Arsalan Arif: Investor confidence in advanced therapies is critical for long-term success

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes Arsalan Arif, founder of Endpoints News, for a wide-ranging conversation on the business of biotech. From his early days bootstrapping a media company to Endpoints’ recent partnership with the Financial Times, Arsalan shares his journey and reflections on what it takes to build trust in an evolving industry.Together, they unpack today’s cell and gene therapy landscape, where clinical success alone isn’t enough. Arsalan offers his perspective on investor sentiment, why scaling remains the biggest challenge in CGT, and how economic models, not efficacy, will shape the next chapter of growth.Learn more about Arsalan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arsalanarif/

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes Dr. Julie Allickson, Chief Technology Officer for Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics. With over 30 years pioneering regenerative medicine - from early bone marrow transplant programs to today's cutting-edge cell and gene therapies - Julie shares her journey and insights on translating innovative therapies from discovery to clinical impact.Together, they explore how academic medical centers are evolving to bridge the gap between research and commercialization through integrated manufacturing capabilities, multi-site clinical trials, and strategic partnerships. Julie discusses Mayo Clinic's approach to managing 30+ clinical trials across three sites, the critical role of automation and AI in reducing costs and improving scalability, and why thinking about commercial viability early in development is essential widespread patient access.Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-g-allickson-phd-76129062/

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes back Aaron Vernon, Chief Manufacturing Officer at Quell Therapeutics, for the second part of the discussion on building robust and scalable cell therapy manufacturing systems. Together, they explore how applying principles like the Theory of Constraints, designing smarter facility layouts, and implementing digital systems can reduce bottlenecks and improve throughput.Aaron brings over 20 years of experience leading manufacturing, engineering and supply chain operations across biologics and cell therapy. We’re grateful for his insights as the industry works to deliver more consistent, cost-effective therapies to patients at scale.Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronvernon/

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes Aaron Vernon, Chief Manufacturing Officer at Quell Therapeutics, for a two-part discussion on building robust and scalable cell therapy manufacturing systems. Together they explore how applying principles like the Theory of Constraints, designing smarter facility layouts, and implementing digital systems can reduce bottlenecks and improve throughput.Aaron brings over 20 years of experience leading manufacturing, engineering and supply chain operations across biologics and cell therapy. We’re grateful for his insights as the industry works to deliver more consistent, cost-effective therapies to patients at scale.Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronvernon/

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes Amritha Jaishankar, Executive Director of the Cell and Gene Therapy Center at IQVIA, to discuss how data integration and decentralized manufacturing are reshaping access to advanced therapies. Amritha shares her insights on how to overcome systemic challenges in cell and gene therapy, including data silos, workforce gaps, and manufacturing inefficiencies. Together, they explore the transformative potential of community sites, digital platforms and collaborative partnerships in driving scalability, improving affordability of CGTs, and expanding their access worldwide. Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrithajaishankar/

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes Boro Dropulić, CEO of Vector Biomed and Executive Director at Caring Cross. Boro shares his vision of how decentralized manufacturing, low-cost vector production, and open-source workflows can make cell and gene therapies more accessible worldwide. They also discuss the role of digital technologies, partnerships, and innovative processes in overcoming industry bottlenecks, driving down costs, and expanding this access. Learn more about Boro on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason Foster is joined by Michael Krajewski, Director at Stand Back and an expert in engineering and scaling operations. Michael, with his background in aeronautics, brings a unique perspective on the Theory of Constraints and its role in CGT manufacturing processes. Michael and Jason dive into the complex dynamics of bottlenecks and discuss how understanding constraints can pave the way for growth – without compromising efficiency. Together, they explore how manufacturing lessons from other industries can address the limitations faced by cell therapy today, and what it takes to streamline complex, regulated processes. Learn more about Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-krajewski/

In this episode, Jason C. Foster welcomes Carl Schoellhammer, Principal & Advanced Therapies Practice Lead at DeciBio, to discuss the importance of considering viability alongside safety and efficacy in cell and gene therapies (CGTs). Schoellhammer highlights the need for scalable and decentralized manufacturing approaches to ensure the commercial viability of these advanced therapies, as well as the challenges of maintaining consistent quality in personalized medicines, and the role of enabling technologies in addressing these hurdles. Learn more about Carl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-schoellhammer/

In this episode of the Ori Spotlight Podcast, Jason C. Foster welcomes Anshul Mangal, President at Project Farma, to discuss the hurdles to scalable CGT development, the importance of early strategic planning, and the role of digitalization in improving efficiency and reducing costs. Together they also highlight the potential of distributed manufacturing and the evolution of regulatory standards. Anshul Mangal is a biotech entrepreneur and executive, leading Project Farma and Precision for Medicine's Manufacturing Solutions. He has pioneered the industrialization of early cell and gene therapies. Anshul also serves on the boards of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicines, Alliance for mRNA Medicines, and IQHQ, driving advancements in next-generation medicines. Learn more about Anshul Mangal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amangal/

In this episode, Omkar Kawalekar of Deloitte's NextGenTherapies practice joins Ori CEO Jason C. Foster, to explore the significance of technology and strategic collaborations in overcoming manufacturing challenges and developing advanced therapies at scale. Their conversation covers key industry hurdles like supply chain optimization and the strategic planning necessary for bringing innovative treatments to market – offering insights into how the industry can achieve commercial viability and widespread patient access to CGTs. Learn more about Omkar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omkar-kawalekar-7406887/