The Peel with Turner Novak

How to Build a Biotech with Celine Halioua at Loyal

May 2, 2024

Celine Halioua, CEO of Loyal, discusses developing longevity drugs for dogs and potentially humans. Topics include FDA approval process, differences between biotech and software startups, mistakes as a founder, growth rate in hiring, and starting with dogs for drug development.

01:06:25

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Episode guests

Celine Halioua

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Targeting age-related diseases prevention through medicine, focusing on drug efficacy for dog longevity in biotech startups.

Challenges in FDA approval for lifespan extension drugs due to long-term study requirements and utilizing dogs for faster data gathering.

Strategic funding decisions, market dynamics understanding, and continuous improvement through rapid learning in building biotech startups.

Deep dives

The Science Behind Extending Lifespan

Exploring the biology of IGF-1 and growth hormones, modifying genes to reduce growth hormone levels in worms resulted in longer appearance. Connecting genetics, dog size, lifespan, and gene association revealed the possibility of extending dogs' lives. The focus on developing drugs to slow aging, targeting age-related diseases prevention through medicine, rather than radical lifespan extension.

Introduction

3min

Advancing Longevity Through Biotech

5min

Navigating Challenges in Biotech Startups

12min

FDA Approval and Lifespan Extension Drugs

12min

Journey in Biotech Industry and Challenges Faced

10min

Navigating Personal Growth in Startup Talent Management

21min

Exploring the Intersection of Profit and Social Impact in Investing

2min

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Celine Halioua is the founder and CEO of Loyal, a biotech company developing medicine to help dogs live longer and healthier lives. And dogs are just the start - Celine thinks Loyal could one day do the same for humans.

She takes us inside what it’s like to build a biotech company from scratch. We talk through how Loyal’s longevity drugs work, the process of getting FDA approval, her biggest mistakes as a founder, how to approach building in a new market, lessons learned failing to raise her Series B, why rate of growth is all that matters in hiring, and almost not starting the company in the first place.

Timestamps: (00:00) Preview (03:30) How a longevity drug works (06:08) Predictions around longevity (08:26) Why Celine cares so much about not failing (12:05) Differences between biotech and software startups (14:15) Sizing a new market (16:53) Why biotech startups are more dilutive early on (20:22) Getting FDA approval (22:57) Why its hard to prove longevity drugs actually work (24:48) The reason Loyal started with dogs (25:27) How Loyal’s drug slows aging (33:42) Working on longevity to increase free will (34:25) Culture shock at Oxford and dropping out of her PhD (37:22) What makes Josh Koppelman a good VC (39:44) Celine’s two biggest mistakes as a founder (42:39) Why rate of growth is the best indicator of success but the hardest to predict (45:33) Self awareness & how being a CEO is both fun and miserable (48:11) How Laura Deming convinced her to start Loyal (50:18) Finding the science behind Loyal (54:21) Deciding it was the right path to start a company (56:30) Lessons from failing to raise a Series B initially (1:02:18) Why Silicon Valley can build 10x more deep tech startups (1:04:05) Doing big things that improve the world (1:04:50) What Celine looks for in startups Where to find Celine:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/celinehalioua

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celinehh/

Celine's Website: https://www.celinehh.com/

Where to find Turner:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TurnerNovak

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/turnernovak/

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