From growing lab cultures to creating a company culture, Greywolf Therapeutics’ CEO and Co-Founder shares how his team is reshaping immunotherapy and why Milton Park has been the perfect base for his ‘wolf pack’ to innovate.
Can you tell us a bit about Greywolf Therapeutics and its mission?
We’re a biotech company on a mission to deliver a completely new class of treatments to help people living with cancer, autoimmune conditions and infectious diseases.
A big challenge with these illnesses is that T cells, which are the immune system’s ‘watchdogs’, don’t always spot or attack the right cells.
Our novel antigen modulation technology helps the immune system better recognise and respond to disease. It is designed to change that by adjusting how our body’s cells present themselves. It’s almost like flipping a switch to change the way they look to the immune system. We have two clinical trials underway and we’re very excited to share that we’re seeing promising results.
You were previously at another Milton Park occupier, Vertex Pharmaceuticals. How did those experiences shape your approach at Greywolf?
Vertex was an incredible place to learn.
I had the chance to work on cutting-edge science in an environment that demanded rigor and excellence. Those years showed me how important company culture is in biotech. When you bring together brilliant people who are collaborative and ambitious, you can achieve things that initially seem impossible. Those experiences shaped Greywolf’s foundations and since then, we’ve built the company to be both scientifically bold and culturally strong.
You’ve stayed at Milton Park for 13 years during your life science career. What is it about the Park that has supported your growth over that time?
Milton Park has been a constant thread throughout my career and for good reason, too. It has world-class labs and offices but just as importantly, it’s a real community. You’re surrounded by like-minded biotech and life science companies, so there’s a natural exchange of ideas, collaboration and support.
The Park’s Local Development Order which enables ten-day planning, space and infrastructure also makes it easy to grow. You can start small with the knowledge that there’s room to expand and move around the Park without losing that sense of connection.
As CEO, what does a typical day look like for you at the helm of a fast-paced biotech?
There really isn’t a “typical” day. One moment I might be in deep scientific discussions with the team, reviewing new data and thinking about how we advance our pipeline.
The next, I might be meeting with potential partners or investors. In a leadership role, it is always important to strike a balance between the science, business and people.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
I like to be incredibly close to our science and the most rewarding part is seeing its potential come to life. The fact that what we’re working on in the lab today could one day change the trajectory for a patient and their family is very powerful to me.
I also find great satisfaction in working with such a passionate and talented team. Watching people grow with the company and knowing we’re all pulling towards the same mission is really special.
What advice would you give to other biotech entrepreneurs considering starting up or scaling at Milton Park?
I’d encourage them to make the most of where you are. There’s a community of people very close by who have faced the same challenges you’re going through, whether that’s starting a lab, raising capital or starting the first clinical trial. You shouldn’t be afraid to connect, learn and collaborate.
Do you have any exciting milestones or upcoming projects you can share?
We’re making strong progress across our pipeline and we’ve got some important data readouts coming up that we’re very excited about.
I can’t share specifics yet but the next six months will be a big period for us as we gain even more insight into our approach and treatments.
It’s an energising time for the whole team. We feel we’re on the cusp of delivering something truly impactful so watch this space!
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