The Pharma Letter Podcast

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we’re joined by Morten Graugaard, chief executive of Orbis Medicines: a Danish-Swiss biotech working to turn biologic-like medicines into oral therapies.Founded out of Novo Holdings’ company creation work, Orbis is developing a platform for oral macrocycles, aiming to tackle one of drug development’s stubborn problems: how to make complex, powerful molecules work as pills.The company’s nGen platform combines high-throughput macrocycle chemistry with computational design, with the goal of moving beyond slow, bespoke discovery toward a more programmable approach.Orbis has attracted strong backing from life sciences investors, including Novo Holdings, Forbion, NEA and Lilly Ventures, and raised a 90 million euro Series A in 2025 to advance its platform and pipeline.Mr Graugaard brings the perspective of both an operator and an investor, having previously worked at Novo Holdings on life sciences investing, R&D strategy and company creation.In this episode, we discuss the shift from injectable biologics to oral therapies, the scientific hurdles still facing the field, what pharma companies are looking for in next-generation oral medicines, and how investor appetite is changing for ambitious platform biotechs.

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we’re joined by Kenneth Mulvany, founder and executive chair of BenevolentAI: one of the UK’s earliest and most high-profile attempts to apply machine learning to drug discovery.Founded in 2013, BenevolentAI set out to build what it describes as a science-based AI platform capable of mining vast biomedical data to identify novel targets and accelerate the path to new medicines. The company gained global attention during the pandemic, when its technology identified the arthritis drug baricitinib as a potential treatment for severe COVID-19 — a finding later validated by Eli Lilly and cleared by the US regulator.Since then, BenevolentAI has navigated the turbulence of public markets, strategic refocusing and a reshaped pipeline, while continuing collaborations with pharma partners including British pharma AstraZeneca. Alongside its scientific ambitions, Mr Mulvany has also become an outspoken voice on the UK’s position in AI and life sciences, recently warning that the country risks “outsourcing its intellect” if it fails to back domestic innovation.In this episode, we discuss the evolution of BenevolentAI’s strategy, the realities behind AI-led drug discovery, what partnerships with large pharma really look like in practice, and how the financing environment has shifted for AI-biotech companies.

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we’re joined by Eron Kelly, chief executive of ConcertAI: a company applying artificial intelligence to accelerate oncology research and clinical development.ConcertAI sits at the intersection of life sciences and large-scale data, working with biopharma companies, research networks, and technology partners to turn real-world clinical and genomic information into insights that can guide drug development decisions.Mr Kelly stepped into the CEO role after a career in big tech, including senior leadership positions at Microsoft and AWS. He now brings that experience to a business that has attracted significant attention during a wave of AI-fuelled investor optimism.The company has also been busy on the partnering front, with a major strategic agreement announced with Bayer (BAYN: DE) and a newer collaboration with Foundation Medicine, both focused on leveraging data and AI to speed cancer drug development.In this episode, we’ll talk about Mr Kelly’s first months in the job, what he’s hearing from partners in the industry, and where AI continues to move the needle in biotech.

This week on the Podcast, we are joined by Dr Amr Hanbali.During Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Guy Martin, news editor at The Pharma Letter, sat down with Dr Hanbali to discuss his experiences treating patients with CAR T-cell therapy in the Middle East.With extensive experience in hematology and the treatment of blood disorders such as leukemia and myeloma, Dr Hanbali has been closely involved in expanding access to advanced therapies across the region.Dr Hanbali discussed the evolution of blood cancer treatment in the Middle East, the unique challenges patients face in accessing cutting-edge therapies, and how CAR T-cell treatments are offering renewed hope for long-term remission.He also shared his personal reflections on the impact of this therapy on patients and families, what needs to happen to improve regional access, and his vision for the future of blood cancer care in the next decade.

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we’re joined by Marina Udier, chief executive of Nouscom — a biotech company developing cancer vaccines.Founded in 2015, the firm is working on cancer vaccines that use a viral vector platform to train the immune system to recognize and attack cancer. The company is developing both personalized and off-the-shelf approaches, aiming to treat a range of tumors.Before taking the helm at Nouscom, Dr Udier built a diverse career across healthcare — working in consulting, big pharma, and venture capital. That breadth of experience now informs her leadership at a company with big ambitions in oncology.With more than $80 million in new funding and a partnership in place with Janssen, the company is focused on moving its vaccines further through clinical development.Earlier this year, Nouscom shared data at the annual AACR congress from a study in people with Lynch Syndrome — a genetic condition that increases the risk of certain cancers.In this episode, we’ll ask Dr Udier about the latest results, how partnerships fit into the company’s strategy, and why cancer prevention may play a bigger role in the future of oncology.

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we’re joined by Howard Fillit, co-founder and chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF).As the FDA approval of anti-amyloid drugs like lecanemab and donanemab marks a new era in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, questions remain around cost, access, and real-world impact. A geriatrician and neuroscientist, Dr Fillit has argued for a broader approach to Alzheimer’s—one that targets not just amyloid, but the full biology of aging.Dr Fillit and the ADDF are working to expand the therapeutic toolbox, backing research into novel mechanisms, smarter diagnostics, and more efficient trial designs.With new interest in combination therapies, biomarker-driven care, and risk-reduction strategies, the field is evolving fast. In this episode, we’ll talk about what’s coming next in Alzheimer’s R&D, and how philanthropy, biotech, and science are converging to shape the future of care.

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we’re joined by Quin Wills, co-founder and chief scientific officer of UK biotech Ochre Bio.A physician-scientist with a background in genomics and computational biology, Quin has spent much of his career focused on the biology of liver disease — a path that has shaped Ochre’s approach to RNA-based therapies and human-based validation models.Founded in 2019, the Oxford-based biotech is developing a pipeline of RNA medicines for chronic liver conditions, using live human donor livers to test therapies in real time. With a focus on regenerative biology and fibrosis, the company’s platform has drawn interest from heavyweights in the industry.In 2024, Ochre landed a regenerative medicine partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim targeting advanced MASH cirrhosis, and signed a multi-year data licensing deal with GSK to deepen AI models of liver disease.Backed by Khosla Ventures, the firm raised a $30 million Series A in late 22 and is now progressing its first programs toward IND-enabling studies.In this week’s episode, we ask Quin about the scientific vision behind Ochre Bio, the state of innovation in liver disease, and where AI is beginning to shift the needle in drug development.

This week on The Pharma Letter Podcast, we are joined by Tony Clarke, senior VP of IT digital operations at ICON (Nasdaq: ICLR).As a leader in digital transformation within clinical research, Tony has been at the forefront of implementing AI-driven solutions to enhance drug development. A global contract research organization (CRO), ICON has been tracking industry attitudes toward digital innovation. In 2019, the company conducted a survey to gauge investment trends in new technologies, and now, five years later, a new study reveals how perceptions and adoption have evolved. While the rise of AI, particularly generative AI, has dominated the debate across industries, we consider how it is truly shaping clinical research, including potential barriers to adoption.We’ll also talk about how digital tools are driving efficiencies in drug development, and what the future holds for technology in clinical trials.Partnered content.

In this week’s podcast, we welcome Iddo Peleg, CEO and co-founder of Yonalink, who provides insights into the current and future state of the clinical trial industry. As we move headlong into 2025, a year that appears set to be characterized by global economic and political turmoil, Iddo discusses major trends in the industry, including challenges posed by the COVID-19 aftermath and the potential impacts of regulatory upheaval on clinical trials. He also outlines how Yonalink’s technology, which streams data from electronic health records to clinical trial databases, can dramatically reduce timelines and improve accuracy in clinical studies. The conversation delves into the practicalities and potentials of decentralized and distributed clinical trials, offering advice to young biotech startups on leveraging the right technology for innovation.

In this episode, we’ll take a look at the role of Japanese pharmaceutical groups in the UK, with Jackie Davis, general manager at Astellas Pharma.Tokyo-headquartered Astellas (TYO: 4503) has developed a strong portfolio in urology, oncology and immunology, most recently with US FDA approval for Vyloy (zolbetuximab), a key addition to its cancer treatments.It’s one of many Japanese companies with a strong presence in the UK, represented nationally by the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group, of which Jackie is the current chair.We’ll get into the details of a recent visit from the JPG to the House of Lords, as well as her view on some of the challenges and opportunities that have arisen in the years since Brexit.