Refusing to give up on an Oncology Breakthrough | Dana T. Aftab, Exelixis

Time Stamps:0:45 Introduction to Dana Aftab and what sparked his passion for science6:39 His Ph.D. experience at Yale that led to a breakthrough in compound screening16:15 Why that soured him on biotech and what ultimately drew him back in24:33 Navigating the transition into industry by trusting his gut30:09 The Exelixis-MetaXen acquisition37:18 Taking the lead as a helping guide to younger scientist41:00 What does it take to be a good manager 48:45 Discovery and development of CABOMETYX® (cabozantinib)57:15 How differentiating clinical data changed the trajectory of Exelixis 1:00:34 Navigating the restructuring process1:07:13 Rebuilding the Exelixis team1:11:26 His return to science 1:13:30 Advice for founders on what makes a strong potential partner1:20:07 Quick fire questions 

(0:53) Introduction to Stephanie’s passion for science and her career transition from research to business (8:40) Key foundational business development skills  (13:06) What investors look for when evaluating early stage technology (14:37) The story behind Gleevec and its commercialization journey  (19:36) Long term planning for early career scientists  (24:39) Differences between U.S. and European ecosystems across pharma and biotech  (30:30) Introduction to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation  (36:23) How in vivo CAR-T and cell therapy are advancing  multiple myeloma care (42:08) Advice for entrepreneurs interested  in the Nucleate Activator program   (54:18) How can startup founders best position themselves in a competitive landscape (1:03:10) Quick fire questions

Time Stamps: (2:37) Introduction to Kendra’s professional journey and how she found her path into science  (7:30) Understanding the consumer mindset and patient perspectives (13:05) Key parameters that shape important decisions  (17:45) Core lessons on bridging the gap between science and business  (25:30) Introduction to Bayer and Kendra’s  role as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Licensing  (29:46) Latest trends shaping healthcare research,  education, and innovation  (38:59) How to establish credibility as an entrepreneur in a competitive market (41:28) Inside the Bayer Co.Lab incubator ecosystem and the support it offers (50:37) Tips for early-career scientists interested in making a pivot from the lab to business (57:09) Do you really need a Ph.D. to break into pharma? (1:00:01) Quick fire questions

  Time Stamps 01:42: Jodie’s early interest in science and the defining moment   03:31: Starting from the bottom in clinical research shaped her leadership style as a CEO 08:32: How she joined Q32 Bio and then took them public 10:11: Jodie’s inspiration to get involved with challenging companies 11:42: The emotional reward of biotech: the long hours are worthwhile to save lives   13:46: Navigating challenging situations 15:10: Q32 Bio's focus on autoimmune disorders 19:59: The origins of the CEO Forum 27:54: The "lonely" nature of being a CEO and the importance of community 30:54: Philosophy on female leadership: “lift while we climb” 34:54: How AI is involved in biotech 43:24: Navigating challenging capital markets: focus on “killer experiments” that investors want 46:47: Balancing "ethical obligation" to employees with their "fiduciary responsibility" to investors 49:56: How layoffs are “heartbreaking” but necessary to preserve capital for future drug development 56:30: The future of biotech is "cautious optimism" but needed 1:00:06: Initiatives among leaders to heal the misconception of science 01:05:01: Rapid Fire questions  

Time Stamps [00:00] Laurence explains biotech to a five-year-old  [01:55] Early life in the UK and first steps toward biotech  [02:47] How The Double Helix and Celltech shaped his path  [07:15] Moving from bench science to Cell and a wider view of research  [13:04] Learning business development at Millennium [15:30] Why relationships matter in biotech deals  [17:43] How Millennium changed from platform company to drug developer  [28:01] Joining Alnylam and building around RNAi  [39:19] Becoming a CEO at Warp Drive Bio  [44:36] Novel antibiotics, molecular glues, and the RevMed merger [52:07] What founders should know about building to make a lasting impact [54:50] Joining Decibel during restructuring and COVID  [58:55] Rebuilding culture and sharpening strategy  [1:09:49] Why Decibel focused on gene therapy for the inner ear [1:25:05] Advice for founders raising money in a hard market

Time Stamps (0:55) Introduction to Michal’s background and her professional journey  (7:58) How Michal leveraged tech skills to break into computational biology  (13:15) Her experience at Compugen working on early AI-enabled drug discovery   (19:52) Challenges startup founders face and strategies to overcome them (25:19) Michal’s personal experience as a founder at Anima Biotech (32:52) Resources available at academic institutions to support startups  (40:15) How to successfully negotiate as a scientific founder (46:51) Michal’s role at Johnson & Johnson (53:13) Introduction to MassBio and their purpose (58:35) Advice on networking and how to form meaningful partnerships

Time Stamps 1:37 Introduction to Szabi’s journey from economics to healthcare  3:23 Szabi’s early startup experience at Tresorit  5:27 Key takeaways from his first venture 11:46 What led Szabi to pivot into healthcare and how he managed that transition 14:37 Introduction to Turbine 17:10 Example of running large-scale experiments in collaboration with Merck  19:17 Explanation of the main phases of application of the model  22:32 What fundamental tenets were used to build Turbine’s model  29:16 How to form successful partnerships 38:53 Szabi’s experience with raising funds in a tight capital market  40:00 Advice for founders navigating this challenging market 49:20 How to find the right mentor and form a meaningful connection  51:07 Final words of wisdom

Time Stamps1:58 Merrick Smela's Early Influence03:36 Ovelle's Founding:  Travis Potter and Merrick Smela05:07 Travis Potter's Motivation After Facing Fertility Struggles06:44 Underfunding of IVG07:48 Finance/Biotech Commonalities09:15 Scientific Co-founder Role: Merrick Smela09:56 Using Statistics in Design12:25 Definition of IVG12:54 Ovelle's Mission to Revolutionize Infertility Treatment13:33 IVG vs. IVF15:49 Ovelle's Unique Scientific Approach16:39 Direct Activation vs. Natural Signaling: 18:17 Meiosis Paper Innovation: Identifying Regulatory Factors that can Activate Meiosis from Stem Cells21:23 Team Building: Finding Dedicated Scientists24:20 Culture Difference (Meaning vs. Money)28:35 IVG Process Overview: 29:36 IVM is Achieved in Humans: 30:35 Quality Control and Safety of Eggs32:35 Prioritization using Critical Path Analysis:35:02 Investor Funding for IVG as a New Fertility Approach41:21 Rapid Fire Questions

In this episode of the podcast we sit down with Claire Smith, Partner at SpringTide. She reflects on her journey from a biological engineering student at MIT to her current role in venture capital, and the key lessons she’s learned along the way. Claire explains SpringTide’s investment scope, introduces companies from her portfolio, and shares what drives her investment decisions. The conversation also explores the current landscape of TechBio and AI, including how to distinguish genuine innovation from hype, how pharma is realistically adopting AI, and differences in East Coast and West Coast perspectives on the technology. Claire provides guidance for early-stage founders navigating today’s ever-changing environment. She discusses the importance of planning realistic timelines, how and when to launch a company, and what qualities investors are looking for. She advises on what makes a great pitch, arguing that the goal of the initial meeting is not to secure funding, but to earn a second conversation. Trust is built through preparation, authenticity, and intellectual honesty, never by faking it in biotech. Books mentioned: The Pyramid Principle by Barbara MintoWhy Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management by Roger LowensteinTime Stamps:0:01:20 Introduction to Claire’s  journey from MIT biological engineering to SpringTide0:05:44 There’s “no overnight successes” in biotech0:06:47 Claire’s experience as a start up operator at Crestovo and the key lessons she learned0:09:35  Explanation of the investment  scope of Springtide 0:12:31 How Claire assesses risk when building an investment portfolio 0:14:47 Things to consider when evaluating technical founders0:15:55 Introduction to Paterna Biosciences and their impact within the fertility space  0:19:27 Platforms vs assets in tough capital markets and why Springtide has a countercyclical platform focus0:22:50 Meaning of “look boring today, but will be infrastructure tomorrow”0:24:24 Advancements in Palantir‑style business models for pharma0:28:42 What does the term “TechBio” means to Claire0:30:39 How the pharma industry is currently leveraging AI 0:33:55 Markers of AI success to keep an eye out for0:35:29 How to identify companies that are driving genuine AI innovation0:37:50 Example of Niche Bio and how they’re generating data for machine learning0:39:22 Differences in opinions between East Coast and West Coast investors on AI0:42:16 Advice for companies navigating the current capital market0:44:16 Why proactive buffer planning is critical when setting a timeline0:45:36 Advice for early stage founders on how and when to launch their company 0:50:59 What sets a great pitch apart 0:55:00 Explanation of the Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto0:55:44 3 main points about SpringTide as an investment firm0:58:28 Importance of forming authentic connections but don’t “fake it ‘til you make it” 1:01:22 Quick-fire questions

In this special panel episode recorded in Zurich, the founders of Apricot Bio, Michael Zering (CEO), Lucas Pelkmans (Scientific Founder), and Independent Professor Andreas Wicki from the University of Zurich explore the new field of functional precision oncology—an approach that goes beyond genomics to test how living cancer cells actually respond to treatment. The conversation covers the limits of genetic diagnostics, the promise of ex vivo drug testing, AI-driven decision-making, and how smarter trial design could transform cancer care. The panel also dives into Switzerland’s biotech ecosystem, venture capital realities, and what it takes to bring high-risk, high-impact science from the lab to the clinic.00:00 – 03:30 | Introduction & Panel SetupRecorded in Zurich, this special panel episode introduces functional precision oncology and why current diagnostic paradigms are reaching their limits.03:30 – 12:00 | The Limits of Genomics in Cancer CareWhy genetic screening alone can’t capture tumor complexity, molecular heterogeneity, and real-world treatment response.12:00 – 22:00 | What Is Functional Precision Oncology?Testing patient-derived cancer cells ex vivo to understand drug response, cellular context, and therapeutic combinations.22:00 – 32:00 | “The Google Maps of the Cell” AnalogyHow contextual, real-time cellular data improves decision-making compared to static genetic snapshots.32:00 – 43:00 | Clinical Trials ReimaginedWhy traditional drug-centric trials struggle—and how diagnostic-led, patient-specific trials could change oncology research.43:00 – 53:00 | AI, Data Science & Cellular ContextHow machine learning models integrate phenotypic, spatial, and functional data to predict treatment response.53:00 – 1:03:00 | Drug Combinations & RepurposingWhy single agents often fail—and how functional testing uncovers synergistic therapies missed by standard screens.1:03:00 – 1:12:00 | Beyond Oncology: What Comes Next?Potential applications in immunology, hematology, neurology, and other diseases driven by cellular dysfunction.1:12:00 – 1:20:00 | Switzerland’s Biotech EcosystemStrengths, gaps, venture capital realities, and how Swiss innovation compares globally.1:20:00 – 1:23:00 | Founder Advice, Books & Closing ThoughtsLessons for scientist-founders, navigating tough funding environments, and recommended reading.