Business Of Biotech

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. The Business of Biotech was back in San Francisco for the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (January 12 - 15) and this week we sit down with Marc Salzberg, M.D., CEO, CMO, and Board Chair at Airway Therapeutics, a company developing a recombinant version of human surfactant protein D for several respiratory, inflammatory, and infectious diseases including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is currently in Phase 2b/3 trials. Brian talks about why he selected BPD as a lead clinical indication (a disease primarily affecting preterm infants), what he learned through founding and selling a CRO, how a private biotech funds a pivotal trial across continents, and offers an industry outlook for 2026.   Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Kenneth Galbraith, CEO of Zymeworks, brings decades of biotech leadership to the conversation. He discusses Zymeworks' strategic pivot to a royalty model for funding and value creation, emphasizing the benefits of backloaded milestone payments. Galbraith shares insights on negotiating partnerships, managing long drug development timelines, and the importance of scientific primacy in business decisions. He also forecasts an accelerating pace of scientific innovation and discusses his dual roles as operator and investor, showcasing his unique perspective on the industry.

Join a dynamic roundtable featuring Ben Comer, Chief Editor at Life Science Leader; Anna Rose Welch, Chief Editor of Advancing RNA; Katie Anderson from Pharmaceutical Online; Erin Harris of Cell and Gene; Ray Dogum from Drug Discovery Online; and Jeff Bugaliskis of Outsource Pharma. They discuss the evolving biotech landscape, from challenges in funding to breakthroughs in cell and gene therapy. Expect insights on mRNA trends, China's growing influence, and the push for AI in manufacturing. Plus, personal highlights and holiday traditions wrap up the conversation!

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, Nick Manusos, CEO at Kenai Therapeutics, talks about his experiences building cell therapy spinouts from FujiFilm Cellular Dynamics, learning from big pharma decision-making processes, and dosing the first patient with Kenai's allogeneic neuron replacement cell therapy for Parkinson's disease. Nick also talks about funding an early-stage cell therapy company and forging key manufacturing and therapy administration partnerships. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

In this engaging discussion, Jennifer Sheller, SVP of Global Clinical Trial Operations at Merck, shares her extensive experience in clinical development. She delves into the challenges of global trial coordination and the shift from traditional to modern practices in healthcare. Jennifer advocates for simplified protocol designs and highlights Merck's innovative hybrid model for trial management. She also emphasizes the importance of integrating acquired teams while preserving talent and continuity in studies, all while leveraging technology to enhance efficiency.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, Bruce Culleton, M.D., CEO at ProKidney, talks about moving from academic research to industry and the role a key mentor played in his career path. Bruce discusses his experiences as a first-time CEO at ProKidney, a late-stage autologous cell therapy biotech focused on pioneering new treatments for chronic kidney disease (CKD), the benefits of FDA's Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation, how delaying or avoiding kidney dialysis would be a game-changer for CKD patients, and more.  Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Sean Ainsworth, CEO and Chairman of Immusoft, shares his experiences transitioning from a lab to biotech entrepreneurship. He discusses the promise of engineered B cell therapies for lysosomal storage diseases, highlighting the benefits over traditional enzyme replacement therapies. Ainsworth delves into his journey through M&A, the future of gene therapies, and regulatory frameworks. He also elaborates on the streamlined patient experience of his therapies, aiming for safer, redosable options, and advancing candidate indications.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, Dan Schmitt, President and CEO at Actuate Therapeutics, talks about building a company around elraglusib, a GSK-3β inhibitor for cancer. Dan describes his fast-fail approach to early product testing and development, using basket trials to evaluate chemotherapy combinations, and choosing pancreatic cancer as a lead program. He also talks about surviving an IPO during a brutal funding cycle for biotech, building lean teams and efficient operations, and potentially onshoring API in response to changing U.S. policy. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Cyril Kanto, M.D., is an oncologist and the CEO of Ichnos Glenmark Innovation, specializing in biologics and multispecific antibody platforms. He discusses the breakthrough potential of multispecific antibodies and the strategic $700 million deal with AbbVie. Cyril shares insights on navigating the challenging biotech landscape, the role of collaboration in innovation, and the shift from animal models to advanced in silico modeling. He also explores the impact of China's biotech sector and emphasizes IGI's focus on emerging markets, driving forward patient-centered therapies.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Allan Shaw, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer at Create Medicines, is back on the Business of Biotech this week, with a temperature check on biotech funding and the IPO market. We discuss the implications of recent blockbuster acquisitions, strategies for managing the current funding environment for biotech, what to look for in the IPO market in the coming months, alternative financing opportunities, and what besides lower interest rates might bring generalist investors back into the sector. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/