Molecule to Market: Inside the outsourcing space

The master-builder now on a cell therapy crusade

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Jason C. Foster, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Ori Biotech.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Jason, covering:

• How being frustrated by big company life led to the development of a business unit within Reckitt Benckiser that went on to be valued at $1bn
• The story of how a spin-out went on to list on the LSE with a cool $3.5bn market cap
• Taking his skills and experience before making 18+ healthcare start-up investments,... determined to add value beyond the cash
• Being wowed by the potential of CGTs and building the business he always wanted to work for in Ori

The mission is to build enabling technology for power cell therapy companies and cut down the manufacturing costs by at least 50% to improve accessibility and affordability.

Jason has held leading roles in consulting, healthcare and technology companies for over 20 years in the US, UK and Europe. He is CEO and Executive Director for Ori Biotech, a cell and gene therapy manufacturing technology start-up with offices in London and New Jersey.

He raised a $100M Series B funding round in December 2022. Jason also serves as a Non-Executive Director of London-based health tech start-ups gripAble and Credentially and Auxita Pty, an Australian healthcare data platform. As the Managing Director of Health Equity Consulting, he has advised PE/VC funds, family offices, accelerators and healthTech start-ups.

 

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Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

From astrophysicist to biopharma industry leader

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Ben Locwin, Chief Scientist, Head of Clinical Services and Project Sciences at Black Diamond Networks (BDN).

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Ben, covering:

• Being part of the Lonza growth story in its 'scrappy' years
• Learning never to say no to a good opportunity and how that's opened many doors
• Becoming part of the more significant patient conversations at Biogen
• Dropping in seal teams to help companies do what they may never have achieved
• Why is change always inevitable in our sector, and what may the future hold for us all?

As the saying goes, we're all a product of our growth and past experiences. Ben Locwin is an industry and healthcare executive who has been variously described as a "Remarkably talented speaker" by the Association for Talent Development, a "Rockstar epidemiologist" by NPR, a "healthcare futurist" by Contract Pharma and Rodman Media, and "a good friend" by ...his friends.

He began his journey as an astrophysicist 30 years ago and then transitioned into the world of biotech in the 1990s when the nascent industry was yet poised to take over the world. He has specialized training as a neuroscientist and has worked with some of the top companies in the industry, both as a leader and a consultant.

He has been a member of several Boards, association committees, steering teams, Task Forces, and scientific advisory panels.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

From Big Pharma to Snapdragon

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Matthew Bio, CSO, Cambrex & President, Snapdragon Chemistry

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Matt, covering:

• The frustrating experience of not having ownership or being hands-on at big pharma middle management
• Recounting the early days of Snapdragon Chemistry and being in the right place at the right time to harness continuous process manufacturing
• Getting out of the way of your talented people to let them explore and shine
• The story behind how a proposed acquisition by Asymchem was blocked by the Treasury’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)...
• Deciding to choose and stay at Cambrex post-acquisition, and having the freedom to use Snapdragon as a catalyst for growth

Matt began his career in chemistry more than 30 years ago developing continuous processes for the manufacture and purification of acrylates at the former Rohm & Haas company. Matthew then moved to Columbia University and earned a PhD in Chemistry. Upon graduating, Matthew returned to industry as a process development chemist at Merck Research Laboratories. 

In 2006, Matthew moved to Amgen where he worked on the development of both batch and continuous manufacturing solutions for synthetic drug substances. He also worked on the development of new manufacturing technologies for synthetic – biologic hybrid molecules. In 2015, Matthew was a founding member Snapdragon Chemistry, Inc., a contract development firm specialized in continuous manufacturing technology. He is author or inventor on more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and patents, and numerous regulatory filings. Matthew is driven by a passion for the development of new chemical technologies.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

 

The LATAM CRO Queen

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Sara Tylosky, CEO at Farmacon Global.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Sara, covering:

• The gift and curse of being known for rescuing complex clinical trials
• The data challenge of rare diseases and how that impacts patient access
• Navigating the complexity of rare diseases in Latin America and why it all starts with education
• How her father's role in building space stations globally inspired her own international business journey
• The future of clinical trials and why Latin America is well positioned to be a leading player

Sara brings over 20 years of experience leading teams in both large and small pharmaceutical and biotech environments. She has led Farmacon Global, a strategic CRO of medical consultants, in accelerating clinical trials, increasing diversity, supporting enrollment, and paving the way to market access in emerging markets.

Known for her high cultural intelligence and problem-solving skills, Sara and her team specialize in Rare Diseases, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Cancer, and Vaccines. Fluent in Spanish and having lived on four continents, she has a special focus on Latin America while actively expanding into other key markets globally. Sara's direction plays a pivotal role in steering Farmacon Global toward healthcare innovation and global market leadership.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

 

The pulse of Big Pharma CEOs

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Ray Pressburger, Senior Managing Director, Accenture Strategy - Lead for Life Sciences and US Market Products Industries.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Ray, covering:

• Continuously making mistakes as an authentic leader, and his journey across two decades at Accenture
• The five most important themes for CEOs of the 10 big pharma firms...
• The dominant question of our moment... and an underappreciated issue going under the radar
• How AI and tech give us a chance to reimagine and rebuild from the ground up

Ray has 20 years of experience in strategy, growth, and transformation in the Life Sciences industry. He specializes in helping C-suite leaders navigate business unit and portfolio strategies, commercial model changes, and growth initiatives. Passionate about the evolving economic landscape, Ray works internationally, driving impactful change and innovation for clients in North America, Europe, and emerging markets. He holds a degree in Information and Systems Engineering from Lehigh University.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

How to plan for life sciences events in 2025

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Luke Bilton, Co-Founder at Life Science Networks, PharmaSource and CDMO Live.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Luke, covering:

• How Covid exposed the complacency of event organizers in pharma services
• Behind the scenes of organizing CPHI Worldwide - what's it really like - chaos or calm?
• How companies should be thinking about event budgeting, planning and ROI in 2025
• Beware 'the HIPPO' when planning which events to attend

Luke Bilton is Co-Founder of Life Science Networks, a next-generation community and events organization specializing in biopharma manufacturing. The company's growing portfolio includes the PharmaSource outsourcing podcast and online community, alongside its flagship event, CDMO Live.

With over 20 years experience launching and growing digital media and events businesses at companies including Informa, Future and Innovation Enterprise, Luke partnered with Chris Kilbee, former head of CPHI global events, to establish Life Science Networks.

CDMO Live (World Trade Center, Rotterdam, 7-8 May 2025) brings together biopharma's manufacturing leaders to optimize their outsourcing strategy. The event's unique PartnerMatch program facilitates curated one-to-one meetings between sponsors and over 50 leading CDMOs. To find out more, visit CDMO Live

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Biopharma Global Supply veteran

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Robert Bottome, a global supply veteran.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Robert, covering:

• Stretching yourself by tapping into the collective wisdom of others
• The challenge of pairing internal production capacity with the need for agile, rapid early phase R&D
• The decision to leave Genentech to do a 'do over' and do things better at a growing biotech company
• Why strategic partnerships are easy on a PowerPoint but hard to realize in practice fully

Now retired, Robert is an accomplished and results-driven supply chain and operations leader with extensive experience overseeing and driving global supply chain operations and operational efficiency for organizations in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries (including Genentech and BioMarin).

He has experience managing end-to-end supply chain functions, including global logistics, production planning, trade compliance, and product launches. He has a background in transforming cross-functional teams and implementing strategic initiatives optimizing production schedules, reducing cycle times, and improving supply resilience.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Meet the healthcare futurist

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Imran Kausar, Founder of DeepHealth Consulting.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Imran, covering:

• His unusual blend of experience led to a road into big pharma...
• Switching the security of Big Pharma to join an exciting, scrappy, start-up biotech... before an exit to Roche
• Being part of the gene therapies evolution with an innovative biotech that later became Novartis Gene Therapies
• His views on the thorny issue of CGT products' price (and value)
• Opting to start his own business aimed at supporting the future of healthcare

Imran Kausar is a visionary healthcare and life sciences leader, blending medical expertise with strategic foresight. A medical doctor by training, Imran specialized in anesthesia and critical care before transitioning to the pharmaceutical industry. Having launched five rare disease medicines and spearheaded innovative work in gene therapies like Zolgensma and Luxturna across Europe, Imran has earned his reputation as a trailblazer in the industry.

As the founder of DeepHealth Consulting, Imran leads the flagship program DeepHealth Futures, which equips life sciences teams to navigate the transformative forces of AI, longevity science, and precision medicine.With nearly two decades of experience in medicine, medical affairs, and general management, Imran’s career spans the cutting edge of rare diseases, antisense oligonucleotides, and healthcare transformation. 

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

The dynamic duo driving global growth

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with James Lovett, CEO and Mike Cohen, Executive Chairman at Myonex.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with James and Mike, covering:

• How a family-owned pharmacy became a major global clinical trial supplies business... two generations later
• Mike's decision to bring in a CEO and the challenge of letting go... before seeing the data points of success
• James' decision to take on the baton and fuel organic and inorganic growth through client-centricity
• The decision not to take investment and instead 'run our own play' using some of PE's tried and tested playbook
• Why this industry will always grow due to unmet medical needs and breakthroughs in science

Michael’s passion and commitment have been a driving force in making Myonex, a global leader in clinical trial supply. Under his leadership, Myonex has expanded its service offerings and strengthened manufacturer and sourcing relationships, opened new locations and expanded the employee base. Today Michael focuses on strategic growth opportunities. Before Myonex, he served in executive positions in the publishing, advertising, financial and utility industries. He holds a BS in Statistics from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from the university’s Katz Graduate School of Business.

James is driven to help clients deliver medical advances, to develop team members, and to lead Myonex to continued success. Before joining Myonex in 2017 as Chief Operating Officer, James was SVP of Covance, where he led three business units, was General Counsel and served on the Executive Committee. He was named Myonex CEO in 2019. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Food Chain ID and the Board of Trustees of the Wistar Institute. James has played leadership roles in the Association of Clinical Research Organizations and the National Association for Biomedical Research. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and Harvard Law School.

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Biopharma Insights: Live from J.P. Morgan

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Dean McAlister, Executive Vice President at Inizio Biotech.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Dean, covering:

• The evolving dynamics within the life sciences sector and how they are shaping outsourcing strategies
• Key insights and trends from J.P. Morgan week, including challenges and opportunities for CROs and CDMOs
• The Impact of cautious optimism on Business Development teams and commercial strategy in the current market Climate
• Why 2025 may be a year of incremental growth and how contract service providers can position themselves for success amidst swirling market headwinds
• The importance of strategic customer engagement and brand positioning for smaller, specialized players to gain an edge over global CDMO giants

Dean brings a wealth of experience from his leadership role at Inizio Biotech, where he focuses on driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence. Prior to joining Inizio, he held executive leadership roles at AstraZeneca in US Commercial Sales and Market Access, leading teams of up to 1,100 people and overseeing high-impact strategies in a highly competitive environment.

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

 

Molecule to Market is also sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.