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Raising Biotech

Raising Biotech

By: Surani Fernando
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A narrative podcast series hosted by journalist Surani Fernando that goes beyond the headlines to explore how biotech companies are really built — from bold ideas and impressive fundraises to the science that could reshape healthcare. Surani speaks with founders, CEOs, investors, and experts to uncover origin stories, company missions, and the challenges of bringing ambitious discoveries to market. Through thoughtful, independent reporting, Raising Biotech examines what it really takes to turn breakthroughs into lasting impact for patients and the industry. For guest or sponsor pitches, please get in touch with Surani Fernando on LinkedIn or email raisingbiotech@gmail.com.Surani Fernando Biological Sciences Economics Science
Episodes
  • S4, E6: Investor Spotlight: From Cancer Physician to Biotech Investor, with Dr Jakob Dupont of Sofinnova Investments

    S4, E6: Investor Spotlight: From Cancer Physician to Biotech Investor, with Dr Jakob Dupont of Sofinnova Investments
    Jun 3 2026
    In this special Investor Spotlight edition of Raising Biotech, Surani sits down with Dr. Jakob Dupont, Executive Partner at Sofinnova Investments, to explore one of the most unusual career trajectories in biotech. Before becoming a venture investor, Dupont spent decades as a physician, cancer researcher, biotech executive, and drug developer, helping bring therapies from the laboratory all the way to patients. From Memorial Sloan Kettering to Genentech, Roche, OncoMed, Gossamer Bio and Atara Biotherapeutics, his career spans nearly every corner of the drug development ecosystem. The conversation explores what investors are really looking for when evaluating biotech companies, why unmet need and clinical strategy matter as much as the science itself, and how Sofinnova approaches investing in clinical-stage therapeutics. Dupont also shares examples from Sofinnova's portfolio, including Avenzo Therapeutics and Capstan Therapeutics, before discussing the future of biotech, the rise of new therapeutic modalities, AI-enabled drug development, and why the industry's next challenge may be developing medicines quickly enough to keep pace with innovation. Timestamps 00:00 — Introduction: Why this Investor Spotlight is different 02:00 — Growing up in a family of doctors and finding a passion for cancer research 04:00 — Leaving academia for Genentech and the transition into industry 05:00 — A career across Genentech, Roche, OncoMed, Gossamer Bio and Atara 06:00 — Why venture investing felt like a natural next step 10:00 — Sofinnova Investments: strategy, structure, and investing in clinical-stage biotech 15:00 — What investors really look for: unmet need, science, clinical strategy, and teams 19:00 — Avenzo Therapeutics: backing experienced operators and oncology innovation 22:00 — Capstan Therapeutics: betting on in vivo CAR-T before the market caught on 24:00 — The future of biotech, AI, and the challenge of accelerating drug development For any comments, questions or feedback you can connect directly with Surani Fernando on LinkedIn or email: raisingbiotech@gmail.com Title music composed by: Yurii Semchyshyn (Coma Media)
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    30 mins
  • S4, E5: Compass Pathways and the Quest to Bring Psychedelics to Psychiatry, with CEO Kabir Nath and Prof David Nutt

    S4, E5: Compass Pathways and the Quest to Bring Psychedelics to Psychiatry, with CEO Kabir Nath and Prof David Nutt
    May 6 2026
    In this episode, Surani explores one of biotech’s most controversial and ambitious frontiers: psychedelic medicine. At the center of the story is Compass Pathways, the London-based biotech attempting to bring synthetic psilocybin through the modern drug approval system for treatment-resistant depression. What began as a deeply personal mission for founders George and Katya Goldsmith has evolved into one of the most closely watched companies in mental health biotech, surviving both the psychedelic hype cycle and the broader biotech market crash. Surani speaks with CEO Kabir Nath to explore Compass’s unusual financing journey, the rise of institutional interest from investors like Otsuka Pharmaceutical, and the company’s pivotal Phase II and Phase III studies that may ultimately lead to the first FDA-approved psychedelic medicine. She is also joined by renowned neuropsychopharmacologist Professor David Nutt from Imperial College London to unpack the science, investor skepticism, regulatory concerns and implementation complexities surrounding psychedelics. Timestamps 00:01 — Introduction 02.00 — The Compass origin story: George and Katya Goldsmith, psilocybin, and building a biotech 07:00 — Early financing struggles, Peter Thiel, and why traditional biotech investors stayed away 08:30 — Otsuka, and the moment psychedelics entered the mainstream 11:00 — Compass IPOs into the biotech boom — then the market crashes 13:00 — The controversial Phase IIb results: remission rates, safety concerns, and investor backlash 21:00 — Kabir Nath joins Compass as CEO to launch the Phase III program 22:00 — Breaking down the Phase III data, durability questions, and FDA approval odds 26:00 — Lykos' FDA fiasco, psychotherapy, blinding debates, and the regulatory challenge for psychedelics 31:00 — Real-world rollout: J&Js Spravato, scalability, pricing, reimbursement, and Compass’s future vision Founders' Story: Business Insider Article After On podcast: For any comments, questions or feedback you can connect directly with Surani Fernando on LinkedIn or email: raisingbiotech@gmail.com Title music composed by: Yrii Semchyshyn (Coma Media)
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    37 mins
  • S4, E4: The Weight of the Moment: How GLP-1s are Rewiring Biotech Investing, Expert Analysis

    S4, E4: The Weight of the Moment: How GLP-1s are Rewiring Biotech Investing, Expert Analysis
    Apr 1 2026
    In this episode, Surani takes a deep dive with experts into biotechs hottest new hype cycle -- GLP-1s. Over the past couple years, biotech investing has felt like it’s entering a new gravitational field, with GLP-1s at the center. Once a niche diabetes therapy, these drugs have evolved into a commercial juggernaut, hailed as everything from a “blockbuster weight loss pill” to a potential “longevity drug.” With Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly raking in a combined $70 billion from GLP-1s in 2025 alone, the capital markets are responding in kind: mega Series A/B rounds, billion-dollar M&A deals, and a stampede of new startups chasing metabolic targets. But this momentum raises deeper questions, not just about science or market opportunity, but about what gets funded, what gets sidelined, and what kind of biotech future we’re building. In this episode, Surani traces the scientific and regulatory journey of GLP-1s -- From the Gila monster venom to global market domination -- and unpacks what this class of drugs tells us about the current state of biotech investing. She’s joined by three guests offering different vantage points: Jakob Dupont, Executive Partner at Sofinnova, Stephanie Sirota, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, and William Ho, CEO of In8bio and former investor and analyst covering GLP-1s. Together, they explore the promise and perils of capital clustering, how investors frame GLP-1s beyond weight loss, and what happens when you’re trying to raise money outside the hype. This is not just a story about one drug class, it’s a story about biotech’s risk tolerance, its blind spots, and the tension between commercial gravity and scientific breadth. Timestamps: 00:00 — Opening: The GLP-1 money trail and biotech’s new center of gravity 03:00 — What are GLP-1s and where did they come from? The Gila monster origin story 04:30 — From Byetta to Ozempic: early setbacks, FDA hurdles, and Novo Nordisk’s breakthrough 12:00 — The new investor wave: GLP-1s as de-risked, commercial mega-hits 16:30 — Beyond weight loss: The expanding promise of GLP-1s in other indications and longevity measures 20:00 — The muscle loss problem and the next wave of combo drugs 23:00 — William Ho on hype cycles and long-term unknowns 27:00 — Raising outside the magnet: the challenges for complex biotech 30:30 — Final reflections: the double-edged success of GLP-1s For any comments, questions or feedback you can connect directly with ⁠⁠Surani Fernando⁠⁠ on LinkedIn or email: raisingbiotech@gmail.com Title music composed by: Yrii Semchyshyn (Coma Media)
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    34 mins
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