Synopsis: 

In this episode of the Biotech2050 podcast, Chris Gibson, the co-founder and CEO of Recursion, shares insights on the intersection of technology and biotech, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and diverse partnerships in driving innovation. Gibson's journey from pursuing an MD-PhD program with a focus on merging engineering and medicine to founding Recursion showcases his deep understanding of the evolving biotech landscape. His experience navigating the capital markets and proactive decision-making in response to market conditions offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs in the industry. The episode delves into the challenges and opportunities in the biotech sector, highlighting the transformative potential of technology and the significance of embracing entrepreneurship and risk-taking. Gibson's emphasis on building diverse teams and the impact of partnerships serves as a compelling reason for entrepreneurs and leaders in the biotech industry to listen to this episode, providing valuable insights and strategies for navigating the rapidly changing biotech landscape. 

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In this episode of the Biotech2050 podcast, David Esposito, CEO of ONL Therapeutics, provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in the field of ophthalmology. Esposito's extensive career journey, from the United States Military Academy to leading ONL Therapeutics, underscores his deep understanding of the industry. He offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on indication selection and the evolving capital market for biotech companies. The episode delves into the complexities of proving safety and tolerability in new mechanisms of action, the strategic shift in pursuing chronic indications, and the interplay between big pharma and early-stage biotechs in the current capital environment. Esposito's expertise and in-depth knowledge make this episode essential listening for ophthalmology professionals seeking to navigate industry challenges, understand the IRA's implications, and explore strategic partnerships for clinical development support.,In this episode of the Biotech2050 podcast, CEO of ONL Therapeutics, David Esposito, shares his extensive insights into the challenges and opportunities within the ophthalmology field. With a career spanning from the United States Military Academy to leading ONL Therapeutics, Esposito brings a wealth of experience and understanding to the topic. The discussion delves into the intricate impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on indication selection and the dynamic capital market for biotech companies. Esposito's analysis covers the complexities of proving safety and tolerability in new mechanisms of action, strategic shifts in pursuing chronic indications, and the interplay between big pharma and early-stage biotechs in the current capital environment. Professionals in the ophthalmology sector will find this episode invaluable for gaining insights into industry challenges, comprehending the implications of the IRA, and exploring strategic partnerships for clinical development support.

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Synopsis:
In this episode of the Biotech2050 podcast, Jak Knowles, co-founder of Affini-T Therapeutics, shares valuable insights into the challenges faced by bootstrapped biotech companies and the significance of venture capital in the industry. Knowles discusses the importance of finding key partners and securing intellectual property early on, shedding light on the capital-intensive nature of drug development. Furthermore, he highlights the value of experienced investors and the impact of their investment source, emphasizing the advantage of being one of the first investments out of a fund. Knowles also provides an update on Affini-T Therapeutics' focus on developing therapies for solid tumors, offering a glimpse into their innovative approach using cell therapy and synthetic biology to address the challenges of the tumor microenvironment. His journey and expertise in navigating the intricacies of fundraising and company-building make this episode essential listening for entrepreneurs in the biotech industry, providing practical lessons and strategic insights for overcoming funding obstacles and driving success in the competitive landscape of biotechnology.,In this episode of the Biotech2050 podcast, Jak Knowles, the co-founder of Affini-T Therapeutics, offers valuable perspectives on the challenges encountered by bootstrapped biotech companies and the pivotal role of venture capital in the industry. Knowles emphasizes the significance of early intellectual property acquisition and strategic partnerships as critical factors in the capital-intensive arena of drug development. Furthermore, he underscores the importance of securing investment from experienced sources and elaborates on the benefits of being an early investment in a fund. Knowles also provides an update on Affini-T Therapeutics' focus on developing innovative therapies for solid tumors, showcasing the company's pioneering approach involving cell therapy and synthetic biology to address the complexities of the tumor microenvironment. With his wealth of experience and expertise, Knowles offers essential insights for biotech entrepreneurs, providing actionable strategies and valuable lessons for navigating the funding landscape and achieving success in the competitive biotechnology sector.

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Sean Bohen, M.D., Ph.D., is the President and CEO of Olema Oncology, a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative targeted therapies for women’s cancers. We’re excited to welcome Sean back to the podcast – he last appeared on episode 130 in late 2022. Sean provides an update on all the exciting things that have happened at Olema since then, including an update on their lead product candidate. Sean reflects on navigating the challenging biotech market environment over the past year, making careful spending decisions, and raising significant capital to extend Olema’s runway. He also offers advice to first-time CEOs on building a strong support network to guide company growth.

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Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., is the President and CEO of Kura Oncology, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to realizing the promise of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer. Troy talks about his experiences being a CEO and the differences in responsibility between being a CEO and a board member. He also shares what it takes to have a productive board for a biotech company. He discusses recruiting at both the team level and the board level and the qualities that he looks for in a candidate. He shares where he thinks cancer drug development is headed, where it needs to head and where he thinks there’s unmet need. Finally, he talks about the work they’re pursuing at Kura and where they are from a development perspective.

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Keith Gottesdiener, MD, and Jeremy Duffield, MD, PhD, FRCP, are the President & CEO and CSO, respectively, of Prime Medicine. Prime Medicine was founded to bring the promise of gene editing to patients. They use Prime Editing, a next-generation technology that can “search and replace” to restore normal genetic function almost anywhere in the genome. Keith and Jeremy discuss the arc of their careers and how they got to where they are today. They talk about the differences working in big pharma vs. a smaller biotech like Prime. They discuss the importance of companies investing in safety and what they’ve learned regarding indication selection frameworks in gene editing. Finally, they talk about their goal of engaging in partnerships down the road, and the importance of having transparency within their organization.

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Ivana Magovčević-Liebisch, PhD, JD, is the President and CEO of Vigil Neuroscience, a microglia-focused company dedicated to improving the lives of patients, caregivers, and families affected by rare and common neurodegenerative diseases by restoring the vigilance of microglia, the sentinel cells of the brain’s immune system. Ivana shares how sitting on boards of other companies has informed how she operates as CEO at Vigil. She talks about how she’s seen her role evolve as the company has grown over the last three years. She discusses the importance of having diversity and diversity of thought on the leadership team. She provides her perspective on neurology as a therapeutic area, where unmet needs still exist, and the challenges and opportunities in precision-based neurology. Finally, she shares her approach to building culture at Vigil.

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Bobak Azamian, MD, Ph.D., is the CEO and Chairman of Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company that applies proven science and new technology to revolutionize treatment for patients, starting with eye care. Bobby talks about his early years working in the venture capital space before founding his first company. He shares what it’s like running a publicly traded biotech for the first time and the evolution of his role over the years at Tarsus. He shares his viewpoint on unmet needs and the importance of having a true focus on what’s really happening to the patient. He talks about future indications they’re pursuing at the company and how he leverages learnings from the first programs they ran to what’s coming up next. Finally, he discusses the company’s decision to commercialize in-house versus with a partner and the challenges of taking the company public during the pandemic in 2020.

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Nima Farzan is the CEO of Kinnate Biopharma, a clinical-stage precision oncology company focused on expanding on the promise of targeted therapies for those battling cancer. The company is developing medicines for known oncogenic drivers where there are no approved targeted drugs and to overcome the limitations, such as non-responsiveness or acquired and intrinsic resistance. Having started his biotech career in the late 90s, Nima discusses how his vision of leadership has evolved over the years. He talks about joining Kinnate in March of 2020 and the challenges of running the company and growing the team during a pandemic. He dives into the evolution of genomics over the last several years and what has surprised and impressed him about the genomic ecosystem as a whole. He discusses where Kinnate is from a development perspective and how he thinks about indication selection. Finally, he talks about how being an immigrant has shaped his approach to team building, culture and his own style of leadership.

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