Xtalks Life Science Podcast

Reprogramming Cancer: A New Era of AI-Powered Immunotherapy with CancerVax’s Adam Grant

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Adam Grant, PhD, Principal Scientist at CancerVax, to discuss the company’s Universal Cancer Treatment Platform.
The immunotherapy tool uses AI to train the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells by modifying those cells to resemble known pathogens like measles. This innovative approach prompts a stronger and more effective immune response compared to traditional immunotherapies.
Dr. Grant, a leading computational biologist and one of the inventors behind the platform, shares insights into how AI and next-generation sequencing are revolutionizing fields like cancer immunotherapy.
Dr. Grant previously served as a Bioinformatician at Xenter Medical Technologies and as a Computational Scientist at RAPT Therapeutics. His innovations include software designed to improve cancer antigen detection and a gene-signature approach for selecting treatments for breast cancer.
Dr. Grant earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Bioinformatics from Brigham Young University and a PhD in Cancer Biology with an emphasis in Bioinformatics from the University of Arizona.
From discovering new drug targets to engineering smarter immune strategies, tune in to hear Dr. Grant discuss how bioinformatics is reshaping innovations in cancer immunotherapy.
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Understanding Desmoid Tumors: Insights from Dr. Alessandra Maleddu, Sarcoma Specialist at University of Colorado

In this episode, Vera spoke with Dr. Alessandra Maleddu, a medical oncologist and sarcoma specialist at the University of Colorado. Dr. Maleddu specializes in soft tissue and bone sarcomas, with a particular focus on desmoid tumors and advancing clinical trials in this rare disease area.
Desmoid tumors are locally invasive soft tissue tumors that present unique diagnostic and treatment challenges, as they can vary significantly from patient to patient and are often misdiagnosed. Women are two to three times more likely than men to be diagnosed with a desmoid tumor.
Dr. Maleddu trained in Italy and the UK, completing a sarcoma fellowship at University College London Hospital, general oncology training at the University of Bologna and earning her MD from the University of Cagliari in Italy.
Tune in to hear how Dr. Maleddu is helping lead in the sarcoma space, with a focus on desmoid tumors.
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Advancing Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma: Insights from Diakonos Oncology’s Jay Hartenbach

In this episode, Vera spoke with Jay Hartenbach, President and Chief Operating Officer of Diakonos Oncology, a company developing cancer immunotherapies to address the critical and unmet medical need of late-stage and aggressive cancers like glioblastoma.
Jay is a passionate advocate for wellness and innovative healthcare, bringing a unique blend of scientific knowledge, entrepreneurial enthusiasm and business strategy expertise to the Life Sciences industry.
He concurrently serves as the COO of another cancer immunotherapy company, Immunocine. Before moving to biotech, Jay co-founded wellness company Medterra, where he continues to shape the company’s strategic direction as Chairman of the Board. Jay also co-founded Perland Pharmaceuticals, an early-stage biotech company actively developing therapies for arthritis conditions.
Jay has a Masters in Engineering Management from Duke University and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami.
Tune into the episode to hear how Jay is helping drive new frontiers in cancer immunotherapy at Diakonos Oncology through scientific innovation and strategic leadership.
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Pioneering A New Era of T-Cell Immunotherapy with CERo Therapeutics’ CEO Chris Ehrlich

In this episode, Vera spoke with Chris Ehrlich, CEO at CERo Therapeutics, a company developing next-generation T cell immunotherapies, called chimeric engulfment receptor T cells (CER T).
Chris has extensive experience in biotechnology, venture capital and strategic transactions, currently serving as CEO and Chairman of the board since February 2024 and previously as CEO of PBAX.
He has held leadership roles at Locust Walk Partners and InterWest Partners, where he was involved in several notable biotech acquisitions, including the sales of Xyphos Biosciences to Astellas and Thar Pharmaceuticals to Grunenthal.
Chris also serves on multiple boards, including at Prostate Management Diagnostics, the Peter Michael Foundation and Northwestern University's Kellogg School.
Chris has a BA in Government from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, where he is a frequent lecturer.
Tune into the episode to hear Chris discuss how the company’s approach differs from traditional CAR T-cell therapies, his path from venture capital to the C-suite and what’s next in the evolving immunotherapy landscape.
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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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