Rod Wong joins Stephanie Sirota to trace biotech's evolution. What forces built today’s innovation landscape, and what might the next decade reveal?

PODCAST TEAM

Producer & Director: Devon Leaver

Editor: Dominique Guerra

Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin

Production Support: Annabelle Chan

Theme music: Ganymede by Yehezkel Raz

Additional music: APM Music

Featuring: Rod Wong, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at RTW Investments, moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.

FOLLOW US

Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.

To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.

Learn more about 'Innovation is the Best Medicine' here.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Introduction

1:22 – Gene therapy and biotech

4:51 – Rod Wong’s journey into biotech

9:55 – Rod Wong: Investor or Business Builder?

12:43 – Growing trends in biotechnology

15:36 – Generating Alpha in Biotech

21:54 – Looking forward for RTW

23:51 - Outro

DISCLAIMER

This interview was given by Rod Wong, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at RTW Investments, and moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

When an FDA panel held her company’s future in the balance, UroGen Pharma CEO Liz Barrett refused to fold, even with the odds stacked, a plunging stock, and one vote deciding it all.

PODCAST TEAM

Producer and Director: Devon Leaver

Editor: Dominique Guerra

Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin

Production Support: Annabelle Chan

Story Consultants: Partner & Research Analyst Tony Nguyen, and Chief Corporate Finance Officer, Chris Seiter.

Featuring: Liz Barrett, President & CEO of UroGen Pharma, moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP.

FOLLOW US

Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.

To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

00:54 – Liz Barrett’s pharma journey

03:26 - UroGen: the product and the pipeline

08:31 - The FDA vote on UroGen

15:07 - UroGen and RTW’s relationship

18:42 - Liz Barrett’s leadership style

22:40 - Outro

DISCLAIMER

This interview was given by Liz Barrett, President & CEO of UroGen Pharma, and moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

From a Thanksgiving night emergency to one of the fastest gene therapies ever deployed, this is the story of a family’s relentless pursuit to help their daughter, and how RTW Foundation made it possible.

This episode was recorded on June 11, 2025, and the clinical trial details discussed may have changed; please see ellysteam.org for the most current information on Elly’s case.

PODCAST TEAM

Producer & Director: Devon Leaver

Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin

Editor: Dominique Guerra

Research Consultants: Joe Katakowski, PhD, and Nicole Litt

Story Consultant: Samantha Darris

Theme music: Ganymede by Yehezkel Raz

Additional music: APM Music

Featuring: Michelle Krueger, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, and the co-founder of Elly’s Team, moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP.

FOLLOW US

Now you can follow along in the format you prefer. Watch the video feed of this podcast on YouTube or read the transcript at rtwfunds.com/podcasts.

To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

01:16 – Elly’s Diagnosis

04:37 - Finding a treatment with RTW Foundation

09:42 - Elly’s journey: from research to treatment

14:50 - Becoming the first child to receive an IRF2BPL gene replacement therapy

17:17 - Expanding the clinical trial for NEDAMSS

19:12 - How to improve drug research and development

21:18 - Outro and disclaimer

DISCLAIMER

This interview was given by Michelle Krueger, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, and the co-founder of Elly’s Team, and moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.