Cambrian Bio

So much of the conversation around discoveries in aging biology has revolved around concierge medicine treatments, multimillionaires paying millions per year for their healthcare.    Luckily for the rest of us, the more validation a medicine has and the more people use it, the cheaper it is for everybody. Medicines with the potential to prevent multiple age-related diseases could perhaps be both the most affordable medicines in history and also the most profitable for the businesses that discover and develop them.    How? The demand curve. Not sufficiently clear? Check out the Cambrian Explosion newsletter for more context. #Longevity #DiseasePrevention

I'm launching ‘Cambrian Explosion’, - a newsletter where I’ll be giving an insider’s perspective on biotech and the science of aging. I'm fascinated by the Cambrian period, 538 to 485 million years ago, which saw larger and faster changes to life than at any other point in life's 3.7 billion year history. The explosion gave Earth its first eyes, legs, arms, mouths, and even the idea of a symmetrical body plan. Interestingly, with all that new complexity, those animal bodies became more and more temporary. The Cambrian Explosion also gives us the first evidence of the diseases of aging in the fossil record. It was a dynamic time that rhymes with our current period of dramatic change, where our expanded knowledge of biology is giving us unprecedented control over our bodies. In this inaugural segment, I dive into why I think the first #aging drugs will find their first approvals for #obesity, and the implications I think it will have on our field moving forward. This newsletter is meant to be my own thinking and I try to be a bit more provocative here, so the views I express might not always reflect the position of Cambrian Bio, which is much larger than me alone.

Happy International Women’s day! Here are some fun facts about women’s health: • It wasn’t until 1993 that inclusion of both sexes was required in clinical trials in the U.S. • Up until 2016, when the NIH mandated both sexes be included in all studies of grant recipients, biomedical research had been conducted primarily in male animals. • In 2018, only 15% of the NIH budget was allocated to all of women’s health. These gaps have led to poorer health outcomes for women across all aspects of healthcare. But today, as we celebrate women and the progress made, let's remember that our work isn't done. We must continue pushing for a future where women's health is prioritized, ensuring that every woman receives the care she deserves. You can learn more about the historical disparities of women’s health on the Oviva Therapeutics website. While you're there, be sure to explore the incredible work they're doing to improve women’s health through groundbreaking biomedical research! https://lnkd.in/eXXfy9T4 Daisy Robinton, PhD #womenshealth #womensday2024

Thank you Bryan Faust, PhD, Becky Pferdehirt, PhD, and Vineeta Agarwala, MD PhD for putting in the work to crystallize a guide to biopharma data rooms and share it with the rest of us! Frameworks like these make a real difference in the ramp-up of folks early in their career, and remain valuable indefinitely as a self-check on comprehensiveness. Definitely a good one to bookmark!

Do you consider the potential impact of medical interventions on individuals' motivation to make difficult lifestyle changes, particularly in cases such as obesity, where lifestyle changes are challenging but essential for improving health outcomes? Great question posed by Diane Brady while talking with our CEO, James Peyer, PhD, about all things Cambrian, but more specifically about the peripherally restricted pan-AMPK activator, ATX-304, being developed by our pipeline company Amplifier Therapeutics for cardiometabolic diseases. Check out the clip to hear what he had to say about that & access the full interview for free through the link in the comments. #obesity #healthcare

It is with great sadness that we share that this week we learned about the passing of Judith Campisi, who was, amongst many other wonderful things, a pioneer in the aging space. She gained widespread recognition for her extensive research on the impact of senescent cells on aging and cancer. Despite facing numerous challenges, she dedicated years to the pursuit of this research, and the data she generated is now acclaimed as a hallmark of aging. This news is incredibly disheartening for the entire field and those personally impacted by her. We can only aspire, as a community, to build on the foundation she was instrumental in fortifying. May she rest in peace.

“Nobody would argue that we shouldn’t develop therapies for Alzheimer’s or cancer because these diseases are a natural part of getting older. So, why would this argument hold for aging?” This insightful article by Cassandra Willyard delves into the intricate landscape of geroscience, covering the challenges posed by an aging population, the historical roots of our field, and the most promising compounds combating age-related diseases (including mTOR inhibitors, such as those pursued by our pipeline company, Tornado Therapeutics). The article also explores barriers to progress and issues a cautionary note about the 'hype' surrounding less scientifically rigorous aspects of our field. Check out the full article for a deeper understanding of these complexities, as well as for some insights from leaders in the space. #longevity #biotech James Peyer, PhD, Jamie Justice, Ph.D., Nir Barzilai, XPRIZE, Matt Kaeberlein, Joan Mannick

The 2024 JP Morgan conference highlighted the promising trajectory of the Biotech and Life Sciences sectors. Two things were very clear: there is a growing appetite for cutting edge technology in the space from investors and there is some very exciting innovative science emerging in the coming years. So, what makes a good therapeutics development program? How can investors pick the right therapeutic programs and how can entrepreneurs ensure they understand investor expectations? In this latest blog, our Senior Ventures Director, Ethan Sarnoski, Ph.D., outlines his hypothesis-driven approach for evaluating the quality of any given therapeutics program as one component of the larger drivers of success for a company. Check it out and let us know your thoughts! https://lnkd.in/gdE6F6XK #jpm2024 #jpm #healthcare

Starting the new year reflecting on how we ended the last and looking forward to what's to come; check out this latest segment of our newsletter to catch up on anything you may have missed! Our goal for this newsletter is to keep you connected and updated with all the exciting developments at Cambrian, while providing valuable insights and perspectives. We look forward to continuing to share this journey with you in this new year. #longevity #healthcare

Our team will be kicking off the new year in San Francisco at the #JPM Healthcare Conference where global industry leaders, emerging companies, investors, and innovators come together to discuss innovation in the healthcare industry. If you'd like to connect with any of our attending members, please reach out to our business development team at bd@cambrianbio.com. We look forward to connecting and evolving together! #jpm2024 #healthcare