#oncology

Rob Williamson's mind and hands have shaped more than 20 biotech startups, leading some to IPO and landing others firmly in Big Bio through acquisition by companies like Merck. Hanging around as many successful exits as Williamson has seen, one might become expert via osmosis. But Williamson isn't passive about honing his vision for progressive therapeutic dealmaking. He's an active leader, and for this episode of the Business of Biotech, he took a breather from a hectic agenda at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference to share some introspection on the work he's done, the work he's doing at Triumvira with T-cell therapeutics in oncology, the big opportunities in cancer therapeutics, and what's coming next.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Multimodal approaches to the delivery of radiologically active compounds have created a fertile environment to for players in the space to put on a precision medicine clinic, so to speak. What’s more, Radiopharmaceuticals create a unique business opportunity given the closely-related and necessary companion diagnostic arena. On today’s episode of the Business of Biotech, recorded in San Francisco, we sit down with Dr. Mark Hoppin, CEO of Ratio Therapeutics, a company that’s well-positioned in the space with a fresh Series B and the foundation of a tunable radiotherapeutic that Dr. Hoppin says addresses the delivery, safety and efficacy challenges long associated with radiopharmaceuticals in the treatment of solid cancers. We also discuss how this mathemetician-turned biotech CEO has navigated the leadership of boards, employees, and investors on his journey.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Relatively new CEO Joseph Ferra has orchestrated some pretty significant change at Elevation Oncology in the two(ish) years since the Business of Biotech last hosted the company.  In that short time, Ferra advance from CFO to CEO, a move that aligned very closely with the company's difficult decision to shelve the late phase 2 anti-HER3 monoclonal antibody candidate it was founded on. Those big moves set the stage for Elevations' new lead candidate, a phase 1 Claudin18.2 target in the oh-so-hot ADC (antibody drug conjugate) space.  On this episode of the Business of Biotech, we go behind the scenes to learn why and how those daring moves were made, and how Elevation navigated the gauntlet of risk it assumed when it embraced disruption in a not-so-shiny biotech market. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, we welcome two extraordinary guests - Dr. Neela Patel, a molecular biologist-turned-Chief Business Officer, and Dr. John Mulligan, an academic-turned-founder of newly-formed Bonum Therapeutics. Together, Neela and John will pull back the curtain on Bonum's transition from its predecessor, Good Therapeutics, which was fueled by a high-profile asset sale to Roche. The asset, a PD-1-regulated IL-2 program, was a product of a platform that the new Bonum retains, and its sale to Roche was orchestrated by Dr. Patel. You've seen the terms of the deal in the news, but on this episode, you'll get the inside scoop on how the deal was done, how it set Bonum up for future paltform-driven succes, and how these two leaders retained its IP and its people through a fast, unique, and disruptive acquisition. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Combined Therapeutics President & CEO Dr. Romain Micol is operating his company in a very noisy space, where hundreds of new biotechs have popped up on the coattails of a COVID-driven renewal of interest in mRNA vaccines. Micol recognizes that noise and the competition it brings for capital and mindshare. He's not only aware of it —  he  welcomes it. On this quick episode of the Business of Biotech podcast, Micol shares the unique approach Combined Tx is taking to distinguishing itself in the mRNA infectious disease and cancer vaccine space, from the delivery, safety, efficay, and business perspectives. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Johanna Kaufmann, Ph.D.'s path to EVP, Oncology at Codagenix is part serendipity and part circumstance, but it's a much larger part hard work. On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, Dr. Kaufmann gives us an intimate retrospective on her career to date, sharing stories about her rapid ascension from Scientist 1 to executive leadership. We dig into her wild ride through M&A, her time at GSK, and the personal professional and personal development regimens she subscribes to. We also catch up on the important work Codagenix is doing in the live vaccines and viral therapeutics arena.

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Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

On this episode of the Business of Biotech, Leonard Mazur, co-founder, CEO, and chairman of Citius Pharmaceuticals, shares his rollercoaster ride to success in biotech, the founding story of Citius Pharmaceuticals, his engagement with the Department of Defense, and the effort to revive an antibiotic used on the frontlines.

Leonard takes us into the complexity of investor relationships, and his personal investment that influences his leadership style. He reveals his strategies for constructing a successful biotech pipeline, underscoring the importance of a unique mechanism of action and the hurdles of resurrecting a retired product. Get ready for an intimate look at Leonard's decision-making process, and his insights into managing the financial aspects of a bio-pharma company. 

As we wrap up, Leonard offers an honest look at the evolution of the biotech industry, the financial challenges faced, and his advice on navigating these turbulent waters. He brings his experience with auction processes and drug hunting to light, preparing us for unexpected hiccups in the biotech world. Leonard also credits mentorship in shaping his approach to constructing a clinical pipeline. Join us for this inspiring exploration of resilience, determination, and success in the biotech industry.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Ahmed Hamdy, MD didn’t ask to be the subject of Nathan Vardi's new book For
Blood and Money: Billionaires, Biotech, and the Quest for a Blockbuster Drug. In fact, that particular chapter of Dr. Hamdy’s career is one he’d rather not relive. But, in display of the resilience required of biotech leadership, Hamdy made a raging comeback. On this week’s episode of the Business of Biotech, we dive into Hamdy’s resurrection; how he shepherded Acerta Pharma all the way to a multibillion dollar blockbuster exit with Astra Zeneca and his plans to recreate that success in his new post as CEO and Founder at cancer therapeutics-focused Vincerx Pharma.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

The Business of Biotech took a road trip to Pittsburgh to visit with Peptilogics CEO and founder Dr. Jonathan Steckbeck, whose Ph.D. work was inspired by the loss of his father-in-law to a hospital-borne infection. That work subsequently led to the formation of a company committed to leveraging peptide therapeutics to address PJI (prosthetic joint infection), cystic fibrosis infection, as well as rare genetic disease and oncological indications. Dr. Steckbeck walks us through the transition of his academic work into a clinical-stage company, how he's sustaining the company in a lean capital market, and the virtues of doing biotech business in Pittsburgh. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Among a growing cluster of Pittsburgh biotechs, you'll find BlueSphere Bio, an early-stage company discovering T-cell receptors to leverage against tumor-specific antigens in individual cancer patients. Its leader, CEO Keir Loiacono, Esq., works with a sense of urgency inspired by his own cancer journey. Business of Biotech host Matt Pillar and guest co-host Jon O'Connell, executive editor at Bioprocess Online, toured Bluesphere's state-of-the-art facility perched on the bank of the Monongahela River. Then, we sat down with Loiacono to learn his story and discuss the company's vision for the future of personalized, adoptive cell therapy.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

SPECIAL EDITION: BoB@JPM
The JP Morgan Healthcare Conference is a target-rich environment for conversations with the leaders of up-and-coming biopharma companies, so we took the Business of Biotech on the road. On today's episode, we sat down with Matt Coffey, Ph.D., who earned his Ph.D. in 1998 and turned his doctoral thesis into a biopharma company called Oncolytics in 1999. Dr. Coffey shares on his abrupt transition from academia to industry,  tells tales of the company's backstory, and updates us on its aggressive clinical activity spanning 7 wide-ranging oncology programs.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Recursion's unique, technology-aided approach to drug discovery has yielded one of the deepest, fastest-growing pipelines in emerging biotech.  It starts with a 20-petabyte-and-growing database designed to create comprehensive "maps of biology" that enable insight into the relationships between molecules and cell types. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, we take a deep dive into the approach—and what Recursion intends to do with all that data—with the company's co-founder and CEO, Chris Gibson, Ph.D. Don't miss this window into the world of a true pioneer in computational biology. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

As part of the second episode in their Rare Disease and Family Planning series, Taylor and Liz discuss the impact that rare diseases and treatments have had on Taylor's family planning. Topics included relating to the impact rare disease has had on her fertility and options available related to growing a family. 

Trigger Warning: Family Planning and Fertility Journey

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On this episode of The Business of Biotech, Obsidian Therapeutics CEO Paul Wotton, Ph.D. takes us behind the scenes to reveal what precipitated the FDA's clearance of its IND application for a novel, engineered tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy called OBX-115.  Learn how the company navigated the regulatory path for a first-of-its-kind biologic therapy developed in partnership with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that Dr. Wotton says, should it succeed, will eliminate the patient risk associated with concomitant IL2 therapy and improve clinical outcomes for certain patients with metastatic melanoma. We also get an update on outcomes from Obsidian's unique approach to solving COVID-19 challenges covered on episode 9 of the Business of Biotech.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Under the leadership of Mai-Britt Zocca, Ph.D., IO Biotech is advancing novel, immune-modulating cancer therapies targeting IDO (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase). Though promising, the target fell out of favor after some high-profile misses – most notably Merck's Phase 3 failure with pembrolizumab in 2018. But Immunome's dual mechanism of action is renewing interest in the target, and Dr. Zocca is gaining confidence as the company's data grows. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, she shares the approach, how it differs from previous attempts, and how her company is working to advance its programs in the wake of IDO's fall from grace.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Immunome CEO Purnanand Sarma, Ph.D. joins the Business of Biotech for a discussion on precision antibodies and his company's discovery platform, which  identifies novel therapeutic antibodies and their antigen targets by leveraging highly educated memory B cells from patients who have learned to fight off their disease. It’s kind of like picking an all-star team of players who have been in the game, and who are well-trained to win. On today's episode we'll learn how they’re discovered, how they’re developed, and how they’re applied in cancer and coronavirus.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Swiss-Italian biopharma company Philogen was co-founded in 1996 by three brothers, all of them PhDs. This unique family affair has fueled the development of an incredibly deep and advanced pipeline of no fewer than ten  therapeutic products, most of them in oncology, contributing to 16 active clinical trials, three of them at Phase 3. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, co-founder, CEO, and CSO Prof. Dario Neri shares the incredible story of the company's progress and explains Philogen's approach to  delivering bioactive agents to the site of disease using antibodies or small organic ligands, thus increasing  therapeutic activity and helping spare normal tissues. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

To fully appreciate the work Pyxis Oncology is doing in its development of site-specific ADCs for a number of oncological indications under the leadership of Lara Sullivan, M.D., you need to understand the work that shaped her leadership style. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, Dr. Sullivan shares the science and technology driving progress at Pyxis, but she also serves up a master class on change management, honed during her tenure managing high-stakes product portfolios at Pfizer. If you want to be a better leader, don't miss this one. And for more on Dr. Sullivan's journey, read this recent feature story at Life Science Leader magazine.

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

Context Therapeutics  Co-Founder & CEO Martin Lehr shares stories from his self-described "recovery from venture capital," the work his company is doing in gynecological cancers, and how his small company manages a modality-agnostic approach and investigator-sponsored trials across multiple clinical candidates, four of which are in phase 2 clinical trials. We also discuss his "extracurricular" work with BioBreak, Life Science Leader, and Life Science Cares, and why those organizations are important to him personally and professionally. 

Subscribe to the #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!