Today, we're exploring the transformative potential of AI in biopharma—separating hype from reality, and zooming in on the complexities of single-cell omics data.

Our guest is Parashar Dhapola, co-founder and CEO of Nygen Analytics, a Lund-based startup spun out from Sweden's vibrant single-cell genomics ecosystem. With a PhD in computational genomics from Lund University, Parashar has pioneered efficient algorithms for analyzing millions of cells, turning raw data into actionable insights for drug discovery.

Join us as we discuss where AI truly delivers in biopharma, the persistent gaps in exploratory data analytics, and the critical bottlenecks in single-cell annotation. In a world abounding in AI hype, Parashar helps us cut through the noise and point out paths to data driven success.

• 01:00 Meet Parashar Dhapola
• 05:45 AI in biopharma
• 09:29 AI automation vs. new capabilities
• 11:28 What makes single-cell omics data different
• 18:46 Risks of incorrect cell annotation
• 34:37 Future of single-cell analytics

This episode is produced with the support of Nygen Analytics. Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• CyteType - AI powered cell type annotation
• Behind the Cure51 deal: Is NVIDIA becoming biotech’s AI infrastructure?
• The past, present, and future of genome sequencing

This week we welcome Magdalena Tyrpien, CEO, Co-Founder and President of Nionyx Bio, just days after the company took first place in the BIO-Europe Spring Startup Spotlight competition in Lisbon.

With a background that includes leading Forge Biologics through its $620 million acquisition, Magdalena is now steering Nionyx toward a bold new chapter in gene therapy for kidney disease. In this episode we explore her journey into biotech, the science behind Nionyx’s proprietary AAV capsid platform and Kidney Atlas, what it took to win the Startup Spotlight, and what the victory means for the young company’s future.

·  01:25 – Meet Magdalena Tyrpien

·  07:10 – The Nionyx mission

·  15:29 – The 2026 BIO-Europe Spring Startup Spotlight

·  22:23 – Looking forward and future milestones

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• Lisbon is calling: the BIO-Europe Startup Spotlight returns in March 2026
• BIO-Europe Spring 2026: partnership event brings funding hope to biotechs
• BIO-Europe partnering: Australian biotech companies share their experiences

Today, we welcome Dr Rosanne Dunn, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of HaemaLogiX, an Australian clinical-stage biotech company that's developing next-generation immunotherapies for multiple myeloma and other plasma cell disorders.

HaemaLogiX is taking a precision approach by targeting novel antigens that are expressed exclusively on malignant plasma cells, sparing healthy ones. Recent peer-reviewed research has validated KMA and LMA as high-value targets, reinforcing the company's unique positioning in the field.

Rosanne shares her journey from antibody engineering to building HaemaLogiX, the science behind their differentiated targets, the latest clinical and preclinical progress, and her perspectives on the future of immunotherapy for blood cancers as the company gears up for key milestones, including a planned IPO later this year.

• 01:15 Meet Rosanne Dunn
• 07:52 HaemalogiX's mission and novel antigens
• 09:53 Overview of multiple myeloma and its symptoms
• 12:19 Targeting malignant plasma cells while sparing normal ones
• 19:25 Recent Peer-Reviewed Research
• 26:08 Synergy with IMiDs like Revlimid
• 29:08 Potential patient impact and quality of life
• 35:05 Planned IPO in 2026 and funding needs

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• 5 cancers that immunotherapy can cure
• BIO-Europe partnering: Australian biotech companies share their experiences
• How are R&D Tax Incentives shaping Australia’s biotech future?

Today we welcome Koenraad Wiedhaup, Co-Founder and CEO of Leyden Labs, and Clarissa Koch, the company's Chief Scientific Officer.

Leyden Labs is pioneering a revolutionary non-vaccine approach to combat respiratory viruses like influenza and coronaviruses. Recently, they published groundbreaking data in Science Translational Medicine, demonstrating that their intranasal antibody spray is safe, well-tolerated, and delivers sustained protection right at the virus's entry point: the nose. This innovation addresses the shortcomings of traditional flu vaccines, which average just 13% effectiveness against infection and provide even less for vulnerable groups like the elderly and immunocompromised.

We'll dive into the science, the company's journey since its 2020 founding, and their recent €50 million European funding boost amid U.S. biotech challenges.

01:33: Meet Koenraad Wiedhaup

03:13: Meet Clarissa Koch

04:16: Leyden Labs' origin story

06:21: Mucosal protection platform explained

08:57: Complementing existing vaccines

11:47: Science of mucosal immunity

13:24: PanFlu lead candidate overview

16:42: Key findings from recent publication

22:02: Funding and future preparedness

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• Seven biotech companies to know in the Netherlands
• The Netherlands’ biotech scene: The country sets its sights on becoming a global leader by 2040 
• Influenza solution deals pile up as pandemic preparedness increases 

Today, we welcome Janita Good, a Partner at Fieldfisher with nearly two decades of experience advising top organizations in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. With a D.Phil. in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford, Janita brings a unique blend of scientific insight and legal expertise to her work on venture investments, joint ventures, partnerships, and M&A deals. She's advised on landmark transactions, including funding rounds for Phynova and MedAnnex, and collaborations like Intelligent Ultrasound's AI imaging partnerships.

In this episode, Janita shares practical guidance for biotech leaders on timing partnerships with larger pharma companies, planning for commercialization from the start, balancing optimistic fundraising with realistic deal projections, and avoiding common legal pitfalls in M&A. We'll also look ahead to emerging trends in the sector and talk through the best way to structure a company for tax effective partnering and licensing.

01:29: Meet Janita Good

04:42: Fieldfisher's life sciences focus

07:20: Fieldfisher’s differentiated approach

09:41: Timing early partnering discussions

17:26: Structuring for efficient deals

21:36: Planning commercialization from start

25:22: Key early legal considerations

30:00: Balancing fundraising and realism

36:25: Optimism in the biotech industry

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• How biotech startups become unicorns
• The ABC of biotech startup funding
• Biotech’s legal storm: Why securities class action lawsuits are surging

Today we’re joined by Sean MacDonald, CEO of Kainova Therapeutics. With more than twenty years of biotech leadership and deep expertise in strategy and development, Sean is guiding the company through an exciting new chapter.

We’ll dive into Kainova’s innovative GPCR-modulating platform, its promising pipeline, the science behind reversing tumor immunosuppression and targeting inflammation, and the reasons behind the recent rebrand from Domain Therapeutics to Kainova Therapeutics.

We’ll also be taking a look at the broader oncology landscape—what’s hot, who’s investing big, and where the biggest opportunities and challenges lie.

01:09 – Meet Sean Macdonald

05:40 – Kainova's GPCR platform and therapeutic focus

08:57 – The story and meaning behind the Kainova rebrand

10:25 – Series B funding and pipeline programs

16:43 – Exciting trends and innovations in oncology

29:17 – Upcoming milestones and future plans

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• GPCR therapies: Eight promising biotechs hacking the cell signaling pathway
• Episode 182: Building a smart oncology pipeline with Cumulus Oncology
• Episode 34: eClinical Solutions, GPCR Therapeutics, Orbsen Therapeutics

Our guest is Sergey Jakimov, the Founding and Managing Partner of LongeVC, a venture capital firm dedicated to backing early-stage biotech and longevity startups. A serial entrepreneur, Sergey has co-founded ventures like Longenesis, a medical tech startup unlocking biomedical data for drug discovery, and the Longevity Science Foundation, a non-profit advancing healthy human lifespan. He’s been named to Forbes Latvia's 30 Under 30 in technology and healthcare, and via LongeVC, he invests in innovation in areas including therapeutics, diagnostics, and personalized medicine.

In this episode, Sergey warns about the rising danger of misinformation disguised as health advice—where influencers and hype outpace evidence-based science. I hope you enjoy our discussion as we unpack this public health challenge and explore solutions for a more credible biotech landscape.

• 01:22           Meet Sergey Jakimov
• 06:14           Developing a longevity focus
• 10:47           A typical day at LongeVC
• 13:26           The LongeVC portfolio
• 17:28           Misinformation as health crisis
• 26:04           The harm of bad advice
• 33:16           The impact on biotech industry funding
• 36:18           Strategies for addressing misinformation
• 42:17           Optimism about trends in longevity

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• 13 anti-aging startups on a mission to extend lives
• Turning back time with cellular reprogramming: Shift raises $16 million in seed funding
• Are European biotech VCs under pressure to scale? Time to get pragmatic 

Today, we're joined by Professor Matthew Wood, a leading figure in neuroscience and RNA-based therapeutics. He is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, Deputy Head of the Medical Sciences Division, and Director of both the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, a groundbreaking partnership between the University of Oxford and Harrington Discovery Institute dedicated to accelerating therapies for rare genetic diseases affecting millions worldwide.

In today’s episode we discuss his vision for making antisense oligonucleotides (or ASOs) and gene editing more modular, more scalable, and faster by collaborating with regulators, scientists, and patient groups to bring hope to those with rare neuromuscular and genetic conditions.

With rare disease day coming up just next week, I hope you enjoy the insights that Professor Wood shares on the future of the fight against rare disease.

01:23 – Meet Matthew Wood

07:26 – The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre

10:33 – Collaborations, philanthropy, and industry partnerships

13:55 – Key challenges in rare disease therapy development

20:00 – Modular and scalable platforms for ASOs

28:08 – Scaling gene editing like CRISPR for rare diseases

32:38 – Role of AI and computational tools in acceleration

37:28 – Future breakthroughs in rare disease treatments

44:07 – Advice for new researchers in the field

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• Prader Willi syndrome: five much-anticipated therapies poised for approval 
• First-ever approval for Barth Syndrome treatment: what does this mean for ultra-rare disease therapeutics? 
• When rare diseases are not so rare after all: A closer look at where and why this happens

As we mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we welcome Avital Sharir-Ivry, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ProPhet, an innovative Israeli startup launched in late 2024 from the AION Labs venture studio.

With a PhD in computational biology and drug research, Avital brings deep expertise in structural biology, enzyme design, and evolutionary bioinformatics to her role leading ProPhet's scientific efforts.

ProPhet itself is changing small molecule drug discovery by using advanced AI and machine learning to map proteins and compounds into a shared interaction space. This enables rapid, scalable screening of billions of molecules—even for so-called "undruggable" targets—without relying on solved structures or massive datasets, speeding up hit-finding and expanding the reachable therapeutic landscape.

01:36 Meet Avital Sharir-Ivry

08:55 How ProPhet emerged from AION Labs challenge

12:12 Core AI technology for hit-finding at scale

15:00 Benchmarks and collaborations

17:54 ProPhet’s differentiation from traditional drug discovery

19:45 Importance of scaling small molecule exploration

24:19 Pharma AI investments and emerging trends

26:11 Future AI breakthroughs in drug discovery

27:04 Challenges and progress for women in science

31:15 Keep up with ProPhet

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• Seven influential women in biotech in 2026 
• Report: Adopting AI in biologics discovery
• Webinar: How AI and LLMs are helping chemists design drugs faster and smarter 

Today, we're joined by Thomas Hopkins, Vice President and Head of ExploR&D at Eli Lilly. With a background as a physician-scientist in oncology, Thomas has spent his career bridging bold discovery science with rigorous development, first in academia and clinical practice, then at Lilly since 2015.

Lilly ExploR&D represents new thinking in the pharma-biotech collaboration model: a shared-risk, deep scientific partnership designed specifically for early-stage biotechs. It provides full-stack R&D capabilities helping companies overcome the toughest hurdles in moving from molecule creation to clinical proof-of-concept, all while staying lean in a challenging funding environment.

In this episode, Thomas dives into his journey shaping ExploR&D, how the program works in practice, current priorities in modalities and therapeutic areas, and offers some practical advice for biotechs seeking to partner with Eli Lilly.

01:30 — Meet Tom Hopkins

05:11 — What makes ExploR&D biotech-friendly

07:46 — How collaborations work in practice

09:40 — Shared risk models

14:25 — Engaging bold science early

28:16 — Success stories and advice for biotechs

Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 

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To dive deeper into the topic: 

• Eli Lilly’s strategy in motion: Beyond diabetes and obesity
• Over $3 billion in a month: Why is Eli Lilly starting 2025 on a buying spree?
• What to look for in a biotech incubator