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“This isn't just one gene edit—this is multiple edits, working in concert. It’s a fundamentally different chassis.”
In this episode of The Biotech Startups Podcast, Aaron Edwards, co-founder of KiraGen Bio, shares how a Harvard Business School class project ignited the launch of a pioneering biotech taking on solid tumors with a bold, unconventional CAR T-cell therapy. 
He unpacks the real-world challenges of building KiraGen—navigating fundraising, assembling a strong team, and leveraging mentorship, partnerships, and machine learning—while highlighting how focus, discipline, and authentic leadership can set a startup apart, even when it means breaking from industry norms.
Key topics covered:

• The Origin of KiraGen: Born from an HBS pitch deck, KiraGen set out to tackle immune suppression in solid tumors.
• Contrarian CAR T-Cell Design: Bold multi-edit strategy to outsmart tumor microenvironments and hit glioblastoma.
• Focus and Discipline: Lean operations, every dollar counts, eyes on clinical milestones.
• Creative Fundraising and Partnerships: Unconventional funding, academic alliances, and patient-driven capital.
• Authenticity and Team Building: Realness, inclusivity, and mentorship at the core—paying it forward in biotech.

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Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biotech-startups-podcast/id1679591994Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PSL162R2s0zOwU5913Zv4Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebiotechstartupspodcast Website: https://www.thebiotechstartupspodcast.com/ 
Find our guest, Aaron Edwards, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedwards02/ Website: https://www.kiragenbio.com/  Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee
Learn more about Excedr:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/ Website: https://www.excedr.com
Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:Website: https://flow.page/kyojin 
Resources & Articles:Base Editing & CRISPR 2.0: https://beamtx.com/science/base-editing/CAR T-Cell Therapy: https://investor.bluebirdbio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/bluebird-bio-announces-amended-bcma-car-t-collaborationActivator Program: https://nucleate.org/activator/Biotech Studio Program: https://www.2048.vc/blog/bio-studioThe Founder Mindset: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1676.htmlTFS Programs: https://www.thermofisher.com/jp/ja/home/products-and-services/services/crdmo.html
Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:Bluebird Bio: https://www.bluebirdbio.com/Beam Therapeutics: https://www.beamtx.com/2048 Ventures: https://www.2048.vc/Nucleate: https://nucleate.xyz/Thermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.com/
George Church: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-church-2b86301/David R. Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-r-liu-465394185/Reza Satchu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reza-satchu/Terry-Ann Burrell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-ann-burrell-10477424/Jen Nwankwo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenasherphd/
Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:39 The Origin Story of KiraGen07:15 From Bluebird to Beam: Learning Cell Therapy15:51 Finding Product-Market Fit in Glioblastoma20:59 The Importance of Focus and Discipline24:20 Early Company Building and Lab Setup28:16 Building the Team and Hiring Strategy38:27 Creative Fundraising and Partnership Strategies45:06 Two-Year Vision: IND Filing and Clinical Data51:22 Shoutouts to Mentors and Supporters55:50 Advice to 21-Year-Old Self: Authenticity as a Superpower01:00:09 OutroThe Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.