Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

Our guest today is Thierry Laugel, Managing Partner of Kurma & Chairman of Argobio. With a PharmD, PhD in pharmacology, and an INSEAD MBA, Thierry has spent more than two decades bridging cutting-edge science and commercial success—first in pharma R&D, then as co-founder of Kurma Partners, and now leading Argobio’s unique venture-builder model. Since raising €50 million in 2021, Argobio has co-founded and accelerated several companies from top European academic labs. Three of them—Enodia, Laigo Bio, and Elkedonia—have already closed seed rounds totaling more than €43 million, advancing novel platforms in targeted protein degradation, precision membrane protein degraders, and non-hallucinogenic neuroplasticity enhancers for depression. Thierry shares how Argobio reduces execution risk, embeds operational expertise, and turns promising science into investable companies that can compete worldwide. 04:02 07:5012:53 17:40 25:0227:3435:3037:47Interested 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: M Ventures: pharma CVC and biotech innovation in 2026Inside Flagship Pioneering's strategy: How this VC turns ideas into biotech giantsVenture capital co-creation: The next big thing in biotech investment?

Today, we're exploring the transformative potential of AI in biopharma—separating hype from reality, and zooming in on the complexities of single-cell omics data. Our guest is Parashar Dhapola, co-founder and CEO of Nygen Analytics, a Lund-based startup spun out from Sweden's vibrant single-cell genomics ecosystem. With a PhD in computational genomics from Lund University, Parashar has pioneered efficient algorithms for analyzing millions of cells, turning raw data into actionable insights for drug discovery. Join us as we discuss where AI truly delivers in biopharma, the persistent gaps in exploratory data analytics, and the critical bottlenecks in single-cell annotation. In a world abounding in AI hype, Parashar helps us cut through the noise and point out paths to data driven success. 01:0005:4509:2911:2818:4634:37This episode is produced with the support of Nygen Analytics. Interested 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: CyteType - AI powered cell type annotationBehind the Cure51 deal: Is NVIDIA becoming biotech’s AI infrastructure?The past, present, and future of genome sequencing

This week we welcome Magdalena Tyrpien, CEO, Co-Founder and President of Nionyx Bio, just days after the company took first place in the BIO-Europe Spring Startup Spotlight competition in Lisbon. With a background that includes leading Forge Biologics through its $620 million acquisition, Magdalena is now steering Nionyx toward a bold new chapter in gene therapy for kidney disease. In this episode we explore her journey into biotech, the science behind Nionyx’s proprietary AAV capsid platform and Kidney Atlas, what it took to win the Startup Spotlight, and what the victory means for the young company’s future. · 01:25 – Meet Magdalena Tyrpien · 07:10 – The Nionyx mission · 15:29 – The 2026 BIO-Europe Spring Startup Spotlight · 22:23 – Looking forward and future milestones Interested 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: Lisbon is calling: the BIO-Europe Startup Spotlight returns in March 2026BIO-Europe Spring 2026: partnership event brings funding hope to biotechsBIO-Europe partnering: Australian biotech companies share their experiences

Today, we welcome Dr Rosanne Dunn, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of HaemaLogiX, an Australian clinical-stage biotech company that's developing next-generation immunotherapies for multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders. HaemaLogiX is taking a precision approach by targeting novel antigens that are expressed exclusively on malignant plasma cells, sparing healthy ones. Recent peer-reviewed research has validated KMA and LMA as high-value targets, reinforcing the company's unique positioning in the field. Rosanne shares her journey from antibody engineering to building HaemaLogiX, the science behind their differentiated targets, the latest clinical and preclinical progress, and her perspectives on the future of immunotherapy for blood cancers as the company gears up for key milestones, including a planned IPO later this year. 01:1507:5209:5312:1919:2526:0829:0835:05Interested 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: 5 cancers that immunotherapy can cureBIO-Europe partnering: Australian biotech companies share their experiencesHow are R&D Tax Incentives shaping Australia’s biotech future?

Today we welcome Koenraad Wiedhaup, Co-Founder and CEO of Leyden Labs, and Clarissa Koch, the company's Chief Scientific Officer. Leyden Labs is pioneering a revolutionary non-vaccine approach to combat respiratory viruses like influenza and coronaviruses. Recently, they published groundbreaking data in Science Translational Medicine, demonstrating that their intranasal antibody spray is safe, well-tolerated, and delivers sustained protection right at the virus's entry point: the nose. This innovation addresses the shortcomings of traditional flu vaccines, which average just 13% effectiveness against infection and provide even less for vulnerable groups like the elderly and immunocompromised. We'll dive into the science, the company's journey since its 2020 founding, and their recent €50 million European funding boost amid U.S. biotech challenges. 01:33: Meet Koenraad Wiedhaup 03:13: Meet Clarissa Koch 04:16: Leyden Labs' origin story 06:21: Mucosal protection platform explained 08:57: Complementing existing vaccines 11:47: Science of mucosal immunity 13:24: PanFlu lead candidate overview 16:42: Key findings from recent publication 22:02: Funding and future preparedness Interested 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: Seven biotech companies to know in the NetherlandsThe Netherlands’ biotech scene: The country sets its sights on becoming a global leader by 2040 Influenza solution deals pile up as pandemic preparedness increases

Today, we welcome Janita Good, a Partner at Fieldfisher with nearly two decades of experience advising top organizations in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. With a D.Phil. in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford, Janita brings a unique blend of scientific insight and legal expertise to her work on venture investments, joint ventures, partnerships, and M&A deals. She's advised on landmark transactions, including funding rounds for Phynova and MedAnnex, and collaborations like Intelligent Ultrasound's AI imaging partnerships. In this episode, Janita shares practical guidance for biotech leaders on timing partnerships with larger pharma companies, planning for commercialization from the start, balancing optimistic fundraising with realistic deal projections, and avoiding common legal pitfalls in M&A. We'll also look ahead to emerging trends in the sector and talk through the best way to structure a company for tax effective partnering and licensing. 01:29: Meet Janita Good 04:42: Fieldfisher's life sciences focus 07:20: Fieldfisher’s differentiated approach 09:41: Timing early partnering discussions 17:26: Structuring for efficient deals 21:36: Planning commercialization from start 25:22: Key early legal considerations 30:00: Balancing fundraising and realism 36:25: Optimism in the biotech industry Interested 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: How biotech startups become unicornsThe ABC of biotech startup fundingBiotech’s legal storm: Why securities class action lawsuits are surging

Today we’re joined by Sean MacDonald, CEO of Kainova Therapeutics. With more than twenty years of biotech leadership and deep expertise in strategy and development, Sean is guiding the company through an exciting new chapter. We’ll dive into Kainova’s innovative GPCR-modulating platform, its promising pipeline, the science behind reversing tumor immunosuppression and targeting inflammation, and the reasons behind the recent rebrand from Domain Therapeutics to Kainova Therapeutics. We’ll also be taking a look at the broader oncology landscape—what’s hot, who’s investing big, and where the biggest opportunities and challenges lie. 01:09 – Meet Sean Macdonald 05:40 – Kainova's GPCR platform and therapeutic focus 08:57 – The story and meaning behind the Kainova rebrand 10:25 – Series B funding and pipeline programs 16:43 – Exciting trends and innovations in oncology 29:17 – Upcoming milestones and future plans Interested 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: GPCR therapies: Eight promising biotechs hacking the cell signaling pathwayEpisode 182: Building a smart oncology pipeline with Cumulus OncologyEpisode 34: eClinical Solutions, GPCR Therapeutics, Orbsen Therapeutics

Our guest is Sergey Jakimov, the Founding and Managing Partner of LongeVC, a venture capital firm dedicated to backing early-stage biotech and longevity startups. A serial entrepreneur, Sergey has co-founded ventures like Longenesis, a medical tech startup unlocking biomedical data for drug discovery, and the Longevity Science Foundation, a non-profit advancing healthy human lifespan. He’s been named to Forbes Latvia's 30 Under 30 in technology and healthcare, and via LongeVC, he invests in innovation in areas including therapeutics, diagnostics, and personalized medicine. In this episode, Sergey warns about the rising danger of misinformation disguised as health advice—where influencers and hype outpace evidence-based science. I hope you enjoy our discussion as we unpack this public health challenge and explore solutions for a more credible biotech landscape. Interested 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: 13 anti-aging startups on a mission to extend livesTurning back time with cellular reprogramming: Shift raises $16 million in seed fundingAre European biotech VCs under pressure to scale? Time to get pragmatic

Today, we're joined by Professor Matthew Wood, a leading figure in neuroscience and RNA-based therapeutics. He is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, Deputy Head of the Medical Sciences Division, and Director of both the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, a groundbreaking partnership between the University of Oxford and Harrington Discovery Institute dedicated to accelerating therapies for rare genetic diseases affecting millions worldwide. In today’s episode we discuss his vision for making antisense oligonucleotides (or ASOs) and gene editing more modular, more scalable, and faster by collaborating with regulators, scientists, and patient groups to bring hope to those with rare neuromuscular and genetic conditions. With rare disease day coming up just next week, I hope you enjoy the insights that Professor Wood shares on the future of the fight against rare disease. 01:23 – Meet Matthew Wood 07:26 – The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre 10:33 – Collaborations, philanthropy, and industry partnerships 13:55 – Key challenges in rare disease therapy development 20:00 – Modular and scalable platforms for ASOs 28:08 – Scaling gene editing like CRISPR for rare diseases 32:38 – Role of AI and computational tools in acceleration 37:28 – Future breakthroughs in rare disease treatments 44:07 – Advice for new researchers in the field Interested 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: Prader Willi syndrome: five much-anticipated therapies poised for approval First-ever approval for Barth Syndrome treatment: what does this mean for ultra-rare disease therapeutics? When rare diseases are not so rare after all: A closer look at where and why this happens

As we mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we welcome Avital Sharir-Ivry, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ProPhet, an innovative Israeli startup launched in late 2024 from the AION Labs venture studio. With a PhD in computational biology and drug research, Avital brings deep expertise in structural biology, enzyme design, and evolutionary bioinformatics to her role leading ProPhet's scientific efforts. ProPhet itself is changing small molecule drug discovery by using advanced AI and machine learning to map proteins and compounds into a shared interaction space. This enables rapid, scalable screening of billions of molecules—even for so-called "undruggable" targets—without relying on solved structures or massive datasets, speeding up hit-finding and expanding the reachable therapeutic landscape. 01:36 Meet Avital Sharir-Ivry 08:55 How ProPhet emerged from AION Labs challenge 12:12 Core AI technology for hit-finding at scale 15:00 Benchmarks and collaborations 17:54 ProPhet’s differentiation from traditional drug discovery 19:45 Importance of scaling small molecule exploration 24:19 Pharma AI investments and emerging trends 26:11 Future AI breakthroughs in drug discovery 27:04 Challenges and progress for women in science 31:15 Keep up with ProPhet Interested 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: Seven influential women in biotech in 2026 Report: Adopting AI in biologics discoveryWebinar: How AI and LLMs are helping chemists design drugs faster and smarter

Today, we're joined by Thomas Hopkins, Vice President and Head of ExploR&D at Eli Lilly. With a background as a physician-scientist in oncology, Thomas has spent his career bridging bold discovery science with rigorous development, first in academia and clinical practice, then at Lilly since 2015. Lilly ExploR&D represents new thinking in the pharma-biotech collaboration model: a shared-risk, deep scientific partnership designed specifically for early-stage biotechs. It provides full-stack R&D capabilities helping companies overcome the toughest hurdles in moving from molecule creation to clinical proof-of-concept, all while staying lean in a challenging funding environment. In this episode, Thomas dives into his journey shaping ExploR&D, how the program works in practice, current priorities in modalities and therapeutic areas, and offers some practical advice for biotechs seeking to partner with Eli Lilly. 01:30 — Meet Tom Hopkins 05:11 — What makes ExploR&D biotech-friendly 07:46 — How collaborations work in practice 09:40 — Shared risk models 14:25 — Engaging bold science early 28:16 — Success stories and advice for biotechs Interested 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: Eli Lilly’s strategy in motion: Beyond diabetes and obesityOver $3 billion in a month: Why is Eli Lilly starting 2025 on a buying spree?What to look for in a biotech incubator

Today, my guest is Dr. Clare Wareing, Founder and CEO of Cumulus Oncology, who joins us from Edinburgh. With over 25 years of expertise in oncology drug development, Clare has built a remarkable career translating scientific breakthroughs into life-changing therapies. Cumulus Oncology is curating a risk-adjusted portfolio of preclinical assets focused on high unmet needs in oncology. Their platform-agnostic, approach prioritizes patient subgroups and precision medicine to boost success rates and drive value creation. In this conversation, we explore Clare's journey to and through biotech, Cumulus and the current state of oncology in biotech, the vibrant Scottish biotech ecosystem, and her vision for the future for 2026 and beyond. 01:17: Meet Clare Wareing 03:57: Inspiration for founding Cumulus Oncology. 05:38: Cumulus's unique drug development model. 09:53: Overview of Cumulus's asset portfolio. 13:05: Importance of the patient subgroup strategy. 17:41: Trends in oncology drug discovery. 21:09: Drivers of oncology deal-making activity. 24:22: Challenges in accessing venture capital. 30:06: Future milestones for Cumulus Oncology. Interested 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: Curing cancer: Daiichi Sankyo's ambitious ADC approachCracking Cancer’s Code: Transforming Research with Novel Cancer ModelsNew cancer cell discovery sheds light on childhood blood cancer

Today, we're thrilled to have Tim Opler, a leading voice in biotech investment banking. Tim's career spans academia, Credit Suisse, and co-founding Torreya Partners, which Stifel acquired in 2023. As Managing Director in Stifel's Global Healthcare Group, he's advised on over 150 deals totaling more than $100 billion, shaping major M&A, licensing, and financings in life sciences. Tim is renowned for his insightful Biopharma Market Updates, and in this episode, we'll dive into his December 2025 edition, where he outlines five transformative trends set to drive biopharma for the next decade: M&A booms, giant markets like obesity and aging drugs, China's rising innovation, AI's reshape of healthcare, and incredible scientific advances. 01:22 - Meet Tim Opler 03:12 - Stifel and the Biopharma Market Updates 05:50 - Trend 1: M&A Booms 10:06 - Trend 2: Giant Markets 17:05 - Trend 3: China's Innovation 22:29 - Trend 4: AI Reshaping Healthcare 28:42 - Trend 5: Incredible Science 34:18 - Looking forward Interested 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: 10 biotech companies in China you should know aboutWhen AI isn’t enough: How physics is shaping the next wave of drug discovery JPM 2026: what’s the outlook like this year?

Today I’m joined by not one, not two, but three guests with their takes on the biotech year ahead. In December we tasked Labiotech journalists Jules Adam, Roohi Peter, and Willow Shah-Neville with the task of identifying the five biotech players that they thought would be the ones to watch in 2026. Now you can read that article at Labiotech-dot-EU, and we’ve linked it in the show notes here in your podcast player, too, but on today’s episode I’m joined by Jules, Roohi, and Willow who explain a little more about the companies that caught their eye and what might be expected of those companies in the year ahead. 15 companies, three journalists, all in one special podcast as we uncover the companies to watch in 2026. 1:18 Meet Jules Adam 2:30 Abivax 4:04 AAVantgarde Bio 6:10 Isotope Technologies Munich (ITM) 8:16 MaaT Pharma 9:55 Novo Nordisk 13:15 Meet Willow Shah-Neville 14:29 Kardigan 18:23 Braveheart Bio 21:16 Beam Therapeutics 24:34 MindMed 27:39 Kailera Therapeutics 32:36 Meet Roohi Peter 33:30 Aspen Neuroscience 34:45 Reunion Neuroscience 36:14 MapLight Therapeutiucs 37:41 Hope Medicine 38:59 Regenxbio Interested 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: Keep an eye on these 15 biotech companies in 2026 Biotech in 2025: A retrospective Eight of the biggest immunology and inflammation (I&I) deals in 2025

Welcome to our first episode for 2026. Today, we're joined by Hakan Goker, Managing Director at M Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA. With over two decades in biotech investing, Hakan has driven transformative deals in oncology, autoimmune diseases, and beyond, including standout 2025 investments like FoRx Therapeutics and portfolio milestones such as Artios' FDA Fast Track designation. As we kick off 2026 at Beyond Biotech, Hakan shares insights on corporate VC advantages, emerging therapeutic priorities, and the industry's evolving landscape amid rising M&A and AI innovation. 1:10 Meet Hakan Goka 4:37 About M Ventures and pharma CVC 8:14 Sourcing innovative biotechs 12:52 How M Ventures works with Merck KGaA 16:54 M Ventures in 2025 24:46 Areas to watch in the new year 29:19 Looking forward to 2026 32:20 The next big thing in biotech? 33:08 Advice for biotechs pitching CVC Interested 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 ABC of biotech startup fundingSeven genome sequencing companies to look out forLabiotech's 2025 biotech funding tracker

Welcome to our final episode for 2025. We’re taking a little break for the holidays but we’ll be back again on Friday 9th of January to kick off our year with the Managing Director of Merck KGaA’s M Ventures, Hakan Goker. Today, though, I’m joined by Ester in t’Groen of Johnson & Johnson. Fresh off the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in Orlando, where J&J presented over 60 abstracts, Ester shares insights into the company's portfolio and the advances that the company has made over recent years in the hematology space. She walks us through the real-world evidence for some pretty significant results from the thousands of patients in their clinical trials, and explain what's next for J&J in hematology in 2026—including some exciting readouts. 01:14 - Meet Ester in t'Groen 02:37 - Winning the Kilmer Medal 06:32 - J&J's key focus areas 07:32 - The hematology portfolio 19:07 - All about ASH 2025 23:49 - The MajesTEC-3 data 27:43 - The value of real-world datasets 32:06 - Looking forward into 2026 Interested 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: Blood Cancer Awareness Month: What biotech holds in store 10 oncology deals in 2025 spotlight where industry leaders are betting bigT cell engagers: A promising, fast-growing field for cancer and autoimmune disease treatments

In this episode we sit down with Martin Beck, Senior Vice President and Head of the Inflammation Business Unit at Boehringer Ingelheim. Martin grew up just down the road from the company’s headquarters in Germany, joined as a scholarship student more than 20 years ago, and never really left – and you’ll hear why he still loves it. We spend most of the episode focused on a disease that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: idiopathic and progressive pulmonary fibrosis. These are rare, fatal lung-scarring conditions that kill faster than many cancers, yet patients often shrug off the first symptoms as “just aging.” Martin walks us through why half the people on today’s treatments stop taking them, how BI just brought the first new medicine in over a decade to the U.S. market, and why an AI tool that spots microscopic changes on lung scans might finally help doctors diagnose and treat these patients’ years earlier. 01:24 Meet Martin Beck 04:21 About Boehringer Ingelheim 07:12 Understanding idiopathic & progressive pulmonary fibrosis 10:16 Current treatments & high discontinuation rates 12:25 BI’s long-term investment in PF 16:02 eLung AI tool for earlier diagnosis 22:16 A new oral PDE4B inhibitor 28:13 Key data highlights from the recent ERS congress 30:31 FDA approval & global rollout plans Interested 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: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Refoxy, Boehringer, Insilico, and more on the hunt for curative treatmentsEight respiratory disease companies advancing innovative therapies in 2025BI: Life with pulmonary fibrosis

Cancer is one of the biggest health challenges worldwide. While progress has been made, millions of patients are still in need of new treatment options that better address the complexities of their disease. BeOne Medicines is creating the world’s next-generation cancer treatments with relentless innovation, aiming to deliver therapies to more people around the globe. This week, I'm sitting down with Mark Lanasa, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Solid Tumors, at BeOne Medicines, to learn more about how their novel cancer models and unique in-house R&D approach is pushing them closer to cracking the cancer code. This episode is sponsored by BeOne Medicines. 01:06 Meet Mark Lanasa 04:56 Cancer as a differentiated and adaptative disease 07:35 BeOne’s approach to cancer research and development 10:30 Accelerating cancer research by bringing it all in-house 15:24 Making progress and signs of success 17:41 Exciting investigational stage programs 23:51 The advantage of hierarchical thinking in R&D 28:13 Keep up with new research from BeOne Interested 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: How can treatment strategies evolve to address the challenges in chronic lymphocytic leukemia?

Daiichi Sankyo has been pioneering ADCs since 2010, with a pipeline targeting over 30 indications and potentially reaching 400,000 patients. In today’s episode I’m joined by Dr. Markus Kosch, Head of the EU Oncology Business Division at Daiichi Sankyo. A physician by training with a deep academic background in oncology, Markus has spent over two decades advancing cancer care, from clinical practice to leadership roles shaping strategy across Europe and Canada. Since joining Daiichi Sankyo in 2021, he has been at the forefront of one of the industry’s most ambitious ADC pipelines, overseeing more than 60 clinical trials across 24 countries and driving landmark approvals that are redefining treatment in breast, lung, and gastric cancers. This week's episode is brought to you with the support of Kadans. Looking for the perfect space to grow your Life Sciences company? Kadans Science Partner is Europe’s leading provider of cutting-edge lab and offices spaces, tailored to your needs. Kadans puts you at the centre of innovation, giving you the chance to connect with top researchers, universities, and investors through its international network. Here, you’ll join a vibrant community of innovators driving real change. Are you ready to take your research to the next level? Learn more at kadans.com – where innovation thrives. 01:45. Meet Markus Kosch 03:12. Clinical background shaping an industry role 04:46. Daiichi Sankyo’s 40-year oncology legacy 06:19. European investments and Munich hub 10:34. ADC platform strengths explained 14:20. Key ESMO 2025 trial data 19:43. Managing risks and partnerships 23:35. Patient advocacy in trial design 33:59. Future of oncology and ADCs Interested 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: 10 oncology deals in 2025 spotlight where industry leaders are betting bigAstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu recommended for approvalTen drugs to watch in 2025: will these therapies become blockbusters?

Two weeks ago, the biopharma industry gathered in Vienna, Austria, for BIO-Europe. Tens of thousands of one-on-one meetings were organized between innovators and out-licensors with top pharma companies and venture capitalists eager to partner and invest. For the large pharma firms, it’s a chance to learn about new science and keep tabs on evolving assets. For smaller biotechs, though, it can be three-days of high-pressure networking where a lot is riding on making the right pitch to the right company at just the right time. Get it right, and you walk away with a clear path forward and the cash to fund it. But get unlucky and you might find yourself with few options in the New Year. This year, we decided to follow one biotech heading into their first BIO-Europe partnering conference. We met with DISCO Pharma three times over the last month to follow their BIO-Europe journey: I hope you enjoy my conversations with Isla Hurl, Chief Business Officer at DISCO, and this behind the scenes look at BIO-Europe from an innovator’s perspective. 02:25 Preparing for BIO-Europe 16:51 On the floor at BIO-Europe 22:23 Following up from BIO-Europe Interested 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: BIO-Europe partnering: Australian biotech companies share their experiencesPractical partnering at BIOSPAIN: on the ground with biotech innovators ready to take the next stepBiotech in Vienna: a budding life science hub