ESGCT 2025 | Asphalion
Catching up with biotech veterans at #ESGCT2025 was a real highlight! Chris Mann and Elisa Jiménez from Asphalion shared their perspectives on how cell and gene therapy have evolved, the trends shaping what’s next, and the lessons that come only with years of hands-on experience.
Tis conversation is packed with insight, stories, and practical takeaways for anyone in biotech. Watch the full interview to hear it directly from Elisa and Chris!
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Speaker 2 (00:00.302)
Check one, two.
Speaker 2 (00:06.926)
Hello everybody, we are here at ESGCT and I am with two new friends from S.Vallion. I have Alisa and Chris. This organization is actually pretty remarkable as far as other companies here on the floor because they've been around for 25 years. Congratulations. So tell us what you both do for the organization.
Well, in my case right now I'm doing a role of business developer. So I'm taking into account the first stage of meeting the clients to define the strategy, what they will need for later on and scope for a project.
So before you joined the dark side, you were actually on the scientific side too, yes? So what's your background?
I do have a scientific background with a PhD in brain physiology. Then I started with the regulatory affairs in that field three years ago. So I was working as a technician, performing road maps, feasibility, scientific advice, dossier documentation. And then I just moved to the transversal change to help also to support as well from this side.
That's great. Okay, cool. And Chris, you said you were with the company 13 years. I think you told me.
Speaker 1 (01:17.824)
Yeah, exactly, 13 years. So my background was in the lab 15 years, and the lab before 13 years now in Asphalian. So yeah, we're doing everything and anything as we just said. Working lots with small biotech startups, academics, got some European projects as well, so we know quite a lot of people here from various places around the place.
Yeah, I feel like you guys have a unique perspective on the industry right now, so I'm curious as to what you get out of the ESGCT first before I ask you about where the industry is going next. But why do you come to ESGCT?
Well, actually it's a big event from the ATMPs. So since Asphalion is working with the ATMPs and we support for the development of the ATMP products. that's why it was one of our main objectives to come here, stay here and just see how we can support to the developers.
Of course, of course. And how about you? What do you get out of USGCT?
A bit of the same, we're here obviously for the new academic findings and see what's happening just to keep up with the technologies and stuff like that because we need to know what's going to come our way for projects in the near future so that's always good but also yeah just to see who needs support, what we can do, bring people together and so eventually we've got European projects so it's nice to get colleagues here together as well so it's a bit of both, bit of social, bit of business and bit of academia.
Speaker 2 (02:37.902)
So because of your perspective of 13 years with this organization, what changes have you seen?
I can tell you more actually. I have actually 30 years in gene therapy. I started in the lab in 1995, November, and first gene therapy meeting in 1996. Back then it was adenovirus. This place didn't exist. There was no industry. So then it came up adenos, AVs, and lentils, and now it's basically CAR-T. So having all this industry here is...
remarkable because it just shows how far the field has come. it's really nice to be part of that for such a long time.
I've been hearing kind of the whispers that AAV might not be as applicable anymore, but then you come to a show like this and it's AAV everywhere. So what are your thoughts on that?
Yeah, was good you said that. We were just talking to a guy who just now is a manufacturer, a colleague of ours, and we mentioned the same thing and he said the same thing. He said everyone's apparently turning away from AAV, but there's still a lot of AAV stuff around. So I think maybe the question is, big pharma maybe step away from AAV, but academia and small startups still see use and some indications like eye diseases, especially for example, lot of success. So AAV is not going away, but maybe it just needs...
Speaker 1 (03:56.682)
overcome a few hurdles and it'll be back in a different place in a few years.
Sure, absolutely. I'm wondering just from both of your perspectives, is there anything that you're both really excited about in relation to the industry? Because you're seeing a lot of kind of the new discovery work that's going on, I'm sure. So is there anything that you're seeing that you're just kind of like, wow. And look at my shirt, see? It's magic. Get it? Yep. Anything that you guys are both excited about?
Well, actually, from my point of view, the personalized medicine and also, for example, the ATMPs are trying to edit specific genes concerning a specific disease that is specific to each patient. For me, this is one of the real challenge concerning also regulatory aspect because not all each of them are the same. I would say that this is also a Yes.
It's the future. I absolutely agree. How about yourself?
Yeah, I was going to say not so much technology, what I like seeing here is basically hope and that two levels. So there's still a lot of work for rare diseases and all these conditions that need stuff. So there's a lot of people still hoping, let's say, to get something from that. But now I'm a bit older, as I just mentioned, you see all the young guys. It's nice to actually say, OK, there's something for these people, know, pathways, different parts of the industry to go forward. So there's a lot of different.
Speaker 1 (05:19.19)
hope, let's say, from the young people to have a new way forward because when we came through we just talked to one of Lisa's friends about it, that it was all about academia and that's it but now it's no, there's regulatory consulting, manufacturing, CROs and there's all this stuff and everyone's seeing it and that gives them hope to keep going and to do something different and I think that's really important from our point
I attended a rare disease day this past year, actually earlier this year, here in Spain, actually in San Sebastian. And that was definitely the theme. And I definitely appreciate that. I think for the industry as a whole, it's a good word to kind of like hang our hat on. When you think about Asphalian, what's one word that comes to mind that you like to try to make sure people remember you by? It's a hard question. Maybe I should go to the BD person first. Okay, so what's one word that you think of or you want people to think of after you've spoken to them that they want to remember the organization by?
our experience.
Experience? Yes. Okay. Alright. I like that. How about yourself?
was going to say relationships because we work between a lot of different rocks and hard places let's say so it's all about having a good relationship and it's kind of nice when you've got these clients a long time and stuff like that so I think that's a good strength to have that we can be personal and build this kind of stuff as well as giving the technical and whatever support it's not just a random company.
Speaker 2 (06:43.01)
Yeah, I don't want to make fun of it because for a long time I just hear the word partner a lot. Everybody was partnering, partnering, partnering, but you cannot make it in this industry without great partners and I'm sure that's the same for what you guys are seeing. So even the startups need a lot of support and just like the big pharma companies do.
And it's also about demand and stuff. I time is always a limiting factor, money. So if you have a good relationship, you can ask me, do a bit more and I'll do it. Because we have that relationship. But if you don't have that, it's like, would I do more? And you need to keep pushing these things. mean, the demands of the industry sometimes are very high. So keeping it turning over creates a lot of challenges, personal motivation. And also there's funding.
Sometimes we do stuff for free because someone needs something that will help them. They help us and that's what I mean by relationships.
Yeah, I believe in that. absolutely believe in that. Okay, I'm always asking everybody the same question as well. What kind of advice do you give folks that are looking to get into the industry right now? They might be studying life sciences and they're looking to kind of emerge into the profession. So any advice for those folks?
I say...
Speaker 2 (07:48.792)
Why did you go? Do you have any advice first? did you go first?
So I had three so then I will.
Okay.
I was just going to paraphrase what we told your friend about 20 minutes ago, which was basically, you just have to start a little bit at the bottom, it's okay. You got a PhD, you're really smart, no one's going to say no. But when you start a new thing in industry, there's still a lot to learn. Regulatory is a new language. You have to learn how to communicate that. Relationships, like we said, you've got to learn how to build that with clients. When you're in the lab, it's you and your mice. So I would just say start at the bottom, be patient. We've got a long time to go and it comes back to hope, you know, these young kids.
25 years, PhD, 40 years through retirement, you've got plenty of time.
Speaker 2 (08:29.23)
Any advice you want to give?
No, exactly that, because actually this is what we were discussing before. Just to say also that it will come. It will come. They have already made a lot of effort with their PhD. They also have acquired a lot of skills that now need to be translated to new roles. it's just a matter of time, also look for a new strategy in the search of jobs and so on.
Just welcome.
Okay, well Chris, Lisa, it's been a pleasure to meet you both. Thank you for this. It's commendable you've been around for over two decades. That's just amazing for this industry. So congratulations to them.
I was just literally saying that, wow, 25 years, it's not many companies now.
Speaker 2 (09:16.814)
No, they don't they don't last that long and they usually don't see as much as the you guys have seen So I'm sure if you're if people looking for a good partner, you need folks a lot of experience come to a stallion Yes, exactly. Exactly. All right. Well, thank you so much for this. Have a great show. Okay. Bye everybody