Interview with Rustam Esanov - CEO of Reprogram Bio

Welcome to the Biotech Voyager. It's the show that covers what's next in biotech, mapping the early-stage signals before their big news. Hosted by Benjamin McLeod and Jeff Martin, PhD. Rustam Esanov, co-founder and CEO of Reprogram Bio, joins the show to explain how his company is transforming cancer cells into allies rather than attacking them directly, why the convergence of single cell sequencing and mRNA delivery makes reprogramming therapeutics possible now, and why he believes reprogramming is the natural evolution of in vivo genetic medicine. Reprogram Bio is developing a novel approach to solid tumor therapy that uses mRNA to deliver master regulator transcription factors directly into tumors. Rather than trying to kill cancer cells or recreate a specific cell type like competitor Asgard Therapeutics, Reprogram Bio activates multiple therapeutic functions within cancer cells themselves, including antigen presentation, immune cell recruitment, and co-stimulation. Rustam walks through their lead program in colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer, explains how their approach differs from other tumor reprogramming strategies, and shares early results showing complete tumor eradication and resistance to cancer rechallenge in mouse models. The conversation explores the biological foundation of cellular reprogramming, the technical challenges of in vivo delivery, potential applications beyond oncology including Parkinson's disease and diabetes, and why reprogramming therapeutics represent the next frontier after in vivo CAR-T. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 AM. #biotech #reprogrambio #mRNA #celltherapy #oncology #immunotherapy