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Rob Shaffer

@shafferbiotech

Biotech entrepreneur and consultant. Biochem PhD. Opinions strictly my own.

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19.08.2023
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Latest posts by Rob Shaffer @shafferbiotech

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AbbVie and ADARx Pharmaceuticals Announce Collaboration and License Option Agreement to Develop Next-Generation siRNA Therapies Across Multiple Therapeutic Areas - Collaboration to leverage AbbVie's expertise in biotherapeutic drug development and commercialization together with ADARx's proprietary RNA technology to advance next-generation siRNA therapies...

Super curious what AbbVie's antibody(/ies) is here that they're planning to use

AbbVie and ADARx Pharmaceuticals Announce Collaboration and License Option Agreement to Develop Next-Generation siRNA Therapies Across Multiple Therapeutic Areas news.abbvie.com/2025-05-14-A...

14.05.2025 13:22 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
HAYA Therapeutics | HAYA Therapeutics Raises $65 Million in Series A Funding to Deliver Precision RNA-Guided Medicines for Chronic and Age-Related DiseasesYouTube icon HAYA Therapeutics Raises $65 Million in Series A Funding to Deliver Precision RNA-Guided Medicines for Chronic and Age-Related Diseases

Great to see private financing activity lately in the cardiology space!

Lead is a lncRNA for nHCM about to enter the clinic.

HAYA Therapeutics Raises $65 Million in Series A Funding www.hayatx.com/news-and-pub...

08.05.2025 13:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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RNA editing startup raises $155M to bring liver and lung disease therapy into clinic When the transatlantic startup AIRNA launched in 2023, it was already years behind other companies that were trying to bring a new form of genetic medicine known as RNA editing ...

Impressive fundraising. These guys raised $60M less than a year ago. All-in $245M, before starting a clinical trial.

RNA editing startup AIRNA raises $155M for liver and lung disease therapy - endpts.com/rna-editing-...

01.04.2025 11:57 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Here Comes the Booming Chinese Biotech Sector Podcast Episode Β· Odd Lots Β· 03/10/2025 Β· 43m

HERE COMES CHINA'S BOOMING BIOTECH SECTOR

New Odd Lots on yet another area where in the last few years, Chinese firms have suddenly rushed to the technological cutting edge. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

10.03.2025 12:55 πŸ‘ 110 πŸ” 12 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 2
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Novo bets up to $354M per target on Gensaic’s tissue-selective delivery tech Novo Nordisk has forged a deal with Gensaic, agreeing to pay up to $354 million per target to access technology for the tissue-selective delivery of molecules to cardiometabolic targets i | Novo Nordi...

Congrats to fellow LabCentral company Gensaic. Awesome news!

Novo bets up to $354M per target on Gensaic’s tissue-selective delivery tech www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/novo...

03.03.2025 14:27 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Robert Shaffer, PhD on LinkedIn: UNIQUE SEED-STAGE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPERIENCED TRANSLATIONAL SCIENTIST. We… UNIQUE SEED-STAGE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPERIENCED TRANSLATIONAL SCIENTIST. We are seeking an entrepreneurial future R&D leader who will be responsible for driving…

www.linkedin.com/posts/robert...

01.03.2025 02:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Graduate student admissions paused and cut back as universities react to Trump orders on research In response to Trump science policies, universities are accepting fewer graduate students than normal and freezing positions, STAT has learned.

This is just terrible for all of these prospective students and for American competitiveness

Graduate student admissions paused and cut back as universities react to Trump orders on research www.statnews.com/2025/02/19/t... via @statnews.com

20.02.2025 15:40 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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First direct chemical synthesis of a gene over 1700 nucleotides long Innovative use of non-porous solid supports allows synthesis of very long oligonucleotides

Super interesting. Better control over synthesis enables better/other delivery approaches, more efficient and lower COGS production, etc.

First direct chemical synthesis of a gene over 1700 nucleotides long
www.chemistryworld.com/news/first-d...

Orig article pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

14.02.2025 20:11 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Trump policies spark fears of brain drain, threatening to undermine U.S. dominance in biomedicine A torrent of Trump administration policies is alarming scientists who fear the current climate is weakening researchers’ resolve to stick with careers in academic science.

I hope people choose to stay and promote the importance of science for American competitiveness. Push back on harmful policies from here.

Trump policies spark fears of brain drain, threatening to undermine U.S. dominance in biomedicine www.statnews.com/2025/02/12/t... via @statnews.com

13.02.2025 00:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Focused ultrasound widely broadens AAV-delivered Cas9 distribution and activity - Gene Therapy Gene Therapy - Focused ultrasound widely broadens AAV-delivered Cas9 distribution and activity

Interesting work towards unlocking greater and more localized brain delivery of gene therapy

Focused ultrasound widely broadens AAV-delivered Cas9 distribution and activity www.nature.com/articles/s41...

03.02.2025 15:24 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Trump administration suspension of global HIV treatment program sparks chaos and fear of lost lives A move by the Trump administration to freeze funding for PEPFAR, the widely heralded international HIV/AIDS program, is putting countless lives at immediate risk, experts say.

Sincerely hope this is reversed asap.

Trump administration suspension of global HIV treatment program sparks chaos and fear of lost lives www.statnews.com/2025/01/28/h... via @statnews.com

28.01.2025 22:21 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Atalanta gets $97M boost to take two siRNAs into clinic for rare neuro disorders For five years, Atalanta Therapeutics operated with one investor. Now, F-Prime Capital is getting a bevy of financial support to propel two of the Boston biotech's RNAi drugs for rare ...

Atalanta gets $97M boost to take two siRNAs into clinic for rare neuro disorders - endpts.com/atalanta-get...

28.01.2025 12:32 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A bird's-eye view of a former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp showing a wide dirt pathway flanked by parallel rows of barbed-wire fences. Groups of visitors walk along the path, surrounded by the remnants of brick structures and barracks, now reduced to foundations. Green grass contrasts with the somber history of the site, as the path leads toward a guard tower in the distance.

A bird's-eye view of a former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp showing a wide dirt pathway flanked by parallel rows of barbed-wire fences. Groups of visitors walk along the path, surrounded by the remnants of brick structures and barracks, now reduced to foundations. Green grass contrasts with the somber history of the site, as the path leads toward a guard tower in the distance.

Auschwitz was at the end of a long process. It did not start from gas chambers.

This hatred was gradually developed by humans. From ideas, words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanization & escalating violence... to systematic and industrial murder.

Auschwitz took time.

27.01.2025 10:00 πŸ‘ 53120 πŸ” 22564 πŸ’¬ 1059 πŸ“Œ 1729
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We're looking to hire a future CMC leader as a Senior Scientist to drive bioconjugation chemistry! Please see the attached JD and email resumes/leads to recruitment@vratatx.com.

www.linkedin.com/posts/robert...

13.01.2025 15:12 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Great to see cardiovascular disease funding continue to take off. Big dollars and names here

Trio behind MyoKardia raise $300 million for new biotech firm focused on heart disease www.statnews.com/2025/01/10/k... via @statnews.com

10.01.2025 12:52 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Theoretical chemist Martin Karplus dies at 94 The Nobel laureate developed the first molecular dynamics simulation of a biomolecule

Theoretical chemist Martin Karplus dies at 94 cen.acs.org/people/obitu...

06.01.2025 22:57 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Gene-editing field sees another merger, this time between Chroma Medicine and Nvelop Therapeutics In industry parlance, the deal joins a β€œdelivery” company with a β€œcargo” companyΒ β€” fusing the two key pieces needed to build a genetic medicine.

Gene-editing field sees another merger, this time between Chroma Medicine and Nvelop Therapeutics www.statnews.com/2024/12/11/c... via @statnews.bsky.social

11.12.2024 12:18 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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My culinary contribution for today - a potato focaccia pugliese. Happy Thanksgiving!

28.11.2024 14:48 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Every drug I used when I took care of kids with cancer had serious risks.

The only thing that could justify my using them was that their benefits outweighed their risks.

But without proof of efficacy, there’s no way to make that calculation.

Safety & efficacy are 2 sides of the same coin.

27.11.2024 20:39 πŸ‘ 30 πŸ” 15 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
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Sarepta Therapeutics Announces Global Licensing and Collaboration Agreement with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals for Multiple Clinical and Preclinical siRNA Programs Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced an exclusive global licensing an

Sarepta Therapeutics Announces Global Licensing and Collaboration Agreement with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals for Multiple Clinical and Preclinical siRNA Programs

ARWR to receive $500 million upfront, $325 million equity investment at a 35% premium

www.businesswire.com/news/home/20...

26.11.2024 12:26 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Novartis seeks more bolt-on deals as it purchases neuro startup for up to $1.1B Novartis is acquiring Kate Therapeutics for $1.1 billion, focusing on gene therapy and neuroscience. CEO Vas Narasimhan and CFO Harry Kirsch indicate future M&A deals will likely stay under $3 billion...

Novartis is buying gene therapy and neuroscience biotech Kate Therapeutics in a deal worth $1.1 billion.
endpts.com/novartis-buy...

21.11.2024 11:43 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Former NCI chief and serial biotech entrepreneur raise $70 million to start companies that fail fast .@nes047 and @NathanielEDavid formed Jupiter Bioventures to quickly test out, and if necessary discard, ideas in biotech.

Love this - β€œThe best decisions are made [...] under capital constraint.” See you all around the LabCentral ecosystem.

Former NCI chief and serial biotech entrepreneur raise $70 million to start companies that fail fast www.statnews.com/2024/11/19/j... via @statnews.bsky.social

20.11.2024 00:30 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Sunday morning piano "lessons" from big sister

17.11.2024 12:53 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Relaying a statement from the other site from my district's congressman, Jake Auchincloss

15.11.2024 02:05 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Nonclinical Safety Assessment of Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutics Nonclinical Safety Assessment of Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutics

New draft guidance from the FDA - Nonclinical Safety Assessment of Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutics www.fda.gov/regulatory-i...

14.11.2024 16:45 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Pulmatrix and Cullgen Announce Proposed Merger Merger to create a Nasdaq-listed company focusing on targeted protein degradation technology with three degrader programs in or about to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials – two for the treatment...

RIP Pulmatrix. I interned there a couple times, right before and right after senior year of college. Great people, interesting tech out of the Langer lab iirc.

Pulmatrix and Cullgen Announce Proposed Merger $PULM ir.pulmatrix.com/2024-11-13-P...

13.11.2024 23:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Avidity Biosciences Announces New Precision Cardiology Development Candidates to Treat Rare Genetic Cardiomyopathies and Provides First Look at Next-Generation Technology Innovations Avidity expands its leading RNA delivery technology into precision cardiology with two new wholly-owned development candidates targeting rare genetic cardiomyopathies: AOC 1086 to treat PLN...

$RNA going after PLN and PRKAG2 (not part of BMS agreement)

Avidity Biosciences Announces New Precision Cardiology Development Candidates to Treat Rare Genetic Cardiomyopathies and Provides First Look at Next-Generation Technology Innovations aviditybiosciences.investorroom.com/2024-11-12-A...

12.11.2024 12:17 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Sarepta Announces Discontinuation of SRP-5051 Development for Duchenne Sarepta Therapeutics today announced that the company is discontinuing its SRP-5051 (vesleteplirsen) development program, including the global, Phase 2, multi-arm, ascending dose MOMENTUM study. Vesle...

Sarepta is discontinuing its SRP-5051 program www.parentprojectmd.org/sarepta-anno...

07.11.2024 00:09 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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AbbVie to Acquire Aliada Therapeutics, Strengthening Focus in Alzheimer's Disease and Neuroscience Pipeline /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Aliada Therapeutics today announced a definitive agreement under which AbbVie will acquire Aliada, a biotechnology...

AbbVie to Acquire Aliada Therapeutics, Strengthening Focus in Alzheimer's Disease and Neuroscience Pipeline

Private co funded by JJDC, RACap, Orbimed, Sanofi Ventures. Platform delivers cargo across the BBB using TfR and CD98

www.prnewswire.com/news-release...

28.10.2024 12:09 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0