Shape Biopharmaceuticals: The Venture Leader Biotech shaping the future of immunotherapy

13.05.2024 10:30, Rita Longobardi

Meet Arin Ghasparian, CEO of Shape Biopharmaceuticals. Leveraging the immune system of patients to produce therapeutic antibodies directly inside their bodies, the Biotech startup is developing a breakthrough in healthcare. Arin joined nine other biotech innovators on a business development and investor roadshow in Boston.

Name: Arin Ghasparian 
Location: Au, Zurich
Nationality: Swiss 
Education: Chemistry (PhD)
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 3
Money raised: >10 M
First touchpoint with Venturelab: 14 years ago with my first startup
 

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Can you tell us who your product or solution helps and how?
Our products help patients with chronic inflammation-related conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. Many struggle with standard treatments due to limited effectiveness and side effects. Second-line therapies like monoclonal antibodies can be expensive and have administration issues. Shape offers affordable, next-gen immunotherapy requiring only a few annual doses, with long-lasting effects and no risk of anti-drug antibodies.

What market are you addressing, and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
Our target markets are vast, focusing on chronic diseases projected to grow over 30 years. Millions globally suffer from chronic inflammatory and cardiometabolic conditions, often unable to afford monoclonal antibodies or gene therapies. Shape's innovative approach improves access, adherence, and outcomes, filling critical treatment gaps.

How did you come up with the idea for your startup?
I co-founded Shape with two longtime colleagues. With backgrounds in life sciences, vaccines, nanomedicines, and immunotherapies, we noticed a gap in treating patients with chronic inflammation-mediated diseases. Leveraging drug design, protein engineering, and delivery tech advancements, we aim to offer improved and more affordable immunotherapy medicines.

How do you think the Venture Leaders roadshow will help you achieve your vision?
The roadshow offers a great platform to expand our US network, engage potential business partners, and meet investors, which is a high priority for us. I anticipate many insightful discussions and valuable feedback within Boston's life sciences community, which will be crucial for building and advancing our business globally. 

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What are your team’s key achievements to date?
With expertise in biotech and successful startup venture creation, our team has developed new technologies, filed several patents, produced lead candidates for several targets, and secured non-dilutive R&D funding for Shape. We are also proud of initiating some research collaborations and attracting top-tier experts and clinicians to support our development activities.

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
I have a strong passion for healthcare innovations and the prospect of making a positive impact on patient’s lives and society. As an entrepreneur, the freedom to pursue new ideas, create meaningful change, develop innovative solutions to challenging problems, and the chance to collaborate with brilliant individuals worldwide to build something that matters inspire me.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
My journey as a (repeat) founder has taught me to be resilient, work hard, stay focused, and not give up on dreams easily.

Tell us something people don't know about you.
In my spare time, I look after my son’s dwarf-clawed frogs, and I enjoy it a lot. 

Any podcasts or books you want to share with us?
I find inspiration from TED Talks and podcasts like "How I Built This" by Guy Raz, which shares entrepreneurial journeys. Another favorite podcast is "Biotech 2050", offering insights into new and emerging biotech developments.