How Caitlyn Krebs Built an AI Engine That Designs Drugs 5x Faster
October 16, 2025
In this episode of Pharma Sessions, host Jonathan Kaskey is joined by Caitlyn Krebs, Co-Founder and CEO of Nalu Bio, to share insights about AI-driven drug development, specifically targeting the endocannabinoid system (ECS) for therapeutic development in pain management, inflammation, and women’s health.
In this episode of Pharma Sessions, host Jonathan Kaskey is joined by Caitlyn Krebs, Co-Founder and CEO of Nalu Bio, to share insights about AI-driven drug development, specifically targeting the endocannabinoid system (ECS) for therapeutic development in pain management, inflammation, and women’s health.
What You’ll Learn:
- How Nalu Bio uses AI and generative modeling to create new chemical entities for therapeutics
- The potential of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as the next GLP-1
- How generative AI can accelerate drug development 5x faster through precision-engineered compound design
- ECS applications in pain, inflammation, and women’s health
- Why women's health remains underserved in drug development and how AI can address these gaps
Caitlyn Krebs is a biotech entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Nalu Bio. Caitlyn is leading a team of innovators, harnessing AI and the endocannabinoid system to create next-generation therapeutics for pain, inflammation, metabolic health, and women’s health. With over 20 years of experience in biotech and life sciences, including pioneering work in modeling and simulation technology at Intellos, Caitlyn has established herself as a forward-thinking leader in drug development. Her expertise spans biology, AI implementation, and pharmaceutical innovation, with a particular focus on developing next-generation therapeutics for pain, inflammation, metabolic health, and women's health conditions.
Episode Highlights:
- [00:00] Introduction
- [03:17] From Hawaii to High-Tech Biotech
- [04:33] What Is the Endocannabinoid System (ECS)?
- [06:28] How Generative AI Designs New Molecules
- [10:48] Bridging Chemistry and AI
- [13:33] Platform vs. Pipeline
- [16:17] Digital Twins in Drug Trials
- [17:55] Is ECS the Next GLP-1?
- [20:28] Why Endometriosis Was the First Target
- [23:29] The Gender Gap in Biotech and Clinical Trials
- [25:26] Funding Gaps in Women’s Health Innovation
- [27:01] Advice for Pharma Leaders
- [29:08] Biotech Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
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