Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

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

Is cultivated meat the future of pet food? And is there a place for cultivated meat on human dinner tables, too?Traditional agricultural methods are slow, require large tracts of land, significant energy and environmental inputs, and – somewhat obviously – the slaughter of hundreds of millions of animals every year. Cultivated meat – that is meat that is grown in a lab – requires little land, less energy, and in the case of Meatly, nothing more than a single cell from a single chicken egg, once. This week I sat down with Owen Ensor, CEO of UK biotech startup Meatly, to talk all things cultivated meat. He explains the science behind his company’s cultivated meat process, the significant cost savings that Meatly has made to bring down prices for their product, and how his company became the very first in Europe to have a cultivated meat product approved for sale, in the hands of consumers, and in the bellies of beloved cats and dogs.01:29               Meet Owen Ensor05:10               Meatly and its mission10:12               The science of cultivated meat19:41               Common criticisms of cultivated meat25:33               Regulation, and geographical diversity in regulation32:24               Looking forward: from pets to human consumption?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: Cultured Meat Is Coming Soon: Here’s What You Need to Know10 cultured meat companies driving sustainable food in 2025The future of food: what’s behind the cell-cultured meat industry regulations?

With supply chain management and optimization, risk management, and the capacity to address global markets efficiently and effectively top of mind for all growing biotechs, I'm excited to be joined by Alison Pritchard, Vice President, Business Development at Cryoport Systems, to learn more about how they support life science innovators worldwide.Cryoport Systems evolved alongside the life science  industry and expanded its capabilities into full-scale supply chain management solutions that support the critical journeys of the biopharmaceutical, reproductive medicine, and animal health markets.In this episode we look at the ATMP market, the regulatory landscape in EMEA, and the importance of supply chain resilience for cutting edge therapies, whether from established pharmaceutical companies or emerging biotechs and startups.00:02:14   The state of the ATMP market in 202500:07:20    Regulatory trends in EMEA00:13:53    Operational and supply chain challenges00:22:13    Lessons in supply chain resilience00:28:56   Outsourcing trends in biotech00:37:34    Geopolitical influences on the ATMP supply chain00:40:39    Cryoport Systems' plans for the future00:45:53    Final wordInterested 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: Cracking the code: Delivering biotherapeutics successfully across EMEAUnlocking consistency in ATMP development: How cryopreservation strengthens Europe’s cell therapy supply chain

Inflammatory diseases involve excessive or ongoing inflammation that damages tissues and affects many different human systems, including digestion, immunity, circulation, breathing, and the nervous system. The demand for anti-inflammatory treatments is growing quickly and is tipped to top a quarter of a trillion dollars within the decade as cases increase and new approaches to address inflammation emerge.This week, I had the chance to talk to Niels Riedemann, CEO and Founder of InflaRx, about his company’s first-in-class approach to fighting inflammation, and what the future might hold for his “pipeline in a product”.01:26   Introducing Niels Riedemann04:28   InflaRx and its mission06:37   The competitive landscape in anti-inflammatory therapeutics07:21   The market for anti-inflammatories08:40   The challenge of taking a drug from R&D to commercialization11:06   The science behind the C5a and C5aR approach14:37   Why is InflaRx the first to focus on these selective inhibitors?19:18   The importance of the MAC formation21:05   InflaRx and its disease targets25:46   Applications beyond anti-inflammatories27:50   Lessons learned from the clinic29:54   Growth forecasts for InflaRx31:48   Different approaches to addressing inflammation33:51   The role of academia in breakthrough therapies36:11   Beyond Europe and North America, addressing the global demand for therapeuticsInterested 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?Let’s Take a Closer Look at 7 Autoimmune Diseases Biotechs are Fighting to TreatJAK inhibitors: Are they a good option for treating inflammatory diseases and cancer?

Ros Deegan is an industry leader and the CEO of OMass Therapeutics, an Oxford-based biotechnology company discovering medicines against highly-validated target ecosystems, such as membrane proteins or intracellular complexes.  OMass’s MC2 program targeting Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, or CAH, is set to enter the clinic this year and in our interview today she walks me through how the company is preparing for their trials, how their approach differs to existing treatment options, and the impact on patient lives they hope to have. A leader in the UK biopharma industry, she also explains the strengths of the UK industry and how it can maintain an edge in the face of competition from Europe and the US.01:07   Meet Ros Deegan02:36   Cambridge and INSEAD04:24   Building industry experience05:16   Biotech in the US vs Biotech in the UK06:19   OMass: mission and ambition07:16   Funding the mission08:18   The importance of partnerships09:17   Industry and government10:37   OMass and CAH13:11   The differentiator for patient outcomes14:49   Into the clinic in 202516:31   CAH patients and patient groups19:29   The importance of hiring the right people20:55   The Oxford ‘brand’ in biotechnology22:17   Preparing for the clinic23:43   Regulation and manufacturing26:17   Partnering with top pharma27:35   The importance of building value28:41   How the UK can compete on a global scale30:39   What’s next for OMass32:59   The future of targeting rare diseaseInterested 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: 10 biotech companies making a difference in rare diseasesRare Disease Day: seven drugs awaiting approval in 2025

The World Health Organization reports that more than 600 million people suffer from lower back pain globally, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. Chronic lower back pain – where the pain persists for more than 3 months – develops in between 5 and 10% of all lower back pain cases, with life-altering impacts for patients.And that’s where today’s guest, Steve Ruston, of Persica Pharmaceuticals comes in. Persica is developing a groundbreaking and transformative treatment for chronic Low Back Pain. Persica is targeting the cause of chronic lower back pain: the underlying bacterial infection. Unlike conventional approaches that manage symptoms, Persica’s drug enables the infection to clear, reducing inflammation, pain and disability at the source.1:20     Introducing Steve Ruston of Persica Pharmaceuticals3:53     Lessons learnt from developing blockbuster drugs6:35     Global experiences in the biopharma industry8:32     Persica Pharmaceuticals and its mission10:26   Collaborations with a network of partners11:48   A non-opioid approach to addressing lower back pain13:35   Treating the cause, not the symptoms15:05   How Persica’s treatment work18:59   Practical impacts of Persica’s treatment21:07   Identifying patients for cLBP treatment23:24   How Persica is changing the treatment landscape28:10   Regulatory hurdles to overcome34:37   Securing funding for Persica’s innovation36:16   The future of treating painInterested 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 non-opioid pain medication: How is the biotech industry fighting pain after the opioid crisis?Developing non-opioid pain drugsRedefining chronic pain treatment

Trauma surgeons in Ukraine operating theaters saved lives and limbs thanks to the innovative lab-grown blood vessels from US biotech, Humacyte.Humacyte is pioneering a platform that enables the investigation, development, and manufacture of bioengineered human tissues and organs that are designed to be universally implantable, off-the-shelf, and regenerative, with the goal of treating a wide variety of diseases, injuries, and chronic conditions.This week I had the chance to speak to Humacyte founder, President and Chief Executive Laura Niklason about the company she has built, the science she is driving forward, and the real-world applications for Humacyte’s lab-grown blood vessels in some of the most devastating and dangerous conflicts.1:00     Introducing Laura Niklason4:50     Humacyte and its mission6:27     Competitive landscape7:45     Partnering for scale9:49     How to grow blood vessels in the lab11:47   Implanting the vessels13:32   Human vessels vs synthetic vessels15:10   The manufacturing process16:23   Overcoming skepticism, demonstrating value19:01   Navigating the regulatory approval process21:17   The role of the Department of Defense in innovative biotech22:30   Using Humacyte vessels in the field23:20   Humacyte vessels in the Ukraine War28:22   Lessons from the Ukraine War30:09   Goals for the coming years33:35   Scaling manufacturingInterested 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:Current trends & innovations in 3D organoidsThe future of organ transplants: Xenotransplantation, 3D bioprinting and stem cells

Much of the attention of the biotech industry has been focused on the city of Boston this week as the annual BIO International Convention hit town. BIO is the world’s largest partnering conference for the biopharma industry and thousands of innovators, out-licensors, venture capitalists, top pharma dealmakers, thought leaders and more than a few politicians gathered for three days of meetings, presentations, and networking.In this week’s episode we meet three innovators on the floor in Boston and find out what their BIO experience has been like, how their partnering meetings have progressed, what’s surprised them, and how it feels to be in the middle of the biggest biopharma conference of the year.---This week’s episode is brought to you by Inpart.If you're in life sciences, you know how complex partnering can be — whether you're searching for the right innovation, managing a portfolio of alliances, or navigating the path from first meeting to signed deal. That’s where Inpart comes in.Inpart is a platform built specifically for partnering in pharma, biotech, and research. It brings together the tools, data, and workflows teams need to scout opportunities, manage submissions, and keep partnerships on track: from discovery through to alliance execution.Whether you're on the lookout for external innovation or trying to simplify internal coordination, Inpart helps you partner more strategically and move faster.To learn more, visit inpart.io.---0:00  The ‘Beyond Biotech’ BIO International Convention Special01:58   Purespring Therapeutics CEO Haseeb Ahmad14:10   Inpart Chief Business Officer Patrick Speedie25:44  Newbiologix CEO Igor FischInterested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter---To dive deeper into the topic: The hottest biotech companies in the Boston areaNine tips to succeed in pharma-biotech partnershipsThe ABC of biotech partnerships