The French drugmaker is banking on the wealth of expertise that Houman Ashrafian brings as both a scientist and biotech entrepreneur to drive forward its R&D efforts.

The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 should make it easier for companies to gain regulatory authorization using non-traditional testing methods, like organs-on-a-chip. But biopharma will need to make the leap into technology to help build knowledge and data if the drug development world is to move away from animal testing entirely. 

Tapping into the interplay between gut microbiota and an underappreciated subset of T cells could lead to therapies in a range of diseases.

In this latest installment of the VC Playbook series, In Vivo sits down with SV Health Investors’s Houman Ashrafian. The managing partner outlines the group’s investment philosophy, today’s skill set for VC success, and expectations for the future of Britain’s biotech industry post-Brexit and post-pandemic.