Good Clincal Charles Beasley

Today’s guest is John Robson (JR), General Manager at Bridgewest Ventures NZ, and Managing Director of BioOra, a company that is automating the manufacture of CAR T-cells.

This episode is brought to you by SAPRO Consulting: https://www.saproconsulting.com.au/

The development of new technologies, whether it be medical or otherwise, requires a lot of resources. One of those resources is capital - financial capital. Financial capital for new ventures can come in many forms, including loans from Mom & Pop or the bank, angel investment, grants, or private capital.

One of the forms of private capital is venture capital, or VC. VC is characterised by investment in young companies with growth potential. But it's not just about the money. As JR puts it, no founder has every said they were successful because they had an endless supply of money...

In this episode, and I discuss:
The idiosyncrasies of the New Zealand start-up ecosystemVenture Capital's role to play in the ecosystemBridgwest's portfolio of companies working in the CAR space....and much much more. 

You can find out more about John Robson and Bridgewest Ventures here:
LinkedIn - John Robson (JR)
LinkedIn - Bridgewest Ventures
https://bridgewest.ventures/
https://bioora.com/

Timestamps:
00:00 Teaser
00:30 Introduction
02:20 True Venture Capital vs. Vulture Capital
05:00 Early Stage / Deep Tech Investment
09:20 Improving the status quo - Infrastructure, Human Capital, Regulation
16:00 Money follows success
20:33 Shaping the world around you
23:15 Doing more with less
25:20 It's not just about the money
26:10 Celebrating, and advertising, our successes
29:45 Where does the money come from - Bridgewest edition
34:30 Industry average is one in ten companies
36:20 Early VC - TechTransfer Office involvement
40:00 Founder Equity - Bespoke arrangements
44:00 Bridgewest's CAR portfolio companies
53:15 Advice for Biotech entrepreneurs

To get in touch head to: https://www.instagram.com/_good_clinical/

Vulture Capital vs. True Venture Capital | John Robson | Ep 25
#goodclinical #goodclinicalpodcast #goodclinicalexplains #goodclinicalevents #goodclinicalnetwork #innovation #podcast #newzealand #commercialization #venturecapital #vc #clinicalresearchassociate #technologytransfer #biotech #science #choices #country #entrepreneur #products #clinicalresearch #biotech #clinicalpractice #chatgcp #healthcare #clinicaltrials #medicine #humanhealth

Today’s guest is Cameron Quilter, and Clinical Research Associate (CRA) at Novotech.

This episode is brought to you by SAPRO Consulting: https://www.saproconsulting.com.au/

In most Clinical Research Trials, there are three players:
The "Sponsor" - the entity that is funding the research and could be a pharmaceutical company, insitute or other non-profit entity;The "Site" - hospital or private research clinical that is carrying out the research and administering the treatments and other procedures to the patients, andThe "Contract Research Organization", or CRO, which is delegated various responsibilities on behlaf of the sponsor.The Clinical Research Associate, or CRA, is the workhorse of the Sponsor or CRO. CRAs work with staff at the "site" to ensure that the research is conducted according to local and international regulatory and Ethical requirements, and helping to ensure that safety, rights and well-being of research participants are the priority.

CRAs need to have keen attention to detail, a solid understanding of human biology and pharmaceutical science, and an ability to work well with all different personality types and manage the multitude of different "stakeholders". Oh, and being comfortable travelling to different cities every other day is a plus too!

Despite this, the hardest part about a CRA role? Can often be getting a role in the first place! Yet once one has their foot in the door, the CRA role provides a spring-board to take your Science Career in a multitude of different directions.

In this episode, Cameron and I discuss:
How to get land a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) jobThe different careers paths that one can take after a CRA careerSome thoughts on the future of Clinical Research and biotechnology in New Zealand and AustraliaYou can find out more about Cameron and Novotech here:
LinkedIn - Cameron Quilter
LinkedIn - Novotech

Cameron Quilter | How to get a CRA job and how to make the most of it | Ep 24

#goodclinical #goodclinicalpodcast #goodclinicalexplains #goodclinicalevents #goodclinicalnetwork #innovation #podcast #newzealand #commercialization #clinicalresearchassociate #technologytransfer #biotech #science #choices #country #entrepreneur #products #clinicalresearch #biotech #clinicalpractice #chatgcp #healthcare #clinicaltrials #medicine #humanhealth

Today’s guest is Dr Zahra Champion, Executive Director of BiotechNZ.

This episode is brought to you by SAPRO Consulting: https://www.saproconsulting.com.au/

Biotechnology is a broad category, and ranges from the use of yeast to brew beer, something humans have been doing for the past 9,000 years to manipulating our DNA to fight cancer, something we have been doing for last 20 years. Biotech is a platform technology that sits across all sectors - animal health, agriculture, human health etc.

Modern Biotechnology has the potential to change lives and economies. New Zealand is at a crossroads, after years of onerous regulations stifling advancement in this area, the new government have made moves to re-vamp these regulations to unlock capacity.

But to make a modern biotechnology industry happen, you don't just need benign regulations, you also need smart and motivated individuals and even smarter money. I

n this episode, Dr Champion and I discuss:
What is Biotechnology and where the opportunities areWhat we can learn from other countries that have developed frameworks to support the implementation of biotechnologyAdvice for budding and future biotech entrepreneursYou can find out more about Dr Champion and BiotechNZ here:
LinkedIn - Zahra Champion
BioTECH NZ

Timestamps:
00:00 Teaser
00:30 Introduction
02:50 Regulatory framework holding Biotech back
04:10 Negative implications of not having a Biotech industry
05:30 What is Biotech
08:50 Taking gene technologies from the lab to trial
13:19 Medicinal cannabis: a case study
14:00 New Zealand can adopt the gold-standard of regulations from the world
15:15 Opportunity-cost of NOT having a thriving biotechnology industry
18:20 Biotechnology is expensive
21:00 Early-stage funding is available, but late-stage is not
25:00 Developing a New Zealand flavour for biotech
29:00 Australia vs. New Zealand
31:15 Tall poppy syndrome & showing the world that we are open for business
33:40 Short vs. Long-termism
37:20 Aroa Biosurgery & Neuren Pharmaceuticals set an example
38:50 Smart money = not repeating the same pitfalls
40:30 Internal monologue or dialogue
44:50 Advice for Biotech Entrepreneurs

Dr Zahra Champion | The Future of Biotechnology in New Zealand Ep 23 | Ep23
#goodclinical #goodclinicalpodcast #goodclinicalexplains #goodclinicalevents #goodclinicalnetwork #innovation #podcast #newzealand #commercialization #clinicalresearchassociate #technologytransfer #biotech #science #choices #country #entrepreneur #products #clinicalresearch #biotech #chatgcp #healthcare #clinicaltrials #goodclinical #goodclinicalnetwork #goodclinicalmedia 

Today’s guest is Dr Paul Hamilton, Clinical Director of Early Phase Research at Pacific Clinical Research Network (PCRN).
This episode is brought to you by SAPRO Consulting: https://www.saproconsulting.com.au/

New medicines are first studied in animals before they are tested in humans. Animal testing provides an insight into the efficacy, safety and tolerability of the new medicine. But before a new medicine can be tested on their intended patient population, the so-called "First In Human" (FIH) testing needs to take place. This is typically done in Normal Healthy Volunteers (NHVs) - i.e., a group of healthy individuals, not taking any prescription medications. Once the safety and tolerability of a new medicine has been substantiated in NHVs, only then can the medicine be tested in a patient.

These types of trials are Phase 1 and 1b/2a trials, respectively, and are collectively called "Early Phase Trials". Early Phase trials are an exciting part of the clinical trials spectrum, as this is where the "Proof of Concept" is first determined. And, as Dr Paul Hamilton explains, can deliver impressive health improvements if the technology works as expected.

As time progresses, new medicines become more targeted as we enter the era of "precision medicine". The drugs of tomorrow, are being tested today. The argument for participating in a clinical trial as a patient with a disease is compelling as Dr Hamilton explains in this podcast.

In this episode, Dr Hamilton and I discuss:
The importance of Early Phase Clinical TrialsWhy clinical trials need to be seen as a component of a patient's overall healthcare journey Future opportunities and challenges in the Clinical Research/Trials space in New ZealandYou can find out more about Dr Hamilton and Pacific Clinical Research Network (PCRN) here:
Pacific Clinical Research Network
Paul Hamilton - LinkedIn
PCRN - LinkedIn

Timestamps:
00:00 Teaser
00:22 Introduction
01:30 Pivoting from from medicine and clinical research
08:40 Paul's defining moment in clinical trials - Sofosbuvir
12:30 Danicopan
15:50 The future of medicine starts with Early Phase research
21:30 Early Phase vs. Late Phase
23:30 Setting up a new Early Phase research location
29:25 Clinical trials have a responsibility for delivering healthcare
33:00 Designing good early phase studies
37:00 The Future of Clinical Trials in New Zealand
44:25 Advice for getting into clinical research

Dr Paul Hamilton | Clinical Trials are driving the Future of Medicine and Healthcare | Ep 22

innovation #podcast #newzealand #commercialization #clinicalresearchassociate #technologytransfer #biotech #science #choices #country #entrepreneur #products #clinicalresearch #biotech #clinicalpractice #chatgcp #healthcare #clinicaltrials 

Today’s guest is Dr Brian Ward, Founder and CEO of Aroa Biosurgery, an ASX-listed, biotech company with with a ~$200 m AUD market capitalization.

This episode is brought to you by SAPRO Consulting.

Aroa Biosurgery is a New Zealand-based, ASX-listed biotech company that develops and commercializes novel products that promote wound healing and soft-tissue repair. Their proprietary products, developed from tissue taken from the fore-stomach of sheep, provide the body with structural and biological components that provide a head start in the healing process. 

Biotech is a hard business. It's expensive, time-consuming and the road to success is fraught with difficulty and complexity and many biotech companies never make it to profitability. Despite this, there are a number of biotech entrepreneurs with such a fire within them that the odds seem to be in their favour. 

Dr Ward's and the Aroa Biosurgery story is remarkable. From the idea, to the product, the manufacturing and commercialzation, the various challenges that have arisen have been overcome resulting in a compelling success story that would inspire any current, or aspiring, biotech entrepreneur. 

In this episode, Dr Ward and I discuss:
1. The eureka moment that made Brian pivot from clinical practice to entrepreneurial endeavour
2. The science and technology that underpins their novel products
3. Brian's tips for aspiring biotech entrepreneurs - just get started, understand it will not be easy, be prepared for a "game of attrition" and surround your self with people smarter than you.

You can find out more about Brian Ward and Aroabiosurgery here:
LinkedIn - Dr Brian Ward
LinkedIn - Aroa Biosurgery
Aroa Biosurgery Website

Today’s guest is Madhu Vyas, Theranostics Site Leader at Mercy Radiology, and Programme Lead at Unitec. 

This episode is brought to you by SAPRO Consulting PTY Ltd https://www.saproconsulting.com.au/

Nuclear Medicine, Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry sound like terms pulled straight from a science fiction novel. Yet the use of radioactive materials for the purposes of diagnosing and treating disease - collectively referred to as theranostics (therapy + diagnostics) - are commonly place and an exciting field of discovery and development.

But with so many different radioactive materials to choose from, each with their own characteristics, how do researchers and physicians choose the right one? And how is the radiation targeted to the desired organ or diseased tissue without damaging normal tissue?

In this episode, Madhu and I discuss:
1. The origins of nuclear medicine, molecular imaging and "theranostics"
2. How radioactive material is targeted to different tissues within a patient for the purposes of either diagnosis or therapy
3. What we can expect for the future of an area of medicine that is now hitting it's stride

Madhu Vyas' passion for this field is palpable. When not working as the Theranostics Site Leader at Mercy Radiology, he is teaching the next generation of Medical Imaging technicians and also completing a PhD. Clearly, Madhu has discovered a way to wring more than 24 hours out of a single day!

You can find out more about Madhu, Mercy Radiology & Unitec:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/150880/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercy-radiology/ https://radiology.co.nz/ https://www.linkedin.com/school/unitecnz/
https://www.unitec.ac.nz/

#newzealand #radiochemistry #radiation #radiationtherapy #theranostics #nuclear #nuclearimaging #molecularimaging #theranos #innovation #podcast #commercialization #science #entrepreneurship #innovation