

Business Of Biotech
Ben Comer
The Business of Biotech is the pod dedicated to leaders of emerging biopharma firms. SUBSCRIBE to our new newsletter at www.bioprocessonline.com/bob. We bring you insight into organizational, finance and funding, HR, clinical, manufacturing, regulatory, and commercial challenges you’ll face as you navigate your company from an idea to success in the clinic and beyond. Each episode features guest commentary and best practices from accomplished founders and biopharma industry luminaries. The Business of Biotech is produced by Life Science Connect.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 20, 2022 • 56min
Fibroblasts In Regenerative Medicine with FibroBiologics' Pete O'Heeron & Dr. Hamid Khoja
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. FibroBiologics Chairman, CEO, & Founder Pete O'Heeron shares the journey that led him from clinical care to biopharma entrepreneurship, and he's joined by Chief Scientific Officer Hamid Khoja, Ph.D., who explains the manufacturing technology that's driving the company's exploitation of fibroblasts to develop regenerative therapies for indications ranging from degenerative disk disease and multiple sclerosis to cancer immunotherapies and therapeutics. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Jun 13, 2022 • 59min
Pyxis Oncology's Lara Sullivan, M.D. On Site-Specific ADCs And Change Management
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. To fully appreciate the work Pyxis Oncology is doing in its development of site-specific ADCs for a number of oncological indications under the leadership of Lara Sullivan, M.D., you need to understand the work that shaped her leadership style. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, Dr. Sullivan shares the science and technology driving progress at Pyxis, but she also serves up a master class on change management, honed during her tenure managing high-stakes product portfolios at Pfizer. If you want to be a better leader, don't miss this one. And for more on Dr. Sullivan's journey, read this recent feature story at Life Science Leader magazine.Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Jun 6, 2022 • 46min
The Biotech Beatdown With Allan Shaw
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this, the 100th episode of the Business of Biotech podcast, our dear friend, frequent guest, and business of biotech brainiac Allan Shaw joins us to dissect the beleaguered biotech capital markets. We pick apart what's driving sentiment, whether the industry is over-inventoried, what's getting funded , what's not, and why, and what biotech leaders should be doing in an investment landscape marked by hyper-discernment. We also reflect on the podcast journey and celebrate the 100-episode milestone!The Business of Biotech is produced by Bioprocess Online in partnership with Cytiva. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

May 30, 2022 • 56min
Inflammation & Antibodies with Ampio Pharmaceuticals' Mike Martino, CEO
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Ampio Pharmaceuticals is currently weaving the gauntlet of a clinical hold triggered by COVID's disruption to clinical studies of its lead candidate Ampion, and recently launched an independent investigation into that trial and others. On this episode, Ampio Pharmaceuticals chairman and CEO Mike Martino joins the Business of Biotech for a candid discussion on the company, the candidate, the disruption, and the go-forward plan. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

May 23, 2022 • 1h 7min
What's Next For COVID Vaccines With Tonix Pharmaceuticals' Seth Lederman, M.D.
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. As COVID-19 cases climb yet again, the Business of Biotech catches up with Tonix Pharmaceuticals CEO Seth Lederman, M.D. for a conversation on his company's multi-pronged strategy to advance vaccine and therapeutic candidates to address the disease and its variants. In addition to sharing on his journey from academia to industry, Dr. Lederman discusses his company's approach to grabbing its share of the highly competitive, and highly lucrative, vaccine market.Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

May 16, 2022 • 31min
Running Interference: RNAi with Silence Therapeutics' Craig Tooman
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Fresh on the heels of his appointment as President & CEO at Silence Therapeutics, Craig Tooman joins the Business of Biotech to share how he applies his finance-minded leadership to steward the advance of the company's deepening pipeline of gene silencing candidates. Tooman also shares insight into the IP and the people responsible for managing that deep pipeline, which spans indications from hematology to cardiovascular disease to rare diseases. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

May 9, 2022 • 51min
Live Biologics & The Microbiome With 4D pharma's Duncan Peyton
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. 4D pharma's flagship early-stage clinical candidates are live biotherapeutics, a relatively new class of biologics that seek to impact disease state by modulating the microbiome. CEO Duncan Peyton is leading the effort to understand how the health of the microbiome relates to a wide range of diseases, including immuno-oncology, central nervous system disorders, respiratory disease, auto immune indications, and gastro intestinal disease. 4D pharma is even working on a live biotherapeutic vaccine platform. Join Duncan on this episode of the Business of Biotech as we discuss this new frontier of therapeutic exploration.Learn more about gut microbiome therapeutic up-and-comers at bioprocessonline.com. Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

May 2, 2022 • 57min
Gene Tx For Renal Disease With Purespring CEO Richard Francis
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Purespring Therapeutics launched in 2020 on the back of IP developed by renowned kidney researcher Prof. Moin Saleem, who spent decades working on podocytes when podocytes weren’t cool. Just two years later, the company boasts three gene therapy assets and a platform developed expressly to identify new therapeutic targets to address kidney disease. These assets promise to change the "dialysis or transplant" ultimatums associated with kidney disease, where therapeutic innovation has been scarce. Under the leadership of CEO Richard Francis, the young company is operating with the audacious goal to take its therapeutics all the way to the commercial finish line. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, Francis offers a transparent look at the company’s growth strategy and the progress it’s achieved to date.Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Apr 25, 2022 • 46min
Fighting Blindness & Funding The Fight With Opus Genetics' CEO Ben Yerxa, Ph.D.
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Opus Genetics is an early-stage gene therapy company launched just last year and in unique fashion on the back of the patient advocacy group the Retinal Degeneration Fund. Already, its pipeline has developed into three candidates, the lead among them addressing Leber congenital amaurosis. Opus CEO Ben Yerxa, Ph.D. serves in triplicate as CEO at the RD Fund, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Opus Genetics. His plate is full, but he's a man on a mission. On this episode of the Business of Biotech, Dr. Yerxa shares his story, that of Opus Genetics' unique approach to addressing inherited retinal diseases, and how the company is addressing current development and capacity challenges in the cell & gene manufacturing space.Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Apr 18, 2022 • 47min
Gynecological Cancer Therapies with Context Therapeutics' Martin Lehr
Martin Lehr, Co-Founder & CEO of Context Therapeutics, discusses his transition from venture capitalist to startup CEO in the field of gynecological cancer therapies. Topics covered include their clinical trial approach, manufacturing process, and the challenges of transitioning from small molecules to bi-specific antibodies. The chapter also explores the benefits of investigator sponsored trials and collaborations with academic institutions.


