
Creative Financing Strategies for Biotech's Bear Market, Beyond the VC Round
From PharmaSource Podcast by Life Science Networks
May 25, 2026 · 29 min
About this episode
Baruch Harris discusses creative financing strategies for biotech companies in a challenging market.
"A lot of biotech companies die because they run out of runway. And they might have been successful if they had another six or 12 months." Baruch Harris , Chief Operating Officer at Pretzel Therapeutics, has spent over two decades navigating the business side of life sciences, from consulting and big pharma to early-stage biotech. With a PhD in biochemistry and deep experience in business development, investor relations, and corporate strategy, he has been key in guiding Pretzel from seed stage through a $72.5 million Series A and subsequent Series B financing. In this episode of the PharmaSource podcast, Baruch shares the strategic decisions and creative financing structures that have kept Pretzel advancing its first-in-class mitochondrial biology pipeline, including a lead program currently wrapping up Phase 1 for rare mitochondrial depletion syndrome and an early-stage obesity asset. From spinout strategies to non-dilutive funding and the company's recent acquisition of Rome Therapeutics, his insights offer a practical roadmap for biotech leaders navigating today's capital-constrained environment. Read more .
People in this episode
Guest: Baruch Harris
Topics covered
- biotech financing
- capital constraints
- business strategy
- investor relations
- life sciences
Keywords
- biotech
- financing
- investor relations
- capital
- life sciences
- business development
- Series A
- Series B
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Pretzel Therapeutics, Rome Therapeutics, Life Science Networks
Places: biotech
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