Raising Biotech

In this July summer episode, we slow things down again and revisit a conversation from the Raising Biotech archive. Today's episode is a replay from November 2023, featuring Synchron, a company developing implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to restore communication and digital independence for people living with severe paralysis. At the time, brain-computer interfaces sat somewhere betwee...

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...

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 in...

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 “longevit...

In this episode, Surani speaks with George Magrath, CEO of Opus Genetics, about the realities of leading a public biotech company through a major strategic pivot and intense market scrutiny. Opus Genetics emerged from a 2024 reverse merger between Nasdaq-listed Ocuphire Pharma and a private gene therapy company focused on inherited retinal diseases. What followed was a turbulent stretch for the co...

In this episode, we focus on the personal journey of Sheila Gujrathi, a physician turned biotech builder whose career spans medicine, big pharma, rapid IPOs, and billion dollar exits. We explore what it takes to raise biotech across cycles, from early clinical development to public markets, and how Sheila navigated building companies while operating in environments where she was rarely the default...

In this early-January episode, we slow things down, and reflect... Today’s episode is a replay from the Raising Biotech archive — a conversation originally recorded in November 2023 with eGenesis, a company working at the frontier of xenotransplantation, or transplanting genetically modified animal organs into humans. At the time, xenotransplantation sat somewhere between science fiction and early...

In this episode, we dive into one of the most universal aesthetic concerns on the planet: pattern hair loss. Despite affecting more than 80 million people in the US and over a billion globally, innovations in treatment have barely moved in decades. Veradermics is aiming to change that with an extended release formulation of oral minoxidil (the same active ingredient in Rogaine), designed to improv...

In this special on-the-ground episode of Raising Biotech, Surani takes you inside BIO-Europe 2025 in Vienna — the dealmaking, the caffeine, and the cautious optimism shaping Europe’s biotech landscape right now. Over three packed days, 6,000+ attendees from more than 60 countries gathered to broker partnerships, court investors, and debate what’s next for the industry. Surani attended panels, spok...

In this episode, we dive into ReproNovo’s “trash to treasure” biotech story. Founded in Switzerland in 2021, the company is reimagining reproductive medicine, one of the most underserved areas in biotech, by reviving overlooked and discarded assets. Earlier this year, ReproNovo raised a $65M Series A from a syndicate of esteemed European investors to advance programs in male infertility, embryo im...

In this episode, we look at AltruBio’s Cinderella story. While the company officially launched in 2020, its roots go back more than 20 years with a rich immunology pipeline stuck in “academic-style experiments.” On the brink of bankruptcy, a team of executives — including Dr. Judy Chou — stepped in to reboot the company, which has since raised nearly $300M. Judy reflects on her journey from med sc...

This episode of Raising Biotech takes a different turn — not just the story of a biotech, but of a partnership. Steve Butts, CEO of Arrivo BioVentures, and Dr. Dave Adair, Co‑Founder and Managing Partner of Solas BioVentures, have built ten companies together over nearly two decades. From Steve's first shaky startup pitch to Dave in San Francisco to major exits and a novel company‑building model,...

In this episode, we go inside the creation of Xaira Therapeutics — the biotech startup that raised over a billion dollars at launch without a product or clinical data. Speaking with Vik Bajaj, CEO and co-founder of Foresite Labs (and one of the people behind Xaira’s creation), Surani explores how Xaira’s approach could redefine biotech company building, why it’s different from typical AI hype, and...

In this bonus episode, Surani shares an honest update on what’s been happening behind the scenes at Raising Biotech, why Season 3 took longer than planned, and what to expect going forward. From reflections on building the podcast solo to plans for the future, it’s a candid check-in for listeners who’ve been waiting patiently — and a thank you to everyone who’s supported the journey so far. Suppor...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani finally delves into the scary zone of cancer with German biotech iOmx. The company has raised a total of EUR 115 million (Series A and B) since its inception in 2016 and is hoping to take immuno-oncology drug development to new heights. CEO Apollon Papadimitriou joins the podcast to speak about iOmx's unique mission with its iOTarg platform at the front a...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani delves into the world of CNS and Parkinson's disease with Cerevance. CEO Craig Thompson joins the podcast to speak about Cerevance's unique mission and use of its NETSseq platform to develop more targeted precision medicines for CNS diseases, particularly targeting the GPR6 receptor in Parkinson's disease. He speaks about the company's origins, its unique...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani learns that it's never too late to launch a biotech as Sparrow Pharmaceuticals was born when its founder, Dr David Katz, was ready to retire. During his long career within big pharma, David had always had his eye on solving the 75-year old puzzle of steroid side-effects. The company raised $50 million in its Series A in 2020, and now has three clinical tr...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani explores the fascinating world of vision restoration and optogenetics with Ray Therapeutics. The company raised an oversubscribed $100m Series A in May 2023, which was particularly noteworthy during a extremely grim year for fundraising. Surani speaks with CEO and Co-Founder Paul Bresge about how his daughter's retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis drove him to...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani explores the truly unique story of Fauna Bio -- a female trio founding team that is studying evolution and the intersection of animal and human genomics to unlock powerful new therapeutics to treat complex human diseases. The company has raised a total of $19 million in financing since its inception (2018), but most recently made headlines for its $494 mi...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani explores the multi-layered start-up story of Israeli lipid nanoparticle biotech Mana.bio. This is a tech meets biotech story, where AI and machine learning is being leveraged to develop novel lipid nanoparticle formulations to get nucleic-acid based therapies (DNA, RNA, CRISPR) to hard to reach organs. The company announced a $19.5 million seed financing...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani explores the untapped world of tRNA therapeutics with Flagship Pioneering-founded company Alltrna. The company raised $109 million in a series B in August 2023. Surani talks to CEO Michelle Werner about the inception of Alltrna, the company's tRNA therapeutic thesis and her journey to the role. She also talks about the company's plans to study its technol...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani delves into Arialys and its mission to revive an autoimmune encephalitis drug from the grave after big pharma no longer wanted it. The company founders are a bunch of venture capitalists (Avalon Ventures, MPM Capital & Catalys Pacific) who saw potential in pursuing the preclinical drug candidate -- raising a $58 million seed financing in September 2023 to...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani delves into Synchron and its mission to develop a potential first-in-class implantable brain computer interface (BCI) that allows people with motor impairment to communicate their thoughts through a device. Founded in 2012, Synchron has raised $145 million since inception, which has taken the implant into clinical trials and the company is gearing up for...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani Fernando speaks with eGenesis CEO Mike Curtis on its mission to create pig donor organs for humans waiting for a transplant. The company has raised $263 million over the last 6 years and is now raising further funds to start human clinical trials. Surani speaks to Mike about the company's history overcoming past Xenotransplantation challenges and using CR...

In this episode of Raising Biotech, Surani speaks with CEO and co-founder Jack O'Meara of Ochre Bio, a company dedicated to tackling the large and unsolved problem of complex and chronic liver diseases. Founded in 2019, Ochre raised an impressive $30 million after only three years in start-up mode and is now gearing up to take some of its drug candidates into the clinic. Surani speaks to Jack abou...