Xtalks Life Science Podcast

Non-Hormonal Innovations in Obesity and Diabetes Treatment with Aphaia Pharma’s Dr. Steffen-Sebastian Bolz

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Steffen-Sebastian Bolz, MD, PhD, a scientist, physician and entrepreneur. He is a Co-Founder of Aphaia Pharma AG and Founder and Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at Qanatpharma AG. Dr. Bolz holds a full professorship at the University of Toronto, is a Principal Investigator at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research and Director of the Toronto Centre for Microvascular Medicine.
Aphaia Pharma is developing innovative, non-hormonal treatments for metabolic conditions like diabetes and obesity. The company is focused on restoring a normal metabolic food response through natural and safe treatment alternatives that can be applied to broad populations and enable long-term use.
To learn more about Aphaia’s innovative approach to treating metabolic conditions like obesity by turning to the body’s natural physiology, tune into the episode with Dr. Bolz.
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FNIH Study Shows Promise of Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease, featuring Dementia Expert Dr. Schindler and FNIH Neuroscience Director Dr. Travaglia

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Alessio Travaglia, PhD, neuroscientist and Director Neuroscience at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and Suzanne Schindler, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Washington University.
Results from a head-to-head study led by the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium, with data analysis led by Dr. Schindler, have shown that some commercial diagnostic blood tests are accurate enough for clinical use and could replace cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests and PET scans in the near future for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. This would save patients the cost and pain associated with these traditional diagnostic approaches. The findings were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Philadelphia recently.
The findings could improve clinical diagnosis and speed future drug development by helping researchers select optimal clinical trial participants.
Tune into the episode to hear from Dr. Schindler and Dr. Travaglia about the promise of the blood tests for Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
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Beyond the Beat: Dr. Matthew Martinez Discusses HCM Care in Athletes and New Camzyos Guidelines

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Matthew Martinez, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and nationally recognized expert in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). He serves as director of Atlantic Health System Sports Cardiology and the director of the Chanin T. Mast Center for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
Dr. Martinez is the Chair of ACC online “LEARNHCM” platform, which educates clinicians about HCM patient care. Dr. Martinez also serves as a cardiology consultant for elite and professional athletes including acting as the League cardiologist for Major League Soccer, team cardiologist for the New York Jets and cardiac consultant for the NFL and NHL.
The American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC) Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines recently published a new clinical guideline for the evaluation and management of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which Dr. Martinez co-authored.
The guidelines now recommend CAMZYOS (mavacamten), the first and only FDA approved cardiac myosin inhibitor, as a Class 1 Level B-R therapy for the treatment of adults with obstructive HCM who have persistent symptoms after first-line therapy.
Tune into the episode to hear Dr. Martinez’s expert insights on the significance of the updated guidelines, the firsthand and real-world application of CAMZYOS in clinical practice and HCM care for everyday individuals to high level athletes.
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Bridging Science and Advocacy with Lawreen Asuncion, Life Science Professional and Rare Disease Patient Advocate

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Lawreen Asuncion, a patient advocate who works to raise awareness for the rare disease Usher syndrome.
Lawreen has worked professionally in the biotech and life science markets for over 25 years. She provides input and perspectives for rare genetic disease programs and clinical trials sponsored by biotech and pharma companies.
Lawreen is a dedicated patient advocate for Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes both hearing and vision loss in most individuals, and also balance for some. As someone living with Usher syndrome type 2c, Lawreen brings a deeply personal perspective to her advocacy work, sharing her experiences and challenges to raise awareness and educate others about the condition. Her advocacy extends to supporting research initiatives and promoting accessibility and inclusion for individuals with sensory impairments.
Tune into the episode to hear Lawreen’s perspectives as both a life sciences professional and rare disease patient advocate.
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Bringing Integrated Nutritional and Pharmaceutical Approaches to the Table for GI Health with Nestlé Health Science’s Moreno Perugini

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Moreno Perugini, President of Active & Medical Nutrition, US & President of Global Pharmaceutical Therapies at Nestlé Health Science US.
As President of Global Pharmaceutical Therapies, Moreno and his team actively shape the healthcare system through innovative approaches and a strong commitment to delivering pharmaceutical products with a human-centered focus.
Throughout his career spanning over two decades, he has held leadership positions at pharmaceutical companies like AbbVie and Novartis. Notably, he has been instrumental in bringing multiple pharmaceutical technologies to market, across different therapeutic areas guided by his unwavering commitment to prioritizing patients and expanding access to treatment.
Moreno holds a master's degree in Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics from Universität Pompeu Fabra – IDEC and an MBA from Bocconi.
Last year, Nestlé Health Science won FDA approval for Vowst (Ser-109) for the prevention of recurrent C. difficile infections. Moreno discusses the significance of the approval given the difficulty of treating the recurrent infections, which are usually acquired during hospital stays.
Tune into the episode to hear more about the work Moreno is leading at Nestlé Health Science, which includes both nutrition- and pharmaceutical-based treatments for GI conditions and gut health.
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Innovating Approaches to Target Diseases of Aging with Jerry McLaughlin, CEO of Life Biosciences

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Jerry McLaughlin, chief executive officer and board member of Life Biosciences, a company advancing innovative cellular rejuvenation platforms to reverse diseases of aging.
Life Biosciences is developing a gene therapy for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), two types of optic neuropathies with significant unmet needs. The company is developing innovative therapies for these indications that are based on innovative partial epigenetic reprogramming and chaperone-mediated autophagy technologies.
Jerry McLaughlin has over 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and has been involved in the discovery, clinical development and global commercialization of more than a dozen FDA-approved drugs with multiple successful exits. Jerry began his career at Merck and was extensively involved in multiple blockbuster product launches. Most recently, Jerry was President and CEO for Neos Therapeutics, Inc., a commercial stage pharmaceutical company. He holds a BA in economics from Dickinson College and an MBA from the Villanova School of Business.
Tune into the episode to learn more about the work Jerry is leading at Life Biosciences to better understand and target the biology of aging through innovative therapeutics for aging-related diseases with critical unmet medical needs.
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Golden Innovations: Nanocrystal Therapies for ALS and MS with Clene Nanomedicines’ Dr. Karen Ho

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Karen S. Ho, PhD, Vice President, Translational Medicine at Clene Nanomedicine, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases to restore and protect neuronal health and function.
Clene Nanomedicine is developing nanotherapeutics that target cellular energy impairments common to neurodegenerative and many other diseases. Specifically, the company’s lead asset is based on leveraging the catalytic therapeutic activities of gold when engineered as clean-surfaced faceted nanocrystals.
At Clene Nanomedicine, Dr. Ho directs the translation of preclinical successes of Clene’s lead drug assets into high clinical value with applicability to multiple disease areas. Dr. Ho has a PhD in Developmental Biology from Stanford and completed her postdoctoral training as a National Sleep Foundation Pickwick Scholar and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Neuroscience. Dr. Ho serves on several rare disease group Scientific Advisory Boards and holds a concurrent position as adjunct faculty at the University of Utah School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics.
Tune into the episode to learn about Clene Nanomedicines’ innovative gold nanocrystal technology and how Dr. Ho is leading its development in diseases like ALS and Multiple Sclerosis. Also hear about Dr. Ho’s journey in the biopharmaceutical industry, including a touching personal story.
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From Symptoms to Solutions: Transforming Menopause Treatment with Marci English of Astellas Pharma

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Marci English, Vice President and Head of BioPharma Development at Astellas Pharma about a groundbreaking new treatment that addresses the underlying mechanisms of menopause symptoms.
In May 2023, Astellas received FDA approval for fezolinetant (commercial name Veozah) for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms due to menopause. The therapy is the first nonhormonal neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist approved to treat vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause, which include hot flashes and night sweats.
Tune into the episode to learn about the latest on fezolinetant one year after its approval, including its reception from healthcare providers and patients.
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New Frontiers in MASH and Chronic Liver Diseases with Aligos CEO Dr. Lawrence Blatt

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Lawrence Blatt, PhD, MBA, Chairman and CEO of Aligos Therapeutics, a company developing targeted therapies for liver diseases like MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) and viral diseases to address important unmet medical needs.
Prior to co-founding Aligos Therapeutics, Dr. Blatt served as the Global Head of Infectious Diseases and Vaccines at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson from 2014 to 2018. He also co-founded several biotech companies, including Alios BioPharma, which was acquired by Janssen in November 2014. Dr. Blatt previously served on the board of directors of companies including ReViral Ltd. and Alveo Technologies, Inc., which he co-founded in 2014, and Meissa Vaccines, Inc. Dr. Blatt received an MBA from California State University, Northridge, and a PhD in Public Health Administration from the University of La Verne.
In March, Aligos announced the dosing of its first patient in its Phase IIa trial for a novel thyroid hormone receptor-beta agonist (ALG-055009) designed to address the root fibrosis of MASH. The drug is in the same class as Rezdiffra, which was approved this year as the first treatment for MASH.
Aligos also shared positive data at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress last month in Milan, Italy for one of its candidate therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
Tune into the episode to learn more about the work Dr. Blatt is leading at Aligos Therapeutics in chronic liver disease and viral diseases.
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FNIH’s Dr. Travaglia and ALS Patient Advocate Dr. Sethi Discuss New ALS Program

In this episode, Ayesha spoke with Alessio Travaglia, PhD, Director Neuroscience at the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) who also manages FNIH’s new Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AMP ALS) program, and Nadia Sethi, DDS, an ALS patient advocate who formerly served as Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
Dr. Travaglia has 15 years of experience in basic and translational neuroscience in academia, non-profit, management consulting and venture philanthropy. Dr. Sethi is a patient advocate with strong leadership skills, experienced in patient outreach and representing advocacy organizations. She was a caregiver to her late husband who had ALS.
Last month, the FNIH launched a new AMP ALS research program designed to accelerate the discovery and development of treatment and diagnostics for ALS. The goals of the initiative include the faster identification of biomarkers and clinical outcome assessments that will may aid in earlier diagnosis and help accelerate drug development.
ALS is a neurologic disease with severely limited treatment options, none of which halt or reverse the progression of the fatal condition.
To learn more about the FNIH’s new AMP ALS program, including the continuing importance of patient advocacy and inclusion of the patient and caregiver voice in ALS research, tune into the discussion with Dr. Travaglia and Dr. Sethi.
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