Balancing The Future

Biologic medicines have transformed the treatment of many diseases, but access and affordability remain important challenges across healthcare systems. Could biosimilars offer a solution?   In this episode of Balancing the Future, Chai and Micah speak with Andrew Bourgoin, founder of the Bourgoin Insights Group. Andrew has more than 15 years of experience working across the biosimilars field, from market access to business development.    Biosimilars are biological medicines that are highly similar to an approved reference biologic. Unlike medicines produced by mixing chemicals or through other synthetic processes, they are created using living cells. Scientists study the originator medicine to identify the genetic instructions needed to produce it, then insert those instructions into living cells.  When a biosimilar enters the market, it increases competition and, because the originator drug’s patent has expired, ends any monopoly a company may have over that drug. Together, these factors lower costs for physicians, patients and other stakeholders.  In 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it’s 100th biosimilar — a milestone that Andrew believes signals continued growth in the market. Another important development announced across 2025 and 2026 reduced the requirement for third-stage clinical trials from the biosimilar regulatory process. Previously, biosimilars had to undergo these trials to demonstrate that they were highly similar to the originator drug. Now, earlier-stage laboratory testing can provide that evidence.     Andrew points out that the field’s direction is becoming clearer, with biosimilars in development for treatments ranging from food allergies to retinal conditions.   LINKS: Andrew Bourgain on LinkedIn Bourgoin Insights Group Website METTLER TOLEDO Website METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn Balancing The Future Podcast Website Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn  EPISODE SOURCES: Biosimilar Product Information – US. Food and Drug Administration How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries? - Health System Tracker FDA Moves to Accelerate Biosimilar Development and Lower Drug Costs - US. Food and Drug Administration ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE:  Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.    We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.    Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.     Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode.  ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO: Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.

In traditional chemical manufacturing, multiple chemical reactions must take place before the desired final product is achieved. Even then, purity and yield can be extremely low. Biological processes can be complex and produce unwanted by-products. However, removing the cell entirely could offer a way forward and reduce the time from idea to market.    In this episode of Balancing the Future, Chai speaks with Damien Perriman, Chief Commercial Officer at eXoZymes, a biotechnology company developing cell-free biomanufacturing platforms using AI and bioengineered enzymes.   Typically, enzymes catalyze chemical reactions, converting one molecule into another. An ‘exozyme’ is created by removing an enzyme from a cell and bioengineering it for use as a catalyst in a bioreactor. This makes the process controllable and scalable. Damien says this can reduce processes that once took years to just months, while also shortening the time from creation to market.  So far, eXoZymes has created several chemicals and other molecules using these processes. The company has focused particularly on non-psychoactive cannabinoids and their potential health benefits. It has also worked with N-trans-caffeoyl tyramine a regulator that governs mitochondrial function and fat metabolism across the liver and muscles.     Damien also gives a glimpse into eXoZyme’s path ahead. Future areas of exploration may include women's health, companions for GLP-Ones, and much more.    LINKS: Damien Perriman on LinkedIn eXoZymes Website METTLER TOLEDO Website METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn Balancing The Future Podcast Website Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn  EPISODE SOURCES: Eduard Buchner – Encyclopedia Britannica  ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.    We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.    Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.     Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode.ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO: Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.

Balancing the Future is taking a few weeks off. Join Micah and Chai later this month for more conversations about the science and technology solutions transforming our lives.  In the meantime, you can listen to all previous episodes on your podcast app of choice.   LINKS: METTLER TOLEDO Website METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn Balancing The Future Podcast Website Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn  ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE:  Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.    We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.    Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.     Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode.  ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO: Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone. 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that more than 20 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the environment each year. At the same time, the UN World Food Programme warns that 266 million people worldwide face acute hunger in 2026. Could a single solution help address both challenges? Two scientists at Southern Illinois University Carbondale believe it could.    In this episode of Balancing the Future, Micah speaks with associate professor and microbiologist Dr. Lahiru Jayakody and graduate research assistant Sandhya Jayasekara at Southern Illinois University Carbondale about how they transformed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into cookies that look and smell like those on supermarket shelves.     The project is built on a surprisingly simple idea: plastic and food both contain carbon, so could one be transformed into the other? Using a proprietary method called oxidative hydrothermal dissolution, the researchers process carbon-rich materials such as PET plastic, discarded corn stalks and leaves, and another biomass.   The process uses water and oxygen at suitable temperatures and pressures to break down tough materials into components that microbes can access. These components are then fed to specially programmed yeasts, which convert them into food ingredients such as proteins, fats, and acids. The researchers add fiber, starch, and sweetener, then extrude the mixture through a 3D printer to create protein-rich cookies called µBites (microbites).    The project was inspired not only by these two major societal challenges, but also by NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, which called for ideas for sustainable food systems for Moon and Mars missions. Lahiru envisions a future in which plastic packaging used by astronauts could be repurposed as a food source during long space missions.   In August 2026, a global communications campaign introduced the derived plastic cookie to the world. Lahiru and Sandhya reflect on the divided public response to the idea and the lessons they have learned about explaining novel scientific concepts to a wider audience.     The cookie remains a work in progress, with researchers now focused on confirming its safety to eat. If they clear that hurdle, these small cookies could have a significant global impact.   LINKS: Dr. Lahiru Jayakody Bio Sandhya Jayasekara on LinkedIn NASA Deep Space Food Challenge Website METTLER TOLEDO Website METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn Balancing The Future Podcast Website Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn EPISODE SOURCES: This cookie started its life as a plastic bottle – The American Chemical Society Hard to swallow? The future of snacking may be 3D-printed cookies made from upcycled plastic – The Guardian Plastic pollution – The International Union for Conservation of Nature A global food crisis – The UN World Food Programme Microbes transform plastic waste into paracetamol – The University of Edinburgh ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE: Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.  We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.    Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.     Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode. ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO: Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone. 

The cold chain industry helps move food, vaccines, and other perishable goods around the world. But it also has a big carbon footprint, so finding cleaner, smarter ways to improve the system is really important.  In this episode of Balancing the Future, Chai and Micah sit down with Tapasvi Bhatt, a PhD scholar from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and winner of the 2026 METTLER TOLEDO Innovator Award. Along with his peer researchers, he built a way to lower the cold chain’s carbon footprint: a box made from mushrooms.  Tapasvi explains that cold chain boxes are often insulated with non-recyclable materials like petrochemical foams or polyurethane, which take a long time to break down. On top of that, it is usually cheaper to make a new box than to return and reuse the original, adding even more carbon emissions to the supply chain.  That’s why Tapasvi and his team developed a box made from a mycelium composite, which is a mix of mycelium, oats, and other biodegradable materials. These boxes insulate well, can be reused several times, and break down easily in soil. If widely adopted, this technology could significantly reduce the cold chain industry’s carbon footprint.  Micah and Chai also discuss other possible uses for mycelium composite, including building materials, furniture, and even coffins.   LINKS: Tapasvi Bhatt on LinkedIn METTLER TOLEDO Website METTLER TOLEDO on LinkedIn Balancing The Future Podcast Website Micah Schweizer on LinkedIn Chai Nussbaumer on LinkedIn EPISODE SOURCES: METTLER TOLEDO Innovator Award The Growing Pavillion, Amsterdam, The Netherlands The Hy Fi Pavillion, New York City, USA 7 Unexpected Uses Of Mycelium Composites You’ll Love Knowing – Bina Biox  ABOUT BALANCING THE FUTURE:  Science and technology play a key role in solving many of the world’s toughest problems. Balancing the Future introduces listeners to the people and innovations addressing these challenges.    We explore wide-ranging creative solutions that are changing our world for the better. You will hear directly from people making an impact in science and technology, such as, how cultivated foods could shake up both our diets and traditional agriculture, the ways AI might help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, and how tiny 3D ‘organoids’ are already changing the way we test new drugs.    Each episode offers hopeful conversations with scientists, leaders and communicators who are making a difference in their fields.     Join us as we decode the mechanisms behind impactful developments and new ways of thinking. Subscribe or follow us to be sure you never miss an episode.  ABOUT METTLER TOLEDO: Whether ensuring food safety, developing life-saving medicines, or advancing new technologies, precision, efficacy and accuracy matters. Meeting customers’ expectations takes more than effort; it requires the right partner. METTLER TOLEDO supports with trusted tools, expertise, and knowledge. Together, we help our clients work more efficiently, stay compliant, and drive innovation, building a safer and more sustainable future for everyone.