Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

1:44  Labiotech news3:27  MolecureThis week, to coincide with World Sarcoidosis Day, April 13, we talk about sarcoidosis with Marcin Szumowski, CEO and president of the management board of Molecure. World Sarcoidosis DayAs part of Sarcoidosis Month, which is marked each April, World Sarcoidosis Day is on April 13. But what is sarcoidosis?The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research explains that it is an inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas—or small clumps of inflammatory cells—in one or more organs of the body. When the immune system goes into overdrive and too many of these clumps form, they can interfere with an organ’s structure and function. When left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, or permanent scarring of organ tissue. Sarcoidosis affects the lungs in around 90% of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body. Despite advances in research, sarcoidosis is difficult to diagnose, and has limited treatment options. There is no known cure.In the U.S. alone, there are between 150,000 and 200,000 people with the condition, with around 1.2 million individuals with sarcoidosis worldwide.MolecureMolecure is a clinical stage biotechnology company that uses its medicinal chemistry and biology capabilities to discover and develop first-in-class small molecule drug candidates that directly modulate the function of underexplored protein and RNA targets to treat multiple incurable diseases.Molecure has generated a diverse pipeline of seven programs with the support of academic life science institutions globally, including Yale University, Rutgers University, the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) in Ghent, the University of Michigan and the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB).Molecure’s most advanced in-house drug candidate is OATD-01, a first-in-class inhibitor of CHIT1 for the treatment of interstitial lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is phase II ready. A phase II trial in patients with sarcoidosis is expected to start in the second half of 2023.Its second proprietary candidate is OATD-02, an oral, potent and selective first-in-class, dual arginase inhibitor (ARG1 and ARG2) for the treatment of cancer, which advanced to phase I clinical development in March 2023.Molecure’s headquarters and laboratories are located in Warsaw, Poland, with an additional laboratory facility in Łódź.

3:13  Nectin Therapeutics26:47 ImmunomeThis episode of the podcast is an in-depth look at antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Our guests are Dr Pini Tsukerman, chief scientific officer of Nectin Therapeutics, and Matthew Robinson, chief technology officer of Immunome.This episode of the podcast is sponsored by PHTA.ImmunomeImmunome’s Discovery Engine leverages the information stored in memory B cells to guide the discovery of first-in-class antibody therapeutics directed at potentially novel targets in oncology and other areas. Immunome’s research has revealed - and continues to unveil - novel target classes, such as proteins ectopically expressed on the surface of cancer cells, which are uniquely tumor selective and potentially suitable for development as ADCs. The company talked about those applications recently at World ADC London and has also established an ADC and T Cell Redirection Advisory Board to prioritize selection of novel targets for ADC and TCR modalities. Immunome’s focus is on discovering and developing therapeutics in oncology internally and in collaboration with partners, including through a recently established strategic collaboration with AbbVie. Nectin TherapeuticsNectin Therapeutics is a clinical-trial biotechnology company developing new immuno-oncology therapies to address resistance towards existing cancer treatments. In addition to its collaboration with Merck (MSD) to trial KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) with Nectin’s novel anti-PVR antibody, NTX1088, Nectin is also working on developing three ADCs in its drug discovery pipeline. 

2:57 Labiotech.eu news4:17 PBD Biotech14:52 AAHI29:36 TB AllianceMarch 24 is World Tuberculosis Day. To mark the occasion, we have conversations with Christopher Fox, senior vice president, formulations, at the Access to Advanced Health Institute; TB Alliance CEO Mel Spigelman; and Jane Theaker, CEO of PBD Biotech.This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Samplix.World Tuberculosis DayTuberculosis is a leading infectious disease. According to the WHO, 10.6 million people became ill with the disease in 2021, and there were 1.6 million deaths from tuberculosis. The theme for World TB Day 2023 is Yes! We can end TB!It aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat TB. TB AllianceTB Alliance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding faster-acting and affordable drug regimens to fight TB. Through innovative science and with partners around the globe, the organization aims to ensure equitable access to faster, better TB cures that will advance global health and prosperity. TB Alliance operates with support from various global governments as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, and the United States Agency for International Development. Access to Advanced Health InstituteA potential new vaccine for tuberculosis has been developed by the Access to Advanced Health Institute in Seattle, a nonprofit biotech research institute.The results of a phase 1 clinical trial were published earlier this month in the journal Nature Communications.PBD BiotechPBD Biotech has developed a rapid screening blood test for identifying people with the disease as well as a subgroup with pre-clinical infection at higher risk of developing the disease.The company said this has the potential to revolutionize the management of TB. Biotech’s Actiphage blood test is sensitive and specific, and clinical studies at the Leicester Respiratory NIHR Biomedical Centre have shown it is able to diagnose patients with pulmonary TB and identify contacts with recent exposure that have very early stage infection and may be at higher risk of developing TB in the future. By enabling rapid screening of a population for TB, Actiphage offers a breakthrough in disease prevention and treatment. Further trials of Actiphage are currently running in the U.K., South Africa and Zambia.

1:27 Labiotech.eu news2:38 Allogenica12:06 Helex15:51 FreezeM19:55 MediSieveThe Hello Tomorrow Global Summit took place in Paris last week (March 8-10), and we feature interviews with four of the participants.Our guests this week are: FreezeM CEO and co-founder, Dr. Yuval Gilad; Allogenica CEO and co-founder Inna Menkova; George Frodsham, founder and CEO of MediSieve; and Poulami Chaudhuri, co-founder, and CEO of Helex Bio.Hello TomorrowThe 8th edition of the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit 2023 welcomed more than 3,000 people to the forefront of deep tech. There were hundreds of meetings, presentations and exhibitors in attendance, showcasing science in action - including many biotech and biopharma companies.The Grand Winner of the Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge 2023 was Sweetch Energy, but a biotech company came in third, Allogenica. Allogenica also won the Medical Biotech & Pharmaceuticals category.AllogenicaCreated in January 2022, Allogenica is a French-headquartered startup developing universal cell therapies to treat certain forms of blood cancer (leukemia, lymphoma). It recently completed its first fundraising of €500,000 ($530,000) in order to continue its development towards an approach to industrializing the process. The startup, led by Inna Menkova, and assisted by PULSALYS, aims to offer a ready-to-use, less expensive and safer treatment, in order to treat more patients with blood cancers.HelexHelex, based in India, is a biotech with a platform built on proprietary bioinformatics and AI powered systems to identify unique sequences on the gene. The pre-clinical stage biotech company unlocks epigenetics and 3D genome structures through data and machine learning to design high precision gene-editing systems.The company’s platform enables the design of appropriate gene editing apparatus. It prevents editing in unwanted tissues in cases of vector biodistribution through a Double Lock Safety system - tissue-specific vector modifications (first lock) combined with Hele-GUIDE tissue specific guide RNA (second lock) for greater safety. MediSieveMediSieve is a U.K.-based start-up that has developed magnetic blood filtration, a platform therapy that enables the physical removal of specific substances from the bloodstream of patients. It can be used as a direct treatment, to increase the safety and efficacy of other therapies, or to enable personalized medicine. The company is a spin-off from University College London.FreezeMFreezeM is an Israel-based company founded in 2018 that provides insect breeding and post-breeding solutions. FreezeM has developed cutting-edge biotechnology centered on black soldier fly (BSF) breeding, helping to increase alternative protein production capacity for livestock, while at the same time salvaging scarce global farmland, decreasing ocean exhaustion, and repurposing organic waste. The company is reducing costs by an estimated 30% and increasing protein production capacity and efficiency by 25%. Most recently, FreezeM has been selected to join the Google Startups for Sustainable Development Program, has been ranked by Dealflow as a company to watch in the industry and raised €6.3 million in European Innovation Council (EIC) funding.

 1:19 Labiotech.eu news2:32 Biomedical Research & Bio-Products12:15 Model N21:39 Institute of Clinical MedicineThis week our guests are Marit Inngjerdingen from the Institute of Clinical Medicine in Norway; Kyle Forcier, senior director of life sciences product marketing at Model N; and Dr. Andreas Roetzer, head of R&D for vaccines at Biomedical Research & Bio-Products.The next breakthrough in cancer treatment?In our body, we have an innate immune system and an immune system that is developed throughout life. Part of the innate immune system consists of so-called NK (natural killer) cells. This is a type of immune cell that specializes in killing cancer cells. These cells may be of great importance for cancer treatment in the future. NK cells kill cancer cells with the help of small “killer torpedoes,” or vesicles, that the NK cells secrete. Vesicles are small bubbles with a fatty wall of lipids and a space filled with toxic proteins. Researchers at the Institute of Clinical Medicine in Norway have recently discovered new things about these killer vesicles.“We have discovered that we can separate the killer torpedoes from other types of vesicles so that they form a kind of arsenal of weapons. Our research also shows that this type of vesicle is probably stored in a separate room inside the NK cell,” Miriam Aarsund Larsen said.Model N publishes revenue reportModel N, Inc. recently announced the results of its fifth annual State of Revenue Report. The report captures detailed data intended to help life sciences and high-tech industry executives grappling with how to grow company revenue and market share. Most executives named inflation as a significant headwind, with 84% calling it the single biggest impact on innovation.“Our findings show three main themes: Innovation collides with current market realities, innovation directly impacts revenue management, and the use of technology for revenue management is expanding,” said Suresh Kannan, chief product officer, Model N. “As organizations continue to navigate the current economic climate, the quality and reliability of technology solutions are more important than ever. These insights help us understand how to empower our customers to create and bring life-changing products to market.”Phase 2 study of breakthrough vaccine against toxic shock syndrome successfully completedThe first vaccine to potentially prevent Staphylococcal-induced toxic shock syndrome (TSS) has successfully completed a phase 2 study. TSS is a life-threatening condition caused by toxins that can lead to multiple organ failure and death.Nosocomial pathogen Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria are resistant to widely used antibiotics. Infections with MRSA are harder to treat and therapies are more expensive as the length of hospital stays is significantly prolonged. If the treatment does not lead to rapid clearance of the bacterial pathogen, dangerous symptoms such as septic or toxic shock can occur – a potentially life-threatening condition.Researchers at Biomedical Research & Bio-Products AG, under the direction of Martha Eibl, in cooperation with MedUni Vienna’s Department of Clinical Pharmacology, conducted the study. The promising results showed the TSST-1 vaccine is safe and effective, with immunization lasting for at least two years. 

1:41 Labiotech.eu news3:41 Cellular Origins20:17 Bio-Europe SpringTwo of the interviews on the podcast today are related to Bio-Europe Spring. There are conversations with Rosie Bernard, senior director, production and content strategy for EBD Group EU, with an overview of the event, and also Jordan Stillman, project manager, partnering services at EBD Group.  We also have a chat with Cellular Origins' CEO Edwin Stone. Cellular OriginsCellular Origins is a TTP spin-out, created to enable scalable, cost-effective and efficient manufacture of cell and gene therapies. Cellular Origins’ proprietary technology addresses the current barriers associated with the manufacture of advanced therapies that are in late-stage development, enabling commercial manufacturing without process change. By providing a solution for automated sterile fluidic interconnection that has the flexibility to adapt and link current and future bioprocess equipment, Cellular Origins hopes to enable full automation of current cell therapy manufacturing and future innovation of new processes.Bio-Europe SpringBio-Europe Spring takes place March 20-22 in Basel, Switzerland. There is a virtual component for those unable to make the event, or who still have leftover meetings to schedule, and the online portion takes place from March 28 to 30.The event, at the Messe Basel, is an opportunity to engage in face-to-face meetings with representatives of hundreds of companies from around the world. The partneringONE tool allows meetings to be set up, and to find information on companies and attendees.As well as networking, there are exhibitors, receptions, and a variety of presentations. There is also a startup spotlight section. This year, the keynote presentations are being given by Roche and Novartis.Currently, there are more than 3,200 attendees expected to be in Basel and 18,000 meetings are being requested weekly. More than 1,600 companies will be represented, from more than 50 countries.Bio-Europe Spring sees companies from a variety of sectors, including products, services, and technologies. 

0:58 Labiotech.eu news2:37 Replay23:45 Azafaros39:39 GRO BiosciencesAs February 28 is Rare Disease Day, we have three guests on the podcast today all relevant to rare diseases. And they are Dan Mandell, CEO and co-founder of GRO Biosciences; Stefano Portolano, chief executive officer, Azafaros; and from Replay, Adrian Woolfson, executive chairman, president, and co-founder, and Lachlan MacKinnon, CEO and co-founder.Rare Disease DayTaking place on February 28 each year, the event raises awareness and looks to generate change for the 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease, as well as their families and carers.This year, the day will be marked by more than 600 events in 106 countries.Replay and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center create SyenaReplay, a genome writing company reprogramming biology by writing and delivering big DNA, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, have launched Syena, a new oncology-focused product company pioneering T-cell receptor (TCR) natural killer (NK) cell therapies (TCR-NKs).Building on the intellectual property and technology from MD Anderson and Replay, Syena has the potential to create the next generation of cell therapy.AzafarosAzafaros is a clinical stage company founded in 2018 with a deep understanding of rare genetic disease mechanisms, and a compound library from Leiden University. Its aim is to build a pipeline of disease-modifying therapeutics to offer patients and their families new treatment options. The company’s lead clinical-staged program is AZ-3102, a small molecule, orally available, brain penetrant azasugar, with the potential to treat GM1 gangliosidosis and GM2 gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases) and Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C). This week, the company announced it has been granted two Rare Pediatric Disease Designations (RPDD) by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses, Orphan Medicinal Product Designation (OMPD) by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of GM2 gangliosidosis, and an Innovation Passport by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the treatment of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses.GRO BiosciencesGRO Biosciences is leveraging groundbreaking science to expand the amino acid alphabet and deliver on protein therapeutics. The U.S. company is transforming treatments for increasingly prevalent chronic medical conditions including autoimmune and metabolic diseases to improve the lives of patients. GRObio is applying its platform to advance partnered and collaborative programs, as well as its own pipeline of protein therapeutics bearing unique NSAA (non-standard amino acid) chemistries. The company’s NSAA therapeutics feature previously unattainable capabilities including unprecedented duration of action and precise regulation of the immune system.

1:25 Labiotech.eu news3:02 GPCR Therapeutics22:16 eClinical Solutions31:04 Orbsen TherapeuticsThis week, our guests are Katrina Rice, chief delivery officer, biometrics services at eClinical Solutions; Pina Cardarelli, president and CSO of GPCR Therapeutics; and Larry A Couture, CEO of Orbsen Therapeutics.GPCR Therapeutics launches multiple myeloma trial GPCR Therapeutics, Inc., a drug discovery company targeting G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR) pairs, recently started its phase 2 trial in the U.S. for its lead small molecule asset, GPC-100.  GPC-100 targets CXCR4, one of the most prevalent chemokine GPCRs overexpressed in more than 23 cancers.This randomized, open-label phase 2 study assesses the efficacy of GPC-100 and propranolol, with and without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the mobilization of stem cells in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing autologous stem cell transplant. Survey looks at biotech challengeseClinical Solutions, a provider of digital clinical software and biometrics services, has published a survey detailing insights from 60 biopharmaceutical clinical operations and biometrics professionals on the most pressing trends, challenges, and opportunities that are shaping the clinical data landscape. Some key takeaways include: 64% of respondents are leveraging 6 or more external data sources; harnessing automation is the top overarching industry priority for more than one-third (36%) of respondents; and speed (30%) and quality (30%) are reported as the largest pain points for electronic data capture (EDC) database build.Orbsen TherapeuticsOrbsen Therapeutics is an Irish-headquartered company working in stromal cell immunotherapy. The company has leveraged its proprietary technology platform, which is based on highly purified stromal stem cells, to establish a specific portfolio of early-stage product candidates. Orbsen's allogeneic or 'off-the-shelf' cell product candidates target significantly advanced stages of diseases where there are high unmet medical needs, including moderate-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), autoimmune disease and Stage 3 DKD.

1:10 Labiotech.eu news2:50 Innovation Agency Lithuania25:25 Astellas Pharma34:37 4basebioThis week, our guests are Romualda Stragienė, director at Innovation Agency Lithuania and Andrius Sliuzas, export key account manager of high tech industries at Innovation Agency Lithuania; 4basebio CEO Heikki Lanckriet; and Yoshitsugu Shitaka, chief scientific officer at Astellas.4basebio4basebio, a spinout of 2Invest AG in 2020, is a life sciences company engaged in the design, manufacture and supply of application-specific synthetic DNA or mRNA, as well as targeted non-viral vectors for the delivery of nucleic acid payloads, for use in cell and gene therapies and vaccines.As cell and gene therapies expand, there is an increasing demand for DNA as a therapeutic agent and in the manufacture of mRNA. Existing plasmid DNA supply is produced by way of biofermentation. Synthetic DNA, in contrast, is produced in a matter of weeks using an enzymatically-driven bench top process. 4basebio currently produces four types of DNA constructs, which also offer unique application-specific flexibility and benefits.4basebio is also developing non-viral delivery technology to overcome some of the challenges associated with commonly used viral vector and LNP (lipid nanoparticle) solutions.LithuaniaDespite its small population of fewer than 3 million people, the Baltic country Lithuania punches above its weight in the life sciences. A major outlet of the Thermo Fisher Scientific is based in its capital city, Vilnius, for example. And the Life Sciences Center at Vilnius University was added to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory network in 2020, opening the door to major EU investments into biotech research in the center. More than 400 companies are working in Lithuania’s growing life sciences sector, and the space is growing every year. Astellas PharmaAstellas Pharma Inc. is a Japanese-headquartered pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. It utilizes its ‘Focus Area Approach,’ which is designed to identify opportunities for the continuous creation of new drugs to address diseases with high unmet medical needs.The company recently committed to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.SponsorInterested in sponsoring one or more episodes of the podcast? Learn more here!Leave a review on Apple podcastsReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love to hear your feedback!Connect with uslabiotech.euSubscribe to our newsletter

Sometimes, there’s an interview that’s just a bit long for the regular podcast. So we’re going to start an occasional series of podcasts where we look a bit more in depth at a condition, and what’s the current state of affairs in treatment. In this podcast, the first, we take a closer look at Alzheimer’s disease with a conversation about current drugs, clinical trials, and the pipeline.Our guest is Sharon L. Rogers, CEO of the biotech AmyriAD Therapeutics.SponsorInterested in sponsoring one or more episodes of the podcast? Learn more here!Leave a review on Apple podcastsReviews are hugely important because they help new people discover this podcast. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love to hear your feedback!Connect with uslabiotech.euSubscribe to our newsletter