Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Clinical Trialblazers
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Clinical Trialblazers
Clinical Trialblazers episodes
- Leading Neuroscience Innovation: A Biotech CEO Playbook with Neil Warma Description: In this episode of Clinical Trial Blaz
In this episode of Clinical Trial Blazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Neil Warma, President and CEO of Promise Neurosciences. Neil has more than 25 years of leadership experience across North America, Europe, and Asia, and shares how his unconventional career path—from neuroscience and Novartis to founding and leading multiple biotech companies—shaped his approach to leadership. Neil shares his perspective on Promise Neurosciences' Alzheimer's program, including the thinking behind its comprehensive Phase 1b study and the company's expectations for its next major data milestone, the future of AI in biotech and more.
We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Please take a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.
Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Our producer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and our production assistant is Joia Putnoi.
33 min - Biotech’s Next Era: Data, AI and the Future of Decision-Making with Jay RobertsIn this episode of Clinical Trial Blazers, host Alberto Grignolo speaks with veteran biotech executive, investor, and board member Jay Roberts about his journey from CFO to CEO and the leadership lessons that shaped his career. Jay explains how a foundation in finance prepared him to lead biotech companies through clinical uncertainty, capital challenges, and high-stakes decision-making, while emphasizing the importance of building strong teams, making fact-based decisions, and knowing when to pivot, partner, or stop a program. He also shares his perspective on investor expectations, board governance, the evolving role of AI and data in drug development, and the qualities tomorrow's biotech leaders will need to successfully bring innovative therapies to patients. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Pleasetake a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Ourproducer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and ourproduction assistant is Joia Putnoi.34 min
- A Journey through Academia, Big Pharma and Biotech: Building Breakthrough Medicines with Dr. Briggs MorrisonIn this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Dr. Briggs Morrison, CEO of Crossbow Therapeutics and former Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Medicines Development at AstraZeneca. Briggs shares lessons from a career spanning academia, Big Pharma, and biotech entrepreneurship—including leadership roles at Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, and now Crossbow. The conversation explores how small biotech companies drive innovation, why constraints can improve execution, and how leaders build teams capable of navigating scientific, clinical, and financial uncertainty. Briggs also discusses Crossbow's recent $77 million Series B financing, the promise of TCR mimetic antibody therapies, and the realities of raising capital in today's biotech environment. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Pleasetake a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Ourproducer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and ourproduction assistant is Joia Putnoi.28 min
- From Setback to Breakthrough: A CEO’s Journey to a First-in-Class Approval with Reenie McCarthy
In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Reenie McCarthy, the CEO of Mighty Therapeutics, formerly known as Stealth BioTherapeutics. Reenie shares her path from venture investor to biotech CEO and the years-long effort to develop and secure approval for a first-in-class therapy targeting mitochondrial dysfunction. She discusses the scientific, regulatory, and funding challenges of advancing a novel treatment through clinical development, as well as the critical role of patient advocacy and the lessons learned from setbacks that ultimately helped shape the company's success.
The conversation also explores the future of mitochondrial medicine and Mighty Therapeutics' mission to bring innovative treatments to patients with serious unmet needs.
We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Please take a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.
Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Our producer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and our production assistant is Joia Putnoi.
37 min - From Startup to Global CRO: Joe von Rickenbach on Building Parexel and Transforming Clinical ResearchIn this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Joe von Rickenbach, co-founder of Parexel and a pioneer of the modern clinical research organization (CRO) industry, to discuss his journey from launching a two-person regulatory consulting firm in 1982 to building a global CRO that helped redefine drug development worldwide. Joe reflects on the evolution of clinical trials, the rise of outsourcing and digitization in pharma, and the leadership lessons learned from scaling Parexel over 35 years. He also shares insights on entrepreneurship, navigating major business decisions and the future of AI-enabled clinical research, and why trust, relationships, and adaptability remain essential for success in biotech and healthcare innovation. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Pleasetake a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Ourproducer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and ourproduction assistant is Joia Putnoi.26 min
- From Legal to Leadership: Becoming a Successful Biotech CEO with Heather TurnerHow do you go from lawyer to biotech CEO?In this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, Heather Turner, CEO of LB Pharmaceuticals, shares her journey from legal counsel to leading a late-stage biotech company. She discusses the mindset shifts required to step into the CEO role, making high-stakes decisions with incomplete data, and balancing risk versus benefit. Heather brings more than 25 years of experience across biotech and life sciences, with a career that uniquely spans legal, operational, and executive leadership. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Pleasetake a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Ourproducer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and ourproduction assistant is Joia Putnoi.31 min
- From Physician to Biotech CEO: Building High-Impact Clinical Development with Dr. Allison JeynesIn this episode of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo sits down with Dr. Allison Jeynes, CEO of Nefro Avillion Clinical Development, to explore her remarkable journey from clinician to biotech leader. With over 30 years of experience and a track record that includes the development and approval of nearly 20 drugs, Allison shares how she built a 100% success-rate model in clinical development, and what it takes to sustain excellence in a high-risk industry. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Pleasetake a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Ourproducer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and ourproduction assistant is Joia Putnoi.34 min
- Capital, Courage, and Clinical Execution: Lessons from a Biotech Founder-CEO with Paul Garofolo
Clinical Trialblazers is back for Season Two. Host Alberto Grignolo speaks with Paul Garofolo, Co-Founder and CEO of Locus Biosciences, about the leadership mindset behind capital efficiency, resource prioritization, and disciplined execution. Drawing on Paul’s journey from global leadership roles at Patheon to founding a next-generation precision medicine company, this episode explores fundraising across market cycles, founder-friendly capital, strategic and government partnerships, and the science behind Locus’ bacteriophage-based platform aimed at tackling multidrug-resistant infections.
We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Please take a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.
Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Our producer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and our production assistant is Joia Putnoi.
29 min - Season 2 is Coming SoonClinical Trialblazers will be back soon! Season 2 will bring together a dynamic mix of biotech innovators, executives, and industry leaders to reveal the strategy and teamwork fueling the next wave of clinical breakthroughs.Across 10 new episodes, host Alberto Grignolo will explore high-stakes decisions, unexpected hurdles, and the defining moments that shape both careers and clinical milestones.Season 2 of Clinical Trialblazers is streaming soon wherever you listen to podcasts. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Pleasetake a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Ourproducer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and ourproduction assistant is Joia Putnoi.2 min
- Leadership Lessons from Biotech Innovators
In this season finale of Clinical Trialblazers, host Alberto Grignolo reflects on key insights and themes from conversations with biotech leaders over the past year. From researchers to entrepreneurs to investors, Alberto spoke with a wide range of leaders in the biotech industry, each with a unique perspective on the evolving biotech landscape and advice for aspiring innovators. This episode is just a sampling of the many compelling stories and lessons shared in this remarkable first season.
We hope you enjoyed this season of Clinical Trialblazers. Please take a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.
Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Our producer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and our production assistant is Joia Putnoi.
We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Clinical Trialblazers. Please take a moment to rate and review this podcast wherever you listen.
Special thanks to our production partner, Wonder Media Network. Our producer is Brittany Martinez, our editor is Gianna Palmer and our production assistant is Joia Putnoi.
23 min
About Clinical Trialblazers
From the publisher's feed
Clinical Trialblazers invites you into the world of biotech leaders as they share the untold stories behind their journeys to bring breakthrough innovations to life. This 10 episode monthly series…
asks biotech visionaries to explore pivotal moments in their careers and the milestones that shaped their lives. Through unscripted conversations, host Alberto Grignolo dives into the decisions, risks, and accomplishments that define these trialblazers legacies to uncover the heart, grit, and ingenuity driving the future of scientific innovation.