The World In A Grain Of Sand KdT Ventures

KdT Ventures presents The World in a Grain of Sand, where we break down an S1 from a recent biotech IPO and share insights on the science, business models, and financials. In this episode, Ketan Yerneni and Mack Healy discuss Verve Therapeutics, a gene editing biotech tackling one of the most common chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease. We dive into:


Base editing, and its advantages over traditional (potentially error-prone) CRISPR.
Verve’s pipeline, including their strategy of starting with genetically well-defined diseases like familial hypercholesterolemia and then expanding to the general population of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Verve’s approach for predicting off-target gene editing, a key challenge for the gene editing field.
Verve’s unique licensing strategy with Beam, Acuitas, and the Broad to secure several foundational technologies.
The competitive landscape and target product profile tradeoffs for one-and-done gene editing approaches vs other therapeutic modalities.
and more.

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KdT Ventures presents The World in a Grain of Sand, where we break down an S1 from a recent biotech IPO and share insights on the science, business models, and financials. In this episode, Patrick Malone and Mack Healy discuss the biopharma software juggernaut, Schrödinger. We dive into:


Schrödinger's biophysics-based drug discovery platform, and the distinction from machine learning approaches
A dissection of Schrödinger's software business, as well as co-development partnerships and internal therapeutic programs
The story of Schrödinger collaboration with Nimbus on a TYK2 program, resulting in a $4B+ acquisition by Takeda
and more

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Show Notes:


Takeda Acquires Nimbus’ Tyk2 Autoimmune Program
Discovering Nimbus
Selective TYK2 Inhibition: A Story of Vision and Perseverance

KdT Ventures Partners, Mack Healy & Rima Chakrabarti take a deep dive into a specific S-1 filing from a company that has or is hoping to go public within the biology realm. This episode, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, a neuro biotech founded in a dorm room by two scrappy Brown undergrads. We discuss:


the mechanism of action of Amylyx’s lead disease-modifying asset, and competitive positioning relative to other treatments for neurodegeneration such as aducanumab 


Amylyx’s capital efficiency, and reaching PhII trials without a single institutional investor


Amylyx’s unique engagement of ALS patients from the earliest days of the company, helping ensure a strong commercial launch of their ALS therapy


and more



For updates from KdT, please subscribe to our Substack.

KdT Ventures Partners, Mack Healy & Phil Grayeski take a deep dive into a specific S-1 filing from a company that has or is hoping to go public within the biology realm. This month, Codiak BioSciences.

KdT Ventures Partners, Mack Healy & Cain McClary take a deep dive into a specific S-1 filing from a company that has or is hoping to go public within the biology realm. This month, Royalty Pharma.

KdT Ventures Partners, Mack Healy & Phil Grayeski take a deep dive into a specific S-1 filing from a company that has or is hoping to go public within the biology realm. This month, Sana Biotechnology.