Cell & Gene: The Podcast

Navigating the Journey to Safer Stem Cell Therapies with Orca Bio's Nate Fernhoff

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message.Cell & Gene: The Podcast Host, Erin Harris, talks to Orca Bio CEO and Co-Founder Nathaniel Fernhoff as he recounts the company’s origins and evolution, tracing its roots to pioneering stem cell research at Stanford University and Dr. Irv Weissman's lab. Seeking to create safer, more effective cures for blood cancers such as AML, ALL, and MDS, Orca Bio developed high-precision cell therapies that utilize purified regulatory T cells and stem cells to minimize complications, such as graft-versus-host disease. Orca Bio spun out of academia to establish its own scalable production platform and clinical pipeline, and Fernhoff explains Orca's flagship product, Orca T, which recently achieved a pivotal milestone by outperforming standard stem cell transplants in a Phase 3 trial.Subscribe to the podcast!Apple | Spotify | YouTube Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn

Rethinking Large Animal Models in Gene Therapy with Novartis' Ralf Schmid, Ph.D.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message.On this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris talks to Ralf Schmid, Ph.D., Associate Director of Preclinical Research at Novartis Biomedical Research, about the evolving use of large animal models in gene therapy development. Dr. Schmid discusses the current reliance on non-human primates (NHPs), their growing logistical and ethical challenges, and the emerging interest in alternatives like genetically engineered pigs and sheep. He outlines key considerations around safety, biodistribution, and immunogenicity that still necessitate large-animal testin —particularly for CNS-targeted AAV therapies — and emphasizes the need for thoughtful study design, responsible sourcing, and diversification in model systems. Dr. Schmid also previews his participation in the upcoming Next Generation Gene Therapy Vectors Summit and reflects on the future of preclinical safety testing in a landscape aiming to balance innovation, rigor, and compassion.Subscribe to the podcast!Apple | Spotify | YouTube Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn

Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Diseases with Opus Genetics' Dr. George Magrath

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message.In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, George Magrath, CEO of Opus Genetics, shares with Host, Erin Harris, how the company is advancing gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), with a focus on LCA5, a rare and severe form of childhood blindness. Built on the foundational science of Dr. Jean Bennett and leveraging the legacy of Luxturna, Magrath shares how Opus is developing subretinal AAV-based therapies targeting seven distinct mutations. He also explains why gene therapy is particularly well-suited to IRDs, shares compelling early clinical data, and discusses the promise of early intervention in preserving vision and enabling proper neural development. Subscribe to the podcast!Apple | Spotify | YouTube Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn

Extracellular Vesicle Breakthroughs with Aegle Therapeutics' Dr. Gloria Matthews

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message.In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris interviews Dr. Gloria Matthews, Chief Medical Officer of Aegle Therapeutics, a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company focused on developing therapies for rare and severe dermatologic and immunologic disorders. Dr. Matthews explains how Aegle is pioneering the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells, which offer advantages over traditional cell-based therapies. Their discussion highlights Aegle's lead product, AGLE-102 as well as the regulatory and manufacturing challenges of scaling EV-based therapies. They cover the broader therapeutic potential of EVs in areas such as graft-versus-host disease, ocular, and orthopedic disorders, and more.Subscribe to the podcast!Apple | Spotify | YouTube Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn

Bridging Development and Regulation in CGT with Halloran Consulting Group's Monika Swietlicka

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message.On this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris welcomes Monika Swietlicka, Principal, Regulatory Strategy at Halloran Consulting Group to discuss the key regulatory challenges facing cell and gene therapy companies. Swietlicka highlights manufacturing complexity and clinical trial design limitations. On gene editing, she notes that the FDA is focused on off-target effects and demands robust data, including functional validation. She emphasizes the importance of early definition of critical quality attributes and a strong comparability strategy to ensure product consistency. She also underscores the growing role of real-world evidence, especially in rare disease settings with limited clinical trial data.Subscribe to the podcast!Apple | Spotify | YouTube Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn