In this special Investor Spotlight edition of Raising Biotech, Surani Fernando sits down with Dr. Jakob Dupont, Executive Partner at Sofinnova Investments, to explore one of the most unusual career trajectories in biotech. Before becoming a venture investor, Dupont spent decades as a physician, cancer researcher, biotech executive, and drug developer, helping bring therapies from the laboratory all the way to patients. From Memorial Sloan Kettering to Genentech, Roche, OncoMed, Gossamer Bio and Atara Biotherapeutics, his career spans nearly every corner of the drug development ecosystem.
The conversation explores what investors are really looking for when evaluating biotech companies, why unmet need and clinical strategy matter as much as the science itself, and how Sofinnova approaches investing in clinical-stage therapeutics. Dupont also shares examples from Sofinnova's portfolio, including Avenzo Therapeutics and Capstan Therapeutics, before discussing the future of biotech, the rise of new therapeutic modalities, AI-enabled drug development, and why the industry's next challenge may be developing medicines quickly enough to keep pace with innovation.
Timestamps
00:00 — Introduction: Why this Investor Spotlight is different
02:00 — Growing up in a family of doctors and finding a passion for cancer research
04:00 — Leaving academia for Genentech and the transition into industry
05:00 — A career across Genentech, Roche, OncoMed, Gossamer Bio and Atara
06:00 — Why venture investing felt like a natural next step
10:00 — Sofinnova Investments: strategy, structure, and investing in clinical-stage biotech
15:00 — What investors really look for: unmet need, science, clinical strategy, and teams
19:00 — Avenzo Therapeutics: backing experienced operators and oncology innovation
22:00 — Capstan Therapeutics: betting on in vivo CAR-T before the market caught on
24:00 — The future of biotech, AI, and the challenge of accelerating drug development
For any comments, questions or feedback you can connect directly with Surani Fernando on LinkedIn or email: raisingbiotech@gmail.com
Title music composed by: Yurii Semchyshyn (Coma Media)