“It’s a fire within me. Trust me, I can’t stop because it’s really personal. I have a visceral calling to do my best to do right by you and to do right by so many.”
We often describe drug development as a marathon. But for those of us driven by personal loss and the pursuit of scientific innovation, it also becomes a profound and personal
mission.
In a recent episode of the Impossible Dreams podcast, Spinogenix founder and CEO Stella Sarraf sat down with actor and entrepreneur Aaron Lazar – who is currently battling ALS – to discuss her unexpected journey from research chemist to biotech entrepreneur developing first-in-class synaptic regenerative therapies for neurodegenerative disease.
Together, they explore the personal inspiration that has driven Stella in her fight against neurodegenerative diseases. Stella helps to demystify the complex and high-stakes journey taking a new drug from ideation to human clinical trials, while Aaron brings a patient’s perspective of the reality of living with ALS and the urgent need for new treatments.
Their conversation provides a deep dive into the transformative potential of tazbentetol, Spinogenix’s synaptic regenerative treatment for ALS. Stella walks us through the company’s clinical milestones and securing FDA authorization for an Expanded Access Program (EAP), which has granted up to 200 ALS patients compassionate access to the drug.
Watch the full interview below: