
On this week's episode, Graig Suvannavejh, Sam Fazeli, Eric Schmidt, and Brian Skorney open with a look at the public markets, noting the XBI is up 27% year-to-date but down about 9% since its August high. The co-hosts then touched on Oura's pulled IPO, seeing little read-through for the broader biotech space. In deals, Sanofi and Regeneron extended their antibody collaboration for $1 billion upfront and up to $7 billion in milestones, while AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo struck deals with Summit Therapeutics worth $2 billion in equity and pipeline access ahead of its high-stakes HARMONi-3 readout. Several additional licensing deals with Chinese biotechs were also announced. On approvals, the FDA cleared Mirum's FOP drug and AbbVie's novel D1/D5 Parkinson's therapy Juvmo (tavapadon). In data news, Dyne shared Phase 1/2 DM1 results, Kodiak's wet AMD combination hit its primary endpoint, Immix Biopharma reported positive interim AL amyloidosis data, and uniQure's Huntington's gene therapy data was also highlighted, prompting a broader group discussion on the challenges facing gene therapy. The episode closed with recaps of World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) and European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) touching on lung cancer bispecifics and strong new obesity data from Lilly. This episode aired on October 2, 2026.
Oct 2
1 hr

On this week's episode, Sam Fazeli, Yaron Werber, Brian Skorney, and Matt Gline open with the IPO market, noting record average raise sizes even as XBI softens. The group turns to policy, unpacking newly FOIA-disclosed details of Pfizer's MFN agreement, including a revenue-share provision tied to price increases abroad. The co-hosts call the equalization concept constructive but warn cash-strapped European governments may ration access rather than pay more. They also discuss FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton's confirmation hearing, where innovation-forward opening remarks were read as a positive signal despite lingering questions about her MAHA alignment. In data news, Compass Therapeutics pushed ahead with bispecific tovecimig despite FDA’s request for an overall-survival trial, while Vertex's inaxaplin data broadened the case for efficacy beyond FSGS kidney patients. Amgen's dazodalibep for Sjögren's hit its primary endpoint in a Phase 3 trial, and Viking's VK2735 posted strong Phase 1 maintenance-dosing data in obesity. Celdex's barzolvolimab cleared both primary and secondary endpoints in urticaria, and Alkermes' ALKS 7290 succeeded in ADHD, adding to orexin-agonist momentum. The episode closed with Moderna's melanoma vaccine data tapped for ESMO's top plenary slot and Lexeo's $8.3 billion acquisition of Mantle Therapeutics. *This episode aired on September 25, 2026.
Sep 25
58 min

On this week's episode, Josh Schimmer, Eric Schmidt, Paul Matteis, and guest Adam Feuerstein open with the OpenAI/Hugging Face AI agent controversy, debating whether calls for AI regulation reflect genuine safety concern or capital rotating out of biotech into AI. Turning to markets, the group describes a choppy September for biotech, driven more by rate jitters and a quiet M&A backdrop than any real shift in FDA or drug-pricing sentiment. In data news, Xenon Pharmaceuticals voluntarily paused enrollment in its Phase 3 depression trial after adverse events, sending shares down as investors worry about the company’s epilepsy franchise. The hosts then cover North Immunology's reverse merger, framing the ongoing wave of reverse mergers as a viable, capital-efficient alternative to IPOs. The conversation turns to Sionna Therapeutics failed cystic fibrosis study, leading to a broader discussion of Vertex's durable moat in CF—its proprietary cell-based assay, willingness to cannibalize its own pipeline, and multimodal drug combinations. The episode closed on rare disease, citing recent approvals as signs of a resurgence, along with the measles outbreak and RFK Jr.'s renewed ties to anti-vaccine groups. *This episode aired on September 18, 2026.
Sep 25
55 min

On this week's episode, Tess Cameron, Brian Skorney, Paul Matteis, and Yaron Werber open with a look at markets, noting the XBI slipped just over 3% amid concerns about energy prices, inflation, and long-term U.S. fiscal health weighing on the rate-sensitive sector. The conversation then turns to policy, discussing new FDA leadership appointments including Karim Mikhail as CBER director, with hosts noting the industry's hope for a calmer, less chaotic regulatory tone. They highlight the FDA's apparent openness to psychedelics, pointing to stock reactions across the space. On the data front, Novartis's pelacarsen missed expectations reducing Lp(a) relative to rival programs from Amgen and Eli Lilly, while its DM1 program also fell short, shifting attention to Dyne Therapeutics' upcoming expansion cohort data. The hosts debate whether Novartis's setbacks make early-commercial, post-Phase 3 companies more attractive acquisition targets given looming loss-of-exclusivity pressure across large pharma. In other data news, Roivant's mosliciguat hit its Phase 2 primary endpoints in interstitial lung disease, with the company already advancing to Phase 3. The episode closes with Biohaven's epilepsy trial hold pending further metabolite data, and questions over whether the hold could affect its recent SK Pharma deal. This episode aired on September 11, 2026.
Sep 15
1 hr

On this week's episode, Daphne Zohar, Eric Schmidt, Sam Fazeli, and Graig Suvannavejh open with a strong week for biotech, partially driven by M&A, noting it's already past 2025's full-year total. The group turns to Moderna, whose melanoma cancer vaccine data sent shares up nearly 200% and stirred some mixed feelings from investors. Contrastly, BioNTech's decision to halt its colorectal cancer vaccine trial was also noted. In data news, Revolution Medicines' FDA approval of daraxonrasib (RASONQUE) for pancreatic cancer drew attention for its potential first-line use and implications for trials behind it, while Akeso/Summit's ivonescimab was approved in China for NSCLC and also reported positive Phase 3 data in biliary tract cancer, reinforcing the case for VEGF/PD-1 bispecifics. Also in data news, AstraZeneca's full dataset of eplontersen for ATTR-CM raised doubts about the class of RNA-targeted silencers over currently marketed drugs that “silence” TTR proteins, while EyePoint's Phase 3 miss in wet AMD sent shares down about 70%. The conversation shifts to policy, where the group discusses pros and cons of FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton, the HHS plans for two new deputy roles, alongside concerns over declining U.S. IND filings versus China's rising trial volume. The episode concludes with Amylyx raising over $500 million on strong avexitide data in post-bariatric hypoglycemia, and J&J's Imaavy earning a second indication, expanding the anti-FcRn class. *This episode aired on August 28, 2026.
Aug 28
1 hr 1 min

On this week's episode, Chris Garabedian, Graig Suvannavejh, Paul Matteis, and Tess Cameron open with the biotech market. They describe 2026 as strong but discerning, with 19 Nasdaq IPOs this year and generalist investors still not fully back. The co-hosts also cover recent launches and raises, including Boulevard Bio's launch with Deerfield backing and Epicrispr's $90 million Series C raise for FSHD. In data news, Tenax's HFpEF candidate missed its primary and secondary endpoints, while Sionno's cystic fibrosis drug missed its biomarker target, sending shares down 90%. On the dealmaking front, Jazz acquired epilepsy biotech Actio for $820 million upfront to deepen its rare epilepsy pipeline, and Revolution Medicines struck a RAS-inhibitor partnership covering China development alongside a PRMT5 clinical collaboration. Elsewhere, AbCellera raised $200 million on positive Phase 2 vasomotor data, and Silence Therapeutics raised $175 million on positive polycythemia vera data, while Definium posted positive Phase 3 data for its psychedelic GAD candidate, and Cullinan/Taiho did the same for their lung cancer drug zipalertinib. In regulatory news, Neurocrine's Prader-Willi drug faced new safety scrutiny after reports of seven deaths, and Amgen's Tavneos was pulled by the EMA over misleading trial data. Belite Bio's tinlarebant earned FDA priority review for Stargardt disease, while rival Tarsus acquired Alkeus for about $800 million. The episode closed with a debate on expanding the COINS Act into biosecurity. This episode aired on August 14, 2026.
Aug 14
59 min

On this week’s episode, Sam Fazeli, Brian Skorney, Yaron Werber, and Strand Therapeutics CEO Jake Becraft open with the wave of dealmaking and a solid Q2 earnings season, then turn to the reports of the potential AstraZeneca/Bristol Myers merger, which the group called “more smoke than fire.” Next, as the trend of reverse mergers continues, the co-hosts note they’re increasingly well-received as a faster path to going public. Meanwhile, the IPO window has remained open and strong. The conversation moved to the ongoing China biotech debate, discussing the challenges and opportunities facing US biotech. In regulatory news, the FDA granted breakthrough therapy and orphan drug designations for Mirum’s volixibat, while Replimune received approval for Tudriqev (RP1) in melanoma after its third submission. The group also compared Moderna and BioNTech heading into a data-heavy second, noting BioNTech’s CEO change, and covered Ascendis’s strong launch against BioMarin in achondroplasia, now complicated by ITC patent litigation. The episode closed on a high note with Otsuka’s atrasentan, showing unprecedented two-year eGFR stabilization in IgA nephropathy. *This episode aired on August 7, 2026.
Aug 7
1 hr 3 min

On this week's episode, Graig Suvannavejh, Tim Opler, Yaron Werber, Paul Matteis, and Brian Skorney kicked off with a review of the market, noting pressure in the XBI despite a longer-term bounce-back from trough levels, though they see biotech fundamentals as largely intact. The group also discussed the trend of reverse mergers as an alternative to traditional IPOs, along with AI's expansion and uncertain role in accelerating drug discovery. In regulatory news, the co-hosts welcomed the return of FDA advisory committee meetings, including those for Capricor and Replimune, and highlighted Anthony Fauci's recent Senate testimony on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In deals, J&J struck an in vivo CAR-T partnership with Sail Biomedicines, with potential readthroughs for Legend Biotech, and Argenx is set to acquire Forte Biosciences to bolster its immunology pipeline. The group also highlighted Lilly's recent acquisition of psychedelics company AtaiBeckley, opening a broader discussion on deals in the psychedelics space. The episode concluded with company news including Alnylam shares dropping 30% following disappointing updated guidance, Novo Nordisk’s Phase 3 study for its anti-IL-6 ligand antibody, and MapLight’s Phase 2 schizophrenia readout. *This episode aired on July 31, 2026.
Aug 3
1 hr

On this week's episode, Josh Schimmer, Brian Skorney, Eric Schmidt, and Brad Loncar kick off with IPOs and raises, including Scribe's IPO, the first preclinical biotech IPO since the COVID era, which priced in a modest but upsized deal. The group also covers Mentari's additional $200 million raise ahead of its reverse merger with InMed, leading the co-hosts to question if reverse mergers are a positive for biotech or a worrisome trend. Next, the group turns to Colossal Biosciences' talks to raise at a $20–30 billion valuation, prompting a broader question of what counts as biotech and where the industry's roots lie. The conversation turns to a recap of BiotechTV's inaugural U.S. Science Summit, where a central theme was the need to better explain biotech's work to the general public. The co-hosts then cover the fallout at Immix, whose CMO (hired in March 2025) turned out to be a fugitive on the run; the company disclosed the news in an 8-K, as they believed it not to be a material event. In data news, Dyne's Z-rostudirsen received FDA acceptance and priority review for DMD. The episode concludes with a discussion on policy, debating whether upcoming FDA adcomms for Replimune and Capricor signal a shift under new leadership. *This episode aired on July 24, 2026.
Jul 24
58 min

On today’s episode, Yaron Werber, John Maraganore, Sam Fazeli, and Matt Gline open with a discussion of biotech market volatility, with Matt noting that it often seems driven more by opaque factor dynamics than company-specific fundamentals. The group then turns to Eli Lilly’s continued “Amazonification” and reinventing the pharma business as it acquires a variety of different companies, including this week’s $2.8B upfront acquisition of Atai Beckley, a psychedelic-focused company. The conversation turns to BioCentury’s reporting on Asia-to-West NewCos, prompting a debate about whether China is uniquely changing the market or simply reflects broader shifts in cheaper, faster development. On policy, the group covers BIO’s response to the OMB proposal that could inject political review into federal grant decisions. The co-hosts also debate Kalshi’s move to create prediction markets around clinical trial and regulatory outcomes. On pipeline updates, the group discusses Merck’s approval of Lipfendra, the first oral PCSK9 drug, and the broader class implications. In CNS, Biogen and Ionis’ diranersen tau ASO data spark a discussion of aconfusing dose response, ASO tolerability, tau as a target in Alzheimer’s disease, and the promise of alternative modalities from Arrowhead and Alnylam. The episode closes with M&A and financing, including AstraZeneca’s licensing deal with Dizal for the EGFR exon 20 inhibitor sunvozertinib andErasca’s RAF data plus its $500M financing, which Sam views as a strong market signal despite a volatile biotech backdrop. This episode aired on July 17, 2026.
Jul 17
58 min
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