Buy, Sell, Hold: Cell and Gene Therapy

Buy, Sell, Hold is a rapid-fire expert panel covering a single topic, such as lipid nanoparticle delivery, supply chain resilience, cell and gene therapy (CGT), or aseptic filling. Panelists first respond to quick-hit questions with a buy, sell, hold format before being allotted more time to share more considerate responses to complex topics.

While finance and investment perspectives flavor the discussion, science and pragmatism are the main ingredients driving these dynamic panel discussions.

Episode 1: Cell and Gene Therapy

“Episode 1: Cell and Gene Therapy” features the expertise of Dr. Fabian Gerlinghaus, co-founder and chief executive officer of Cellares; Dr. Claudia Zylberberg, board chair and co-founder of Arscience Biotherapeutics, and board chair and co-founder of Akron Biosciences; and Benjamin McLeod, director, Cell & Gene Therapy Segment, at NanoMosaic.

In the first 2 segments, the panelists share quick thoughts on CGT topics, including: The merits of focusing on orphan diseases; training new staff versus re-training existing staff; machine learning, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing; existing supply chain functioning; government investment into CGT; using traditional CDMOs for CGT production; facility retrofits for CGT; and CGTs as first-line treatment.

In the final segment, panelists had up to two minutes each to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of gene editing (CRISPR), gene augmentation, and gene-silencing approaches. Panelists also discussed their technology or engineering wish lists, as well as how to best to sync up regulations to current technology progress. Lastly, they exchanged ideas about the key missing piece(s) to lowering cost and improving accessibility.

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Featured Experts:

Dr. Fabian Gerlinghaus, Co-Founder and CEO, Cellares

Fabian Gerlinghaus is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cellares. He is driven by a strong sense of purpose and is passionate about building the future of cell therapy manufacturing. With 10+ years of experience as an innovator and a leader, Fabian has established a track record of assembling top-performing teams to successfully drive novel bioprocessing technologies from ideation to commercial readiness. Prior to co-founding Cellares, Fabian served as Chief Innovation Officer at Synthego, where he co-invented the company’s proprietary RNA synthesizer technology and helped grow the company from five to more than 230 employees. He successfully led the interdisciplinary team that took synthesizer technology from whiteboard sketch to production-ready instruments within two years, enabling the company to be the first to market with its CRISPR/Cas9 product portfolio. He earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Technical University of Munich, and an honors degree in technology management from the Center for Digital Technology and Management, Munich

Dr. Claudia Zylberberg, Board Chair and Co-Founder Arscience Biotherapeutics, Board Chair and Co-Founder Akron Biosciences

With over 30 years of experience in the regenerative medicine industry, Dr. Zylberberg has established herself as a leader in her field. For nearly 15 years, she led Akron Bio as its founder and CEO with leadership, foresight, and expertise in advanced therapies manufacturing. Her passion for pushing the industry forward in the development and commercialization of safe novel therapies also led her to co-found the Standards Coordinating Body and serve as an active member of numerous industry boards and advisory committees. Claudia co-founded AssureImmune, an adult stem cell bank, and worked with Nabi Pharmaceuticals, specializing in human plasma-derived products. Her experience in product development and protein manufacturing was instrumental in the development of key materials to accelerate the regenerative medicine industry. She holds numerous patents and developed several patent-pending platform technologies in cryopreservation, novel formulations, and others. Claudia received her PhD from the University of Buenos Aires, where she studied Immunology, and conducted her doctoral research at the University of British Columbia. She also authored a children’s book called You’re Full of Genes to introduce the younger generation to genetics. Claudia is a member of the Forum on Regenerative Medicine at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Benjamin McLeod, Director, Cell & Gene Therapy Segment, NanoMosaic

Currently Benjamin helps many related researchers become more familiar with CGT concepts by translating complex processes into digestible bites on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and X. At OmniaBio he was product manager, collaborating with technical stakeholders to develop clear and actionable messaging around OmniaBio’s manufacturing services. At Virica Biotech he was Technical Lead, for a company whose viral sensitizer technology, increased viral yield in manufacturing, and potency in viral therapeutic products.