Jeremy Au and Joshua Wang reunite after three years to explore how biotech startups navigate scientific breakthroughs, funding challenges, and leadership growth. They discuss Joshua’s work at VerImmune on repurposing the immune system to treat cancer, the shift in early-stage global biotech financing from founder-led ventures to the “professionalization of entrepreneurship” via venture studio models, and the lessons learned about resilience, communication, and leadership under pressure. Their exchange also touches on early detection, cultural attitudes toward disease, and how AI is reshaping biology into an engineering-driven field.

02:21 Tricking the immune system: Joshua explains how VerImmune’s therapy makes the body treat cancer like a past infection, using existing immune memory against viruses to stop recurrence.

05:56 Why cancer hides: Cancer disguises itself as “self” and builds immune-suppressive environments, preventing the body’s natural defenses from recognizing and eliminating tumors.

09:08 Marking tumors as threats: VerImmune adds viral-like markers to cancer cells, making them visible to the immune system as dangerous outsiders that must be attacked.

11:38 Toward earlier treatment: Although clinical trials begin with late-stage patients, the long-term vision is to bring the therapy earlier to prevent recurrence and keep cancer under control.

16:08 Cancer versus diabetes: Jeremy and Joshua compare today’s fear of cancer to how diabetes was once seen as fatal, arguing that science can shift cancer into a chronic, manageable disease.

20:38 Hard conversations matter: Joshua reflects on his growth as a founder, learning to confront underperformance directly and foster a culture of honesty and accountability.

30:20 Biotech funding shifts: Joshua describes how venture studios are reshaping early-stage biotech, with VCs creating companies in-house and founder-led startups facing tougher competition.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/joshua-wang-fighting-cancer-differently

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