『Dr. Stella Sarraf: The Chemist Cooking Up a Cure for ALS | Episode 26』のカバーアート

Dr. Stella Sarraf: The Chemist Cooking Up a Cure for ALS | Episode 26

Dr. Stella Sarraf: The Chemist Cooking Up a Cure for ALS | Episode 26

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What if the key to reversing ALS isn't replacing dead neurons, but reawakening theconnections between the ones that are still alive?In this groundbreaking episode, host Aaron Lazar sits down with Dr. Stella Sarraf,serial biotech entrepreneur, Forbes 50 Over 50 honoree for Innovation, and founder andCEO of both Spinogenix and Amydis. A PhD chemist turned drug developer, Dr. Sarrafis pioneering first-in-class neuroregenerative therapeutics that work at the synaptic levelto restore brain function in ALS, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and Fragile X syndrome.Her investigational drug SPG302 has received FDA expanded access authorization totreat 200 ALS patients, and Orphan Drug Designation from the European MedicinesAgency.This conversation is both a masterclass in drug development and a deeply personalstory of loss and purpose. Dr. Sarraf opens up about losing her father to Parkinson'sand her mother to breast cancer, and how those experiences ignited her mission totransform neurology from a field of late diagnosis and limited options into one of earlydetection and real treatment. She describes the decade-long marathon from lab benchto clinical trial, the mouse that started running circles after treatment, and the impossibledream of turning ALS from a death sentence into a chronic, manageable disease.The impossible dream shines brightest in Dr. Sarraf's patient-first approach to expandedaccess. Rather than wait years for traditional clinical trial pathways, she fought for FDAauthorization to offer SPG302 to ALS patients who wouldn't otherwise qualify, passingcosts to patients rather than profits to shareholders. It's the same spirit that drove her tofound Amydis: using the eye as a window to the brain to detect neurodegenerativedisease proteins like TDP-43 before symptoms appear, potentially catching ALS at theearliest possible stage.Guest Bio:Dr. Stella Sarraf is a visionary biotech entrepreneur and the founder and CEO ofSpinogenix and Amydis. Named to Forbes 50 Over 50: Innovation (2025), she holds aPhD in organic chemistry from Columbia University and a BA in biochemistry andmolecular biology from UC Berkeley. Dr. Sarraf began her career as a senior researchchemist at Merck Research Laboratories, where she developed novel drug synthesisprocesses for clinical trials. She then spent over a decade in healthcare venture capitalat Foresite Capital Management and Prospect Venture Partners, leading diligence on400+ investment opportunities in therapeutics and diagnostics. In 2013, she foundedAmydis to develop ocular tracers for early detection of neurodegenerative diseasebiomarkers including TDP-43 (present in 97% of ALS patients) and amyloid beta. In2016, she founded Spinogenix to develop synaptic regenerative therapies. Thecompany's lead drug SPG302 is in clinical trials for ALS, Alzheimer's, andschizophrenia, with FDA expanded access authorization to treat 200 ALS patients. Hallof Fame quarterback Steve Young serves on the Spinogenix board. Dr. Sarraf was bornin Iran and is driven by her personal experience losing both parents toneurodegenerative disease.Learn more about Dr. Stella Sarraf:SpinogenixAmydisLinkedInForbes 50 Over 50: Innovation (2025)Xtalks Life Science Podcast InterviewLIVE YOUR IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS✨ Subscribe, listen, and believe.Presented by the ALS Network - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/nLpfroProduced by EVRYBDY Studios - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/oBFSUTAbout Aaron Lazar - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/ipArgWInstagram - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/CO4vRrApple - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/Q8eUThSpotify - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/tDP4r1Impossible Dream Merch - https://WsBQMs.short.gy/P0eBSeEpisode Navigation:1. 00:00 - How a PhD in organic chemistry is basically cooking with chemicals2. 05:04 - Living the impossible dream: FDA expanded access for 200 ALS patients3. 08:13 - The marathon of drug development: From cell to animal to human4. 10:21 - The mouse that ran circles: When the drug worked in an ALS animal model5. 22:28 - Combination therapy: Why ALS won't be solved by a single silver bullet6. 27:20 - Amydis and the eye: Detecting TDP-43 and diagnosing ALS early7. 39:47 - AI meets ophthalmology: Analyzing retinal images to track disease8. 44:06 - Steve Young, Dwight Clark, and the power of education and advocacy9. 48:55 - Fighting the system: Why expanded access programs face hospitalbottlenecks10. 53:38 - Flora and Whooshing: Fighting for her parents and all of us
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