The RTW Podcast

Rod Wong joins Stephanie Sirota to trace biotech's evolution. What forces built today’s innovation landscape, and what might the next decade reveal?
PODCAST TEAM
Producer & Director: Devon Leaver
Editor: Dominique Guerra
Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin
Production Support: Annabelle Chan
Theme music: Ganymede by Yehezkel Raz
Additional music: APM Music
Featuring: Rod Wong, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at RTW Investments, moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.
FOLLOW US
Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.
To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.
Learn more about 'Innovation is the Best Medicine' here.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Introduction
1:22 – Gene therapy and biotech
4:51 – Rod Wong’s journey into biotech
9:55 – Rod Wong: Investor or Business Builder?
12:43 – Growing trends in biotechnology
15:36 – Generating Alpha in Biotech
21:54 – Looking forward for RTW
23:51 - Outro
DISCLAIMER
This interview was given by Rod Wong, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at RTW Investments, and moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

When an FDA panel held her company’s future in the balance, UroGen Pharma CEO Liz Barrett refused to fold, even with the odds stacked, a plunging stock, and one vote deciding it all.
PODCAST TEAM
Producer and Director: Devon Leaver
Editor: Dominique Guerra
Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin
Production Support: Annabelle Chan
Story Consultants: Partner & Research Analyst Tony Nguyen, and Chief Corporate Finance Officer, Chris Seiter.
Featuring: Liz Barrett, President & CEO of UroGen Pharma, moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP.
FOLLOW US
Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.
To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
00:54 – Liz Barrett’s pharma journey
03:26 - UroGen: the product and the pipeline
08:31 - The FDA vote on UroGen
15:07 - UroGen and RTW’s relationship
18:42 - Liz Barrett’s leadership style
22:40 - Outro
DISCLAIMER
This interview was given by Liz Barrett, President & CEO of UroGen Pharma, and moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

From a Thanksgiving night emergency to one of the fastest gene therapies ever deployed, this is the story of a family’s relentless pursuit to help their daughter, and how RTW Foundation made it possible.
This episode was recorded on June 11, 2025, and the clinical trial details discussed may have changed; please see ellysteam.org for the most current information on Elly’s case.
PODCAST TEAM
Producer & Director: Devon Leaver
Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin
Editor: Dominique Guerra
Research Consultants: Joe Katakowski, PhD, and Nicole Litt
Story Consultant: Samantha Darris
Theme music: Ganymede by Yehezkel Raz
Additional music: APM Music
Featuring: Michelle Krueger, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, and the co-founder of Elly’s Team, moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner, Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP.
FOLLOW US
Now you can follow along in the format you prefer. Watch the video feed of this podcast on YouTube or read the transcript at rtwfunds.com/podcasts.
To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
01:16 – Elly’s Diagnosis
04:37 - Finding a treatment with RTW Foundation
09:42 - Elly’s journey: from research to treatment
14:50 - Becoming the first child to receive an IRF2BPL gene replacement therapy
17:17 - Expanding the clinical trial for NEDAMSS
19:12 - How to improve drug research and development
21:18 - Outro and disclaimer
DISCLAIMER
This interview was given by Michelle Krueger, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, and the co-founder of Elly’s Team, and moderated by Stephanie A. Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments, LP. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

Lack of sleep can be deadly and costly. Matthew Walker, author of NYT bestseller Why We Sleep and Stephanie Sirota explore the science of sleep, how not sleeping can hurt our health and economy, and the global sleep epidemic.
PODCAST TEAM
Producer: Devon Leaver
Editor: Dominique Guerra
Featuring: Dr. Matthew Walker PhD, Author of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, moderated by Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.
FOLLOW US
Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.
To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
00:46 - Matthew Walker’s journey into sleep science
03:01 - Understanding the different types of sleep
06:06 - How to deal with jet lag
08:22 - The effect of sleep on young adults
11:02 - The impact of sleep on productivity
14:13 - Analyzing the dream state
17:34 - Sleeping, dreaming, and the relationship with mental health
19:59 - The future of sleep studies
21:34 - Sleep as the foundation of health
23:58 - Outro and disclaimer
DISCLAIMER
This interview was given by Dr. Matthew Walker, Author of Why We Sleep, and moderated by Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

When Akero’s stock dropped after a trial setback, why did RTW double down that same day? CEO Andrew Cheng joins RTW’s Rod Wong to share how he navigated the biotech storm, why he believed in efruxifermin (EFX,) and what’s next for liver disease treatment.
PODCAST TEAM
Producer: Devon Leaver
Editor: Dominique Guerra
Production Coordinator: YingYu Lin
Featuring: Andrew Cheng, CEO of Akero Therapeutics, moderated by Roderick Wong, MD, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer RTW Investments.
FOLLOW US
Love our podcast? Follow us on LinkedIn at RTW Investments, LP and check out our website for the latest updates and insights.
To make sure you never miss an episode, you can subscribe to the RTW podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and most other podcast platforms.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Rod Wong in 2023
00:22 – Introduction
01:01 – Introducing Akero Therapeutics and MASH
03:51 – Discussing Akero’s Trials and Setbacks
08:32 – Becoming pioneers in pre-cirrhotic and cirrhotic treatment
11:05 – Challenges of being a biotech CEO
12:52 – Outro and Disclaimer
DISCLAIMER
This interview was given by Andrew Cheng, CEO of Akero Therapeutics, and moderated by Roderick Wong, MD, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer RTW Investments. Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.