generative AI is the potential to engineer medicines that are not only more effective, but also less burdensome, and potentially safer over the long term. If we can move beyond treatments that suppress the immune system and instead deliver more targeted therapies that control disease without those trade-offs, it could open an entirely new era of care for chronic conditions. That’s the promise that gives me hope.
Q: What does World Lung Day mean to you as a physician and clinical leader?
A: World Lung Day reminds me, as a physician and clinical leader, how many millions of people live every day with chronic respiratory symptoms and diseases. These conditions don’t just affect lung function — they can also impact school, work, and social life, taking a real toll on quality of life. My training in pediatrics also makes me think about prevention: Children with food allergies or eczema are often at higher risk of developing asthma, and if we can identify them early, we may have a chance to change that trajectory. For me, World Lung Day is a call to action, reminding us to focus on patients with unmet needs and to ask what more we can do from a therapeutic standpoint. The bottom line is that patients need better and more convenient medicines.