C-Suite Speaks

UK-based Immodulon Therapeutics is developing novel immunomodulators in the form of heat-killed bacteria, being trialed in combination with other cancer treatments such as checkpoint inhibitors. The biotech is initially looking at underserved areas, including pancreatic cancer.

We are at a pivotal point in the reassessment of our approach to innovation, with the value of ‘design thinking’ and an ‘iterative innovation approach’ becoming the most promising solutions to solving the scientific and biological challenges of the future.

Obtaining useful biological information from the enormous amount of health data available could reduce attrition rates, accelerate development timelines and optimize trial design.

Italy’s Enthera Pharmaceuticals is targeting a novel stem cell apoptosis pathway involved in several autoimmune diseases, with the aim of restoring cell and organ functions to their original state. The biotech recently closed a €35m series A financing round, the largest the country has seen to date.

CEO Umang Vohra outlines where Cipla is heading in its priority areas of lung route therapies and antimicrobial resistance. He also weighs in on the simmering issue of intellectual property waivers for COVID-19 vaccines.

Building a robotics infrastructure "is the only way to make sure we generate data of sufficient quality at the speed and scale required, and now everybody in the pharma industry is very excited about the idea of end-to-end automation." So says Martin-Immanuel Bittner, CEO of Arctoris.

Sweden-based Elicera Therapeutics is developing next-generation oncolytic viruses and “fourth-generation” CAR-T cells. CEO Jamal El-Mosleh sat down with In Vivo ahead of the company’s IPO.

Following early investor conversations, Laevoroc Oncology has split its leading products into three independent subsidiaries to off-set risk and provide greater choice to future partners. While there is no underlying platform technology, CEO Thomas Mehrling believes the subsidiaries all include potential “game-changing medicines.”

California-based Bioniz’s lead candidate for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma has been granted orphan drug designation and expects to begin Phase III trials in the second half of 2021. CEO Nazli Azimi explains the science, which originated from her research in academia, and talks about her entrepreneurial journey.

Kate Broderick, SVP of research and development at INOVIO and one of In Vivo’s 2021 rising leaders, is hopeful that greater collaboration will be the lasting effect of COVID-19.

As part of In Vivo’s Rising Leaders series, Versameb CEO Klaas Zuideveld discusses the next-generation RNA company’s technology and target indications. He also shares more about his career journey, lessons learned, and gives insight into the contrasting business cultures within big pharma and biotech.

Sarah Howell, one of In Vivo’s 2021 Rising Leaders, was appointed CEO of Arecor in 2015 and has led the company’s transformation into a successful clinical-stage biotechnology company. In an exclusive interview, Howell described Arecor as focused on “affordable innovation,” particularly in disease areas with large and growing patient populations, such as diabetes. 

Roche’s former chief medical officer has new career as board member to three companies, including COVID-19 vaccine pioneer Moderna, and is co-founder of a startup seeking to develop more affordable drugs. She helped pave the way for FDA’s breakthrough therapy designation and diversification of Genentech’s clinical trials.

Catherine Owen joined Bristol Myers Squibb in September 2019, tasked with overseeing the integration of Celgene and BMS’s international businesses. She talks to In Vivo about managing the merger of teams from two very distinct companies during a global pandemic. Owen, who is passionate about career growth and mentoring, also highlights the importance of talent development and sponsorship – even in times of uncertainty, when business as usual goes out the window. 

As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forces health care to go digital, opportunities for fraud have proliferated. In Vivo explores the risks, the steps regulators are taking and how companies are looking to provide innovative solutions to help secure manufacturing supply chains.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for society to address health care challenges at speed – we ignore them at our peril. Equally, it has highlighted the power that can be deployed to develop new pharmaceuticals when the life sciences sector collaborates internationally to tackle a common cause.