Molecule to Market: Inside the outsourcing space

The Amalgamator of Biz and Bio

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Oren Beske, Amalgamator of Business and Biology at ATUM.

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

• How he ended up at Atum with one of the most peculiar job titles in the industry...
• The balance (and conflict) of combining a world-class science offering with the economic need of needing to monetise a business
• The journey from transactional, smaller deals in the pre-clinical space to powering outsourcing for biotechs
• The realities of drug development capability sharing in return for a slice of the profit pie, and its upsides when it comes to a CRO vendor and drug sponsor model

Dr. Oren Beske joined ATUM in 2019 and brings over 20 years of industry experience to the team. After receiving his Ph.D. in Cell Biology at UCSF, he led a biology team at an automated microscopy start-up that was developing solutions for the high throughput, high content screening industry. Having spent over five years there he moved from product development to the services industry and joined Aragen Bioscience. Whilst joining early in the building of the company as the director of laboratory services, he moved up through the VP level and into various C-Suite roles over nearly 11 years and led the company through the acquisition by GVK Bio.

Following a short stint as the president of ImmunoPrecise Antibodies, he most recently served as the founding CEO of Alloy Therapeutics, Inc. serving to set up the company, in-license its seminal discovery platform, and get the first customers on board.

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Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

The 30-year biotech and CDMO entrepreneur

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Derek Hennecke, biotech and CDMO Entrepreneur and Board Member.

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

• The behind-the-scenes story of acquiring, growing and selling Xcelience to Capsugel
• Why Derek loves a carve-out with a clear differentiating capability and bags of growth potential
• How he thinks about investments in both a VC and PE capacity, and how this has evolved
• Why Derek is not seeing a slowdown across his portfolio companies…but why there could be a lag

Derek is a biotech entrepreneur and Chairman of various boards, including Microsize and Particle Dynamics. With over 30 years of experience in the CDMO industry and a 2022 Master’s degree from Harvard in the Inceptor Bio lab, he has developed a deep understanding of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, and as a Partner at Kineticos Ventures, he invests in biotech companies that are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in oncology through technologies like gene editing, mRNA, and CAR-T.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

The ATMP and CDMO deal maker

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with David Anderson, General Partner at Ampersand Capital Partners.

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

• What a world-class healthcare PE company looks for, and is repelled by, in a pharma services acquisition target
• Behind the scenes of some of the biggest M&A deals in the outsourcing space in recent years - including Brammer Bio’s sale to Thermo
• Beyond the dollars of a deal - the importance of relationships, trust and straight talk
• What life is like on the board of several fast-growing advanced therapy companies
• Insights on key market tailwinds and where Ampersand plans to invest its $1.2bn fund

David joined Ampersand in 2010. Previously, David spent six years with Covington Associates, a specialty investment bank focused on middle-market M&A in the healthcare sector. Prior to Covington, he spent five years as a consultant for Boston Healthcare Associates. David’s board seats include Genezen, Arranta Bio, StageBio, Protogene, BioClinica, Brammer Bio, Cellero, and Vibalogics. David holds a B.Sc. from the University of Aberdeen, a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Sheffield, and an M.B.A. from Babson College.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

From AZ to CRO Founder

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Paul Dickinson, Founder and CSO at Seda Pharmaceutical Development Services.

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

• The success factors and a behind-the-scenes look at one of AstraZeneca’s fastest development programs – from the start of clinical trials to approval in just over two and a half years to meet unmet lung cancer needs
• How working with CROs and CDMOs led to identifying a poorly served niche between clinical development performance and rapid early-phase manufacturing
• Leaving AstraZeneca after years of success to bring collective expertise to a broader audience… “jumping in’ and proving they had what it takes
• The rollercoaster of starting and growing a business, the feeling of ‘good anxiety’, and why the value of a scientific mindset in running experiments has paid off in the business world

Paul has held several senior science leadership roles in Academia and Large Pharma. These roles focussed on applying the best science in projects to ensure optimal product performance in the patient, thus bridging pharmaceutical and clinical disciplines. He founded Seda Pharmaceutical Development Services, a company focused on delivering pharmaceutical development (CMC) and clinical pharmacology services to the Pharma industry.

Prior, Paul led AstraZeneca’s clinical pharmacology program to NDA/MAA for AZD9291, which was the highest priority project in the AZ development portfolio and had been awarded ‘breakthrough therapy’ status by the FDA. As a result of both his internal and external scientific leadership, he has been awarded numerous science and innovation awards by AstraZeneca. Paul has published >30 research papers, 5 patents, 2 book chapters, and presented numerous invited lectures and conference abstracts.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

The iterative nature of emerging therapeutics

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Jennifer Chadwick, CSO of ProtaGene.

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

• Lessons and learnings moving from the world of academia into commercial industry
• The shift from lowest-price tactical outsourcing to value-based, holistic, and strategic outsourcing at a much earlier stage
• Nuances in the sandbox of playing with the buckets of CGTPs, and why emerging therapeutics do not play by the rules
• The increasing importance of risk-based assessment in early-stage drug development, and the need to increase the bar for understanding complex modalities in a smart, cost-effective and efficient way as we begin to understand them more

Jennifer Chadwick is Chief Scientific Officer of ProtaGene and serves as Site Head in Boston. She brings two decades of experience leading scientific teams in the biotech industry and academia and is a well-recognized expert in development of biologics and gene therapy products.

She served as Vice President of Analytical Development and of Biologic Development at BioAnalytix. Previously, Dr. Chadwick was a tenured Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kansas.

Jen has authored thought leadership articles related to analytical development of gene therapy products and published approximately 75 peer-reviewed publications, 13 patents, and four book chapters, demonstrating her expertise and deep understanding of biologics and drug development.

Dr. Chadwick has served as an Associate Director of CASSS and a member of the Steering Committee for academic-industry relations at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. She is also a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University. She received her PhD from Purdue University Department of Chemistry.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

Think Star Trek, Think Smart Labs

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Henal Shah, Life Sciences Lab Practice Head at Cognizant.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Henal, with a focus on:

• Decoding digital transformation and what it means for pharmaceutical companies across the life sciences supply chain
• Delivering fascinating insights into what a state-of-the-art smart factory and lab of the future look like
• The complexity of collating siloed data and connecting, orchestrating and presenting it into meaningful information that aids improved decision-making
• The four key trends Henal is seeing driving the pharmaceutical laboratories sector right now

Henal is Head of the European Lab Centre of Excellence (CoE) Practice within the Life Sciences Manufacturing Group at Cognizant. Holding a management degree in marketing, she has more than 20 years of experience in multiple sectors, primarily in life sciences pharma.

Henal has led the Life Sciences Quality Engineering and Assurance practice for more than a decade within Cognizant across the UK and Ireland. Her experience spans through lab systems implementation, lab digital transformation, lab automation, mergers and acquisitions, GxP validation, and testing and compliance across the life sciences value chain including discovery, research and development, manufacturing pharmacovigilance, and sales & marketing to product launch.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

Founding and selling three bio CDMOs - Part 2

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Mark Bamforth, Entrepreneur, Mentor and Investor in life sciences.

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

• How an unsolicited offer led to the unplanned sale of Arranta Bio to global CDMO Recipharm
• Mark’s ability to spot trends of where the sector is going, and sometimes going against conventional wisdom
• How Mark thinks about investment in early stage and later stage companies, as an investor
• His take on the tougher, tighter funding environment and what it means for the market
• Leadership lesson from 20+ years at Genzyme and three founder-to-exit successes

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

Founding and selling three bio CDMOs - Part 1

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Mark Bamforth, Entrepreneur, Mentor and Investor in life sciences.

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

• Mark’s backstory from oil barrels to brewing, to a small biotech called... Genzyme
• A baptism of fire of having to raise money for a self-funded CDMO carve-out after 22 years in the corporate world
• How a merger strategy led to the sale of Gallus BioPharmaceuticals to Patheon
• Entering the viral vector space, and the story of Brammer Bio from start-up to a $1.7bn exit to Thermo

Mark founded, built, and sold three CDMOs over a period of 12 years. Gallus Biopharmaceuticals was focused on monoclonal antibodies, Brammer Bio produced viral vectors for gene therapy and Arranta Bio produced microbiome, plasmid and mRNA vaccines. In total, over 1,200 jobs were created and over 100 client clinical trial projects were enabled.

Prior to this, Mark previously spent 22 years at Genzyme, latterly running the 12-site global manufacturing operation and a pharmaceutical CMO business. He began his career as a petroleum engineer with Britoil, then as a chemical engineer with Whitbread.

He serves on the boards of Continuus Pharma, Pneumagen, Enterobiotix, Inceptor Bio, and Entrepreneurial Scotland. He has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Strathclyde University and an MBA from Henley Management College.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

Network like a pro

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Raman Sehgal, covering his top tips for networking ahead of this year’s events season after two decades of learning the do's and dont's, and making the mistakes for you.

This episode covers;

• The importance of networking and how vital human interaction is to keep business going
• Being your own brand and understanding your network is your net worth
• Judging a book by its cover, and how that very thinking could cost you your next big deal
• Adding value without pushing for the hard sell
• How nurturing contacts and connections can reap rewards years down the line

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.

 

Diversity in life sciences

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Raman Sehgal for a special lookback episode on the topic of diversity in the life sciences space.

This week’s episode features excerpts from conversations with;

• Barbara Morgan (Lubrizol at time of recording), now Global Vice President, Pharma and Biotechnology at Kerry discussing; gender diversity and the network of women supporting each other in their roles.
• Tia Lyles-Williams, founder & CEO at LucasPye Bio discussing; the recent political climate and how that has affected steps forward in diversity and inclusion.
• Jeff Dill, CEO at Vynamic discussing; the importance of diversity at his organization, and what they have put in place to ensure EDI goals are being achieved.
• Andrew Moore, General Manager at Pfizer Center One discussing; his experience as a person of color in the sector, and how the conversation has changed in his time.

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 sponsored and funded by ramarketing. An international content, design and digital agency that helps companies in life sciences, get noticed.