The learning curve of a biotech founder/CSO

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Hella Kohlhof, CSO at Immunic. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Hella, covering: How the 'waste of two molecules' led to the spin-out creation of Immunic Therapeutics. The perfect blend of a founding team willing to split responsibility, learn and have a go. Ending up as a Nasdaq-listed company via a reverse merger... and all the new challenges that came with it. Immunic's divide-and-conquer global outsourcing strategy, while retaining tight control. Examples of how geopolitical issues have impacted a biotech's growth. Hella leads the Immunic's scientific strategy, including mode of action research, preclinical studies, and biomarker development. Dr. Kohlhof brings deep expertise in immunology, oncology, and drug development, with previous roles at 4SC AG, where she led preclinical and clinical projects. She holds a doctorate in biology from Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich and completed her postdoc at the Helmholtz Centre, focusing on B cell development. She holds several patents, has co-authored numerous publications, and is a regular speaker at scientific and industry events. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating! Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Tim Showalter, Radiation Oncologist, Founder and Chief Medical Officer at ArteraAI. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Tim, covering: The attraction of radiation oncology at med school and his fascination with clinical trials His frustration with tools for cervical cancer patients led to the creation of a medical device company How his bootstrapped side project ended in an exit... but why that was inspiring and motivational to move on to the next thing The proud experience of using his own product (BrachyGel) on cancer patients in the clinic, years after coming up with the idea How ArteraAI's technology is positively disrupting the prostate cancer space, as well as its potential to scale and expand into other disease areas   Tim Showalter, MD, MPH, is a radiation oncologist and cancer researcher who serves as Chief Medical Officer at Artera, where he leads research and medical strategy. Artera is working to improve cancer care by developing AI-enabled prognostic and predictive tests. The ArteraAI Prostate Test is the first of its kind to be recommended by national clinical guidelines for routine use. Tim maintains a part-time clinical practice at the University of Virginia, remaining connected to patient care, research and education. He is the founder of Advaray and inventor of BrachyGel, a novel hydrogel-based medical device for cervical cancer radiation therapy, which is manufactured and marketed by CQ Medical. Tim serves on the board of CQ Medical and cohosts a podcast, HealthTech Remedy to explore the intricacies of innovative health technology companies. Tim is a noted speaker and advisor to start-up companies.   Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!  Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Gemma Budd, General Manager at Nanopharm. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Gemma, covering: Why being in an overly strategic, future-focused role led her to make the tough decision to move on Identifying the joy of solving problems for customers in service-based businesses Why her holistic experience led to the GM role...and the reality in becoming the leader The factors driving growth for inhalation delivery for nasal and pulmonary routes Being a niche player in a global market - why clients don't care where you are when you know what you're doing With a background in biomedical science, Gemma has built her career over the past 15 years by leveraging and expanding that knowledge in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry. She has worked in companies providing analytical and formulation development services, materials science consultancy and manufacturing of drug delivery systems – primarily in commercial and technical roles.  She is currently the General Manager of Nanopharm, a specialist CRO focusing on developing nasally administered and inhaled drug products for pharmaceutical companies worldwide, through her team of 75 employees in the UK. She is focused on ensuring the business continually delivers, innovates and evolves in their niche space to ensure their clients benefit from their expertise that is not widely available in the industry, developing both exceptional talent and unique technology platforms, and ensuring they combine to deliver high quality services to help get drugs to patients quickly, safely and effectively. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!  Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Jeanne Taylor Hecht, Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman at Lexitas. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Jeanne, covering: How Jeanne's various roles have equipped her to become a more rounded CEO and board member. How a stint in Asia led Jeanne to develop her strategy playbook, including the importance of the client's voice. Jeanne's journey, taking on eight different boards and becoming a serial investor and advisor... and how that did not happen by accident. She said that having a strong relationship with a PE firm and missing the hands-on, day-to-day role of being a CEO led her back to the hot seat. Understanding why has being a specialist ophthalmology CRO given Lexitas traction with small to medium biotechs, and what is the future in store for CROS? Jeanne's industry career spanned over twenty-five years as a Board member and Chief Executive Officer of multiple companies, including CEO at Ora and Senior Executive at Median Technologies, IQVIA, Decision Biomarkers, and the UNC Oncology Protocol Office. Jeanne also launched and expanded a Life Sciences consulting practice that supported companies with sales, marketing, and market growth strategies and advisory and board work. She is primarily motivated by helping to bring relief to patients.  Jeanne is an active Advisory Board Member for the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler’s Business School and Lecturer at the business school. She contributed to the creation of Wake Forest University’s master’s in clinical research program and remains an active industry advisor to the school. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from the university’s Ross School of Business. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!  Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Garren Hillow, Executive Coach and Author. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Garren, covering: Why not being a PhD scientist really helped him in selling science How recruiting for glory enabled him to hire the best people on the planet Buying a CRO business and getting comfortable with the risk of bankruptcy Going all in on his business, and sticking true to its core vision, enabled this David to beat the sector's Goliaths From struggling to make payroll, to the perfect storm that led to a $190m sale Garren Hilow is a biotech entrepreneur, advisor, and speaker best known for co-founding Abveris, an antibody discovery company he scaled without venture capital and ultimately sold to Twist Bioscience for $ 190 M. His journey is a masterclass in building a high-value, capital-efficient business in one of the world’s toughest industries. At Abveris, Garren focused on resourcefulness, sales mastery, and building a sellable system, not just a company, allowing him to achieve a major exit while staying true to his entrepreneurial ideals. Today, Garren works with founders and CEOs across life sciences and B2B sectors, helping them build scalable, independent businesses without sacrificing control. He’s passionate about empowering entrepreneurs to create long-term value through practical skills like sales, leadership, and strategic marketing, always with an eye on sustainable, founder-friendly growth. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!  Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by  ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Angelo Gatto, CEO at Chanelle Pharma. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Angelo, covering: Why he chose to follow a big pharma divestment into the CDMO industry. The tricky transition from big pharma technical to commercial CDMO BD when he had the view of "I don't like sales people"! How commercial trust is developed through preparation, character and competences Why he couldn't resist the 'made for him' CEO role at Chanelle Pharma Making key strategic decisions to that make the business very attractive to a range of future buyers. The humanisation of animal care driving the pipeline and development of new products for small and large animals Angelo brings over 25 years of international experience in pharmaceuticals, in a career spanning animal health, human health and CDMO. He has held operations, commercial and management roles at Johnson & Johnson, AlfaSigma, Pfizer, Aenova Group, Adragos Pharma.  Since July 2024 is the CEO of Chanelle Pharma, Before joining Chanelle he also created a boutique advisory firm that has helped companies in last years to succeed in M&A deals and value creation, mostly in the CDMO space. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating! Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.  

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Christiane Bardroff, COO of Rentschler Biopharma SE. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Christiane, covering: The importance of "knowing what you're talking about" to build confidence Being asked to build and commission an automated €800m bioprocessing plant at Teva The draw of a family-owned CDMO business servicing 170 clients worldwide, and what she loves about this ownership model The 'power of we' is doing things together as a team for the greater good of the business The power of listening to people and empowering teams that led to producing 50% more at the same site Why Rentschler Biopharma decided to exit the CGT capabilities and double down on its biologics business Christiane oversees operations across the company’s sites in Germany and the US. A results-driven executive with a strong foundation in biotechnology and chemical engineering, she brings deep expertise across biomanufacturing, automation, digitalization, and leadership. Her career includes nearly a decade at Roche, where she implemented the company’s first paperless manufacturing process. At Teva Biotech, she led the development of a €800M large-scale facility and was part of the global management team, earning Teva’s Mission and Values Award in 2021. Since joining Rentschler in 2022, Christiane has advanced rapidly through senior leadership roles and now leads all operational areas, including manufacturing, quality, engineering, regulatory, and supply chain. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating! Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Adriana Herrera, CEO at Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals (USA). Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Adriana, covering: Why Big Pharma is such a great training ground for future pharma leaders, and how a period living and working in Mexico defined her leadership style The reality of being purchased by a big pharma like Gilead, and retaining independence as the acquired company, Kite Pharma The opening of a market opportunity that led Adriana to her first CEO role, and how the role is pushing her outside of her comfort zone Why she is optimistic about the future of manufacturing and commercialising cell therapies - innovation will find a way, but it takes time How the current geopolitical environment is adding more risk and uncertainty to an industry plagued with risk... and how that may impact investments and supply chains Adriana leads the expansion of Pierre Fabre’s US presence in precision oncology, cell therapy and rare diseases with an immediate focus on the commercialization of a groundbreaking allogenic cell therapy. Most recently, Adriana served as U.S. General Manager at Kite Pharma where she successfully commercialized the autologous CART-cell therapy portfolio and led the US commercial functions. Prior to that, her experience included a tenure at Eisai as Senior Vice President and commercial head for U.S. Oncology and high-impact leadership roles at Novartis Oncology including Vice President and Global Diseases Lead for Lung and Genitourinary cancers. Adriana commenced her career at Bristol Myers-Squibb. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating! Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Victor Diaz, Co-Founder of Solitek. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Victor, covering: Falling in love with medicinal chemistry and ending up experiencing the culture shock of North East England! Why Victor fell in love with working on a variety of projects at CROs/CDMOs The benefits of solid state chemistry and its value in pre-clinical formulation development The starting story of Solitek and the decision not to take the easier path to becoming consultants His views on the market outlook and how the application of AI will impact the development pathway Victor obtained his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Seville in 1998 before moving to the UK, where he built most of his professional career. Originally trained as a synthetic and medicinal chemist, he began his career at High Force Research and Medivir. He later transitioned from drug discovery to early development, marking the start of his journey in solid-state science at Pharmorphix. There, he progressed to Projects Director and later Site Manager, playing a key role in the company’s acquisition by Johnson Matthey from Sigma-Aldrich. Victor then spent five years as Head of Physical Sciences at Almac, leading one of the largest solid-state teams in Europe and providing pharmaceutical companies with expert support in crystallisation, polymorphism, and material characterisation. After more than 20 years in the UK, Victor returned to Spain to co-found Solitek, continuing his mission to deliver solid-state and preclinical development services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He currently serves as Operations Director, driving the company’s growth and innovation in the field. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating! Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.  

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Jeremie Trochu, CEO at Ardena. Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Jeremie, covering: The value of hitting the road and getting in front of clients, helping build several career-critical skills The big decision to leave med-tech giant GE and move to an ambitious, growing CDMO called...Catalent How the stars aligned to move back to Europe and join Ardena as CEO...and the secret sauce behind its suite of integrated development capabilities A transformational acquisition of Catalent's Somerset, NJ facility to help take Ardena to the next level as a global CDMO The importance of remembering that we are part of a cyclical industry and must ride out the lows, but we must remain adaptive and bullish about the market's growth Why VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) is inevitable Jeremie joined Ardena as Chief Executive Officer in June 2024. He brings an extensive knowledge of the life sciences and CDMO industry and a proven track record of success in the biopharma sector. He has 20 years of experience building and growing businesses globally, expanding into new markets, and leading large-scale transformations in publicly traded and privately held companies.  Jeremie was previously part of the team that helped transform Catalent from a private equity spinoff into a publicly traded global CDMO. During his tenure there, he led multiple companies' successful acquisitions and integrations. He holds a master's degree in Business Administration from EMLyon, France. Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating! Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.