#328 Breakthrough Biotech: CAR-Ts for Solid Tumors & Engineered Bacteria for Rare Diseases

This week, I attended BIO’s CEO and Investor Conference in New York City—one of the largest investor gatherings in the biotech industry. The conference, organized by BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization), brings together institutional investors, industry analysts, and senior executives to discuss the latest biotech advancements and investment opportunities. At the conference, I attended insightful panel discussions and company presentations where biotech CEOs shared their latest breakthroughs, research progress, and investment potential. After their presentations, I had the chance to sit down with two biotech leaders to dive deeper into their work: Dr. Premal Patel of Cellinfinity Bio and Dr. Travis Whitfill of Azitra. Guest Bios: Dr. Premal Patel A physician-scientist with 15 years of experience in medical oncology drug development, Dr. Patel has worked with major biotech companies like Genentech, Pfizer, and Juno Therapeutics. He specializes in CAR-T therapy, a groundbreaking approach to engineering immune cells to fight cancer. Now, as CEO of Cellinfinity Bio, he’s focused on tackling one of cancer treatment’s biggest challenges: using CAR-T to treat solid tumors. Dr. Travis Whitfill A serial biotech entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Dr. Whitfill co-founded Azitra, a company pioneering the use of synthetic biology to engineer skin bacteria for treating rare genetic skin diseases. He has led multiple biotech startups, served on the boards of several healthcare companies, and was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 (Healthcare) list in 2018. Interview Highlights: Dr. Premal Patel – CAR-T Therapy for Solid Tumors CAR-T cell therapy has revolutionized blood cancer treatment, but treating solid tumors remains a major challenge. Dr. Patel explains how Cellinfinity Bio is re-engineering T cells to overcome the barriers posed by solid tumors, making them more effective at infiltrating and attacking cancer cells. His team’s gene engineering approach aims to make CAR-T therapy more accessible and affordable, potentially bringing costs down to the range of antibody-based treatments. The ultimate goal: a game-changing, in-body T-cell reprogramming approach that could expand access to CAR-T therapies globally. Dr. Travis Whitfill – Engineering Skin Bacteria for Rare Diseases Azitra is developing synthetic biology solutions for rare genetic skin diseases, like Netherton syndrome, which currently has no FDA-approved treatments. Their novel therapy aims to treat skin rashes in cancer patients taking EGFR inhibitor drugs, reducing the need for high-dose antibiotics and steroids. Genetically modified bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis) are used to deliver missing proteins directly to the skin, a groundbreaking approach in dermatology and rare disease treatment. By integrating precision genetic engineering with synthetic amino acid control, Azitra ensures the therapy is both effective and safe. Resources & Links: Learn more about BIO’s CEO & Investor Conference here Explore Cellinfinity Bio’s CAR-T research here Discover Azitra’s work in synthetic biology here Get ready, genetic nerds—another brand-new episode of DNA Today drops this Friday! You can always count on us to deliver fresh content every Friday.  While you wait, why not dive into our library of over 300 episodes? Binge them all on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or wherever you love to listen—just search “DNA Today.” Prefer watching? We’ve got you covered! For the past four years, we’ve been recording episodes with video, including some filmed at the iconic NBC Universal Stamford Studios. Check them out on our YouTube channel!  DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM . Our Video Lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our Social Media Lead is Kajal Patel. Our Outreach Intern is Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC.  See what else we are up to on Instagram, X (Twitter), BluSky, Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].