Base to Base Biotech

Jim Cornall

The Base to Base Biotech podcast is a weekly look at what's happening in the world of biotech, with interviews with biotech leaders around the world. Whether it's a new drug, cutting-edge technology, product launches, new technology, major finding announcement or clinical trial results, Base to Base Biotech keeps you informed. The podcast is hosted by former biotech editor and broadcaster, the award-winning media veteran Jim Cornall. Base to Base is an Ayr Coastal Media Ltd production.

  1. Base to Base biotech podcast 63: Cell and gene therapy logistics, and turning back the Parkinson’s clock

    2d ago

    Base to Base biotech podcast 63: Cell and gene therapy logistics, and turning back the Parkinson’s clock

    This week, we have a conversation with Mark Sawicki, president and CEO of Cryoport Systems, and we chat with Nick Manusos, CEO of Kenai Therapeutics. Times: 03:22 Cryoport Systems 22:24 Kenai Therapeutics Cryoport Systems Cryoport Systems provides temperature-controlled supply chain solutions for the life sciences industry. The company supports the transportation, storage and management of sensitive biological materials used in biopharma development, reproductive medicine and animal health. Its services are designed to protect products and materials that require tightly controlled environments, including cell and gene therapies, biologics and reproductive specimens. The company offers an integrated platform that combines specialised shipping systems, logistics and transportation services, cryopreservation, biostorage and bioservices capabilities, and consulting support. Its solutions cover a range of temperature requirements, from cryogenic conditions below -150°C to refrigerated and controlled room-temperature environments. Cryoport Systems also provides monitoring and traceability technologies intended to maintain the integrity of materials throughout the supply chain. Cryoport Systems is part of Cryoport, Inc., a publicly traded company headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Founded in 1999, Cryoport, Inc. serves customers globally through a family of companies that includes Cryoport Systems, MVE Biological Solutions and CRYOGENE. The organisation supports clinical and commercial programmes worldwide, with a particular focus on the temperature-controlled supply chain requirements of advanced therapies. Kenai Therapeutics Kenai Therapeutics recently announced a major milestone with the dosing of the first patient in its phase 1 clinical trial of RNDP-001. This approach is fundamentally disease-modifying, moving beyond symptom control to address the root cause of Parkinson's disease, and has the potential to be manufactured in large batches and readily available for more patients across the globe. Current Parkinson’s treatments focus almost entirely on managing the symptoms caused by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons. RNDP-001 represents a significant shift by aiming to replace those lost neurons, repair damaged neural circuits, and potentially restore motor function. Unlike patient-specific (autologous) therapies, RNDP-001 is an allogeneic (donor-derived), cryopreserved product built on a proprietary iPSC platform. This is a critical practical advancement, allowing the product to be manufactured in large batches and readily available for more patients, which is essential for global access. The therapy has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA, acknowledging the urgent need for new treatments and the potential of RNDP-001 to address a serious unmet medical need. To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email jim@deeptechdigest.com

    49 min
  2. Base to Base biotech podcast 62: A new approach to strokes

    Jun 5

    Base to Base biotech podcast 62: A new approach to strokes

    This week, we have a conversation with Revalesio president Greg Archambeau about tackling strokes, and other conditions, with a novel method. Revalesio While the pharmaceutical industry often focuses on complex chemical compounds, Revalesio is pioneering a novel drug class rooted in a surprising field: fluid physics. Revalesio is also focusing on stroke, a condition in need of new therapies. Revalesio’s breakthrough therapy, RNS60, is unlike traditional treatments. It uses a proprietary process to create an oxygen-supersaturated saline that harnesses physical forces to fundamentally improve cellular health. By boosting mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP production, the therapy addresses the core of cellular decline. Revalesio is currently at the frontier of human health with a primary focus on ischemic stroke, where they have already demonstrated game-changing results, with their phase 2 clinical trials showing a 50% reduction in brain loss and a significant reduction in disability for stroke patients. With a yearly global economic burden of stroke estimated at $890bn, RNS60 has the potential to unlock a new standard of care and drastically reduce hospital stays (from 10.8 days to 6.0 days in high-dose groups). The platform technology is also being explored for traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s disease, and broader healthy aging and health-span applications. Led by an executive team with deep roots at Eli Lilly, AbbVie, and Amgen, Revalesio is now moving toward phase 3 trials. To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email jim@deeptechdigest.com

    26 min
  3. Base to Base biotech podcast 61: Making tumours visible, and taking on tough challenges

    May 29

    Base to Base biotech podcast 61: Making tumours visible, and taking on tough challenges

    This week, we speak with John Friend, CEO of Kazia Therapeutics; and have a conversation with PureTech Health CEO Robert Lyne and Eric Elenko, president and co-founder of PureTech and acting CEO of Gallop Oncology. Times: 03:23 Kazia Therapeutics 31:56 PureTech Health PureTech Health PureTech Health plc is a hub-and-spoke biotherapeutics company dedicated to giving life to science and transforming innovation into value. The company recently announced positive topline data from its phase 1b clinical trial of LYT-200, a first-in-class, fully human anti-galectin-9 monoclonal antibody, in heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) high-risk (HR) myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and R/R acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Based on the results, PureTech's founded entity, Gallop Oncology, has selected a recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) and intends to engage with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the design of a subsequent trial that could potentially support registration of LYT-200 in R/R HR-MDS. PureTech’s strategy has produced dozens of therapeutic candidates, including three that have received U.S. FDA approval. Kazia Therapeutics About 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. While many patients benefit from advances in treatment, some of the most aggressive forms are still very difficult to treat and often stop responding to therapy. A growing focus in oncology is how to overcome that resistance by changing how tumours behave. Kazia Therapeutics is advancing a strategy centred on reprogramming cancer cells. Instead of just blocking growth, the goal is to make tumours less aggressive and more visible to the immune system. Their lead candidate, paxalisib, is an oral therapy currently being studied in advanced breast cancer. In metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most treatment-resistant tumour types, early data suggests that combining paxalisib with standard therapies may begin to address both immune resistance and metastatic drivers simultaneously. To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email jim@deeptechdigest.com

    1h 1m
  4. Base to Base biotech podcast 59: DIA helping biotech thrive, and Gorlin syndrome

    May 15

    Base to Base biotech podcast 59: DIA helping biotech thrive, and Gorlin syndrome

    This week, we have a conversation with DIA chief science and regulatory officer, Maria Vassileva, and Medicus Pharma CEO, Raza Bokhari. Times: 02:53 Medicus Pharma 29:13 DIA DIA DIA (Drug Information Association) is a global organisation that assists life science professionals from across all areas of expertise to engage with patients, peers and thought leaders in a neutral environment on the issues of today and the possibilities for tomorrow. Starting with the controversy over the drug Thalidomide, DIA’s founders - a group of 30 pharmaceutical professionals, medical writers, and academics - came together to create a platform for necessary global communication and collaboration to solve a healthcare threat to unborn children worldwide. Today, professionals from 80 countries engage with DIA through its membership network, educational offerings, and professional development opportunities. Medicus Pharma Medicus Pharma Ltd. has submitted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for SkinJect (D-MNA) for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in patients with Gorlin syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterised by the development of multiple, recurrent skin cancers. There are no FDA-approved therapies specifically for BCC in Gorlin Syndrome. The submission represents a strategic expansion of the SkinJect programme into a high unmet need orphan indication, where current treatment options are limited and often involve repeated surgical procedures associated with cumulative morbidity and disfigurement. Medicus believes SkinJect can address this through a localised, repeatable, non-surgical treatment approach. It is a doxorubicin-containing dissolvable microneedle array designed for direct intradermal delivery into BCC lesions. SkinJect has been evaluated in phase 1 and 2 clinical studies in patients with basal cell carcinoma. To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email jim@deeptechdigest.com

    1h 5m
  5. Base to Base biotech podcast 57: Keeping drugs cool, and treatment resistant depression

    May 1

    Base to Base biotech podcast 57: Keeping drugs cool, and treatment resistant depression

    This week, our conversations are with Uwe Diegel, CEO of Lifeina, about their cooling technologies, and with Dirk Beher, CEO of FundaMental Pharma, about treatment resistant depression. Times: 02:37 FundaMental Pharma 23:56 Lifeina FundaMental FundaMental Pharma is a preclinical biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new treatments for treatment‑resistant depression (TRD). The company’s platform centres on proprietary dual‑acting modulators of the N‑methyl‑D‑aspartate receptor (NMDAR). These molecules simultaneously disrupt the pathological complex formed between NMDAR and the TRPM4 ion channel, while also acting as potent NMDAR antagonists. This dual mechanism is designed to intervene upstream in the neurobiological processes associated with excitotoxicity and impaired neuronal signalling, offering a differentiated strategy compared with existing antidepressant classes. FMP374 is the company’s lead candidate and has demonstrated strong antidepressant‑like effects at low nanomolar concentrations in preclinical proof‑of‑concept studies. Importantly, these studies have not shown dissociation‑related behaviours, ataxia or hyperactivity at efficacious doses, supporting the potential for an at‑home therapeutic profile. The molecule is orally bioavailable and is progressing toward IND‑enabling studies. The company’s goal is to deliver new therapeutic options for patients with severe unmet medical needs, where current treatments often fail to provide adequate relief. Lifeina Lifeina is a French health‑tech company focused on portable, connected medical‑device solutions for people who rely on temperature‑sensitive medications. Its flagship product, LifeinaBox, is a compact, battery‑powered mini‑fridge designed to keep biologics such as insulin, growth hormones and certain injectable therapies within a safe temperature range during travel or daily use. The device pairs with a mobile app that monitors temperature, battery status and usage patterns, providing alerts if the medication is at risk. The company positions its technology as a way to give patients greater independence and mobility. Lifeina works with patient groups, clinicians and pharmaceutical partners to refine its devices and expand compatibility with a wider range of biologic medicines. To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email jim@deeptechdigest.com

    46 min
  6. Base to Base biotech podcast 56: GRIN genes and relapsing MS

    Apr 24

    Base to Base biotech podcast 56: GRIN genes and relapsing MS

    This week, our conversations are with Bruce Leuchter, co-founder, president, CEO of Neurvati Neurosciences and GRIN Therapeutics; and Daniel Vitt, CEO of Immunic. Times: 02:54 Immunic 24:04 Neurvati Neurosciences/GRIN Therapeutics GRIN Therapeutics GRIN Therapeutics Inc. is dedicated to the research and development of precision therapeutics for neurodevelopmental disorders with the goal of bringing hope to patients and caregivers. In 2024, GRIN Therapeutics reported promising topline data from a phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating investigational radiprodil in GRIN-related neurodevelopmental disorder (GRIN-NDD) in patients with gain-of-function variants, leading to the decision to advance to the global pivotal phase 3 Beeline trial. The company has an additional ongoing clinical trial to evaluate radiprodil for the potential treatment of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and focal cortical dysplasia type II (FCDII). GRIN Therapeutics is an affiliate of Neurvati Neurosciences. Immunic Immunic Inc. is a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of novel oral therapies for neurologic diseases. The company’s lead development programme, vidofludimus calcium (IMU-838), is currently in phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis, for which top-line data is expected to be available by the end of 2026. It has already shown therapeutic activity in phase 2 clinical trials in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, progressive multiple sclerosis and other diseases. Vidofludimus calcium combines neuroprotective effects, through its mechanism as a first-in-class nuclear receptor-related 1 (Nurr1) activator, with additional anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects, by selectively inhibiting the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). The company’s development pipeline also includes earlier-stage programmes, including IMU-856 and IMU-381, aimed at building a broader therapeutics platform addressing neurodegenerative, chronic inflammatory, and autoimmune-related diseases. To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email jim@deeptechdigest.com

    1h 3m

About

The Base to Base Biotech podcast is a weekly look at what's happening in the world of biotech, with interviews with biotech leaders around the world. Whether it's a new drug, cutting-edge technology, product launches, new technology, major finding announcement or clinical trial results, Base to Base Biotech keeps you informed. The podcast is hosted by former biotech editor and broadcaster, the award-winning media veteran Jim Cornall. Base to Base is an Ayr Coastal Media Ltd production.

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