Leading Beyond The Lab

From science fiction to clinical reality. What happens when cell therapy moves from promise to proof in patients who have run out of options?

This week on Leading Beyond the Lab, Lawrence Rose sat down with Amit Rakhit, Chief Medical Officer at BlueRock Therapeutics, to explore how regenerative medicine, leadership, and culture intersect at the most pivotal stages of biotech development.

A physician by training, Amit has built his career across large pharma and early stage biotech, including experience at Bristol Myers Squibb and Biogen, working on programmes ranging from rare disease to neurodegeneration. He is also a visible advocate for authenticity and inclusion within the life sciences industry.

In this episode, Amit covers:

• How BlueRock Therapeutics is translating the promise of cell therapy into real clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease, and why this moment is so significant for patients who have exhausted existing treatments (01:09)

• What it takes to balance bold scientific vision with realism, credibility, and execution when leading clinical programmes at a pivotal stage (03:29)

• The real differences between CEO and CMO roles, why leadership is not about hierarchy, and how self-awareness shapes long-term career impact (04:58)

• Why authenticity, diversity of thought, and culture consistently separate successful biotechs from those that struggle, more than metrics alone (06:37)

• Lessons from a career spanning programmes such as Plavix and Spinraza at Biogen, and what physician scientists should consider when transitioning into industry roles (12:00)

If you want to understand how science, leadership, and empathy come together to shape medicines that can truly change lives, this is an episode worth your time.

Check out the full conversation and hear directly from one of the industry’s most thoughtful clinical leaders.

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Amit Rakhit

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-rakhit/

Lawrence Rose

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and background

01:09 Cell therapy and BlueRock Therapeutics’ mission

03:29 Leadership, credibility, and execution

04:58 CEO vs CMO roles in biotech

06:37 Authenticity, inclusion, and culture

09:24 What separates successful biotechs

12:00 Physician scientists transitioning into industry

18:34 Career-defining moments and resilience

22:38 The future of cell therapy and emerging modalities

24:32 AI in drug discovery and clinical development

26:26 Closing thoughts and where to connect

#LeadingBeyondTheLab #ARTOTalent #CellTherapy #BiotechLeadership #RegenerativeMedicine #LifeSciences #ClinicalDevelopment

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What does it really take to back and build world-class biotech companies from idea to FDA approval?

This week on Leading Beyond the Lab, Lawrence Rose sat down with Jonathan Tobin, Partner at Brandon Capital, to explore what truly drives success in life-science venture capital.

With over 20 years' experience spanning biotech investment, company creation, board leadership, and early-stage venture building, Jonathan has played a key role in building and scaling biotech companies across Europe, Australia and the US.

In this episode Jonathan covers:

- How Brandon Capital was co-founded in Australia by Chris Nave and Stephen Thompson, who grew it into a globally respected life sciences VC firm spanning company creation, long-term funding, and expansion in the US and UK.

- Jonathan reflects on how Brandon Capital has helped shape the Australian biotech ecosystem over the last almost 2 decades.

- Investments like AstronauTx, AdvanCell, Myricx Bio, and the stories from the frontline, including strategic pivots, tough decisions, successful exits, and the high-conviction bets that shaped portfolio outcomes.

- Practical, investor-led advice for founders raising venture capital; covering readiness, storytelling, common mistakes, and how to stand out in competitive funding rounds.

- How CatalYm has progressed deep into the clinic, and why Brandon Capital has supported the company through multiple funding rounds.

- Jonathan’s outlook on the future of biotech, from neuroscience and radiopharmaceuticals, to overlooked white-space opportunities shaping the next innovation cycle.

Be sure to check out the full episode of Leading Beyond the Lab, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with anyone building in biotech.

To listen to (or watch) the full episode, search "Leading Beyond The Lab Jonathan Tobin" on your preferred streaming platform.

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The CDMO Changing the Game in Drug Delivery

This week, in another episode of the Making it in Manufacturing Spotlight Series, we sit down with Ankit Gupta, CEO of Instapill, a company redefining oral drug delivery through freeze-dried, fast-dissolving tablets.

With over 15 years of experience spanning investment banking, M&A, and leadership roles in pharmaceutical manufacturing, Ankit brings a sharp perspective on scaling, innovation, and sustainable differentiation.

In this episode, Ankit covers:

• Instapill’s unique FDA-approved non-gelatin ODT technology and why it’s transforming patient outcomes in paediatrics and geriatrics.
• Scaling up manufacturing capacity in India and future expansion plans into the US, and how automation will maintain quality at scale.
• How digital transformation and AI are shaping pharmaceutical manufacturing, from paperless R&D to data-driven precision in production.
• What makes a CDMO attractive to investors, and how sustainable differentiation trumps trend-driven momentum.
• Lessons from M&A and investment banking, and how they inform his approach as a CEO leading growth in a competitive CDMO landscape.

Be sure to check out this episode to hear how Instapill is not only innovating formulation, but reimagining the future of pharma manufacturing.

To listen to (or watch) the full episode, search "Making it in Manufacturing Instapill" on your preferred streaming platform. Or, click on the first link in the comments below.

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Ankit Gupta

CEO at Instapill

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reachankit/

Thomas McMann

Director - Contracts Division

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-mcmann-05540a10b/

Timestamps:

00:11 Stand Out FDA Approval & Speed to Market

08:00 Global Growth and Operations

10:55 Insights & Leadership Takeaways

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This episode is a masterclass in how world-class life sciences investors think about risk, conviction, and real patient impact.

This week on Leading Beyond The Lab, Lawrence Rose sat down with Nikhil Thatte, Partner at Lumira Ventures, a leading Canadian life sciences venture capital firm, with over a decade of experience backing transformative biotech and medtech companies across North America.

In this conversation, Nikhil shares how Lumira Ventures has built a top-quartile VC track record over multiple market cycles, investing across therapeutic areas including oncology, gene editing, gene therapy, immunology, cardiometabolic disease, and medical devices. He also reflects on his journey helping scale globally impactful healthcare companies while staying grounded in patient outcomes.

In this episode, Nikhil covers:

• How Lumira Ventures evaluates investment opportunities in today’s biotech market, including why clinical data, valuation discipline, and a clear path to liquidity now matter more than ever (08:38)

• Lessons from Lumira’s major exit successes, including Histosonics and Endotronix, and what made these companies stand out from an investor perspective, with insights into leadership, timing, and execution alongside Mike Blue at Histosonics (02:33)

• What truly differentiates exceptional founders and management teams, with real examples of conviction moments backing leaders such as Joanna Stanicka at Axonis and Jade Doucet-Martineau at Puzzle Med (22:08)

• Why Canada punches above its weight in life sciences innovation, the structural challenges holding the ecosystem back, and what must change to retain value domestically, including reflections on Canadian success stories discussed throughout the episode (17:40)

• The vision behind the Cancer Breakthrough Fund, Lumira’s partnership with the Terry Fox Foundation, and how this model brings new capital, clinical expertise, and impact-driven investors into oncology innovation (31:08)

If you want a rare, honest look inside how top life sciences VCs assess opportunity, leadership, and long-term value creation, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

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Nikhil Thatte

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhil-thatte-72372333/

Lawrence Rose

Director at ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Nikhil Thatte and Lumira Ventures

02:33 Major exits including Histosonics and Endotronix

05:30 Fund V and what drives LP conviction today

08:38 How Lumira evaluates deals in the current biotech market

17:40 Canada’s competitive advantages and ecosystem challenges

22:08 Backing exceptional founders and leadership teams

31:08 The Cancer Breakthrough Fund and Terry Fox Foundation partnership

37:00 Technologies and trends shaping the next 5–10 years

41:16 Patient impact and what ultimately motivates long-term investing

#LeadingBeyondTheLab #ARTOTalent #LifeSciences #BiotechVC #Medtech #VentureCapital #CanadianInnovation

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Cardio-metabolic diseases are the world’s biggest killer. But what if the next generation of treatments could change everything?

This week on Leading Beyond The Lab, Lawrence Rose sat down with Jyothis George, CMO of Nodthera, and a global thought leader in the obesity space, shaping the future of cardio-metabolic and inflammatory disease innovation. Jyothis has led global programs across GLP-1, SGLT2, PCSK9 and now the emerging NLRP3 inhibitor class. His work spans companies such as Novo Nordisk, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim and his move into biotech with NodThera marks a shift from big-Pharma leadership into next-wave therapeutic development.

In this episode, Jyothis covers:

- How NodThera is shaping the future of metabolic and inflammatory disease treatment.

- A look at the mindset and challenges behind leading in a high-stakes biotech environment.

- Why the right investors often play a critical mentorship role in biotech growth.

- Exploring why endocrinology remains underfunded and overlooked in biotech circles.

- How he previously worked with Eli Lilly (led by David Ricks), contributing to their efforts in the cardiometabolic space.

- Reflections on personal legacy, long-term impact, and how to get in touch.

If you’re interested in cardio-metabolic innovation, GLP-1 evolution, biotech strategy or leadership at the cutting edge of science, this episode is worth your time.

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-beyond-the-lab/id1783115575

Website: https://arto-talent.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@life_sciences

Jyothis George

CMO at NodThera

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyothisgeorge/

Lawrence Rose

Co-Founder + Talent Solutions Director At ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Timestamps:

01:40 NodThera's Role in Future Endocrinology

10:48 Leadership in Biotech

21:05 Investment and Mentorship

30:58 Endocrinology's Underinvestment

38:13 Jyothis George: Legacy & Contact

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25 years of life sciences venture experience in one episode.

This week on Leading Beyond The Lab, @Lawrence Rose sat down with @Joey Mason, a venture investor with 25 years of experience across venture debt, venture capital and company building. Joey’s background spans senior roles with @Claret Capital Partners, @Sofinnova Partners, and earlier positions in investment banking and CRO services. His track record includes multiple successful exits, advising boards, working across Medtech, Biotech, digital health and Techbio, and supporting companies through regulatory approval, clinical development and commercial scale.

In this episode, Joey covers:

• Joey dives into his career spanning 25 years of Life Sciences experience, from early biotech to leading global investment firms.
• He unpacks the frameworks and philosophies that guide his investment decisions across the Life Sciences ecosystem.
• Joey reflects on a standout investment, what made it succeed, and the lessons it offers future founders.
• A candid discussion on what strong leadership looks like in high-growth Life Sciences ventures.
• Joey shares exactly what he looks for in a pitch, and what turns him off instantly.
• Looking ahead, Joey reveals where he’s placing bets and what excites him most about the next wave of Life Sciences innovation.

Check out this episode if you want a grounded, practical understanding of how life sciences companies are assessed, funded and supported behind the scenes, and how founders can communicate, hire and plan more effectively on the path to scale.

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Instagram: Instagram (@arto.talent)

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Apple Podcasts: Leading Beyond The Lab

Website: Home

Youtube: ARTO Recruitment

Lawrence Rose

Co-Founder + Talent Solutions Director at @ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Joey Mason

Venture Advisor @Sofinnova

Venture Partner @Claret Capital Partners

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-mason/

Timestamps

01:09 Joey’s Career

05:14 Investment approaches

19:17 Most successful investment

28:20 Leadership

32:46 How to pitch to Joey Mason

42:21 Future plans

#LeadingBeyondTheLab #ARTOTalent #LifeSciences #VentureCapital #VentureDebt #Medtech #Biotech #TechBio #DigitalHealth #IrelandEcosystem #Pharma #InvestmentStrategy

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🤔 What does it really take to build a biotech that survives the clinical gauntlet and scales into a global business?

🎬 This week on Leading Beyond The Lab, Lawrence Rose sat down with Roel Bulthuis, Managing Partner and Head of Investments at Syncona Limited.

Roel has spent his career building, funding and scaling European biotech companies end-to-end, supporting high-performing teams from inception through clinical development, commercial launch and manufacturing scale-up.

Along the way he references outcomes from portfolio companies such as Autolus Therapeutics and Beacon Therapeutics, showing how patient capital and conviction-led strategy compound over time.

⭐️ Syncona has an impressive portfolio including,

Autolus Therapeutics, Beacon Therapeutics, Spur Therapeutics, iOnctura, Quell Therapeutics, ANAVEON AG, MOSAIC THERAPEUTIC SERVICES, Resolution Therapeutics, Purespring Therapeutics, Forcefield Therapeutics, OMass Therapeutics, Kesmalea Therapeutics, Yellowstone Biosciences, Slingshot Therapeutics.

🚀 In this episode, Roel dives into:

- What defines a Syncona company and its unique model

- Key lessons learned from both successes and setbacks

- How to manage investor involvement without stifling progress

- The challenges of leadership transitions within portfolio companies

- Syncona’s strategic commitment to the European market

- What drives Roel personally and what he enjoys most about his role

Check out this episode if you want grounded insight into biotech venture building, long-term capital strategy and how scientific founders scale from the lab to patient impact. 🤝

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-beyond-the-lab/id1783115575

Website: https://arto-talent.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@life_sciences

Lawrence Rose

Co-Founder + Talent Solutions Director at @ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Role Bulthuis

Managing Partner @Syncona

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roel-bulthuis-aa414a/

Timestamps:

01:10 What makes up a Syncona company?

11:25 What were the main lessons learnt from previous failures/successes?

15:06 Managing investor involvement & preventing counter productivity.

22:14 The issues with exchanging leadership.

31:07 Commitment to the European Market.

42:20 What Roel enjoys about his job.

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A once-in-a-century transformation, and the leader driving it.

This week, in one of our biggest episode of Leading Beyond the Lab yet, we sit down with Christophe Bourdon, CEO of LEO Pharma, a company valued in the multi-billion-euro range and entering one of the most defining chapters in its 100-year history.

With over 25+ years of global biopharma leadership experience, spanning pivotal roles at Amgen, Sanofi, and Orphazyme, Christophe brings a rare combination of commercial excellence, turnaround leadership, and global market insight. He also shares how senior leaders such as Murdo Gordon helped shape his approach to building high-performing, people-centric teams.

In this episode, Host of Leading Beyond The Lab, @Lawrence Rose, discusses with Christophe how he’s reshaping a century-old European company into a modern, innovation-driven global leader, covering:

1. Transforming LEO Pharma, from financial urgency to sustainable growth, cultural renewal, and long-term clarity.
2. The Partner and Development model, and why global players like Gilead Sciences and Boehringer Ingelheim have chosen LEO as a trusted innovation partner.
3. Leadership and culture at scale, transparency, conviction, rebuilding confidence, and empowering bold talent.
4. Preparing for a future IPO, aligning profitability, growth, and a clear 5-year vision for employees, shareholders, and partners.
5. Europe vs. the US in the next decade of biotech, why the US has become LEO’s largest affiliate and what this shift means for global competitiveness.

This episode is a rare look at what it truly takes to modernise a legacy company while keeping innovation, collaboration, and leadership at the core.

Be sure to check out this episode - one of our most important conversations to date.

Follow ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/artotalent

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Instagram: Instagram (@arto.talent)

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Website: Home

Youtube: ARTO Recruitment

Christophe Bourdon

CEO of LEO Pharma

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophe-bourdon-77a62b6/

Lawrence Rose

Co-Founder + Talent Solutions Director At ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Timestamps:

00:00 LEO’S Recent Achievements

06:58 Shaping a Modern LEO Pharma

16:30 LEO Pharma’s IPO Journey

25:39 Christophe’s Leadership

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What does it take to shape a high-impact biotech investment portfolio - and do it under a medical charity mandate?

This week we sit down with Clare Terlouw, Head of LifeArc Ventures, whose 20+ year career spans investment banking, biotech company building, and leading venture teams focused on health innovation. With a unique perspective at the intersection of science, capital, and patient impact, Clare shares a candid and optimistic view of the evolving biotech landscape in the UK and beyond.

In this episode, Clare covers:

- LifeArc Ventures’ mission: how a medical charity is driving returns while staying true to a patient-first vision.

- Investing and scaling biotech: from early inflection points to Series B and beyond, what great companies get right.

- Biotech in the UK: challenges in the current funding environment, the talent surge, and why optimism still holds.

- Tech-enabled drug discovery: how AI, computational biology, and new business models are shaping investment priorities.

- Clare's leadership lens: her personal drive, how she evaluates opportunity, and the power of staying focused on patient outcomes.

Be sure to check out this episode if you're interested in the future of biotech investing, the rise of tech-enabled therapeutics, and how one venture leader is backing science that matters.

Follow ARTO

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kEcRZOiJChOoN1KF2n1ng

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-beyond-the-lab/id1783115575

Website: https://arto-talent.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@life_sciences

Clare Terlouw

Managing Partner at Life Arc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-terlouw-b608aa17/

Lawrence Rose

Co-Founder + Talent Solutions Director At ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Timestamps:

00:00 Life Arc - Investments + Impact

09:44 Investing in and Growing a Company

17:52 Biotech in the UK

26:18 Tech Enabled Drug Discovery

32:57 Clare Terlouw

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If you're not paying attention to nuclear medicine, Danielle Meyrick will change that in under five minutes.

This week, we sit down with Dr. Danielle Meyrick, Director and Co-Founder at EPIC Theranostics, to explore the meteoric rise of nuclear medicine and radiotheranostics. With over 20 years of experience spanning academia, biotech, and hospital environments, Danielle is uniquely positioned as both a scientific pioneer and commercial strategist. Her career has spanned from launching radiopharmaceutical therapies in hospitals to shaping global strategies for biotech companies. If you're serious about understanding the future of oncology, this is the episode to watch. In this episode we cover:

• Why nuclear medicine is having a moment - and what makes radiotheranostics the most promising modality in oncology today.
• From PhD to MD – Danielle’s unconventional path to medicine, and how her dual perspective shaped her leadership style.
• What it takes to commercialise complex therapies – lessons from inside large pharma, mid-stage biotechs, and early-stage ventures.
• The clinical data that changed everything – and how early adopters leveraged compassionate use to gain momentum.
• What’s next for EPIC Theranostics – and why workforce readiness and isotope supply could make or break the sector.

If you're in biotech, pharma, or medtech, this episode is a masterclass in strategic thinking and scientific depth. Watch now and get ahead of where oncology is going.

Follow ARTO

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Spotify: Leading Beyond The Lab

Instagram: Instagram (@arto.talent)

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Apple Podcasts: Leading Beyond The Lab

Website: Home

Youtube: ARTO Recruitment

Danielle Meyrick

Co-Founder + Director At EPIC Theranostiocs

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arndt-schottelius-md-ph/

Lawrence Rose

Co-Founder + Talent Solutions Director At ARTO

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerose/

Timestamps:

00:00 Career Beginnings

06:12 Nuclear Medicine

09:26 Characteristics of a Good Drug Developer

14:13 Future of Radiotheranostics

20:05 Approaching Challenges

26:52 Advice

29:25 Motivations

30:56 Greatest Achievements

#LeadingBeyondTheLab #ARTOTalent #Biotechnology 

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