🧬 Doug Drysdale - Cybin - Part 4 | The Challenges of Running a Public Company | Transforming Psychiatric Treatments Through Psychedelic Compounds | Developing Breakthrough Therapies in Depression & Anxiety

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Part 4 of 4.

My guest for this week’s episode is Doug Drysdale, CEO at Cybin. Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharma company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics.

Doug is an experienced investor, Corporate Director and CEO, who has chaired the Board of a NASDAQ-listed company and, as a CEO for the past 12 years, has built and turned around 3 pharma companies. During his 30+ years of experience in the healthcare sector, he has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 16 corporate acquisitions across three continents and has raised and invested around $4 billion of both public and private capital.

Before Cybin, Doug was Commercial Products Manager at DuPont Merck, Director of BD at Elan, VP of M&A at Actavis Group, CEO of Norwich Pharmaceuticals and Alvogen, CEO of Pernix Therapeutics, and CEO of Tedor Pharma. His extensive background as a seasoned executive, investor, and turn-around specialist gives him a wide range of experiences that founders can learn from.

Join us this week and hear about:

Doug’s first-time experience running a public company: the challenges of hitting quarterly numbers and juggling the pressure of share price volatility
His move to Cybin, a startup transforming psychiatric treatments through psychedelic compounds
Cybin’s recent progress, including some key acquisitions, taking the company public, and their breakthrough therapies in depression and anxiety.

Please enjoy my conversation with Doug Drysdale.

Timestamps:

00:28 Intro

01:50 Doug’s first experience running a public company, Pernix Therapeutics

06:51 Leaving Pernix for a private company and a break from public scrutiny

08:22 Joining Cybin, going public, and raising $300MM; quickly developing therapy and IP assets

11:34 Cybin’s mission and focus; the co-founders and the team behind the technology

15:08 The DEA’s outlook on psychedelics and the development of SSRI alternatives

17:26 Doug’s experience working with the FDA

19:39 Cybin’s IP and partnership strategies; building out a core team and retaining talent

24:00 Cybin’s 2-year vision

24:58 Shoutouts and advice to 21-year old self