Beyond Biotech - the podcast from Labiotech

The life sciences industry has always had one great meeting place, a few days in November where the deals get done, the partnerships form, and the direction of the industry quietly shifts. For more than three decades, that place has been BIO-Europe.
But this year, something is changing. 
BIO-Europe has always been the destination for BD professionals and dealmakers. In 2026, it's expanding — broadening its scope to become what the organisers are calling the epicenter of biotech, with new content tracks covering regulatory strategy, clinical development, and manufacturing, new registration options, and a deliberate push to bring the entire biopharma C-suite into the BIO-Europe room.
·  01:39 BIO-Europe's 32nd edition: what has kept it relevant 
·  05:28 The "epicenter of biotech"
·  11:06 From three content tracks to seven 
·  13:31 Three new tracks: regulatory, clinical, and biomanufacturing 
·  15:45 The new content-only registration pass 
·  18:12 Why Cologne and what the city offers the event 
·  19:48 The social program at BIO-Europe
·  24:54 Where to register and find more information
This episode is presented with the support of the EBD Group. Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 
Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter
To dive deeper into the topic: 
How to succeed at BIO-Europe: DISCO Pharma takes us behind the scenes
Meet Fusix Biotech: 2025 BIO-Europe Startup Spotlight champion revolutionizing oncology
Lisbon is calling: the BIO-Europe Startup Spotlight returns in March 2026

Today I’m delighted to welcome Andy Parker, CEO of Step Pharma.
With over 25 years of experience across AstraZeneca, Shire, Zealand Pharma, and
venture capital, Andy has led Step Pharma since 2019. The company is pioneering
a targeted approach to cancer and blood disorders by inhibiting the enzyme
CTPS1. Their lead candidate, dencatistat, blocks this pathway that certain
cancer cells and activated immune cells rely on, while sparing healthy cells
that use the related CTPS2 enzyme.
In this episode, we’ll dive into the science behind this mechanism, explore Step
Pharma’s expanding pipeline from lymphomas and solid tumours to essential
thrombocythaemia, and discuss their recent €38 million Series C financing.
We’ll also look ahead to the future of precision oncology.
01:17 Meet Andy Parker
06:12 The biotech ecosystem around Geneva
07:51 The CTPS1 enzyme and why cancer cells depend on it
14:08 Pipeline-in-a-product strategy across three indications
20:14 The series C: €38 million raise
25:41 Partnering with big pharma: possibilities and limits
28:11 The future of precision oncology and metabolic targeting
Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 
Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter
To dive deeper into the topic: 
Step Pharma and Concr to partner on cancer treatment
Step Pharma moves into oncology clinical trials
Step Pharma announces promising pre-clinical cancer data

Today I'm sitting down with Randy Teel, Ph.D., President and CEO of Arvinas, a clinical-stage biotech based in New Haven, Connecticut, that is doing something genuinely new in medicine.
Arvinas is pioneering a technology called PROTAC protein degradation. It's a platform that doesn't just block disease-causing proteins, but eliminates them entirely using the body's own disposal system to do it. It's a fundamental shift in how we think about drug design, and it's now reached a historic milestone: the first PROTAC ever to succeed in a Phase 3 clinical trial, with a regulatory filing now in front of the FDA.
01:19     Meet Randy Teel 
03:41     Stepping into the CEO role in February 2026 
13:17     What is a PROTAC and how it works 
17:37     Vepdegestrant and the first PROTAC approval 
23:43     Balancing partnerships versus keeping control of assets 
31:57     Key milestones to watch in the next 12–18 months
Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 
Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter
To dive deeper into the topic: 
From undruggable to oral therapy: The rise of STAT6 degraders
Big Pharma Strikes Megadeals In Targeted Protein Degradation
This Biotech Destroys Cancer Proteins by Introducing Them to ‘Executioner’ Proteins

Today we welcome Brandy Wilkinson, CEO of GemPharmatech, and Rikki Feng, the company’s Neuroscience Pipeline Leader. 
Our discussion focuses on a persistent challenge in drug development: neurology’s stubbornly high clinical failure rates. GemPharmatech is tackling this head-on with proprietary models for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and blood-brain barrier transport that better mirror human disease biology.
We explore why mouse models matter more in neurology than in other fields, the design principles behind these next-generation tools, and how smarter preclinical partnerships can help therapeutic developers de-risk programs earlier. 
00:00 Welcome Brandy Wilkinson and Rikki Feng
03:17 GemPharmatech's mission
06:26 Why mouse models matter in neurology
11:11 Common translation gaps in neurology
18:09 Designing proprietary neurological disease models
25:45 Building stronger CRO strategic partnerships
33:58 An optimistic future of neuroscience research
This episode was produced with the support of GemPharmatech. Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 
Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter
To dive deeper into the topic: 
Neurological diseases R&D trends and breakthrough innovations
Brain Awareness Week: could ongoing R&D spur neuroscience breakthroughs?
11 neuroscience biotech companies you should know about

This week we preview the BIO International Convention, starting next week in San Diego. This is the key partnering event of the year where biotechs connect with pharmaceutical companies and investors in partnering meetings, all to advance and fund innovative therapies.
My guest is Werner Lanthaler, Founder and CEO of WLAN Holding. Werner spent 15 years as CEO of Evotec SE, scaling the company from 200 employees and €40 million revenue to over 5,000 staff and €800 million. He previously served as CFO of Intercell AG, overseeing its IPO and vaccine launch and today he leads investments and advisory in high-tech life sciences.
Werner explains why partnering events like BIO are critical to advancing science in biopharma. He shares practical advice on how biotechs can prepare before the event, succeed on site, and follow up to turn meetings into partnerships. He offers clear, actionable strategies to optimize your BIO experience.
01:36              Meet Werner Lanthaler
06:48              The power of partnering
08:55              Uncovering unexpected value
13:43              Irreplaceable in-person trust
17:06              Smart pre-event planning
21:00              Strategic targeting
24:02              Relationship-first meetings
30:18              The importance of prompt, persistent follow-up
Interested in being a sponsor of an episode of our podcast? Discover how you can get involved here! 
Stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter
To dive deeper into the topic: 
Special Episode: The 2025 BIO International Convention
The ABC of biotech partnerships
How to optimize your biotech company for partnering, licensing, and business success