BioTales - Every Biotech Has a Story

Skyhawk Therapeutics: Soaring Above the RNA Horizon

In this episode of BioTales, we uncover the remarkable story of Skyhawk Therapeutics – a biotech company with its wings firmly set on the frontiers of RNA biology. From a chance meeting on a humanitarian trip that sparked a revolutionary vision, to billion‑dollar collaborations with pharma giants, Skyhawk’s journey reads like a biotech thriller. We dive into the science of RNA splicing, the trials of launching a startup, and the promise of first‑in‑class, orally available medicines for Huntington’s disease, multiple myeloma and more. Tune in for the latest breaking news on Skyhawk’s $2 billion deal with Merck KGAA, and discover how three founders turned a dream of drugging the undruggable into reality.

Inside Interius: How In Vivo CAR-T Therapy Went From Penn Lab to Kite’s $350M Deal

In this episode of BioTales, we dive into the creation of Interius BioTherapeutics, a company born from a physician’s frustration with traditional CAR-T therapy and propelled into the spotlight by an industry‑shaking acquisition: Gilead’s Kite decided to buy Interius for $350 million. We explore how a simple idea to turn the body into its own bioreactor led to a platform that might democratize gene therapy. Along the way we revisit the founding story of physician–scientist Saar Gill and biotech veteran Bruce Peacock, trace the science behind targeting T cells with lentiviral vectors, and unpack the challenges of building an in vivo cell‑therapy company. From early funding, through first‑in‑human trials, to a blockbuster buyout, this is the dramatic journey of Interius and its quest to rewrite the rules of CAR-T therapy.

Holding Cancer Hostage: The Revolutionary Science Behind Halda Therapeutics and RIPTACs

This episode tells the extraordinary story of Halda Therapeutics, founded during the 2020 pandemic when renowned Yale professor Craig Crews gathered his team around an outdoor fireplace to brainstorm revolutionary cancer treatments. We explore Crews' journey as a serial biotech entrepreneur and his pioneering RIPTACs (Regulated Induced Proximity TArgeting Chimeras) at Halda -- a groundbreaking "hold and kill" approach that doesn't destroy cancer proteins but holds them hostage instead. The episode covers Halda's dramatic funding journey, their billion-dollar AI partnership with Vantai Therapeutics, and their historic achievement of putting the world's first RIPTAC therapeutic into human clinical trials.  RIPTACs, Halda Therapeutics, cancer, protein degradation, Craig Crews, drug discovery, pharmaceutical

Peel Back the “Undruggable”: Kumquat’s Path to Cracking KRAS-Driven Cancers

What happens when a group of veteran chemists decide to take on one of oncology’s most notorious challenges?  In this episode of BioTales, we explore the remarkable journey of Kumquat Biosciences—a biotech startup whose audacious goal is to tame the “undruggable” KRAS mutations and to re‑imagine how small molecules can awaken the immune system.  Through a narrative filled with scientific intrigue, boardroom gambits and the resilience of a tiny citrus fruit, we follow the company’s path from its founding in 2018 to major partnerships with Eli Lilly, Takeda and Bayer. You’ll meet co‑founders Yi Liu and Pingda Ren, learn about their past successes in targeting KRAS, and hear how Kumquat’s new wave of small‑molecule immunotherapies could change the way we treat some of the deadliest cancers. Join us for a deep dive into the science, strategy and stories behind one of oncology’s most intriguing young companies. Kumquat Biosciences, Bayer, KRAS, cancer treatment, biotechnology, immuno-oncology, drug development, covalent inhibitors, small molecules, oncology

Wiring the Neuro-Immune Axis: How SetPoint Rewrote Autoimmune Care

This conversation explores the groundbreaking journey of SetPoint Medical, a company that aims to revolutionize the treatment of autoimmune diseases through neuroimmune modulation. Starting from a simple idea sketched on a napkin, the discussion delves into the science behind vagus nerve stimulation, the challenges of clinical trials, the importance of funding, and the recent FDA approval of their device for rheumatoid arthritis. The conversation highlights the potential for a paradigm shift in treating complex diseases by harnessing the body's own electrical systems. SetPoint Medical, neuroimmune modulation, rheumatoid arthritis, bioelectronic medicine, inflammation, FDA approval, medical device, autoimmune diseases, vagus nerve stimulation, clinical trials