We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. After nearly five years as host of the Business of Biotech podcast, Matt Pillar is handing the mic over to the voice of the Business of Biotech 2.0, veteran life sciences journalist Ben Comer. On this epsiode, Ben shares his nearly 20-year journey covering the pharmaceutical space, from Haymarket Media to PwC to Pharmaceutical Executive and InVivo magazines, before joining Life Science Connect as Chief Editor at Life Science Leader. He shares stories of the wild ride he's enjoyed along the way, how the stories he's covered have shaped his editorial perspective, and his plans for the next chapter of the Business of Biotech podcast. Catch Ben's first episode as host next Monday, and every Monday after that. Subscribe to the podcast on your preferred platform and watch the videocast at lifescienceleader.com.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/

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this final installment of our episodes recorded and filmed on-site at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, Nima Farzan, CEO of Latigo Biotherapeutics, shares his company's mission to change the pain management paradigm by way of novel, non-opioid medications that target NAV 1.8 sodium channels involved in pain signal transmission. It's a timely and important conversation that explores how these selective inhibitors could provide effective pain relief without the addiction risks and side effects of traditional opioids. In addition to the social and medical implications of Latigo's work, we discuss investor perceptions about pain management as a commercial opportunity and how Latigo is differentiating from traditional approaches by focusing on safety and tolerability rather than just efficacyThe 2025 BoB@JPM series is supported by Alston & Bird, whose national health care and life sciences practice has more than 100 attorneys actively involved and integrated across the full spectrum of legal disciplines including regulatory, compliance, public policy, transactional, corporate governance, securities, FDA, biotechnology, intellectual property, government investigations, and litigation practice areas. Learn more at www.alston.com.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/

Kasper Roet, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of QurAlis, a biotech innovator focused on genetic medicines for ALS. In this fascinating conversation, he discusses his journey from the Dutch Brain Bank to leading a consortium aimed at reforming the conservative FDA regulations that are driving clinical trials offshore. Roet emphasizes the critical need for a flexible approach to expedite therapy approvals and shares insights on the advancements in genetic medicine since the first ALS gene was discovered.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. The latest in our series of Business of Biotech podcasts recorded in-person at JPM in San Francisco features an inspiring conversation with Affinia Therapeutics CEO Rick Modi. Modi shares on how his upbringing in Kenya shaped his adversity-embracing worldview, and how that worldview contributes to his biotech leadership. We cover his transition from pharmaceutical work in Iowa to a career in biotech, the gene therapy advances Affinia is building on, the company's investment approach, its upcoming clinical trials, and much more. The 2025 BoB@JPM series is supported by Alston & Bird, whose national health care and life sciences practice has more than 100 attorneys actively involved and integrated across the full spectrum of legal disciplines including regulatory, compliance, public policy, transactional, corporate governance, securities, FDA, biotechnology, intellectual property, government investigations, and litigation practice areas. Learn more at www.alston.com.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/

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, recorded on-site at the 2025 JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, we explore a new approach to biotech financing with XOMA Royalty's Owen Hughes and Brad Sitko. The CEO and CIO, respectively, share an innovative royalty aggregation model that mitigates risk while enabling immediate capital access to biotech firms. We learn the differences between royalty financing and equity-based funding, how the model addresses traditional risk in biotech financing, the evolution of XOMA's business model, and much more. The 2025 BoB@JPM series is supported by Alston & Bird, whose national health care and life sciences practice has more than 100 attorneys actively involved and integrated across the full spectrum of legal disciplines including regulatory, compliance, public policy, transactional, corporate governance, securities, FDA, biotechnology, intellectual property, government investigations, and litigation practice areas. Learn more at www.alston.com.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 a captivating discussion, Tom Chalberg, Founder and CEO of Genascence, shares his journey from academia to leading innovations in gene therapy. He dives into the evolution of gene treatment, focusing on addressing widespread conditions like osteoarthritis. The conversation reveals the complexities of navigating regulatory landscapes for common vs. rare diseases. Chalberg also discusses the exciting breakthroughs in gene therapy and the strategic partnerships critical for funding in today’s biotech climate, painting a vivid picture of the industry's future.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Ran Zhang was hire number one at Landmark Bio back in 2021. Today, she's CEO of the 70+ employee cell and gene therapy manufacturer. We caught up with her and Life Science Leader chief editor Ben Comer at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco for a discussion on Landmark's role in addressing the ATMP patient access and cost reduction challenges. Along the way, we cover innovations in distributed manufacturing, non-viral gene delivery, and the importance of collaboration with academia to make these transformative therapies widely available.The 2025 BoB@JPM series is supported by Alston & Bird, whose national health care and life sciences practice has more than 100 attorneys actively involved and integrated across the full spectrum of legal disciplines including regulatory, compliance, public policy, transactional, corporate governance, securities, FDA, biotechnology, intellectual property, government investigations, and litigation practice areas. Learn more at www.alston.com.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/

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. From the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Peter Anastasiou, CEO of Capsida Biotherapeutics, discusses his journey from big pharma to biotech and the challenges he's faces on the leading edge of first-gneration gene therapies. Anastasiou discusses the in-house manufacturing quality advantage, how building that capacity opened the door to important partnering opportunities, the company's preparation for clinical trials and IND submissions, and more. From mastering in-house manufacturing to forging strategic partnerships, Capsida aims to redefine genetic medicine.The 2025 BoB@JPM series is supported by Alston & Bird, whose national health care and life sciences practice has more than 100 attorneys actively involved and integrated across the full spectrum of legal disciplines including regulatory, compliance, public policy, transactional, corporate governance, securities, FDA, biotechnology, intellectual property, government investigations, and litigation practice areas. Learn more at www.alston.com.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/

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. From the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Dr. Stefan Scherer shares insight from 3T Bioscience's transition from clinical medicine to drug development, and his experiences in biotech leadership along the way. Dr. Scherer discusses the balance between promising advances in T-cell therapy and the challenges associated with navigating a biotech from platform development to lead candidate status -- including staffing up for and funding the journey. Don't miss this episode, recorded in-person in San Francisco. The 2025 BoB@JPM series is supported by Aslton & Bird, whose national health care and life sciences practice has more than 100 attorneys actively involved and integrated across the full spectrum of legal disciplines including regulatory, compliance, public policy, transactional, corporate governance, securities, FDA, biotechnology, intellectual property, government investigations, and litigation practice areas. Learn more at www.alston.com.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/

Jim Doherty, President and Chief Development Officer at Acumen Pharmaceuticals, shares his extensive experience in developing therapies for CNS diseases. He discusses the historical challenges of Alzheimer’s treatment, the controversies over new amyloid-targeting drugs, and the pivotal role of biomarkers in personalized medicine. Highlighting Acumen's promising candidate, Sobernatug, he reveals its innovative approach to targeting soluble A-beta oligomers, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration and evolving strategies in CNS drug development.