Walter Patterson is the co-founder and chief science officer of Minicircle, a biotech startup that produces reversible gene therapies.
Minicircle is known for some of their bold moves that include medical self-experimentation, and conducting clinical trials on Roatan, Honduras within a special economic zone led by Próspera that offers an innovative legal framework.
In this episode, we learn about Minicircle, gene therapy and regulatory challenges from one of the two iconic founders behind it (the other is Mac Davis).
The highlights of this episode are:
Walter talks about his early fascination for science, and how it allows us to mold the environment around us to live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives
The potential of various gene therapies (incl. CRISPR, mRNA) to edit the code of human biology, to overcome life-threatening defects and improve life quality
Minicircle key innovation of plasmid gene therapy, used to produce follistatin to reduce muscle degeneration and increase bone strength for long durations
The advantage of Prospera as a common law legal jurisdiction: Minicircle is following the same safety protocols and research ethics oversight that are done in the United States under the FDA, the main advantage is to cut bureaucracy
How, counterintuitively, Minicircle is more regulated under common law and has stronger liability for bad outcomes than in FDA jurisdictions where companies are exempted from liability if the played the political game well
Towards the end of the episode, Walter highlights the beauty of Roatan: the perfect weather, natural beauty and overwhelming friendliness of the community.
You can experience it yourself visiting Roatan during H2-2023 for various conferences and events taking place: https://lu.ma/infinita
Ep. 56: Minicircle Chief Scientist on the Promise of Gene Therapy to Extend Life, Roatan's Potential as a Frontier Hub for Biotechnologists & Overcoming the FDA's Bureaucratic Obstacles