Base to Base biotech podcast 63: Cell and gene therapy logistics, and turning back the Parkinson’s clock

This week, we have a conversation with Mark Sawicki, president and CEO of Cryoport Systems, and we chat with Nick Manusos, CEO of Kenai Therapeutics.Times:03:22 Cryoport Systems22:24 Kenai TherapeuticsCryoport SystemsCryoport Systems provides temperature-controlled supply chain solutions for the life sciences industry. The company supports the transportation, storage and management of sensitive biological materials used in biopharma development, reproductive medicine and animal health. Its services are designed to protect products and materials that require tightly controlled environments, including cell and gene therapies, biologics and reproductive specimens.The company offers an integrated platform that combines specialised shipping systems, logistics and transportation services, cryopreservation, biostorage and bioservices capabilities, and consulting support. Its solutions cover a range of temperature requirements, from cryogenic conditions below -150°C to refrigerated and controlled room-temperature environments. Cryoport Systems also provides monitoring and traceability technologies intended to maintain the integrity of materials throughout the supply chain.Cryoport Systems is part of Cryoport, Inc., a publicly traded company headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Founded in 1999, Cryoport, Inc. serves customers globally through a family of companies that includes Cryoport Systems, MVE Biological Solutions and CRYOGENE. The organisation supports clinical and commercial programmes worldwide, with a particular focus on the temperature-controlled supply chain requirements of advanced therapies.Kenai TherapeuticsKenai Therapeutics recently announced a major milestone with the dosing of the first patient in its phase 1 clinical trial of RNDP-001.This approach is fundamentally disease-modifying, moving beyond symptom control to address the root cause of Parkinson's disease, and has the potential to be manufactured in large batches and readily available for more patients across the globe.Current Parkinson’s treatments focus almost entirely on managing the symptoms caused by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons. RNDP-001 represents a significant shift by aiming to replace those lost neurons, repair damaged neural circuits, and potentially restore motor function.Unlike patient-specific (autologous) therapies, RNDP-001 is an allogeneic (donor-derived), cryopreserved product built on a proprietary iPSC platform. This is a critical practical advancement, allowing the product to be manufactured in large batches and readily available for more patients, which is essential for global access.The therapy has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA, acknowledging the urgent need for new treatments and the potential of RNDP-001 to address a serious unmet medical need.To get in touch with guest suggestions, or to sponsor or advertise on the podcast, please email [email protected]