The BioHub - by Avetix

n this episode of The BioHub, we welcome Jason Goodson, Chief Operating Officer at PleoPharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for cannabis use disorder and cannabis withdrawal syndrome.

With millions of Americans affected by cannabis use disorder and no FDA-approved medications specifically targeting cannabis withdrawal, PleoPharma is working to address a significant unmet need through its lead candidate, PP-01, now in pivotal Phase 3 development.

Jason shares insights into the growing market for addiction therapeutics, the clinical and commercial potential of PP-01, and the challenges of bringing a first-in-class treatment to market.

We also explore the strategic decisions behind scaling a clinical-stage biotech, from financing and partnerships to commercial readiness, leadership, and building the right team for future growth.

Today, we’re joined by Erick Lucera, Chief Financial Officer, and Vikram Ranade, Chief Business Officer at Dyne Therapeutics. We’ll be discussing their individual journeys through biotech, what attracted them to Dyne, and the company’s mission to develop transformative treatments for people living with genetically driven neuromuscular diseases. We’ll also explore the strategy behind building a biotech towards commercialisation, the financial and business development challenges involved, and their perspectives on the wider biotech landscape.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Ben is joined by Dr. John Yu, CEO and Chairman of Kairos Pharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative therapies to overcome drug resistance and immune suppression in cancer.

Dr. Yu brings a unique perspective from his extensive career in neurosurgery, oncology, immunology, and biotechnology entrepreneurship. Together, they explore his journey from academic medicine into biotech leadership, the science behind Kairos Pharma's approach to tackling cancer drug resistance, and the development of its lead candidate, ENV105, which targets CD105 to potentially restore sensitivity to existing cancer treatments.

The conversation also examines the challenges of translating academic discoveries into clinical therapies, building and financing an emerging biotechnology company, and the opportunities ahead for improving cancer treatment outcomes.

An insightful discussion on scientific innovation, entrepreneurship, and the journey from breakthrough research to meaningful patient impact.

In this episode of The BioHub by Avetix, I’m joined by Sam Reich, CEO of SAB BIO.

Sam shares his unconventional journey from leaving his PhD to build his first biotech, through founding and selling companies, working with influential industry figures like Phil Frost, and eventually leading Big Cypress Acquisition Corp.

We discuss how that journey brought him to SAB BIO, why the company became the right opportunity, the challenges behind its strategic pivot towards type 1 diabetes, and what it takes to keep adapting when the path of a biotech changes.

We also explore the lessons Sam has learned from building, financing and leading companies across multiple stages, and what comes next for SAB as it works to develop a disease-modifying treatment for type 1 diabetes.

In this episode of The BioHub, Amber is joined by Dr. Garry Pairaudeau, Co-Founder and CEO, and Dr. Anthony Bradley, Co-Founder and CSO of Dalton Tx.

Having previously worked together at Exscientia, Garry and Anthony went on to co-found Dalton Tx. bringing together AI, scientific expertise and software engineering to help accelerate drug discovery.

We explore their journey the challenges of translating advances in AI into meaningful scientific impact, and the importance of separating genuine innovation from industry hype.

We also discuss the evolving role of AI in drug discovery, building a science-driven company, and what the future could hold for AI-enabled therapeutics.

Why spend months recreating research tools that another lab has already built?

In this episode of The BioHub, we’re joined by Greg Crescenzi from Addgene to discuss how sharing scientific materials can reduce duplicated work, save researchers time and help biotech discoveries move faster.

From plasmids and CRISPR tools to viral vectors and antibodies, Greg explains how Addgene helps scientists build on existing research—and why improving access between academia and industry is the next challenge.

We cover:

• The frustration that sparked Addgene’s founding
• How sharing research tools helped CRISPR reach thousands of organisations
• The barriers between academic research and commercial biotech
• Partnerships supporting better sequencing and new research tools
• Why unsuccessful experiments contain information worth sharing
• Where AI and Addgene’s research data could create new opportunities

Subscribe to The BioHub for more conversations with the people advancing biotech.

#Biotech #Addgene #CRISPR #BioHub

In this episode of The BioHub by Avetix, I’m joined by Marshall Fordyce, Founder and CEO of Vera Therapeutics.

Marshall shares his journey from medicine and HIV drug development at Gilead to founding Vera, and how that experience shaped his belief in the power of building medicines that can genuinely change the course of disease.

We discuss what patient-centricity looks like in practice, the thinking behind Vera’s Phase III strategy, and the company’s transition from development-stage biotech into commercial launch. Marshall also shares his framework for building biotech companies, why people and capital discipline matter just as much as the science, and what comes next for Vera as it continues the US launch of Trutacna.

In this episode of The BioHub, Amber is joined by Dr. Chris Moxham, Co-founder and CEO of Transcripta Bio, and Clayton Mellina, CTO, to explore how transcriptomics and AI are opening up new possibilities in drug discovery.

Chris and Clayton explain how Transcripta connects the changes disease causes in cells with the effects of potential treatments. They discuss combining phenotypic screening with target-based discovery, finding new uses for existing medicines, and reducing risk earlier in development.

The conversation covers their work in genetically defined autism spectrum disorders and Huntington’s disease, their collaboration with Mayo Clinic, and how AI agents could help small scientific teams explore thousands of hypotheses.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast by Avetix, we welcome Neil Warma, President and CEO of ProMIS Neurosciences, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies targeting toxic, misfolded proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

Neil shares insights from his extensive career building and leading biotechnology companies, before exploring ProMIS' differentiated approach to treating Alzheimer's disease. We discuss PMN310, an antibody designed to selectively target toxic amyloid-beta oligomers while avoiding plaque, its ongoing Phase 1b PRECISE-AD clinical trial, and the potential to improve both efficacy and safety in Alzheimer's treatment.

The conversation also explores ProMIS' broader ambitions across ALS and Parkinson's disease, upcoming clinical milestones, and Neil's perspective on leadership, financing, and building successful biotechnology companies.

We recently spoke to Lance Baldo, CEO of Beacon Therapeutics, during the Jefferies Healthcare Conference.

Beacon's Vista ph3 trial for laru-zova, their AAV Gene Therapy for X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa, has completed enrolment with topline expected in mid-2026.

Listen in to hear about Lance's career, from roles with Roche in both Switzerland & New Zealand to a return to the US with Genentech's ophthalmology division, and how he's drawn on those experiences in his role as CEO of Beacon.

We also cover Lance's experience as a first-time CEO, and his advice for other executives making that transition, on topics as broad as fundraising, regulatory discussions, and team building.

And of course, we cover the story behind Beacon & their mission to deliver a step-change for XLRP patients globally.

On this episode of The BioHub, Amber Hayes is joined by Michael Fenn, Chief Business Officer at Bexorg, a precision neurology company combining AI with a pioneering whole-human brain platform to transform CNS drug discovery.

Michael brings experience spanning biotech investing, business development and company building, including previous roles at Dewpoint Therapeutics and Iaso Ventures. He shares his journey across the industry, what attracted him to Bexorg, and why he believes the company’s approach could fundamentally change how neurological therapies are discovered and developed.

We discuss the challenges of translating neuroscience research into effective treatments, how Bexorg is combining human brain pharmacology with AI to bridge the gap between preclinical research and clinical success, and the opportunities and challenges of building a platform-driven biotech.

On this episode, we sit down with the CEO & CTO of Circio to get into the world of circular RNA.

Erik, Thomas and the team are developing circVec, a circular RNA expression platform designed to make C&G therapies more powerful and durable.

The guys dig into the science & history behind circular RNA before discussing some initial data they have in heart, brain and other tissues, whilst explaining why this matters.

We also touch on the platform vs internal pipeline debate, their recent fundraising, partnering discussions and what to expect from Circio in the next 18 months.

We were delighted to be joined by Johanna Kaufmann, Chief Scientific Officer at Deck Bio.

Johanna has spent her career at the intersection of oncology, immunology and drug development, working across both biotech and big pharma. She started her career in cancer virology before moving through roles at Genocea, TESARO and GSK, and later joined Codagenix, where she led its oncology and immunology efforts.

Today, as CSO at Deck Bio, she’s helping to advance a new approach to targeting solid tumours through multi-peptide-MHC targeted T-cell engagers.

In this we discuss Johanna’s journey through the field, the lessons she’s learned moving between different parts of the industry, how her thinking around drug development has evolved, and what it takes to build and advance innovative science in biotech.

We were delighted to be joined by Dr. Sam Blackman, a physician-scientist, biotech entrepreneur and investor who has built a fascinating career across medicine, drug development and biotechnology.

Sam trained as a physician and spent much of his early career focused on pediatric oncology before moving into the biotech world, where he became one of the co-founders of Day One Biopharmaceuticals. He played a key role in building the company and advancing tovorafenib through development and ultimately to FDA approval for children and young adults with relapsed or refractory low-grade glioma.

Since then, Sam has moved into a broader role across the biotech ecosystem, including working with companies as an investor, advisor and board member.

We were delighted to be joined by two highly experienced leaders in the biotechnology industry, Howard Berman, Ph.D., and Kia Motesharei, Ph.D.

Both Howard and Kia have built impressive careers across biotechnology, capital markets, business development and strategic transactions, with a track record of helping companies navigate some of the most important stages of their growth.

Howard is now CEO of ReAlta Life Sciences, where he is leading the company through an important clinical-stage period as it advances pegtarazimod into late-stage development. Kia serves as President and COO, bringing extensive experience across business development, strategic partnerships, capital formation and transactions. Together, they bring a particularly interesting perspective on how to create value in biotech and how the right strategy, leadership and capital can come together to move a company forward.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Ben sits down with Dr. Inder Kaul, Chief Medical Officer at Draig Therapeutics, to discuss the evolution of neuropsychiatric drug development and what it takes to translate novel neuroscience into meaningful medicines for patients.

Inder brings decades of global clinical development experience, most recently playing a key role in the development of Cobenfy at Karuna Therapeutics and Bristol Myers Squibb - one of the most significant advances in schizophrenia treatment in decades.

We explore the journey behind Cobenfy, what its success tells us about pursuing new mechanisms in psychiatry, and the lessons Inder has taken into his current role at Draig.

The conversation also dives into Draig’s approach to neuropsychiatry, including its Phase 2 AMPA receptor modulator DT-101 for major depressive disorder, the potential of targeting glutamate and GABA pathways, and what the next generation of CNS drug development could look like.

A fascinating conversation with someone who has helped take genuinely differentiated neuroscience from clinical development through to approval.

In this episode of The BioHub by Avetix, I’m joined by Eran Seger, CEO and Co-Founder of Protai.

Eran shares his unique journey into biotech and the inspiration behind founding Protai, where the team is combining proteomics and AI to better understand disease biology and improve how new medicines are discovered.

We discuss what makes Protai’s platform different, the realities of being a first-time founder and CEO, the challenge of bringing technology and biotech teams together, and where Eran believes AI can genuinely transform drug discovery.

We welcomed Mandana Honu onto the BioHub podcast

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Ben is joined by Dr. Marc Hedrick, President & CEO of Cerenome, and Russell Bradley, President & General Manager of CNSide Diagnostics.

We explore why CNS cancers remain so difficult to diagnose and treat, and how Cerenome is attempting to address both sides of that problem.

Russell takes us inside CNSide®, the company’s cerebrospinal fluid-based diagnostic platform, including how it differs from traditional cytology, the importance of rare-cell characterisation, and what better diagnostic information could mean for treatment decisions.

Marc then discusses REYOBIQ™, Cerenome’s targeted radiotherapeutic platform, the challenge of delivering sufficient therapeutic intensity into the CNS while managing toxicity, and the broader opportunity to connect diagnosis, treatment and longitudinal monitoring.

A fascinating conversation at the intersection of diagnostics, therapeutics and precision CNS oncology.

In this episode of The BioHub by Avetix, I’m joined by Dan O’Connell, President and CEO of Acumen Pharmaceuticals.

Dan shares his journey from neuroscience investing and company creation into the CEO role, and how he has helped take Acumen from a private, preclinical biotech into a publicly traded clinical-stage company focused on Alzheimer’s disease.

We discuss the origins of Acumen, what it was like taking the company public with just nine people, navigating a difficult few years for biotech, balancing financial discipline with clinical progress, and the major readout ahead later this year.