The BioHub - by Avetix

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Luke Henry, Chief Business Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Quell Therapeutics, a company at the forefront of engineering the next generation of regulatory T cell, or Treg, therapies for immune-mediated diseases.Quell is pioneering a new approach to treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as improving outcomes in organ transplantation. Rather than suppressing the entire immune system, the company's engineered Treg therapies are designed to restore immune tolerance by precisely targeting the underlying immune dysfunction. Its platform combines advanced cell engineering, proprietary technologies to enhance Treg stability and function, and integrated manufacturing capabilities to develop potentially transformative, one-time treatments for diseases that today require lifelong immunosuppression.Luke has played a central role in Quell's journey since joining shortly after the company was founded in 2019. As Chief Business Officer and Chief Operating Officer, he oversees corporate strategy, business development, operations, and portfolio management, helping guide the company through rapid growth, major financings, strategic partnerships, and the advancement of its clinical pipeline.Before Quell, Luke was Senior Director of Business Development and Strategy at Neon Therapeutics, where he helped shape the company's neoantigen T cell therapy strategy, led business development initiatives, and supported multiple financings, including the company's IPO. Earlier in his career, he was a Principal at Boston Consulting Group, advising leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on R&D strategy and immuno-oncology portfolios. He also brings a strong scientific foundation, holding an MSci in Natural Sciences with a focus on Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Oncology from the Institute of Cancer Research, University of London.Today, we'll explore the promise of engineered Treg therapies, the challenges of building a pioneering cell therapy company, the evolving investment and partnership landscape in biotech, and what it takes to translate breakthrough science into medicines that could fundamentally change how immune-mediated diseases are treated.

Welcome back to another episode of the BioHub Podcast.Today, we're delighted to be joined by Patrick Mooney, CEO of SpyGlass Pharma.Patrick has built an impressive career in ophthalmology, beginning in sales and progressing through a variety of leadership roles to become one of the industry's most respected executives.At SpyGlass Pharma, the mission is simple: put patients first. The company is developing innovative technology designed to transform the treatment of eye diseases, with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Their groundbreaking drug-delivering lens platform represents an exciting advancement in ophthalmic care.In today's conversation, we'll explore Patrick's career journey, the vision behind SpyGlass Pharma, and how the company is working to shape the future of eye care.

In this episode of The BioHub, Amber is joined by Trevor Martin, Co-Founder and CEO of Mammoth Biosciences.Mammoth Biosciences is developing next-generation CRISPR technologies with the goal of unlocking the full potential of programmable medicine. Founded alongside Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, the company has built a platform focused on discovering and engineering novel CRISPR systems for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications.During the conversation, Trevor shares the story behind Mammoth's founding, the evolution of the CRISPR field, and why delivery remains one of the biggest challenges in gene editing today. We also discuss the transition from platform innovation to therapeutic development, the role of AI and computational biology in advancing gene editing technologies, and what the future of programmable medicine may look like.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Max sits down with Cameron Pitt, Co-Founder and COO of Quanta Therapeutics.Cameron's career has taken him from academic research at Stanford and UCSF, to venture investing at Versant Ventures and Sofinnova Investments, before helping form and build Quanta Therapeutics from the ground up.Quanta is focused on one of the biggest challenges in oncology: targeting RAS-driven cancers. Using a novel approach designed to restore control of RAS signalling, the company is developing therapies aimed at addressing a broad range of RAS-driven tumours.In this conversation, we discuss Cameron's transition from academia to venture capital and company building, the science behind Quanta, the realities of building a biotech company, and how the team is thinking about growth and fundraising in today's market.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Max sits down with Leonard Mazur, Chairman and CEO of Citius Pharmaceuticals.Leonard is a seasoned entrepreneur and pharmaceutical executive who has spent decades building, scaling, and commercializing healthcare companies. Throughout his career, he has founded multiple successful businesses, led major transactions, and helped bring innovative therapies to patients across a range of therapeutic areas.In this conversation, we discuss Leonard's journey as a serial entrepreneur, the lessons he's learned from building companies from the ground up, and the importance of combining strong science with commercial strategy.We also explore the evolution of Citius Pharmaceuticals, the company's recent milestones, the challenges of navigating today's biotech market, and Leonard's advice for the next generation of biotech founders and leaders.

Today's guest is Edward Ahn, CEO of MEDIPOST Inc., a biotechnology company at the forefront of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapeutics. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MEDIPOST is leading the global development of innovative cell therapies designed to address inflammation-driven degenerative diseases, with a mission to move beyond symptom management and toward true disease modification.Edward leads MEDIPOST's U.S. operations and global expansion efforts for CARTISTEM®, the world's first approved allogeneic stem cell therapy derived from umbilical cord blood. Since its approval in South Korea, CARTISTEM has been used to treat more than 30,000 patients, and under Edward's leadership the company is now advancing late-stage clinical development in the United States, with one of the most ambitious regenerative medicine programs in orthopedics today.What makes Edward's perspective particularly interesting is his focus on the practical realities of turning breakthrough science into scalable healthcare solutions. He has championed a strategy that combines clinical development, manufacturing infrastructure, regulatory execution, and long-term commercialization planning from day one. That vision has included building a North American presence, forming strategic manufacturing partnerships, and creating the operational foundation required to bring advanced cell therapies to patients around the world.As regenerative medicine moves from promise to reality, Edward has become a leading voice on how biotechnology companies can successfully navigate the path from scientific innovation to global commercialization. His work sits at the intersection of stem cell science, healthcare innovation, manufacturing strategy, and venture-backed growth—areas that will define the next generation of medicine.

Matt Erick, Chief Commercial Officer for Advanced Markets at Biocon Biologics, joins Max on The BioHub Podcast.With more than two decades of experience across pharma, biologics, distribution, and healthcare services, Matt has helped shape commercial strategy across some of the industry's most complex and competitive markets.In this conversation, we discuss Biocon's expansion into the U.S., the integration of its generics and biosimilars businesses, the evolution of the biosimilars market, and the role these medicines play in improving patient access worldwide.We also explore the challenges of navigating policy and regulatory change, building long-term commercial strategies, and driving growth in a challenging market environment.

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Peter Smith, co-founder and CEO of — a company pioneering a new frontier in RNA-processing therapeutics.Peter has spent more than two decades at the forefront of oncology and drug discovery, with leadership roles spanning Takeda, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and H3 Biomedicine before launching Remix to tackle diseases through precision RNA modulation.Remix is working to transform patient's lives through modulation of RNA processing and addressing drug targets in diseases of high unmet medical need. They're a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel small molecule therapies designed to reprogram RNA processing and address disease drivers at their origin. Remix's REMaster™ technology platform leverages cutting-edge data science, biomolecular sciences and chemistry approaches to identify orally administered compounds that modulate gene expression. Remix's innovative therapeutic approach led to the discovery of REM-422, a first-in-class RNA processing modulator in oncology, now being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical studies to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (HR-MDS) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

Tosh joins the podcast to talk through Navigator Medicines' bispecific approach to Hidradenitis Suppurativa.Giving us the full picture, from NAV-240's Korean-origins & the 2024 $100million Series A lead by RA Capital & Forbion, to the work that went into their half-life extended next-gen molecule NAV-242 & the speedy clinical development plan that could lead to a step change in HS patient outcomes.We also discuss Tosh's learnings from a career in big pharma across the likes of GSK & AZ, why he had to 'scratch' his biotech 'itch' & the career learnings he's taking into his role at Navigator.

Today we’re joined by Shane Hegarty, a neuroscientist turned biotech operator who’s spent his career at the intersection of cutting-edge brain science and therapeutic innovation. From award-winning Parkinson’s research to helping shape the mission at Axonis Therapeutics, Shane has a front-row seat to one of the most exciting areas in medicine: repairing the nervous system. We talk about the science, the startup journey, and where neuroscience is headed next.

Today’s guest is Joe Jimenez, one of the most influential leaders in modern biopharma. Joe previously served as CEO of Novartis, where he led the company through a major strategic transformation and helped establish it as one of the world’s leading innovative medicines companies.Today, he is the co-founder and managing director of Aditum Bio, a biotech venture firm focused on building breakthrough therapeutics companies by advancing promising science into the clinic.Aditum Bio are a new model of biotech venture capital uniquely positioned to rapidly translate scientific discoveries into innovative new medicines. Aditum Bio brings together unmatched scientific and domain expertise, combined with operational capabilities that accelerate drug development. They have an agile, collaborative model enables rapid company formation, planning, and execution, empowering teams to explore promising science and bring therapies to patients faster.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Amber is joined by Jason Silvers, President & CFO at Generate:Biomedicines, and Laurie Lee, CMO for Immunology & Inflammation.Following Generate’s recent IPO, the conversation explores what it actually looks like to scale an AI-native biotech into late-stage clinical development.Amber, Jason, and Laurie discuss GB-0895 (anti-TSLP) and the global SOLAIRIA Phase 3 programme in severe asthma, designing and testing proteins at scale, and the operational realities of building across AI, experimental biology, and clinical development.The episode also explores how the wider AI x biotech landscape is shifting from platform potential to real clinical execution.

In this episode of The BioHub Podcast, Ben is joined by Craig Thompson, CEO of Cerevance.Craig has spent over three decades across biotech and pharma, leading companies through major stages of growth, development and strategic transformation. Today, he leads Cerevance, a clinical-stage neuroscience company focused on developing new medicines for neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases.In this conversation, Ben and Craig discuss Cerevance’s work in Parkinson’s disease, the challenges of late-stage CNS development, what it takes to build conviction in neurodegeneration, and how companies think about execution, leadership and potential commercialization in one of the most complex areas of medicine.They also explore Craig’s journey through the industry, the lessons he has carried across leadership roles, and why patient impact remains central to building a successful biotech company.