Strong launches, positive sentiment, flowing capital, and favorable macro and policy indicators: the signals remain strong as the biotech sector enters 2026. Yet investors may need to search harder for opportunities this year, according to new RBC research. Brian Abrahams, Head of Global Healthcare Research, highlights some of the classes set for new breakthroughs, and points to the potential tripwires that lie ahead as biotech looks to continue its near-historic rally.

Over the last 18 months, MindMed has undergone an extraordinary transformation. It released compelling data for its LSD-based drug MM120, followed by FDA breakthrough designation for MM120 for the treatment of GAD, and strong financial backing. CEO Rob Barrow outlines the company's ambitious goals and the path to potentially transforming mental healthcare at RBC's Global Healthcare Conference.

Eyepoint CFO George Elston provides insights on the evolving space of retinal disease treatment, focusing on capital allocation, medical innovation, industry engagement and financial prudence.

Paris Panayiotopoulos, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone Life Sciences, shares how the firm’s broad life sciences strategy has been advancing innovation across the life sciences ecosystem in three key ways: late-stage product financing (Collaboration) and new company creation (Ownership), and non-dilutive financing (Credit and Royalties). He explains how Blackstone is bridging the innovation funding gap through high-conviction partnerships with larger BioPharma and MedTech companies, and targeted investment in late-stage trials.

Compass Pathways CEO Kabir Nath believes psilocybin-based therapy could be transformational for patients with treatment-resistant depression—and his company is already preparing to deliver it at scale. Speaking at RBC Capital Markets’ Global Healthcare Conference, Nath shares his vision for Compass and the future of psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression.

Every year, flu vaccine manufacturers have to guess what strains to target next season, with varying success. Cidara Therapeutics believes it may have a better alternative. President and CEO Jeff Stein explains how Cidara's laser-like focus on developing CD388, a single-dose antiviral targeting all flu strains, has brought the 40-person company on the verge of a public health breakthrough.

Cidara announces positive topline results from its phase 2b NAVIGATE trial evaluating CD388

President and CEO Jeff Stein Bio

Pravin Dugel, CEO of Ocular Therapeutix provides insights into existing treatments and future product candidates for retinal diseases, underlining the unique challenges, opportunities and innovations in this evolving landscape.

www.ocutx.com

Pravin U. Dugel, MD Biography

A surgeon in burns reconstruction, Matt Klein swapped the operating room for the equally high-pressure environment of drug development. In this episode of Pathfinders in Biopharma, he sets out the vision for the company he now leads, PTC Therapeutics – a pioneer in the field of RNA therapies, now powering towards profitability with treatment candidates for a host of rare diseases.

Scott Neidhold, Director in RBC’s Life Sciences Investment Banking Practice, sits down with Kristen Fortney, CEO and Co-Founder of BioAge, for a deep dive into how her company is turning cutting-edge aging science into real therapeutic breakthroughs — and what it means for the future of biopharma.

Universal wisdom had it that a Republican sweep in the U.S. election would favor biotech. Appointments to the new administration’s healthcare leadership make that far less certain. What effect will this and other factors have on the industry in 2025, and where are the breakthroughs likely to be found? Brian Abrahams, Head of Global Healthcare Research at RBC Capital Markets, looks ahead with in this episode of Pathfinders in Biotech.