In the In Conversation With series, a part of the free DDW podcast, DDW speaks with members of the drug discovery industry about their work and how it helps turn science into business.

In this episode, Megan Thomas is in conversation with Steve Ruston, CEO of Persica Pharmaceuticals. Ruston has been CEO since the company was founded and has been a key player in developing Persica's non-opioid, one-off treatment. In this episode, we discuss the shift toward treating bacterial causes of chronic low back pain, the use of MRI biomarkers in trials, the evolving role of non-opioid therapies amid the opioid crisis, and how Persica's scientific insights and early trial success could drive renewed investment in a historically challenging field.

You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.