Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

When it comes to contraception, most of the innovation in the last century has focused on providing contraceptive alternatives for women. The contraceptive pill was approved by the FDA in 1960, the first IUD approved in 1968, and the female condom in 1993. For men, however, there has been little advancement since the invention of the rubber condom in 1855 and the first vasectomies in humans around the turn of the 20th century.Contraline is a biotechnology company that is aiming to change that record. They are currently heading into Phase II trials with a therapy that they claim is reliable, long lasting, easy to use, and reversible. This week, I talk with Kevin Eisenfrats, CEO of Contraline, about the challenges of bringing a new contraceptive to market, how to manage clinical trials on multiple continents, and what the world might look like if the contraceptive burden passes from women to men.01:21                      Kevin Eisenfrats and Contraline07:28                      Contraline’s ADAM09:09                      How ADAM works11:39                      Reversibility is a differentiator for ADAM14:01                      Hormonal gels and contraception17:14                      The phase I trial in Australia21:47                      The implantation process25:07                      Moving into phase II27:04                      The male contraception market29:30                      Fundraising for male contraception33:06                      The gendered burden of contraception34:54                      The future of male contraception36:49                      The cultural and social impact of male contraceptionInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: MedinCell Granted €17M to Develop Cheap Long-Acting ContraceptionInpart Connect: Reversible Male ContraceptiveInpart Connect: Cyclic Peptides as Non-hormonal Male Contraceptive Agents and Methods of Use ThereofInpart Connect: Noninvasive Laser Vasectomy

Raising money in the gene therapy space can be tough right now but, for the right company and with the right team, there is still cash to be found. But how do you connect with investors, how do you get your science in front of the right people, and how do you move from ‘I’m interested’ to ‘I’m signing on the dotted line’?This week I talk with Gerard Caelles, Chief Business Office of Splice Bio, a company that just closed a $135 million series B fundraising round. I quiz him on the practical steps that biotechs need to take to move from a series A to a series B, the key members of the team that pulled the deal together, how to keep existing investors engaged while bringing new money on-board, and how it feels when it is all done. 01:14               Meet Gerard Caelles04:34               The Splice Bio platform12:34               Raising $135 million in uncertain times15:31               Laying the groundwork for a series B18:15               Building a fundraising team20:45               Identifying and approaching new investors22:38               Fundraising challenges in 202526:37               Refining the strategy and pitch29:00               Choosing lead investors 31:59               Keeping existing investors on board34:12               A look behind the scenes 37:52               What’s next for Splice Bio42:10               Learn more about Splice BioInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: Labiotech's 2025 Biotech Funding TrackerThe ABC of biotech startup fundingBudget blues: where are cell and gene therapies heading? 

Immunology and inflammation are hot topics in biotech and biopharma, and innovations are emerging that can change the game for patients suffering from autoimmune, gastrointestinal, and metabolic disease. For top pharma companies, identifying these innovations early is essential and, for university labs, spinouts and startups, getting their science in front of the right industry partners is key. So how does science meet industry, and how can top pharma and venture investors find the next blockbuster?This week I sat down with Joseph Ferner of Inpart, the author of a new R&D Trends Report on Immunology and Inflammation. He explained the shape of the research landscape, the areas that are generating the most interest amongst industry and investors, and the ways in which digital platforms are helping innovative scientists connect with those who have the experience and finance to bring their technologies and therapies to market.Download the Immunology & Inflammation R&D Trends ReportCreate a free Inpart Connect accountSpeak with the Inpart team02:18               The 2025 Immunology and Inflammation R&D Trends Report08:30               Priorities and challenges in immunology and inflammation research10:18               The impact of immune system complexity on drug development13:12               The challenge of clinical heterogeneity15:33               The role of organoids in immunology and inflammation R&D17:10               Comparing organoid models to animal models19:51               The R&D landscape in 202522:40               Popular modalities in immunology and inflammation research24:45               The top innovations in the 2025 R&D Trends Report28:56               How to score and rank innovations in a rapidly evolving market33:22               Engagement trends between researchers and industry partners37:09               Why companies decline to engage with academic researchers43:36               The Inpart Connect platform and how it works48:49               Looking forward to the next R&D Trends ReportInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: Why is the immunology and inflammation market suddenly attracting a wave of investment?

Partnering conferences are where many deals in the biotech industry get made. With investors and top pharma companies on hand to meet with founders, learn about new science, and put money on the table for promising biotech, it’s little wonder that the biggest partnering events attract hundreds of innovators and thousands of attendees.One of the largest industry partnering events in Europe is BIOSPAIN. This year BIOSPAIN will take place in Barcelona, and the Catalan city will welcome participants from more than 40 countries for three days of exhibitions, partnering meetings, and presentations from industry leaders. Labiotech will be on the ground reporting from BIOSPAIN this year, and so we sat down with Stewart Medina fromBIOSPAIN to find out exactly what’s in store.Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: Catalonia: A biotech hub going from strength to strength, with Barcelona at its core10 biotech companies you should know about in Spain20 years of BIOSPAIN – The evolution of an international biotech event

How can you guarantee that top pharma will be interested in investing in your biotech startup? How can you be sure that the target you are focused on will be attractive to industry partners? And can AI help drive this interest and deliver these partnerships?These are questions that this week’s guest, Mati Gill, CEO of AION Labs in Israel, is perfectly positioned to answer.AION Labs has an innovative company creation process that empowers scientists and startups to tackle high-impact pharma challenges with AI, backed by top-tier data, funding, and expertise from global pharma partners. In the middle of a transformative decade for AI-driven drug discovery, and with Israel poised to play an increasingly significant part, Mati explains how venture studios are helping to foster groundbreaking solutions for global health challenges.01:07               Meet Mati Gill07:19               The biotech industry in Israel09:38               How the Israeli biotech industry is changing with AI and other technologies13:01               The biggest challenges facing Israeli biotechs and biopharma18:07               AION Labs and its mission20:27               AION Building and AION Seeding24:03               Why top pharma wants to partner with AION Labs startups27:53               Workshopping startup ideas with top pharma companies32:04               The future of venture studios like AION Labs36:33               At the intersection of AI, biotech, and Israel’s innovation ecosystem39:24               Advice for entrepreneurs and scientistsInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: AION Labs launches AI startup to improve drug trialsThe 5 hottest biotech companies making waves in IsraelWhat to look for in a biotech incubator

Lonza is one of the world’s largest contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), dedicated to serving the healthcare industry. They work alongside a broad range of customers – from emerging biotechs to top global pharmaceutical companies – to transform therapeutic discoveries into life-saving and life-enhancing treatments for their patients. Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza has embraced innovation and kept pace with a fast-changing world for more than 125 years. They are a leader in both established and emerging technologies and today their 19,000 employees across more than 30 sites on five continents generate annual sales of more than $4.4 billion. We sat down with Alice Harrison, Global Technical Director (CMC and Analytics), and Megan Mason, Global Process Development Implementation Manager, to learn more about how Lonza is helping innovators large and small develop and scale their therapies and deliver better outcomes for patients worldwide._____The information in this podcast is believed to be correct at the time of recording, and is for information only. While we make reasonable efforts to ensure that the content is accurate, we make no representations or warranties of any kind regarding its accuracy, completeness, reliability, suitability or the results to be obtained from the use of such information. Lonza disclaims any liability for the use of this information and the reliance of the information contained herein is at your own risk.  _____Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: How to Set up Manufacturing for Biotech StartupsAccelerating the path to clinical filing applications with rapid toxicology material deliveryLarge molecule manufacturing: addressing challenges with strategies for success

Parkinsons disease impacts some 10 million people worldwide and current approaches to treating the condition almost exclusively focus on addressing symptoms – there is, as of yet, no cure. One Finnish biotech, however, is not focused on alleviating symptoms but on modifying the course of the disease itself. Their hope is to be able to stop and even reverseneurodegenerative diseases like Parkinsons, and they have the backing of significant players, such as the Michael J Fox Foundation, to do just that.This week I spoke to Antti Vuolanto, CEO of Herantis Pharma, about the work his company is doing, the science behind their approach, and the advantages and challenges of working in biotech in the Nordics.01:10               Meet Antti Vuolanto05:10               The biotech landscape in the Nordics07:07               Herantis Pharma and its mission09:38               Treating symptoms versus disease modification13:31               Herantis in relation to other Parkinson’s disease companies15:47               HER-09626:24               The global burden of Parkinson’s disease and the unmet need28:56               The role of patient and advocacy groups30:11               The future of Parkinson’s disease treatment31:52               How the Nordics can develop and expand their biotech sector36:33               Stay up to date on Herantis and their workInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: Finland: Pushing biotech forward in the land of a thousand lakesParkinson’s disease: biotech’s pursuit for more therapies The stem cell race for Parkinson’s disease: Recent studies show significant promise

RNAi has changed the way that rare diseases are treated - is it about to do the same for more common conditions?Alnylam was the very first company to translate RNAi from Nobel Prize winning science into a commercially scalable platform. Founded in 2002, the company today has five different RNAi therapies on the market and a pipeline that continues to expand. While their early focus was on rare disease, today they are expanding into more common conditions, partnering with top pharma companies to bring next-generation therapies to market.This week I sat down with Paul Nioi, Senior Vice President of Research at Alnylam. Paul has more than 20 year’s experience in biotech and biopharma, and he walked me through Alnylam’s mission and place in the biotech ecosystem, the science of RNAi, the early success treating metabolic disease, and exactly where their platform is expanding into now and in the near future. Paul explains the capacity of RNAi to address neurological and infectious disease, the value of large-scale genomic initiatives, and how he sees drug discovery evolving in the years ahead.01:29               Meet Paul Nioi08:56               Alnylam, its mission, and its science14:35               Two types of partnerships: top pharma, and genomic initiatives22:34               RNAi therapies on the market for rare disease27:29               Expanding into more common conditions32:17               INHBE mutations and cardiometabolic disease35:01               Working with Roche to target hypertension38:58               Looking forward: Alnylam’s platform in the near future41:49               What role for national genomic initiatives?45:16               RNAi’s place in a future of precision medicineInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: mRNA, RNAi, circRNA, ASOs: A comparative guide to RNA therapeuticsSix biotech companies leading the charge in hemophilia treatmentEpisode 159: Day One DNA - How and why the UK is betting on whole genome sequencing for every newborn

Nearly 1 billion people around the world suffer from mental health disorders, with the global economic cost of those disorders expected to reach $6 trillion by 2030. One of the most common of those mental health disorders is depressive disorder, commonly called depression, with some 280 million people suffering from either mild, moderate or severe depression.Conventional treatments for depression such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can work for many people but for some suffering from treatment resistant depression, options can be limited, but some new therapies are in the clinic and might offer some hope. Beckley PsyTech is a UK biotech that is working with next-generation psychedelic-based compounds administered in a short clinic visit once every two months. With positive results from their recent Phase 2B study and a partnership with atai Life Sciences, Beckley believes they are on their way to redefining how depression is treated.01:38               Meet Cosmo Feilding03:04               Beckley PsyTech, its mission and its focus08:36               BPL-003 and next generation psychedelics11:16               Intranasal delivery and its advantages14:26               Psychedelics in the clinic and Phase IIb trial results18:32               Safety: suicide signals and adverse events21:02               Applications for psychedelics outside of depression24:11               The global economic costs of mental health disorders27:40               Comparing Beckley PsyTech to Compass Pathways and GH Research35:26               Regulatory hurdles and the stigma around psychedelics38:14               Partnering with atai Life Sciences and the future of Beckley PsyTech43:16               Milestones ahead for Beckley PsyTech45:44               A future vision for patients suffering from depressionInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: New antidepressants: tackling treatment resistant depressionPsychedelics sans side effects: neuroplastogens gain groundFrom LSD to healing minds: Where are we standing in psychedelic drug development?

The UK is preparing to change the game for healthcare - but why, how, and what will it cost?Recently the UK government announced plans to sequence the DNA of every baby born in that country. A part of the country’s 10 Year Health Plan, the program aims to identify rare genetic diseases early, prevent harms from delayed treatment and reduce future healthcare costs for the NHS. Yet along with those potential upsides come a range of ethical and practical questions, too: who guards the sequenced data, who can access it, how can consent be informed, managed and withdrawn years later, and what is the best way to gather the genetic material required to fully sequence the DNA of 700,000 infants each year?This week, I spoke to Neil Ward of PacBio to understand more about this program, compare it to other national genome sequencing programs in Europe and Asia, and discuss the promise of unlocking the ‘language of life’.02:02               Meet Neil Ward09:10               PacBio, its mission, and its current focus17:13               The UK national newborn gene sequencing effort21:20               Ethical and practical challenges for national newborn sequencing24:34               Short-read versus long-read sequencing30:48               Dried blood spots versus cord blood35:57               Lessons for the UK from Thailand38:58               Trends in national newborn screening programs worldwide41:46               What parents and policymakers must know45:20               Exciting things in the genomics space on the horizonThis episode is brought to you by MedChemExpress.Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletterTo dive deeper into the topic: The past, present, and future of genome sequencingThe next frontier in genomic technologies for rare diseasesSeven genome sequencing companies to look out for