Rx for Biotech

By Podcast Host Chris LeidliBusiness

Rx for Biotech episodes

May 19 What If Your Own Cells Could Cure Cancer? CAR-T Therapy Explained
What if your own immune cells could be engineered to fight and even cure cancer?
In this episode of Rx for Biotech, host Chris Leidli sits down with Navneet Majhail, MD, a leading expert in blood cancers, bone marrow transplants, and CAR-T cell therapy, to break down one of the most powerful innovations in modern medicine: CAR-T therapy.
CAR-T therapy is a form of immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own T cells - engineered in a lab - to recognize and destroy cancer. It has already transformed outcomes for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, offering hope where few options previously existed.
But despite its promise, many eligible patients still don’t receive CAR-T therapy due to barriers like access, geography, insurance, and care coordination.
In this conversation, Dr. Majhail explains:
• What CAR-T cell therapy is and how it works
• Why access to treatment remains a major challenge
• The role of bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy networks
• How care is shifting closer to home through community-based treatment models
• The importance of caregivers and support systems during treatment
• What the future holds for CAR-T in solid tumors, autoimmune diseases, and beyond
This episode is a must-watch for patients, caregivers, and anyone interested in the future of personalized cancer treatment, immunotherapy, and advanced therapies
28 min
May 07 The Future of Brain Cancer Care: Combining Diagnostics and Targeted Radiation Therapy
Why is brain cancer so hard to detect and treat - and what if we could change that?
In this episode of Rx for Biotech, host Chris Leidli sits down with Marc Hedrick, CEO of Plus Therapeutics, and Russell Bradley, General Manager of CNSide Diagnostics, to explore a new, integrated approach to treating some of the most challenging cancers in medicine: central nervous system (CNS) cancers, including glioblastoma and leptomeningeal metastases.
Brain and CNS cancers are among the most difficult to treat because of the blood-brain barrier, which prevents most drugs from reaching tumors. In fact, only a small percentage of therapies can effectively cross into the brain—limiting treatment options and outcomes.
Plus Therapeutics is tackling this problem with a novel approach using targeted radiation therapy delivered directly to tumors, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Their lead program uses a radioactive isotope (rhenium-186) delivered via nanoliposomes, allowing high doses of radiation to reach the tumor while minimizing damage to the rest of the body.
At the same time, CNSide Diagnostics is helping physicians detect cancer earlier and monitor treatment response using an advanced cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostic test. This highly sensitive test can identify even small numbers of tumor cells—helping doctors make faster, more informed treatment decisions.
Together, this combination of diagnostics + therapeutics + data represents a new model for precision oncology and personalized cancer care.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why brain cancer is so difficult to treat
• The role of the blood-brain barrier in limiting therapies
• How targeted radiation therapy can improve outcomes
• The importance of early detection and diagnostics
• How monitoring tumor cells can guide treatment decisions
• The future of integrated cancer care (theranostics)
This conversation offers a powerful look at how innovation in both treatment and diagnostics could help improve survival and quality of life for patients with some of the most aggressive cancers.
47 min
April 28 How Ossium Health is Changing Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine
What if you could get a Transplant and Reset your Immune System in less than 48 Hours?
In this episode of Rx for Biotech, host Chris Leidli sits down with Kevin Caldwell, CEO of Ossium Health, to explore how bone marrow transplants, cell therapy, and bioengineered immune systems are transforming the future of medicine.
Ossium Health is building a first-of-its-kind bone marrow banking platform, using donor-derived cells to make life-saving treatments available on demand. Traditionally, patients can wait months to find a donor match - time many simply don’t have. Ossium is changing that by enabling transplants in as little as 48 hours, dramatically improving access to care.
In this conversation, Kevin explains how bone marrow transplants work, why they are one of the most powerful tools in modern medicine, and how replacing a patient’s blood and immune system can treat diseases like blood cancers and immune disorders.
We also dive into:
• Why most eligible patients never receive a bone marrow transplant
• How off-the-shelf cell therapy could scale life-saving treatments
• The role of the immune system in preventing disease and cancer
• How donor-derived cells could unlock the future of regenerative medicine and longevity
• Why improving immune health may be one of the most powerful ways to extend human life
As cell therapy and regenerative medicine continue to evolve, Ossium’s approach could help shift healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive, personalized immune system care.
📌 Learn more about how to navigate the healthcare system and find the right specialists:
https://therapy4me.ai
29 min
April 14 How Targeted Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy are Changing Cancer Care
What if chemotherapy could target tumors without harming the rest of the body?
In this episode of *Rx for Biotech*, host Chris Leidli sits down with Christina Coughlin, MD, PhD, CEO of Avacta Therapeutics, to explore a new approach to cancer treatment using targeted chemotherapy and precision oncology.
Avacta is developing a novel platform designed to activate powerful cancer drugs only inside the tumor, potentially reducing side effects like damage to the heart, bone marrow, and other healthy tissues. This approach, known as tumor-targeted drug delivery, could redefine how chemotherapy is used across cancers such as triple-negative breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, and salivary gland cancer.
Christina shares her journey from early work in CAR-T cell therapy and immuno-oncology to leading Avacta’s innovative pre|CISION peptide drug conjugate platform, including its lead asset AVA6000 (faridoxorubicin) now in clinical trials.
In this conversation, we discuss:
• How targeted chemotherapy works and why it may be safer than traditional chemo
• The role of the immune system and immunotherapy in cancer treatment
• Why improving drug delivery is one of the biggest challenges in oncology
• Key clinical insights from early trials of AVA6000
• What the future of precision medicine and personalized cancer care could look like
As cancer treatment evolves, innovations like Avacta’s platform could help patients receive more effective, less toxic therapies tailored to their biology
📌 Learn more about navigating advanced therapies and personalized care at: [https://www.therapy4me.ai]
#CancerTreatment #PrecisionMedicine #Chemotherapy #Immunotherapy #Oncology #Biotech #TargetedTherapy #Avacta #RxForBiotech
43 min
March 24 The Future of Precision Medicine: How Biomarkers Can Guide Your Treatment
What if a simple blood test could reveal how your body responds to disease - or even help doctors choose the right treatment for you?
In this episode of Rx for Biotech, host Chris Leidli speaks with Mo Jain, MD, PhD, co-founder of Sapient, about how scientists are using advanced biology and artificial intelligence to uncover new biomarkers - the biological signals that can help doctors understand what’s happening inside the body.
Biomarkers are becoming one of the most important tools in precision medicine, helping physicians move beyond one-size-fits-all treatments toward care that is tailored to each patient’s unique biology.
Mo explains how Sapient is analyzing thousands of human samples using advanced technologies to better understand metabolism, disease progression, and how patients respond to therapies. These insights could help improve early diagnosis, guide treatment decisions, and empower patients with more personalized health information.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
• What biomarkers are and why they matter for patients
• How AI and advanced biology are helping scientists discover new health insights
• Why understanding your body’s metabolism can change how diseases are treated
• How biomarker data could help patients and doctors make better care decisions
As medicine becomes more personalized, having the right biological information may become one of the most powerful tools patients have to advocate for their own care.
For additional patient education and support, visit:
https://therapy4me.ai
42 min
March 12 How Novartis is Changing Cancer Treatment and Putting Patients First in Modern Cancer Care
In this episode of "Rx for Biotech", host Chris Leidli speaks with Rodney Gillespie, Senior Vice President and U.S. Therapeutic Area Head for Oncology at Novartis, about the rapid evolution of prostate cancer care, including the rise of radioligand therapy and PSMA-targeted treatments like Pluvicto® (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan).
We discuss:
* How PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy delivers radiation directly to cancer cells
* The role of innovation in advanced and metastatic prostate cancer
* Expanding patient access to cutting-edge therapies
* Why patient advocacy and education matter in modern oncology
As prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers in men, new treatment approaches like radioligand therapy are redefining what’s possible for patients living with advanced prostate cancer.
28 min
February 11 Fixing the Body's Shield: A New Way to Fight Neurodegenerative Diseases
What if helping the immune system find balance could meaningfully slow disease progression for diseases like ALS or Alzheimer’s?
In this episode of Rx for Biotech, host Chris Leidli sits down with Arun Swaminathan, CEO of Coya Therapeutics, to talk about a new and hopeful approach to treating neurodegenerative diseases by calming harmful inflammation in the body.
This conversation offers a hopeful look at how science is working to improve quality of life for patients and families facing neurodegenerative disease.
Arun also shares insights from his 20+ years in biotech leadership, including what it takes to advance novel immunology science in high-unmet-need indications and build a product pipeline across neurodegenerative, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases.
34 min
January 27 How to Advocate for Yourself in Cancer Care: Insights from a Top Oncologist
A cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming - but patients are not powerless.
In this episode, Dr. Nainesh Parikh of Moffitt Cancer Center explains how patients and families can better advocate for themselves, navigate complex healthcare systems, and get connected to the right care at the right time.
41 min
January 15 A New Hope for Skin Cancer: The Story Behind a Promising Immunotherapy
This episode is about hope, and about a different way of thinking about cancer treatment.
My guest is Dr. Øystein Rekdal, CEO and co-founder of Lytix Biopharma. Øystein is a scientist and leader who has spent decades studying how the immune system works - and how it can be helped to recognize and fight cancer more effectively.
Rather than focusing only on destroying tumors, Lytix is working on therapies designed to wake up the immune system and help it remember cancer as a threat. It’s an approach that aims not just to treat disease, but to support the body’s own ability to respond.
This is a conversation for anyone who wants to better understand where cancer care is headed, and why there’s real reason for optimism.
35 min
November 20, 2025 Targeting the Fire Within: How InflaRx Is Redefining Inflammation Control
InflaRx CEO Dr. Niels Riedmann joins Rx for Biotech to discuss how the company is pioneering complement-directed therapies to control severe inflammation and autoimmune disease. We break down the science behind INF904, and why C5a is such a powerful immune driver, and how precision immunology is shaping the next wave of treatment innovation.
36 min

About Rx for Biotech

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"Rx for Biotech" is a healthcare education podcast dedicated to helping patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals understand the rapidly evolving world of advanced therapies - and how patients can access them. From cell therapies and gene therapies to radiopharmaceuticals, immunotherapies, and next-generation treatments for cancer and autoimmune disease, this channel bridges the gap between breakthrough science and real-world patient care.