The Revolutionary Breakthrough in Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Disease

Our teacher today is Jeff Marrazzo, Co-Founder and former CEO of Spark Therapeutics. Under Jeff's leadership, this biotech company was the very first in history to receive FDA approval for a gene therapy. Spark has helped to ignite and expand the art of what's possible and how we will seek to treat and potentially cure hundreds of genetic conditions over the coming decades.

Jeff provides us with an insider's overview of the biotechnology industry and shares the full story of Spark, from its humble origins in the labs of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia all the way through to its nearly $5 billion acquisition by Roche.

I hope you enjoy our class with the inspiring Jeff Marrazzo. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

(00:06:20) - [First question] - Witnessing the impact of aiding others

(00:10:45) - The genesis of the vision for Spark Theraputics

(00:15:11) - Securing FDA approval

(00:20:22) - Navigating the venture capital landscape

(00:27:26) - Confronting periods of doubt

(00:33:21) - The significance of gene therapy in the US

(00:38:40) - Drawing inspiration for interdisciplinary collaboration

(00:43:58) - Guidance for youth seeking to capitalize on opportunities

(00:50:20) - Anticipating advancements in life sciences and healthcare

(00:54:34) - The role of AI in advancing gene therapy

(00:58:38) - Ways to engage with biotechnology

(01:04:55) - Simplifying the complexities of biotechnology investment