October 2, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Meritxell Teixidó, CEO and co-founder of Gate2Brain, a Barcelona-based biotech company that is pioneering novel ways of delivering therapies across the blood-brain barrier. Meritxell shares the fascinating journey of how her team are using peptide-based technology to open up entirely new possibilities for treating brain disorders, including those that affect children.
It’s an inspiring conversation about science, perseverance, and the impact that bold ideas can have on the future of paediatric medicine.
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–
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
It's a technology that helps to cross the what is
called the blood brain barrier,that is the barrier that
protects the brain.
Okay?
That makes it very difficultthat drugs reach the brain.
But this isn't a general thingfor all the diseases in the
brain.
So the technology is useful forthat.
Then in the kids, it's knownthat this barrier is more robust
(00:20):
or tight.
So it's even more difficult tocross.
Why?
Probably philosophically, Ialways explain the same.
Probably because it's a brainthat needs to be further
protected when it's indevelopment.
And if it's not good, if it'snot true, it will be good
enough.
Let's put it as a vision.
I think it's probably naturedecides to have a tired bio
(00:40):
during the first years, and thenwhen we get older, maybe it's
not so real, it's important.
It's always a bad uh barrier,but not so tight as when we are
really, really small kids.
SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
Hello and welcome to the Not Many Adults Podcast,
Pioneers for Children's Healthand Wellbeing.
My name is David Cole, andtogether with my wife Hannah, we
are the founders of UKChildren's Charity Thinking of
Oscar.
The mission of the charity is tobring the future of healthcare
to children.
And during this podcast, we talkto individuals and organisations
that are doing just that.
(01:18):
We are excited to bring to youthe fifth season of the Not Mini
Adult Podcast, and we have somefantastic guests coming up.
In today's episode, we arejoined by Dr.
Mary Textel Texedo, CEO andfounder of Gate to Brain, a
Barcelona-based biotech companythat is pioneering novel ways of
delivering therapies across theblood-brain barrier.
(01:41):
Mary shares the fascinatingjourney of how her team are
using peptide-based technologyto open up entirely new
possibilities for treating braindisorders, starting with those
affecting children.
It's an inspiring conversationabout science, perseverance, and
the impact that bold ideas canhave on the future of pediatric
medicine.
I hope you enjoy listening asmuch as we enjoy talking to
(02:03):
Mary.
Mary, hello.
Thank you so much for joining uson the Not Mini Adults podcast.
We're thrilled to be startingour fifth season with you and
thrilled to be talking to you.
When we first met uh maybe lastyear in Barcelona, I was
intrigued and really excitedabout the work that you're
doing.
(02:23):
So uh thank you so much forjoining us.
SPEAKER_01 (02:25):
No, pleasure is mine to really join this mini adults
or not mini adults podcast,which is a lovely name for this
mission of showing that they'renot mini adults also.
SPEAKER_00 (02:37):
Thank you.
Well, and I know uh having uhlistened to you and um listened
to you on some of the talks thatyou've you know done online or
already that uh that we believein very similar things in terms
of um you know not enoughfunding going to children, not
enough focus going on children,and and we're we'll come to that
in terms of the uh the work thatyou're doing.
(02:58):
But maybe we could start.
Could you tell us a bit about umtell us a bit about yourself and
uh and and how you got to beworking in in children's health?
SPEAKER_01 (03:07):
Um I'm a chemist from background.
I study here in Barcelona anddecided that science is one of
my uh things that I love to do.
And so I established my grouphere in Barcelona, discovering
how peptides that are very smallproteins can help drugs reach
the brain.
So are these shuttles to thebrain or bus to the brain?
(03:29):
And that they can carry drugsthat cannot reach the brain
alone.
But this is a very generaltechnology, no.
So during those 15 years, um, westarted a collaboration with the
Pediatric Hospital here inBarcelona, and because we were
looking for one specific casewhere we can really use the
technology and make a hugeimpact.
(03:50):
So this was my entering to thepaediatric health system because
we discovered that there werethese paediatric brain tumors
that can benefit from thetechnology if we work hard for
almost a decade.
Let's put it like this.
SPEAKER_00 (04:04):
And uh and from that, you have uh formed an
organization and you're uh nowtaking that uh or or working to
take that to market.
Talk to us a bit about Gate toBrain.
SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
Okay.
So in 2020, no, when we werelocked down at home doing caro
cakes, um, there were fourpeople, crazy people, that
decided to um to create a novelcompany that is called Gate to
Brain.
So it's not like this.
In fact, two years before that,we applied to an investment from
Fundación Botin, that is um thefoundation of one of the biggest
(04:38):
banks in in Spain for sure,Banco Santander.
We applied for that in 2018.
And then in April 2020, theysay, okay, you are the selected
one.
We were like, God, okay.
Um we don't we didn't do adapt asingle second.
Say, okay, we are the selectedones, let's do it.
Um so why I say let's do it,because that minute I leave my
(05:02):
permanent position and jump tothe creation of the company.
Um, we are four founders, um,three female and one male.
Um it doesn't start with apersonal experience in our case,
it starts, but it's true that wehave a special sensitivity for
kids.
No, among the four of us, wehave three kids, two kids, two
kids, and I have one thatadministratively counts for
(05:25):
three because it's a specialkit, no?
So um, so there was this specialthing, but we don't we didn't
adapt to say, okay, it's it'sit's the moment.
Let's do it.
Let's do it.
I'm so happy about that thatjump because it was the way to
advance the technology and be abit more close to a reality of
reaching first a clinical trial,and if it goes well, then a
(05:47):
therapy, I always say in adecade.
SPEAKER_02 (05:50):
And what was it about the children's health that
made you want to resolve thatparticular problem?
SPEAKER_01 (05:57):
So in our case, let's come from the more
impactful part to the morepragmatic part, okay?
Um, so our technology is atechnology that helps to cross
the what is called theblood-brain barrier, that is the
barrier that protects the brain,okay?
That makes it very difficultthat drugs reach the brain.
But this isn't a general thingfor all the diseases in the
(06:18):
brain.
So the technology is useful forthat.
Then in the kids, it's knownthat this barrier is more robust
or tight.
So it's even more difficult tocross.
Why?
Probably philosophically, Ialways explain the same.
Probably because it's a brainthat needs to be further
protected when it's indevelopment.
And if it's not good, if it'snot true, it will be good
(06:40):
enough.
Let's put it as a vision.
I think it's probably naturedecides to have a tired bio
during the first years, and thenwhen we get older, maybe it's
not so real, it's important.
It's always a bad uh uh barrier,but not so tight as when we are
really, really small kids.
So then for us to validate thetechnology was the perfect
(07:01):
scenario.
Nobody will doubt that if wefail, we are able to bring a
drug to the brain, it's becauseour technology has helped on
that.
It's not because the barrier washalf open.
No, no, no, no.
It will be like uh the perfectscenario.
This is one thing.
Then the impact, obviously, wewanted to go, we decided the
four founders, we wanted to gofor an a mednit.
And then I think that's notmore.
(07:24):
Um I think my pitches as a CEOof and CSO of Gate to Brain
always start with the with thissentence.
Children represent 25% of ouractual population, 200 or no,
100% of our future if we don'tdecide to live 200 years, which
is not my plan.
Okay, so I start like this, no,because it's it's true, no, like
(07:47):
in I would say in 100 years,only some of our kids will be
there if we are lucky.
So none of us.
Um that's why we start in kids.
So there were more biologicalreasons, but there are a lot of
impact, um yeah, many things onthe way.
SPEAKER_00 (08:07):
But if you can, but I I think this is something that
we talk about a lot, and and Ifeel like it's more anecdotal
actually in many respects, andthere's a there's a theory if we
can if we can solve things inchildren, then uh it's much
easier to to solve to adults.
But you have, I think, found areally um the the best use case
(08:30):
because absolutely there is aphysiological difference, and
there is a it's as you say, moredifficult to um uh to to to to
work with children in this area.
If you can solve this, movinginto the adults into the adult
area where uh arguably there ismore money, more support, all
the rest of it.
Um, but you prove and helpeverybody else prove that
(08:51):
actually starting in children isuh is a brilliant way to
actually bring new therapeutics,new drugs to the market.
SPEAKER_01 (08:57):
We always claim that we are paediatic first, that
doesn't mean paediatic only.
So it's not that we are dealingwith a solution that it's only
for kids.
I cannot imagine one solution,but yes, probably we will find
solution that it's only for adisease that only happens when
you are a kid, that will be apaediatic only solution.
In our case, it's more of apaediatic first because it has
some advantage.
(09:18):
One thing is the impact of thedecision, but then there's these
biological reasons, and eventhere's so now that we are three
years from a clinical trial, soin that specific tumor, we will
be a first line.
This means that the populationof our clinical trial will be
much more homogeneous if that ifwe go to an adult disease where
(09:41):
maybe it will be a third line,and then the patients will come
from treatments, previoustreatments, so it will be more
less homogeneous.
So even the results that we canimagine from the clinical trial
are much robust in terms ofpragmatic of the of the data.
And then everyone can imaginethat jumping from kids to adults
(10:02):
is not that probably notimmediately, but nobody imagines
that a drug that has beendemonstrated that it's efficace
and non-toxic for a kid willhave a big, big problem on
jumping to an adult population.
The opposite sometimes happens,no?
We adapt, uh no, we we developfor adults and then readapt
somehow to kids, and thentoxicity appears or efficacy.
SPEAKER_02 (10:24):
I you made the point that I was just uh getting
interested in my head, is thatyou started in the hardest place
in many senses, because um thethe uh uh introducing something
new into children is is almostscarier, is my perception from
the from a non-medical person tointroducing something new for
adults.
(10:45):
So are there extra barriers youhad to um manage with uh as you
were working through theclinical trials?
SPEAKER_01 (10:53):
Sometimes challenges also came together with
opportunities, no, because um inregulatory, there are more we to
be fair, the drug we aretransporting, not the
technology, but the drug that weare carrying has already been in
kits, but in tumors that areoutside the brain.
So it's not we need to do allthe development years, mice,
(11:16):
pigs, whatever.
So all the development, but interms of regulatory, it's not
putting that drug, the drug, notthe technology, the drug for the
first time in a kit.
Okay, because if not the barrierwill be extremely.
Um having said that, yes, it wasa it was uh it's a it's a brave
decision, but it also gives umopportunities.
(11:39):
For example, we have been ableto attract 4.5 million euros in
non-dilutive grants fromnational and international, um,
like the European Commission.
And one of the things that valueis that really this thing of
okay, children are the future,so we need to maybe not invest,
but maybe because it's notinvestment, are grants, but to
put money on that health ofchildren.
(12:00):
And I think that we are seeing arevolution on that.
And I think that the podcast andeveryone from families, um,
medical doctors, associations,everyone is pushing on the same
direction, and we will see achange in the next 10 years,
probably.
SPEAKER_00 (12:15):
And and uh well, let's hope so, absolutely.
And I think it's uh um it's agreat again, kind of um advocate
for for what we're put whatwe're all trying to do.
Talk to us a bit about thebrain, uh, the blood brain
barrier.
What does that uh what does thatmean in in to uh to non-medical
uh professionals or to people?
SPEAKER_01 (12:36):
So um the blood brain barrier is it's format at
the level of the capillaries.
So the capillaries of our bodyare formed by cells that form
the walls of this capillary.
And in all the capillaries,these cells have some small gaps
between the cells.
So the compounds that go on theblood can go to the tissue
around the capillary, enteringthe cell of the capillary and
(12:59):
going out at the other side, orthey can go through these small
gaps between the cells.
This is the normal capillary.
In the brain, these capillaryhave really tight junctions.
So the compounds can only gofrom the blood to the brain
parenchyma or brain tissue,entering the cell of the
capillary and going out at theother side.
And this is the blood-brainbarrier, okay?
(13:20):
The fact that to go from theblood to the brain, compounds
need to enter the cell of thecapillary and go out at the
other side.
This seems that it's verydifficult, and it's very, very
difficult.
But really, these cells alsohave some doors that we
scientists call transportmechanisms to allow, for
example, the nutrients that thebrain needs go from the blood to
the brain, no, as a nutrient andany residue or can go on the
(13:45):
other way and remove it from thebrain.
So, our peptides, the peptideswe discovered, use these
transdoors or transportmechanisms to squeeze there and
cross from the blood to thebrain, not affecting the normal
functioning of that door, butjust being able to go there.
And not only go there, but carrytogether as a shuttle and or a
(14:08):
car and caravan.
I always play as a caravan andcaravan, so as a caravan,
bringing the drug to the brain.
Okay.
And that's the blood brainbarrier, that's the technology
of gate to brain on a nutshell.
SPEAKER_00 (14:19):
Where did it what I know you you talked a little bit
about kind of you know where youstarted in terms of your uh
interest in chemistry andeverything, but when did you
when did you discover or ordecide that actually this was a
viable thing?
Or what was it that led to youkind of thinking that this would
be something that would be uhworth you know your spending
your career on?
SPEAKER_01 (14:39):
Yeah, so first is no, it's when we had the idea um
that maybe peptides can be thistool, okay, um it was a bit
inspired in nature, okay?
I will explain you like a smallstory that, okay.
So in the venom of venousanimals, we don't use venous
(15:00):
animals, okay, but in the venomof venous animals, there are
thousands of peptides.
Some of them reach the CNS ofthe animal that that venous
animal attacks.
Some of these peptides reach theCNS or the brain of that animal
by crossing the blood brainbarrier without destroying the
blood brain barrier.
unknown (15:19):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (15:20):
So there's a group of people studying these
peptides to see which part ofthe peptide is the shuttle
model, which part of the peptidewas the toxic thing.
So when you study this transportmodel, you can eliminate the
toxicity bar, study that duringsome years.
And then we discover miniapamine4.
(15:41):
So miniapamine 4 is a smallpeptide that we prepare
chemically that comes from apeptide, or it's inspired in a
peptide that it's found in theBbenon.
We don't use B's or B venon,okay?
But as one time more, uh naturesometimes is the inspiration for
medicines, many times, okay?
Um, and then we prepare this andwe prepare, so we prepare it in
(16:04):
a bigger scale, and then thispeptide is the one that we
attach to the drug we want totransport.
unknown (16:10):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (16:10):
Peptides for the general public are small
molecules, uh, as small andsmall and small proteins.
There are many peptides that arewell known, such as for example,
oxytocin, it's one peptide thatis the one that induces the
birth, the delivery in thebirth.
So natural products that we haveall around us.
SPEAKER_02 (16:28):
And then you took you had your own learning
through your career, and then asyou said, you came into COVID,
and at and at that time the youdiscovered you were awarded the
funding.
Um and so together with yourcolleagues, you took the plunge,
and then clinical trials werestarting.
How how's that journeyprogressed since?
(16:49):
How are the clinical trialsgoing?
SPEAKER_01 (16:52):
Well, when we started the company, we were um
just starting the mice thing,okay.
And in these four or five years,um, we are now at the edge
between rodents and non-rodents.
We know that the non-rodancewill be mini pigs, which a mini
pig, it's it's not mini, it's 35kilos of a pig, okay, because
(17:13):
it's a pig, it's a very biganimal, so mini peaks are 35
kilos of pig.
So somehow, I'm always made, Ilove to make jokes.
Somehow the mini peaks are closeto our the weight of our
patients in the clinical trial,okay?
35 kilos.
So, but we are three years fromthe first real patient uh on the
clinical trial.
So we are not in the clinicaltrial yet, but we are on this
(17:36):
important edge between jumpingfrom the rodents to the
non-rodance that we havevalidated that is the mini peak,
the relevant species for ourstudies.
SPEAKER_00 (17:48):
And we I I always think with these things, what
would you need to speed this up?
You know, for me, you're whatyou're trying to do, there must
be unfortunately lots of parentsout there, lots of children out
there that would obviouslybenefit from this straight away.
Um and you as parents, youalways think, How can we get
(18:10):
this quicker?
What would it enable you to getthis quicker?
You know, how can we do that?
SPEAKER_01 (18:15):
I think that um redirecing that the health of
children is important is one ofthe ways that then it makes that
um public money is devoted to togrants for research in this
field.
This is one approach.
I will bet that it's importantthat um BCs or that there's uh
(18:40):
some kind of regulation thatinvestors always devote one part
of the investments to impactthings.
And we maybe it's the moment tocreate a seal, no?
You cannot claim you are animpact fan if you don't devote
5%, 2% of your fund to reallythings that maybe are not
mainstream.
(19:00):
This can be a way.
And then um but I think that thefamilies, the role of the
families, it goes a bit beyondnot only finding money.
Um it's nice to not the actualfamilies.
I think that the actual familieswe need to protect them because
probably they are going throughthe most difficult moment in
their life for sure.
(19:21):
Okay, so we are alwaysprotecting the actual families,
but sometimes there are familiesthat want to keep helping on
that path that has been thedifficult moment in their life,
but they want to make a change.
And sometimes they can helpsmall companies such as get to
brain in in giving opinion onthings that we are designed.
We are designing a clinicaltrial with all the team in the
(19:41):
hospital, but having the voiceof the families is relevant of
what was important or what havebeen done, what needs to be done
differently.
Maybe an international familywill prefer to have all the all
the proofs or all the tests thesame day because they are
traveling back and forth.
So I think to have these thingsor this vision of the families
is important, um, not only inthe finding money, okay?
(20:04):
And that's always I say whensome families approach us, it's
like, okay, we don't have theproduct yet.
Um we are working hard.
Um we will do our best, but youcan help us in many other
things, not only in findingmoney, you can help us
individualize that it's relevantfor the society and that will
start triggering many otherthings.
(20:27):
And I really believe that umbecause if not, um breaking the
taboo of childhood health, no?
I think there's almost almost ataboo, eh?
Like people say, no, childrenare not get not sick, no
children get sick.
I promise you.
Apart from the natural thingswhen you have a small kid,
children also get sick, and thenyou need to visualize that that
(20:49):
we need to fight for that orwork for that.
I prefer work that not fight.
So, yes, we enroll, for example,in our case in the external
advisory board of Gate to Brain,we have one family, we have two
persons related to thepaediatric brain tumor we are
dealing with.
Uh, Gloria, that she was mom ofa girl with our tumor many years
(21:12):
ago.
She's giving her opinion, whichis great.
And then um Ricard that he washe was he had a brother with our
tumor.
So he's giving the opinion of asibling of a brother, that it's
a different opinion than mom andpapa.
Maybe what Ricard said that hehad preferred he understood
perfectly the fight they weregoing through or the moment, but
(21:32):
they're like, okay, my opinionas a small kid that was close
by, it's a different opinion,which is uh it's a lovely
opinion, also.
So you can give a lot of thingsto the to the companies that are
doing this path to approachchildren uh or children's
health.
SPEAKER_02 (21:50):
The journey that you're on with um Gate to Brain
is obviously many years behindyou and in front of you as well
as you work through thedifferent stages that you were
describing.
Um, but the the the questionthat I started to think about
was uh are there otherbreakthroughs that you can
anticipate on the far, farhorizon that that are also you
(22:11):
know drawing you and andmotivating you in your work?
So I think that really there aretwo things.
SPEAKER_01 (22:17):
One is that if no, if the product works for this
specific tumor, I think that thejump to other brain tumors or
even tumors in the retina,because there's in the same
manner that there's the bloodbrain barrier, there's the blood
retinal barrier, okay, that it'svery similar.
So maybe the product by itselfcan impact in other tumors, in
children and adults.
(22:38):
But then, because if we validatethe technology, then probably
the technology will be easieraccepted to be incorporated in
other drugs that need bettertransport.
If you have one case that itworks or that it's promising,
it's easier that someone says,okay, why don't we try it for
the gen therapy for otherdiseases?
(22:58):
No, because you have one casewhere it has gone work.
Um, so I think we are startingto see this movement.
And then on the on the long run,um I would love to see the
clinical trial.
As a scientist, that I have beenthere from the very, very
beginning, just drawing themolecule on a paper.
Um to reach the mice was a bigmilestone.
(23:21):
To reach a mini pig will be abigger milestone, 35 kilos of
milestone.
But to be on a clinical trial,it's such a responsibility.
But um, but I think that uh wewill do it and let's let's
think.
I was saying we will move thescience.
This was our motto at thebeginning.
(23:41):
We will move the science as faras it wants to go.
Maybe there will be one placethat nowhere we will find a stop
and say, oh, we cannot move itfarther for whatever reason.
But some uh science is uh it's arun by different pieces.
Someone else will take it fromthis learning and bring it
further.
So even if we don't successuntil until until the end, uh we
(24:05):
will do our part.
And that's a bit our idea.
And then if we really, reallysucceed and get to brain, get
very famous, and I become veryrich, which is very unrealistic.
But okay, let's let's imagine wewe have thought about what from
the four founders, there are twoof us that probably will create
a foundation.
(24:26):
It has even name, but I cannot,if I say the name, then I need
to do a copyright.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
It's something like we arecalled Gate to Brain Medicines
Beyond Barriers, uh, becauseit's these biological barriers,
but also the barriers of thelack of development sometimes in
pediatric, or the barriers ofhealth for everyone everywhere.
And probably we will createsomething like help beyond
(24:48):
barriers.
And we have starts our smallthings in that direction, which
is a nice way.
Every year, our we are 12people, so we are not thousands,
uh, 12 in three continents.
So we are part of the team inBarcelona, Madrid, Granada, Tel
Aviv, and Mumbai.
Um we have three differentreligions, eight different
(25:09):
languages, 35 years ofdifference between the youngest
one and the oldest one.
And I'm not the oldest one,okay?
Um, and then we decide everyyear together, if we win any
small prize and can be very,very small price, we decided to
which initiative we give thisaward.
(25:29):
And last year we decided becauseit needs to have, no, we put
like, okay, it needs to gobeyond barriers, different types
of barriers.
So last year we decided tosponsor a tuk-tuk in the middle
of Mumbai, because there's agroup of women in Mumbai that
wanted to create a cooperativeof tuktuks, tuktuks, these small
(25:50):
taxis.
And no, a tuktuk driver, a womantuktuk driver in Mumbai is
something that goes beyond anybarrier that you imagine.
So there must be one tuk tukaround there that it's sponsored
by Bit2Brain, which is it'sdifficult to find because there
are thousands of them, but uhprobably one day I will find it.
SPEAKER_02 (26:08):
So it's that's absolutely brilliant.
So I mean you're talking thereabout the collaboration amongst
the team, but I had a questionabout collaboration because you
talked very early on about thecollaboration with the
children's hospital and thenwith when you were looking for
funding.
And how important has the roleof partnerships and
collaborations been with youthroughout the journey?
SPEAKER_01 (26:30):
I think it is it's very, very relevant, okay,
because um all the actors shouldbe there: the small companies,
the investors, the families, thehospitals, but also the
industry, the big the bigcompanies, no?
And and the movement is beingthere, okay.
So we are starting acollaborative to have
(26:51):
connections with companies thatare opening childhood cancer
programs in their pipeline.
And it's not about socialresponsibility only.
It's really in their pipeline.
So it if there this is somethingthat we cannot imagine 10 years
ago, that we're like, oh, nobodycares.
No, no, it's not nobody cares.
Let's let's move it.
At the end, it happens.
(27:12):
And and we are starting to havethese conversations and
connections with those bigpharma that are starting to see
that there's a path also inchildhood health.
SPEAKER_02 (27:24):
That's very encouraging.
SPEAKER_01 (27:26):
Let's see.
Let's see how it evolves.
SPEAKER_00 (27:29):
Uh, but uh on uh to Hannah's point though, talk to
us a little about um the workthat you've done with the
children's hospital.
I think there's a lot oforganizations that are trying to
do um you know wonderful thingsin children's health, and they
come up with funding, isobviously a big barrier, but but
also you know, they want to workwith and and learn from uh
(27:50):
hospitals.
And you talk about the um thesystem that you have in
Barcelona, and you know, I'vebeen fortunate enough to visit
the hospital.
I'm uh going in the not toodistant future again.
So talk to us about therelationship that you have with
that and how that's helped.
SPEAKER_01 (28:04):
So we are a spin-off of the hospital.
I'm user of the hospital with mykids, so this is one thing.
Um it's a hospital that has beenthere for more than 100 years,
and that at some point decidedthat they want to make uh a jump
to become really the referencehospital in pediatric in south
(28:25):
of Europe.
So, really, it's it's very wellcentered on innovation.
Okay.
Um that's why there's this bigconnection with Git2Brain and
really betting for innovation asa spin-off.
Um what it's important is thatreally they connect the
assistants with the research.
(28:46):
So there's a lot of researchthere, and I think it's it needs
to be connected, and really thatthe patients are at the center.
And this is easier to say it ina paper than to do it in the
reality, but other than thecenter, and the patients are
really variated.
So half of the kids areinternational kids.
You find, you go there and andyou see kids from all around the
(29:07):
world and families, and thismeans that there's a lot of
people working to make it happenbecause, for example, those
families will come to Barcelonafor a while.
Maybe they English is not theirmother tongue language, so they
need someone that explains them.
Obviously, they know English,but they would deserve that
someone explain it in their ownmother language what it's
(29:28):
happening.
And then maybe you have thebrother that needs to go to
school while they are so all themachinery to make it, it it
means uh it means a lot ofeffort, but I I love to be
connected with that.
And in terms of science, um itgives you access to be really
close to to the end user, and Idon't mean only the kid, but
(29:52):
also to family, theprofessionals that see the
everyday, the needs.
Uh so as a startup, it's verydifferent.
The fact that we have thehospital connected with us,
because then our conversationare like, okay, yes, but when we
will reach the end, this will bean IB.
So you are not inventing that,you are really talking with
(30:14):
people that know that.
SPEAKER_00 (30:16):
And actually, a spoiler alert, we do have Arno
coming on to the podcast in uhuh during this season.
So uh we'll hear more about thethe hospital and the work that
they're doing, and uh uh which Ithink is inspiring um for
everybody.
Um, Mary, just uh uh couple morequestions, if we may, but where
do you hope to be in a year'stime?
(30:37):
Um we know that you're kind ofuh you say three years off, um,
I guess human clinical trials,but um what are you hoping to
achieve in the next 12 months?
SPEAKER_01 (30:47):
In the next 12 months?
I hope to see the first uh sowhen you go to the clinical
trial, before the clinical trialyou have the preclinical
regulatory.
Okay, and in the preclinicalregulatory you have two big
parts, the rodents and thenon-rodents.
As I mentioned, we are in thisjump of the non-rodants to
rodents to non-rodents.
So I hope that in one year weare injecting uh we will have
(31:12):
already injected the first minipeaks.
This means that we need toproduce a lot of product because
a mini peak is 35 kilos ofanimal.
But I will love to see thoseexperiments and really if we
find that there the there's notuh side effects or huge
toxicity, it will be a big jumpfor the project.
(31:33):
Because in many ways, we aretreating those uh peaks as a
first um, not first clinicaltrial, but you need to organize
how the needles, how soeverything is very similar to
when it will be in a small kit.
So no how you the how you givethis the product, how it needs
(31:53):
to be stabilized.
So it's very similar in terms ofsizes and everything.
So I will love to see my minipeaks uh already injected, and
that we will be drawing reallythe final uh version of the
clinical trial.
SPEAKER_00 (32:08):
Okay, well, fingers crossed um that uh that that can
happen um this year.
Big step forward.
Um one of the uh so just one ofthe things that we always ask um
everybody on the podcast is uhif you had a if you had a magic
wand, um what would the onething be that you could change
(32:31):
in pediatric healthcare?
I always think that I can guess,given the conversation, what it
might look like.
Um but uh but uh but generallyget um uh surprised by the
answer to this.
What would be what would you dowith your magic wand to help
children's health?
SPEAKER_01 (32:47):
I will m try to make that um that when there are
diseases that affect kids ingeneral, and not only in our um
we have drugs that have beendeveloped for them.
Um that we are not stillrecalculating by weight or other
things.
So I think that the populationof kids deserve that drugs have
(33:10):
been adapted or developed forthem.
And it's it's in many ways, andnot only in in cancer, but like
for infections or for so reallythat they have been developed
for them.
SPEAKER_00 (33:24):
Perfect.
Thank you, Mary.
I'm sure that there is that wecould we could go on and talk
about all of the opportunitiesthat you see in the future, but
we'd love to uh uh well,hopefully we can you know follow
the progress of Gate to Brainand everything that you're
doing.
And uh we wish you you know somuch luck, and please uh you
know let's let's uh let's getyou back to uh to talk to us
(33:44):
when you've uh moved furtherforward and we can give everyone
an update of where you are.
SPEAKER_01 (33:49):
Sure, and it will be a pleasure to share with you the
results.
And the more close we are to toreach this clinical trial, the
more the enthusiasm of our team.
SPEAKER_00 (33:58):
Perfect.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
SPEAKER_01 (34:01):
Thank you.
Thanks, Mary.
SPEAKER_00 (34:04):
Thank you for joining us on the Not Many
Adults podcast, Pioneers forChildren's Health and Wellbeing.
We really hope that you enjoyedthat episode.
You can find all the previousfour seasons of the podcast's
episodes wherever you listen toyour podcasts.
And if you, like us, arededicated to making a difference
in children's health, then wehope you'll be inspired by some
(34:24):
of the amazing people andstories that we've had the
privilege to talk to and toshare.
We really hope that you'll joinus again, and if anybody knows
of anyone that you think that weshould be talking to on the
podcast, then please do get intouch.
Thank you so much for listening.
It's a technology that helps to cross the what is
called the blood brain barrier,that is the barrier that
protects the brain.
Okay?
That makes it very difficultthat drugs reach the brain.
But this isn't a general thingfor all the diseases in the
brain.
So the technology is useful forthat.
Then in the kids, it's knownthat this barrier is more robust
(00:20):
or tight.
So it's even more difficult tocross.
Why?
Probably philosophically, Ialways explain the same.
Probably because it's a brainthat needs to be further
protected when it's indevelopment.
And if it's not good, if it'snot true, it will be good
enough.
Let's put it as a vision.
I think it's probably naturedecides to have a tired bio
(00:40):
during the first years, and thenwhen we get older, maybe it's
not so real, it's important.
It's always a bad uh barrier,but not so tight as when we are
really, really small kids.
SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
Hello and welcome to the Not Many Adults Podcast,
Pioneers for Children's Healthand Wellbeing.
My name is David Cole, andtogether with my wife Hannah, we
are the founders of UKChildren's Charity Thinking of
Oscar.
The mission of the charity is tobring the future of healthcare
to children.
And during this podcast, we talkto individuals and organisations
that are doing just that.
(01:18):
We are excited to bring to youthe fifth season of the Not Mini
Adult Podcast, and we have somefantastic guests coming up.
In today's episode, we arejoined by Dr.
Mary Textel Texedo, CEO andfounder of Gate to Brain, a
Barcelona-based biotech companythat is pioneering novel ways of
delivering therapies across theblood-brain barrier.
(01:41):
Mary shares the fascinatingjourney of how her team are
using peptide-based technologyto open up entirely new
possibilities for treating braindisorders, starting with those
affecting children.
It's an inspiring conversationabout science, perseverance, and
the impact that bold ideas canhave on the future of pediatric
medicine.
I hope you enjoy listening asmuch as we enjoy talking to
(02:03):
Mary.
Mary, hello.
Thank you so much for joining uson the Not Mini Adults podcast.
We're thrilled to be startingour fifth season with you and
thrilled to be talking to you.
When we first met uh maybe lastyear in Barcelona, I was
intrigued and really excitedabout the work that you're
doing.
(02:23):
So uh thank you so much forjoining us.
SPEAKER_01 (02:25):
No, pleasure is mine to really join this mini adults
or not mini adults podcast,which is a lovely name for this
mission of showing that they'renot mini adults also.
SPEAKER_00 (02:37):
Thank you.
Well, and I know uh having uhlistened to you and um listened
to you on some of the talks thatyou've you know done online or
already that uh that we believein very similar things in terms
of um you know not enoughfunding going to children, not
enough focus going on children,and and we're we'll come to that
in terms of the uh the work thatyou're doing.
(02:58):
But maybe we could start.
Could you tell us a bit about umtell us a bit about yourself and
uh and and how you got to beworking in in children's health?
SPEAKER_01 (03:07):
Um I'm a chemist from background.
I study here in Barcelona anddecided that science is one of
my uh things that I love to do.
And so I established my grouphere in Barcelona, discovering
how peptides that are very smallproteins can help drugs reach
the brain.
So are these shuttles to thebrain or bus to the brain?
(03:29):
And that they can carry drugsthat cannot reach the brain
alone.
But this is a very generaltechnology, no.
So during those 15 years, um, westarted a collaboration with the
Pediatric Hospital here inBarcelona, and because we were
looking for one specific casewhere we can really use the
technology and make a hugeimpact.
(03:50):
So this was my entering to thepaediatric health system because
we discovered that there werethese paediatric brain tumors
that can benefit from thetechnology if we work hard for
almost a decade.
Let's put it like this.
SPEAKER_00 (04:04):
And uh and from that, you have uh formed an
organization and you're uh nowtaking that uh or or working to
take that to market.
Talk to us a bit about Gate toBrain.
SPEAKER_01 (04:15):
Okay.
So in 2020, no, when we werelocked down at home doing caro
cakes, um, there were fourpeople, crazy people, that
decided to um to create a novelcompany that is called Gate to
Brain.
So it's not like this.
In fact, two years before that,we applied to an investment from
Fundación Botin, that is um thefoundation of one of the biggest
(04:38):
banks in in Spain for sure,Banco Santander.
We applied for that in 2018.
And then in April 2020, theysay, okay, you are the selected
one.
We were like, God, okay.
Um we don't we didn't do adapt asingle second.
Say, okay, we are the selectedones, let's do it.
Um so why I say let's do it,because that minute I leave my
(05:02):
permanent position and jump tothe creation of the company.
Um, we are four founders, um,three female and one male.
Um it doesn't start with apersonal experience in our case,
it starts, but it's true that wehave a special sensitivity for
kids.
No, among the four of us, wehave three kids, two kids, two
kids, and I have one thatadministratively counts for
(05:25):
three because it's a specialkit, no?
So um, so there was this specialthing, but we don't we didn't
adapt to say, okay, it's it'sit's the moment.
Let's do it.
Let's do it.
I'm so happy about that thatjump because it was the way to
advance the technology and be abit more close to a reality of
reaching first a clinical trial,and if it goes well, then a
(05:47):
therapy, I always say in adecade.
SPEAKER_02 (05:50):
And what was it about the children's health that
made you want to resolve thatparticular problem?
SPEAKER_01 (05:57):
So in our case, let's come from the more
impactful part to the morepragmatic part, okay?
Um, so our technology is atechnology that helps to cross
the what is called theblood-brain barrier, that is the
barrier that protects the brain,okay?
That makes it very difficultthat drugs reach the brain.
But this isn't a general thingfor all the diseases in the
(06:18):
brain.
So the technology is useful forthat.
Then in the kids, it's knownthat this barrier is more robust
or tight.
So it's even more difficult tocross.
Why?
Probably philosophically, Ialways explain the same.
Probably because it's a brainthat needs to be further
protected when it's indevelopment.
And if it's not good, if it'snot true, it will be good
(06:40):
enough.
Let's put it as a vision.
I think it's probably naturedecides to have a tired bio
during the first years, and thenwhen we get older, maybe it's
not so real, it's important.
It's always a bad uh uh barrier,but not so tight as when we are
really, really small kids.
So then for us to validate thetechnology was the perfect
(07:01):
scenario.
Nobody will doubt that if wefail, we are able to bring a
drug to the brain, it's becauseour technology has helped on
that.
It's not because the barrier washalf open.
No, no, no, no.
It will be like uh the perfectscenario.
This is one thing.
Then the impact, obviously, wewanted to go, we decided the
four founders, we wanted to gofor an a mednit.
And then I think that's notmore.
(07:24):
Um I think my pitches as a CEOof and CSO of Gate to Brain
always start with the with thissentence.
Children represent 25% of ouractual population, 200 or no,
100% of our future if we don'tdecide to live 200 years, which
is not my plan.
Okay, so I start like this, no,because it's it's true, no, like
(07:47):
in I would say in 100 years,only some of our kids will be
there if we are lucky.
So none of us.
Um that's why we start in kids.
So there were more biologicalreasons, but there are a lot of
impact, um yeah, many things onthe way.
SPEAKER_00 (08:07):
But if you can, but I I think this is something that
we talk about a lot, and and Ifeel like it's more anecdotal
actually in many respects, andthere's a there's a theory if we
can if we can solve things inchildren, then uh it's much
easier to to solve to adults.
But you have, I think, found areally um the the best use case
(08:30):
because absolutely there is aphysiological difference, and
there is a it's as you say, moredifficult to um uh to to to to
work with children in this area.
If you can solve this, movinginto the adults into the adult
area where uh arguably there ismore money, more support, all
the rest of it.
Um, but you prove and helpeverybody else prove that
(08:51):
actually starting in children isuh is a brilliant way to
actually bring new therapeutics,new drugs to the market.
SPEAKER_01 (08:57):
We always claim that we are paediatic first, that
doesn't mean paediatic only.
So it's not that we are dealingwith a solution that it's only
for kids.
I cannot imagine one solution,but yes, probably we will find
solution that it's only for adisease that only happens when
you are a kid, that will be apaediatic only solution.
In our case, it's more of apaediatic first because it has
some advantage.
(09:18):
One thing is the impact of thedecision, but then there's these
biological reasons, and eventhere's so now that we are three
years from a clinical trial, soin that specific tumor, we will
be a first line.
This means that the populationof our clinical trial will be
much more homogeneous if that ifwe go to an adult disease where
(09:41):
maybe it will be a third line,and then the patients will come
from treatments, previoustreatments, so it will be more
less homogeneous.
So even the results that we canimagine from the clinical trial
are much robust in terms ofpragmatic of the of the data.
And then everyone can imaginethat jumping from kids to adults
(10:02):
is not that probably notimmediately, but nobody imagines
that a drug that has beendemonstrated that it's efficace
and non-toxic for a kid willhave a big, big problem on
jumping to an adult population.
The opposite sometimes happens,no?
We adapt, uh no, we we developfor adults and then readapt
somehow to kids, and thentoxicity appears or efficacy.
SPEAKER_02 (10:24):
I you made the point that I was just uh getting
interested in my head, is thatyou started in the hardest place
in many senses, because um thethe uh uh introducing something
new into children is is almostscarier, is my perception from
the from a non-medical person tointroducing something new for
adults.
(10:45):
So are there extra barriers youhad to um manage with uh as you
were working through theclinical trials?
SPEAKER_01 (10:53):
Sometimes challenges also came together with
opportunities, no, because um inregulatory, there are more we to
be fair, the drug we aretransporting, not the
technology, but the drug that weare carrying has already been in
kits, but in tumors that areoutside the brain.
So it's not we need to do allthe development years, mice,
(11:16):
pigs, whatever.
So all the development, but interms of regulatory, it's not
putting that drug, the drug, notthe technology, the drug for the
first time in a kit.
Okay, because if not the barrierwill be extremely.
Um having said that, yes, it wasa it was uh it's a it's a brave
decision, but it also gives umopportunities.
(11:39):
For example, we have been ableto attract 4.5 million euros in
non-dilutive grants fromnational and international, um,
like the European Commission.
And one of the things that valueis that really this thing of
okay, children are the future,so we need to maybe not invest,
but maybe because it's notinvestment, are grants, but to
put money on that health ofchildren.
(12:00):
And I think that we are seeing arevolution on that.
And I think that the podcast andeveryone from families, um,
medical doctors, associations,everyone is pushing on the same
direction, and we will see achange in the next 10 years,
probably.
SPEAKER_00 (12:15):
And and uh well, let's hope so, absolutely.
And I think it's uh um it's agreat again, kind of um advocate
for for what we're put whatwe're all trying to do.
Talk to us a bit about thebrain, uh, the blood brain
barrier.
What does that uh what does thatmean in in to uh to non-medical
uh professionals or to people?
SPEAKER_01 (12:36):
So um the blood brain barrier is it's format at
the level of the capillaries.
So the capillaries of our bodyare formed by cells that form
the walls of this capillary.
And in all the capillaries,these cells have some small gaps
between the cells.
So the compounds that go on theblood can go to the tissue
around the capillary, enteringthe cell of the capillary and
(12:59):
going out at the other side, orthey can go through these small
gaps between the cells.
This is the normal capillary.
In the brain, these capillaryhave really tight junctions.
So the compounds can only gofrom the blood to the brain
parenchyma or brain tissue,entering the cell of the
capillary and going out at theother side.
And this is the blood-brainbarrier, okay?
(13:20):
The fact that to go from theblood to the brain, compounds
need to enter the cell of thecapillary and go out at the
other side.
This seems that it's verydifficult, and it's very, very
difficult.
But really, these cells alsohave some doors that we
scientists call transportmechanisms to allow, for
example, the nutrients that thebrain needs go from the blood to
the brain, no, as a nutrient andany residue or can go on the
(13:45):
other way and remove it from thebrain.
So, our peptides, the peptideswe discovered, use these
transdoors or transportmechanisms to squeeze there and
cross from the blood to thebrain, not affecting the normal
functioning of that door, butjust being able to go there.
And not only go there, but carrytogether as a shuttle and or a
(14:08):
car and caravan.
I always play as a caravan andcaravan, so as a caravan,
bringing the drug to the brain.
Okay.
And that's the blood brainbarrier, that's the technology
of gate to brain on a nutshell.
SPEAKER_00 (14:19):
Where did it what I know you you talked a little bit
about kind of you know where youstarted in terms of your uh
interest in chemistry andeverything, but when did you
when did you discover or ordecide that actually this was a
viable thing?
Or what was it that led to youkind of thinking that this would
be something that would be uhworth you know your spending
your career on?
SPEAKER_01 (14:39):
Yeah, so first is no, it's when we had the idea um
that maybe peptides can be thistool, okay, um it was a bit
inspired in nature, okay?
I will explain you like a smallstory that, okay.
So in the venom of venousanimals, we don't use venous
(15:00):
animals, okay, but in the venomof venous animals, there are
thousands of peptides.
Some of them reach the CNS ofthe animal that that venous
animal attacks.
Some of these peptides reach theCNS or the brain of that animal
by crossing the blood brainbarrier without destroying the
blood brain barrier.
unknown (15:19):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (15:20):
So there's a group of people studying these
peptides to see which part ofthe peptide is the shuttle
model, which part of the peptidewas the toxic thing.
So when you study this transportmodel, you can eliminate the
toxicity bar, study that duringsome years.
And then we discover miniapamine4.
(15:41):
So miniapamine 4 is a smallpeptide that we prepare
chemically that comes from apeptide, or it's inspired in a
peptide that it's found in theBbenon.
We don't use B's or B venon,okay?
But as one time more, uh naturesometimes is the inspiration for
medicines, many times, okay?
Um, and then we prepare this andwe prepare, so we prepare it in
(16:04):
a bigger scale, and then thispeptide is the one that we
attach to the drug we want totransport.
unknown (16:10):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (16:10):
Peptides for the general public are small
molecules, uh, as small andsmall and small proteins.
There are many peptides that arewell known, such as for example,
oxytocin, it's one peptide thatis the one that induces the
birth, the delivery in thebirth.
So natural products that we haveall around us.
SPEAKER_02 (16:28):
And then you took you had your own learning
through your career, and then asyou said, you came into COVID,
and at and at that time the youdiscovered you were awarded the
funding.
Um and so together with yourcolleagues, you took the plunge,
and then clinical trials werestarting.
How how's that journeyprogressed since?
(16:49):
How are the clinical trialsgoing?
SPEAKER_01 (16:52):
Well, when we started the company, we were um
just starting the mice thing,okay.
And in these four or five years,um, we are now at the edge
between rodents and non-rodents.
We know that the non-rodancewill be mini pigs, which a mini
pig, it's it's not mini, it's 35kilos of a pig, okay, because
(17:13):
it's a pig, it's a very biganimal, so mini peaks are 35
kilos of pig.
So somehow, I'm always made, Ilove to make jokes.
Somehow the mini peaks are closeto our the weight of our
patients in the clinical trial,okay?
35 kilos.
So, but we are three years fromthe first real patient uh on the
clinical trial.
So we are not in the clinicaltrial yet, but we are on this
(17:36):
important edge between jumpingfrom the rodents to the
non-rodance that we havevalidated that is the mini peak,
the relevant species for ourstudies.
SPEAKER_00 (17:48):
And we I I always think with these things, what
would you need to speed this up?
You know, for me, you're whatyou're trying to do, there must
be unfortunately lots of parentsout there, lots of children out
there that would obviouslybenefit from this straight away.
Um and you as parents, youalways think, How can we get
(18:10):
this quicker?
What would it enable you to getthis quicker?
You know, how can we do that?
SPEAKER_01 (18:15):
I think that um redirecing that the health of
children is important is one ofthe ways that then it makes that
um public money is devoted to togrants for research in this
field.
This is one approach.
I will bet that it's importantthat um BCs or that there's uh
(18:40):
some kind of regulation thatinvestors always devote one part
of the investments to impactthings.
And we maybe it's the moment tocreate a seal, no?
You cannot claim you are animpact fan if you don't devote
5%, 2% of your fund to reallythings that maybe are not
mainstream.
(19:00):
This can be a way.
And then um but I think that thefamilies, the role of the
families, it goes a bit beyondnot only finding money.
Um it's nice to not the actualfamilies.
I think that the actual familieswe need to protect them because
probably they are going throughthe most difficult moment in
their life for sure.
(19:21):
Okay, so we are alwaysprotecting the actual families,
but sometimes there are familiesthat want to keep helping on
that path that has been thedifficult moment in their life,
but they want to make a change.
And sometimes they can helpsmall companies such as get to
brain in in giving opinion onthings that we are designed.
We are designing a clinicaltrial with all the team in the
(19:41):
hospital, but having the voiceof the families is relevant of
what was important or what havebeen done, what needs to be done
differently.
Maybe an international familywill prefer to have all the all
the proofs or all the tests thesame day because they are
traveling back and forth.
So I think to have these thingsor this vision of the families
is important, um, not only inthe finding money, okay?
(20:04):
And that's always I say whensome families approach us, it's
like, okay, we don't have theproduct yet.
Um we are working hard.
Um we will do our best, but youcan help us in many other
things, not only in findingmoney, you can help us
individualize that it's relevantfor the society and that will
start triggering many otherthings.
(20:27):
And I really believe that umbecause if not, um breaking the
taboo of childhood health, no?
I think there's almost almost ataboo, eh?
Like people say, no, childrenare not get not sick, no
children get sick.
I promise you.
Apart from the natural thingswhen you have a small kid,
children also get sick, and thenyou need to visualize that that
(20:49):
we need to fight for that orwork for that.
I prefer work that not fight.
So, yes, we enroll, for example,in our case in the external
advisory board of Gate to Brain,we have one family, we have two
persons related to thepaediatric brain tumor we are
dealing with.
Uh, Gloria, that she was mom ofa girl with our tumor many years
(21:12):
ago.
She's giving her opinion, whichis great.
And then um Ricard that he washe was he had a brother with our
tumor.
So he's giving the opinion of asibling of a brother, that it's
a different opinion than mom andpapa.
Maybe what Ricard said that hehad preferred he understood
perfectly the fight they weregoing through or the moment, but
(21:32):
they're like, okay, my opinionas a small kid that was close
by, it's a different opinion,which is uh it's a lovely
opinion, also.
So you can give a lot of thingsto the to the companies that are
doing this path to approachchildren uh or children's
health.
SPEAKER_02 (21:50):
The journey that you're on with um Gate to Brain
is obviously many years behindyou and in front of you as well
as you work through thedifferent stages that you were
describing.
Um, but the the the questionthat I started to think about
was uh are there otherbreakthroughs that you can
anticipate on the far, farhorizon that that are also you
(22:11):
know drawing you and andmotivating you in your work?
So I think that really there aretwo things.
SPEAKER_01 (22:17):
One is that if no, if the product works for this
specific tumor, I think that thejump to other brain tumors or
even tumors in the retina,because there's in the same
manner that there's the bloodbrain barrier, there's the blood
retinal barrier, okay, that it'svery similar.
So maybe the product by itselfcan impact in other tumors, in
children and adults.
(22:38):
But then, because if we validatethe technology, then probably
the technology will be easieraccepted to be incorporated in
other drugs that need bettertransport.
If you have one case that itworks or that it's promising,
it's easier that someone says,okay, why don't we try it for
the gen therapy for otherdiseases?
(22:58):
No, because you have one casewhere it has gone work.
Um, so I think we are startingto see this movement.
And then on the on the long run,um I would love to see the
clinical trial.
As a scientist, that I have beenthere from the very, very
beginning, just drawing themolecule on a paper.
Um to reach the mice was a bigmilestone.
(23:21):
To reach a mini pig will be abigger milestone, 35 kilos of
milestone.
But to be on a clinical trial,it's such a responsibility.
But um, but I think that uh wewill do it and let's let's
think.
I was saying we will move thescience.
This was our motto at thebeginning.
(23:41):
We will move the science as faras it wants to go.
Maybe there will be one placethat nowhere we will find a stop
and say, oh, we cannot move itfarther for whatever reason.
But some uh science is uh it's arun by different pieces.
Someone else will take it fromthis learning and bring it
further.
So even if we don't successuntil until until the end, uh we
(24:05):
will do our part.
And that's a bit our idea.
And then if we really, reallysucceed and get to brain, get
very famous, and I become veryrich, which is very unrealistic.
But okay, let's let's imagine wewe have thought about what from
the four founders, there are twoof us that probably will create
a foundation.
(24:26):
It has even name, but I cannot,if I say the name, then I need
to do a copyright.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
It's something like we arecalled Gate to Brain Medicines
Beyond Barriers, uh, becauseit's these biological barriers,
but also the barriers of thelack of development sometimes in
pediatric, or the barriers ofhealth for everyone everywhere.
And probably we will createsomething like help beyond
(24:48):
barriers.
And we have starts our smallthings in that direction, which
is a nice way.
Every year, our we are 12people, so we are not thousands,
uh, 12 in three continents.
So we are part of the team inBarcelona, Madrid, Granada, Tel
Aviv, and Mumbai.
Um we have three differentreligions, eight different
(25:09):
languages, 35 years ofdifference between the youngest
one and the oldest one.
And I'm not the oldest one,okay?
Um, and then we decide everyyear together, if we win any
small prize and can be very,very small price, we decided to
which initiative we give thisaward.
(25:29):
And last year we decided becauseit needs to have, no, we put
like, okay, it needs to gobeyond barriers, different types
of barriers.
So last year we decided tosponsor a tuk-tuk in the middle
of Mumbai, because there's agroup of women in Mumbai that
wanted to create a cooperativeof tuktuks, tuktuks, these small
(25:50):
taxis.
And no, a tuktuk driver, a womantuktuk driver in Mumbai is
something that goes beyond anybarrier that you imagine.
So there must be one tuk tukaround there that it's sponsored
by Bit2Brain, which is it'sdifficult to find because there
are thousands of them, but uhprobably one day I will find it.
SPEAKER_02 (26:08):
So it's that's absolutely brilliant.
So I mean you're talking thereabout the collaboration amongst
the team, but I had a questionabout collaboration because you
talked very early on about thecollaboration with the
children's hospital and thenwith when you were looking for
funding.
And how important has the roleof partnerships and
collaborations been with youthroughout the journey?
SPEAKER_01 (26:30):
I think it is it's very, very relevant, okay,
because um all the actors shouldbe there: the small companies,
the investors, the families, thehospitals, but also the
industry, the big the bigcompanies, no?
And and the movement is beingthere, okay.
So we are starting acollaborative to have
(26:51):
connections with companies thatare opening childhood cancer
programs in their pipeline.
And it's not about socialresponsibility only.
It's really in their pipeline.
So it if there this is somethingthat we cannot imagine 10 years
ago, that we're like, oh, nobodycares.
No, no, it's not nobody cares.
Let's let's move it.
At the end, it happens.
(27:12):
And and we are starting to havethese conversations and
connections with those bigpharma that are starting to see
that there's a path also inchildhood health.
SPEAKER_02 (27:24):
That's very encouraging.
SPEAKER_01 (27:26):
Let's see.
Let's see how it evolves.
SPEAKER_00 (27:29):
Uh, but uh on uh to Hannah's point though, talk to
us a little about um the workthat you've done with the
children's hospital.
I think there's a lot oforganizations that are trying to
do um you know wonderful thingsin children's health, and they
come up with funding, isobviously a big barrier, but but
also you know, they want to workwith and and learn from uh
(27:50):
hospitals.
And you talk about the um thesystem that you have in
Barcelona, and you know, I'vebeen fortunate enough to visit
the hospital.
I'm uh going in the not toodistant future again.
So talk to us about therelationship that you have with
that and how that's helped.
SPEAKER_01 (28:04):
So we are a spin-off of the hospital.
I'm user of the hospital with mykids, so this is one thing.
Um it's a hospital that has beenthere for more than 100 years,
and that at some point decidedthat they want to make uh a jump
to become really the referencehospital in pediatric in south
(28:25):
of Europe.
So, really, it's it's very wellcentered on innovation.
Okay.
Um that's why there's this bigconnection with Git2Brain and
really betting for innovation asa spin-off.
Um what it's important is thatreally they connect the
assistants with the research.
(28:46):
So there's a lot of researchthere, and I think it's it needs
to be connected, and really thatthe patients are at the center.
And this is easier to say it ina paper than to do it in the
reality, but other than thecenter, and the patients are
really variated.
So half of the kids areinternational kids.
You find, you go there and andyou see kids from all around the
(29:07):
world and families, and thismeans that there's a lot of
people working to make it happenbecause, for example, those
families will come to Barcelonafor a while.
Maybe they English is not theirmother tongue language, so they
need someone that explains them.
Obviously, they know English,but they would deserve that
someone explain it in their ownmother language what it's
(29:28):
happening.
And then maybe you have thebrother that needs to go to
school while they are so all themachinery to make it, it it
means uh it means a lot ofeffort, but I I love to be
connected with that.
And in terms of science, um itgives you access to be really
close to to the end user, and Idon't mean only the kid, but
(29:52):
also to family, theprofessionals that see the
everyday, the needs.
Uh so as a startup, it's verydifferent.
The fact that we have thehospital connected with us,
because then our conversationare like, okay, yes, but when we
will reach the end, this will bean IB.
So you are not inventing that,you are really talking with
(30:14):
people that know that.
SPEAKER_00 (30:16):
And actually, a spoiler alert, we do have Arno
coming on to the podcast in uhuh during this season.
So uh we'll hear more about thethe hospital and the work that
they're doing, and uh uh which Ithink is inspiring um for
everybody.
Um, Mary, just uh uh couple morequestions, if we may, but where
do you hope to be in a year'stime?
(30:37):
Um we know that you're kind ofuh you say three years off, um,
I guess human clinical trials,but um what are you hoping to
achieve in the next 12 months?
SPEAKER_01 (30:47):
In the next 12 months?
I hope to see the first uh sowhen you go to the clinical
trial, before the clinical trialyou have the preclinical
regulatory.
Okay, and in the preclinicalregulatory you have two big
parts, the rodents and thenon-rodents.
As I mentioned, we are in thisjump of the non-rodants to
rodents to non-rodents.
So I hope that in one year weare injecting uh we will have
(31:12):
already injected the first minipeaks.
This means that we need toproduce a lot of product because
a mini peak is 35 kilos ofanimal.
But I will love to see thoseexperiments and really if we
find that there the there's notuh side effects or huge
toxicity, it will be a big jumpfor the project.
(31:33):
Because in many ways, we aretreating those uh peaks as a
first um, not first clinicaltrial, but you need to organize
how the needles, how soeverything is very similar to
when it will be in a small kit.
So no how you the how you givethis the product, how it needs
(31:53):
to be stabilized.
So it's very similar in terms ofsizes and everything.
So I will love to see my minipeaks uh already injected, and
that we will be drawing reallythe final uh version of the
clinical trial.
SPEAKER_00 (32:08):
Okay, well, fingers crossed um that uh that that can
happen um this year.
Big step forward.
Um one of the uh so just one ofthe things that we always ask um
everybody on the podcast is uhif you had a if you had a magic
wand, um what would the onething be that you could change
(32:31):
in pediatric healthcare?
I always think that I can guess,given the conversation, what it
might look like.
Um but uh but uh but generallyget um uh surprised by the
answer to this.
What would be what would you dowith your magic wand to help
children's health?
SPEAKER_01 (32:47):
I will m try to make that um that when there are
diseases that affect kids ingeneral, and not only in our um
we have drugs that have beendeveloped for them.
Um that we are not stillrecalculating by weight or other
things.
So I think that the populationof kids deserve that drugs have
(33:10):
been adapted or developed forthem.
And it's it's in many ways, andnot only in in cancer, but like
for infections or for so reallythat they have been developed
for them.
SPEAKER_00 (33:24):
Perfect.
Thank you, Mary.
I'm sure that there is that wecould we could go on and talk
about all of the opportunitiesthat you see in the future, but
we'd love to uh uh well,hopefully we can you know follow
the progress of Gate to Brainand everything that you're
doing.
And uh we wish you you know somuch luck, and please uh you
know let's let's uh let's getyou back to uh to talk to us
(33:44):
when you've uh moved furtherforward and we can give everyone
an update of where you are.
SPEAKER_01 (33:49):
Sure, and it will be a pleasure to share with you the
results.
And the more close we are to toreach this clinical trial, the
more the enthusiasm of our team.
SPEAKER_00 (33:58):
Perfect.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
SPEAKER_01 (34:01):
Thank you.
Thanks, Mary.
SPEAKER_00 (34:04):
Thank you for joining us on the Not Many
Adults podcast, Pioneers forChildren's Health and Wellbeing.
We really hope that you enjoyedthat episode.
You can find all the previousfour seasons of the podcast's
episodes wherever you listen toyour podcasts.
And if you, like us, arededicated to making a difference
in children's health, then wehope you'll be inspired by some
(34:24):
of the amazing people andstories that we've had the
privilege to talk to and toshare.
We really hope that you'll joinus again, and if anybody knows
of anyone that you think that weshould be talking to on the
podcast, then please do get intouch.
Thank you so much for listening.
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