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Next Unicorns: Developing drugs to extend dog lifespans with Loyal CEO Celine Halioua | E1799

This Week in Startups

Wed Aug 30 2023



Developing drugs to extend dog lifespans with Loyal CEO Celine Halioua:

  • Dogs have a shorter lifespan compared to humans, and there is a desire to find ways to extend their lives.
  • FDA approval for life extension drugs in dogs is less expensive and faster than for humans, making it an attractive market.
  • Loyal is developing drugs that target the genetic changes in big dogs that lead to accelerated aging and age-related diseases.
  • The goal is to show that these drugs can slow down the rate of aging and extend healthy lifespan in dogs, which could also have implications for human longevity research.
  • There are challenges in conducting studies on dog aging, including placebo effects and subjective measures of quality of life.
  • Loyal has raised $65 million so far and is about a year and a half away from potentially launching the first-ever FDA-approved drug for lifespan extension in any species.

The impact of stem cell therapy and the placebo effect:

  • Stem cell therapy has been used as a treatment option for various conditions, but there are regulatory gray areas and challenges in proving efficacy.
  • The placebo effect plays a significant role in medical studies, including those involving animals like dogs. It can influence how owners perceive their dog's health and affect study outcomes.
  • Objective measures of cognitive decline were used in studies conducted by Loyal, showing improvements in cognition among dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction who were given the drug.

Commercialization timeline and funding considerations:

  • Commercialization of drugs typically takes around four years in biotech companies like Loyal.
  • Biotech startups require experienced talent with higher cash compensation expectations due to family obligations and financial responsibilities.
  • Funding milestones can be achieved with less initial capital if early experiments yield positive results quickly.
  • The value of biotech companies lies not only in revenue potential but also in the probability of success based on scientific evidence.

The experience of being a solo founder:

  • Being a solo founder has advantages in terms of decision-making and clarity, as there is no need to navigate co-founder dynamics.
  • Solo founders can drive the growth rate necessary for startups without being limited by others' capabilities or limitations.
  • Personal preferences and characteristics play a role in determining whether someone is better suited to be a solo founder or part of a team.

Pattern matching and biases in startup funding:

  • Pattern matching plays a role in investor decisions, such as associating certain traits or backgrounds with success or failure.
  • Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos are often brought up as an example when discussing female founders in biotech.
  • Diligence is important to avoid falling into biased patterns and assumptions about founders and their companies.
  • Positive examples of successful deep tech companies can help change pattern matching perceptions and encourage more investment in the sector.

Lessons learned and postmortems:

  • Postmortems are valuable for learning from failures and improving future endeavors.
  • Creating a culture of sharing lessons learned can benefit the biotech industry, which traditionally lacks resources for building deep tech startups.
  • Terminal bias to action is important, acknowledging that mistakes will happen but treating them as opportunities for learning.
  • Honest feedback and self-reflection are crucial for personal growth as a founder.