Ep. 382 - Summer’s venture wave; drugging beta-catenin; Capricor & FDA

Biotech venture activity remains robust despite the summer season, with 13 rounds securing $791 million last week, bringing third-quarter totals to $6.5 billion. Key developments include the launch of Cardis, which is developing an oral IGF-1R inhibitor to challenge Amgen’s Tepeza, and the expansion of the "newco" model with Boulevard Bio’s hybrid approach to in-licensing assets. Therapeutic innovation focuses on the undruggable beta-catenin pathway, where five clinical-stage programs utilize diverse mechanisms—ranging from cell-penetrating peptides to condensate modulators—to target oncogenic signaling while sparing healthy tissue. Meanwhile, Capricor is pivoting its regulatory strategy for its DMD therapy, shifting focus toward improving limb function after facing resistance regarding cardiomyopathy endpoints. The industry is also preparing for the upcoming China Healthcare Summit and a signature report on accelerating first-in-human studies.