What if treating Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases requires rethinking the problem entirely - not removing plaques or correcting neurotransmitter deficits, but reactivating the brain’s built-in ability to focus, remember, and repair itself?


In this episode of Power to the Patients, host Brandon Li sits down with Dr. Gabriel Vargas, Chief Medical Officer at CuraSen Therapeutics, to explore how adrenergic system modulators could offer both symptomatic relief and potential disease-modifying effects for neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions - challenging the dominance of amyloid-focused approaches in Alzheimer's research.


So, whether you're navigating a neurodegenerative diagnosis, curious about innovative drug development, or wondering why current treatments fall short, this conversation is packed with cutting-edge science and hard-won clinical insights. 


What You'll Learn:- How translational medicine bridges preclinical science and human trials and why it’s essential for determining real-world therapeutic viability


- Why the adrenergic system may unlock both symptomatic improvement and long-term disease-modifying potential for neurodegenerative disorders


- How pairing beta-2 agonists with peripheral beta-blockers enables brain-selective targeting while reducing systemic side effects


- Why direct agonist therapies may succeed where SSRIs and amyloid-focused drugs fall short, especially in severe neurodegenerative states


- The clinical difference between symptomatic relief and true disease modification, and why both matter to patients and caregivers


- How PTRS (Probability of Technical & Regulatory Success) guides strategic decisions, regulatory alignment, and investment in new drug development


About the Guest:
Dr. Gabriel Vargas is Chief Medical Officer at CuraSen Therapeutics and a physician-scientist with over 20 years of experience in early-stage drug development, with particular expertise in neurology and psychiatry. Holding an MD/PhD from UC Irvine, Dr. Vargas has led translational medicine initiatives at industry leaders including Hoffmann-La Roche and Amgen, where he spearheaded the development of Erenumab for migraine - a breakthrough therapy approved by the FDA in 2018. 



Episode Resources:

• Dr. Gabriel Vargas on LinkedIn
• Brandon Li on LinkedIn
• Company Website:
  • CuraSen Therapeutics 

In this episode, host Brandon Li speaks with Cuong Do, CEO of BioVie, to explore the intersection of inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Drawing from his remarkable journey from Vietnam to McKinsey to biotech entrepreneurship, Do shares insights on drug development, clinical trials, and the future of CNS therapeutics.
What You'll Learn:- Why inflammation may be the hidden link between Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Long COVID
- How to design effective clinical trials by minimizing variability and selecting objective endpoints
- The critical advantage of small molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier
- Why the amyloid hypothesis dominated Alzheimer's research and what we've learned since
- How biotech funding challenges are creating a pipeline problem for future drug development
- The "What Does Success Look Like" framework for maintaining focus on transformative outcomes in drug development
- Why continuous infusion delivery systems can improve safety profiles of existing drugs
- How to evaluate and acquire promising biotech assets through scientific due diligence
- Why Parkinson's trials can be more cost-effective than Alzheimer's studies
- The emerging technologies reshaping CNS drug development, from BBB crossing to personalized oncology
About the Guest:
Cuong Do is the CEO of BioVie, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for neurological and inflammatory conditions. With over 17 years as a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and executive roles at Samsung, Lenovo, and Merck, he brings extensive leadership experience across healthcare and technology sectors. His journey from conducting medical research at the age of 14 to founding multiple successful biotechnology companies showcases his deep commitment to advancing medical science.


Episode Resources:

• Cuong Do on LinkedIn
• Brandon Li on LinkedIn
• Company Website:
  • BioVie

The future of psychedelic medicine lies in non-hallucinogenic compounds that could revolutionize treatment for neurological conditions while avoiding the complexity of traditional psychedelic therapy.
In this episode of Power to the Patients, host Brandon Li speaks with Dr. Chris Witowski, CEO and Co-Founder of Psilera, to explore the emerging field of non-hallucinogenic psychedelic compounds and their potential applications in treating neurodegenerative conditions, particularly frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

What You'll Learn:- How non-hallucinogenic compounds could deliver the benefits of psychedelics without the challenges of traditional psychedelic therapy
- Why neurodegeneration presents a unique opportunity for psychedelic medicine, particularly in addressing mood disorders and cognitive decline
- The science behind neuroplasticity and its potential role in treating neurodegenerative conditions
- How biomarkers in neurological conditions provide clearer efficacy measures compared to psychiatric applications
- Why the traditional psychedelic therapy model may not be suitable for neurodegenerative patients
- The potential for combining traditional psychedelics with non-hallucinogenic maintenance doses for optimal patient outcomes
- How new diagnostic tools and blood tests are revolutionizing patient identification in neurodegenerative conditions
- Why the intersection of natural product chemistry and psychedelic medicine creates new therapeutic possibilities



About the Guest:
Dr. Chris Witowski is the CEO and Co-Founder of Psilera, specializing in the development of non-hallucinogenic psychedelic compounds for neurological conditions. With a background in natural products chemistry and a PhD focused on drug discovery from natural sources, he has extensive experience in pharmaceutical development and previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at AltMed. 

Episode Resources:

• Dr. Chris Witowski on LinkedIn
• Brandon Li on LinkedIn
• Company Website:
  • Psilera

In this episode of Power to the Patients, host Brandon Li speaks with Dr. Joseph Palumbo, Chief Medical Officer at BioVie Pharma, exploring the fascinating journey from academic research to pharmaceutical development, with a particular focus on neurodegenerative diseases and the crucial role of inflammation-focused treatments in brain health.
What You'll Learn:- How successful drug development bridges academic research, clinical practice, and commercial strategy
- The key differences between developing drugs in big pharma versus biotech environments
- Why inflammation is emerging as a critical factor in treating neurological conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
- How to validate early-stage drug development data and make informed decisions about progression
- The evolution of ALS treatment and why smaller, focused trials can lead to breakthrough therapies
- Why systems biology and cross-disciplinary approaches are revolutionizing neuroscience research
- The importance of combining clinical experience with research expertise in drug development
- How natural brain molecules can be modified to create more effective treatments for neurological disorders
- Why understanding the gut-brain connection is crucial for treating neurodegenerative diseases
- The critical role of scientific collaboration and diverse thinking in advancing medical research

About the Guest:
Dr. Joseph Palumbo is the Chief Medical Officer and Head of R&D at BioVie Pharma, bringing extensive expertise in neuroscience, psychiatry, and drug development. With a distinguished career spanning academia (Yale, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania) and pharmaceutical leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Mitsubishi, and Cephalon, Dr. Palumbo has been instrumental in developing breakthrough treatments for conditions including ALS, depression, and neurodegenerative disorders. He played a pivotal role in bringing edaravone to market for ALS treatment after a 20-year gap in therapeutic advances. Currently leading research initiatives at BioVie, Dr. Palumbo focuses on inflammation's role in neurological conditions, particularly in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, while exploring innovative approaches to drug development using systems biology and natural brain molecules.

Episode Resources:

• Joseph Palumbo on LinkedIn
• Brandon Li on LinkedIn
• Company Website:
  • BioVie Pharmaceuticals

Clinical trial methodology and human relationships are the cornerstones of successful drug development, particularly in psychiatry and neuroscience research.

In this episode of Power to the Patients, host Brandon Li speaks with Dr. Steve Brannan, Chief Medical Officer of Karuna Therapeutics (recently acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb), about the art and science of running successful clinical trials, particularly in psychiatry, and the future of precision medicine in mental health.
What You'll Learn:- How to build trust-based relationships with research sites to ensure high-quality trial execution- Why the "right pace" principle in clinical trials matters more than speed- The framework for detecting and preventing fraudulent trial participants through data monitoring- How digital biomarkers and AI are reshaping psychiatric clinical trials- Why successful trial execution depends on balancing hard metrics with "soft touch" site management- How neuroplasticity-based treatments are changing the paradigm for psychiatric drug development- The importance of looking beyond traditional biomarkers to digital precision measures in psychiatry- Why clinical operations excellence is often the overlooked key to trial success- The emerging role of ecological momentary assessment in capturing real-world patient data- How to maintain trial quality while scaling across multiple research sites

About the Guest:Dr. Steve Brannan is the Chief Medical Officer of Karuna Therapeutics, recently acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb, where he played a pivotal role in developing the first new-mechanism schizophrenia drug in decades. With extensive experience as a psychiatrist and clinical researcher, Dr. Brannan has held leadership positions at major pharmaceutical companies including Eli Lilly, Cyberonics, Novartis, and Takeda. His expertise spans clinical trial methodology, neuroimaging, and psychiatric drug development, having been instrumental in bringing several successful medications to market. In this episode, Dr. Brannan shares invaluable insights on clinical trial optimization, the evolution of precision psychiatry, and the critical importance of clinical operations excellence in drug development. His work at Karuna Therapeutics, where he was employee number two, culminated in the successful development and FDA approval of a groundbreaking schizophrenia treatment, demonstrating his deep understanding of both the scientific and operational aspects of psychiatric drug development.

Episode Highlights:00:00 Intro: Leading Innovation in Psychiatric Drug Development04:01 The Story Behind Karuna's Breakthrough Schizophrenia Drug11:23 Navigating Big Pharma vs Biotech: Lessons from Both Worlds 17:12 The Art of Managing Trial Variance in Psychiatry26:29 Building Trust Through "Soft Touch" Site Management37:56 The Promise of Digital Biomarkers in Psychiatric Trials 46:52 AI's Role in Clinical Development: Opportunities and Limitations49:47 Neuroplasticity and the Future of Psychiatric Medicine56:37 Clinical Operations: The Unsung Heroes of Trial Success

Episode Resources:

• Steve Brannan on LinkedIn
• Brandon Li on LinkedIn
• Company Websites:
  • Bristol Myers Squibb (formerly Karuna Therapeutics) 
  • Power

In this episode of Power to the Patients, Brandon Li speaks with Dr. Anantha Shekhar, Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Shekhar shares how his early experiences with a family member’s schizophrenia inspired a lifelong mission to bridge neuroscience, psychiatry, and translational research. They explore how psychiatry and neurology are rapidly converging, why the future of mental health treatment lies in understanding brain circuits and plasticity, and what AI, precision medicine, and synthetic biology might mean for the next generation of therapies. Dr. Shekhar also reflects on his pioneering work developing xanomeline—the first novel mechanism of action for schizophrenia in over 70 years—and offers hard-won lessons on trial design, translational gaps, and maintaining scientific rigor in a complex field. A fascinating conversation on the science—and the humanity—behind reshaping how we understand and treat the brain.

In this episode of Power to the Patients, Brandon Li speaks with Ram Mukunda, CEO of IGC, about groundbreaking approaches to Alzheimer’s care. Ram shares how his team is developing an ultra-low dose THC-based therapy to reduce agitation and neuroinflammation without sedation, and how AI models may transform early diagnosis for millions worldwide. Their conversation highlights both the science and the human urgency behind innovating for patients and caregivers facing Alzheimer’s.

What if we could treat severe depression in just five days — and give patients back the cognitive control to live their true lives? This week on Power to the Patients, we sit down with Brandon Bentzley, MD, PhD, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Magnus Medical, to talk about the future of precision psychiatry and the breakthrough SAINT™ protocol.

What does great clinical operations really look like? In this episode, Sarah MacCallum and Melissa Gaines of Annovis Bio share their journeys into clinops and the lessons they’ve learned leading Alzheimer’s and neurology trials. From choosing the right site partners to keeping engagement high, to navigating the unique challenges of working with vulnerable populations, they break down what it takes to run trials that truly make an impact.

With over 25 years of experience building and investing in CNS companies, Daniel shares the story of why he placed a big bet on Acumen — from its origins as a seed-stage idea to today’s phase 2 clinical trial, Altitude AD. He explains the science behind targeting amyloid beta oligomers (rather than plaques), what makes Alzheimer’s research uniquely difficult, and why recent advances in biomarkers, trial design, and patient recruitment give him hope for meaningful progress.