Xtalks Life Science Podcast

Radiopharmaceuticals and the Future of Nuclear Medicine with RadioMedix CEO Dr. Ebrahim Delpassand

In this episode, Ayesha speaks with Ebrahim S. Delpassand, MD, Founder and CEO of RadioMedix, a company developing innovative radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnosis, monitoring and treatment.
With a focus on both PET imaging and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals labeled with alpha and beta emitters, RadioMedix is helping to shape the future of precision oncology.
Dr. Delpassand brings a wealth of expertise as a board-certified nuclear medicine physician and a seasoned healthcare entrepreneur. He previously served as Deputy Chair and Chief of Clinical Nuclear Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center and is the Founder and Chairman of Excel Diagnostics & Nuclear Oncology Center. In addition to leading RadioMedix, he holds adjunct professorships in Radiation Oncology at the University of Texas and in Nuclear Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
As a principal investigator and sponsor of five active INDs, Dr. Delpassand is a leader in clinical nuclear medicine research and translational drug development. He also co-founded Infinity Care and Infinity Infusion Care, successfully guiding the latter to acquisition by Curative Healthcare in 2002.
Tune into the episode to hear Dr. Delpassand discuss the expanding role of radiopharmaceuticals in oncology, the challenges of developing theranostic agents and how his clinical and entrepreneurial background has shaped his vision for advancing nuclear medicine.
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Building the Future of Brain Health: Neuroscience Drug Development with Novartis’ Dr. Norman Putzki

In this episode, Ayesha speaks with Norman Putzki, MD, Senior Vice President and Global Development Head of Neuroscience and Gene Therapy at Novartis, about the complexities and real-world challenges of bringing new therapies to patients with neurological diseases.
Dr. Putzki discusses the challenges and opportunities in developing treatments for complex brain disorders, and how gene therapy is being applied in neurological disease.
Dr. Putzki transitioned from an academic career in clinical neurology, with a focus on diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), to the pharmaceutical industry in 2010. Since then, he has taken on leadership roles in both medical and development functions, first at Biogen and later at Novartis, where he currently leads global development efforts in neuroscience and gene therapy.
During his tenure at Novartis, he has been leading teams around the globe to various new indications, approvals and launches within the neuroscience portfolio.
Dr. Putzki received his PhD from Essen University in Germany and completed residency training in Internal Medicine and Neurology in Essen, University College London (Institute of Neurology Queen’s Square) and University of Berne (Switzerland). Dr. Putzki is an author/co-author of more than 50 peer reviewed publications and has authored 4 books. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
Tune into the episode to learn more about the current landscape of drug development in neuroscience and neurological diseases — from research and strategy to execution on a global scale.
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Rare Disease Innovation in an Evolving Industry with Amgen’s Dr. Sumita Bhatta

In this episode, Ayesha speaks with Sumita Bhatta, MD, Vice President and Global Development Therapeutic Head of Rare Disease at Amgen.
In the conversation, Dr. Bhatta shares insights on how large pharmaceutical companies like Amgen are approaching innovation and patient-centricity in the rare disease space.
She also discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in developing therapies for small patient populations and how cross-functional collaboration drives progress in this complex field.
Dr. Bhatta is a board-certified medical oncologist with over a decade of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry serving multiple roles in research and development.
Dr. Bhatta received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and received both an MA in Applied Physiology and MD from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago, IL. She completed her internal medicine residency, hematology/oncology fellowship and a clinical pharmacology/pharmacogenomics fellowship at the University of Chicago.
Tune in to hear how Dr. Bhatta and her team are advancing innovation in rare disease drug development — and why big pharma’s role in this space matters more than ever.
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Advancing Novel Immunotherapy Approaches for Osteosarcoma and Beyond with Paul Romness, CEO of OS Therapies

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Paul Romness, MHP, chair and CEO of OS Therapies, a company developing novel immunotherapies for cancers like osteosarcoma and other solid tumors.
Paul shares insights into OS Therapies’ lead program, the scientific rationale behind the company’s innovative immunotherapy approach and how the company is addressing unmet needs in osteosarcoma.
Paul has over 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, having served in various functions within major companies like Johnson & Johnson, Amgen and Boehringer Ingelheim.
He has been directly involved in the launch of nine major products in the industry covering indications from oncology to surgery, HIV, COPD and diabetes.
Throughout his professional career and within his community, Paul has focused on and advocated for unmet medical need and getting treatments to patients.
Paul has a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in finance from American University and a Masters of Health Policy (MHP) from George Washington University Medical Center.
Tune in to learn how OS Therapies is advancing immunotherapies for osteosarcoma and other solid tumors through innovative, precision-driven approaches.
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Targeting the Cell’s Powerhouse: Dr. Shaharyar Khan on Rivus Pharma’s Mitochondrial Approach to Cardiometabolic Diseases

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Dr. Shaharyar Khan, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Rivus Pharmaceuticals.
Rivus is developing a new class of investigational medicines called controlled metabolic accelerators (CMAs) for cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, heart failure and MASH by targeting obesity.
Dr. Khan is an expert in the field of mitochondrial biology and the development of mitochondrial therapeutics. He has more than two decades of experience managing multidisciplinary teams of mitochondrial biologists, computational and medicinal chemists and clinicians.
Prior to his role at Rivus, Dr. Khan co-founded Gencia Biotech, where he also served as chief scientific officer and pioneered multiple drug discovery programs, including large and small molecules aimed at harnessing the unique role of mitochondria in the maintenance of cellular health.
Dr. Khan has a BA in philosophy and a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Virginia.
Tune in to hear about the novel mitochondrial approach to targeting cardiometabolic diseases that Dr. Khan is leading at Rivus Pharmaceuticals.
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Inside the Latest in Targeted Radiotherapeutics with Plus Therapeutics CEO Dr. Marc Hedrick

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Marc Hedrick, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Plus Therapeutics, a company focused on developing a novel class of targeted radiotherapeutics.
Prior to heading Plus Therapeutics, Dr. Hedrick served in a number of executive leadership roles including president, CEO and director at Cytori Therapeutics, and president and CEO of StemSource. 
Dr. Hedrick is a trained general, vascular and plastic surgeon. He is a former Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).  Dr. Hedrick also served as co-director of the Laboratory of Regenerative Bioengineering and Repair at UCLA.
Dr. Hedrick obtained his MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas and MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA in 2005.
Tune in to hear about recent advancements and innovations in the field of radiotherapeutics, featuring some of the work Dr. Hedrick is spearheading at Plus Therapeutics.
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From Lab to Launch: Commercializing Gene Therapies for Rare Diseases with Rocket Pharma’s Carlos Martin

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Carlos Martin, MBA, chief commercial operations and revenue officer at Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a company developing gene therapy cures for rare diseases through innovative science and platforms.
Carlos joined Rocket in April 2021 and established the company’s early commercial strategy and infrastructure as Chief Commercial Officer.
Prior to joining Rocket, Carlos was the US Commercial Head of Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA), a Novartis Oncology Company. His responsibilities included leading commercial strategy and new product launches as well as transforming their go-to-market model.
Carlos brings in-depth background and experience globally and locally in commercial strategy and operations across a wide range of modalities and disease areas, including oncology, cardiovascular, metabolism and complex therapeutics.
Carlos has a bachelor’s degree in economics from ESADE & the Polytechnic University of Barcelona, Spain and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.
Tune in to hear from Carlos about the challenges and opportunities in the commercialization of gene therapies for rare diseases.
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Combating Autoimmunity: Vera Therapeutics CEO Dr. Marshall Fordyce Discusses Advancing IgAN Treatments

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Marshall Fordyce, MD, founder and CEO of Vera Therapeutics, a company focused on developing treatments for autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Fordyce founded Vera in 2016 as an entrepreneur in residence at Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, took the company public in 2021 and has advanced its lead molecule through a successful Phase II trial in IgA nephropathy.
The company is on track to read out its Phase III results next quarter. Along the way, Dr. Fordyce has built a world class team of drug developers and raised over $1 billion in capital.
Dr. Fordyce previously worked in clinical development leadership roles at Gilead Sciences in the 2010s, driving innovation in treatments for HIV and hepatitis.
Dr. Fordyce received his BA from Harvard University and MD from Harvard Medical School, trained in Internal Medicine and served as Chief Resident at NYU Bellevue.
Dr. Fordyce currently serves on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation.
Tune in to hear Dr. Fordyce discuss new innovations in therapies for autoimmune diseases like IgA nephropathy and the work he is leading at Vera Therapeutics.
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Targeting Pressing Unmet Needs in Kidney Diseases with Unicycive Therapeutics CEO Dr. Shalabh Gupta

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Shalabh Gupta, MD, founder, chairman and CEO of Unicycive Therapeutics, a company focused on addressing unmet medical needs in renal diseases.
Kidney diseases are a major global health concern. In the US, chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than one in seven individuals, and one in three adults with diabetes may have the condition.
Before founding Unicycive Therapeutics in 2016, Dr. Gupta served in various roles, including founder and CEO of Biocycive, a commercial strategy role at Genentech and as an equity researcher at UBS Investment Bank and Rodman & Renshaw (currently HC Wainwright). Dr. Gupta is also the founder and CEO of Globavir, which licensed diagnostic technology from Stanford University and then partnered with global commercial diagnostic companies.
Dr. Gupta also serves as an advisor to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Innovation Center, a role he has held since 2020.
Before his roles in business and finance, Dr. Gupta was an attending physician at NYU Medical Center and a clinical faculty member at the NYU School of Medicine. Dr. Gupta received his MPA in Health Care Finance and Management from NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and his MD from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, India.
Tune in to discover how Unicycive Therapeutics is tackling the most pressing unmet needs in renal diseases and driving innovation in kidney health.
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Innovating Treg Therapies for ALS and Alzheimer’s with Coya Therapeutics CEO Dr. Arun Swaminathan

Join us as we celebrate a major milestone — the 200th episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast! From groundbreaking biotech innovations to exclusive interviews with life science industry innovators and leaders, we've covered it all. Thank you for tuning in each week! We look forward to continuing to bring the latest and greatest across the pharma, biotech and medical industries!
In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Arun Swaminathan, PhD, CEO of Coya Therapeutics, a company developing regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies targeting neurodegenerative, autoimmune and metabolic diseases.
The company is developing a pipeline of therapies designed to enhance the function of dysregulated Tregs in various diseases, including ALS and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Swaminathan has over 20 years of healthcare business executive experience. He began his career in clinical development, taking on commercial roles of increasing responsibility at Bristol Myers Squibb and Covance. Prior to joining Coya, Dr. Swaminathan served as chief business officer (CBO) at Actinium Pharmaceuticals and Alteogen, leading multi-billion-dollar deals. He also co-founded Lynkogen, a pre-clinical stage biotech, and served as its CEO. Dr. Swaminathan has a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Pittsburgh.
 
Tune into the episode to hear more about Coya Therapeutics’ innovative immunotherapeutic approach from Dr. Swaminathan.
 
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