#Twenty25 - Funding the future of health tech - Part 2/20 Interview with Cedeic Odje, Debiopharm Innovation Fund

Ian Coyne: Can you give us a quick overview of Debiopharm Innovation Fund and your investment focus?

Cedric Odje: We invest in data-driven solutions that improve pharmaceutical research and development, as well as the patient journey in oncology. We primarily focus on Series A investments but also go back to pre-seed and seed stages. Over the past 18 months, Series A rounds have slowed, often becoming bridge or extension funding, with companies missing key inflection points or seeing milestone achievements delayed, raising questions about whether they need a push or are truly struggling. Meanwhile, pre-seed and seed stages are emerging from stealth with double-digit raises and fresh momentum where we’re also engaging to support the next wave of innovation.

Ian: Starting with this year, where do you think the investments will be heading in 2025?

Cedric: We’ve moved past the AI copilot / Agentic boom and are now seeing renewed traction in drug design. The antibody market is booming, with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) as the next frontier, creating a need for platforms to optimize penetration and reduce toxicity. In health tech, behavioural support and Gen-AI powered clinical workflow automation are gaining traction in the US, ironically an area where Europe has been ahead for some time. PRIT technology (pre-targeted radioimmunotherapy) remains the chimera I’m chasing, with the potential to redefine targeted cancer therapies.

Ian: Beyond 2025, what other key areas do you personally find exciting?

Cedric: There are two areas I’m excited about personally - Brain tech solutions and longevity are both really promising fields. Longevity, in particular, is about making the aging process more pleasant by addressing the decline in capabilities. You could also start thinking about longevity much earlier in a person’s wellness journey. It could even spill over into dietary and mental health if you begin in a person's 20s or 30s.

Ian: A lot of investors put this into the silver tech category. Are there any areas within that field that you find interesting?

Cedric: Yes, silver tech is fascinating. For instance, technologies that can repair organs, like kidneys, through regeneration could be groundbreaking. This goes beyond just slowing down aging; it's about reversing damage and improving health outcomes.

Ian: Finally – beyond 2025 and If I handed you a magic wand, what changes would you make in digital health to benefit population health?

Cedric: I would address the fragmented European approval system to make it easier for companies to operate across borders. Additionally, we need to balance GDPR with the need for sufficient, clean data to train AI models. Incentivizing patients to share their data while ensuring their privacy and trust is crucial – I don’t think the system for data exchange is right now and if we can get that right, it can unlock huge innovation.

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Cedric Odje, Investment Associate at Debiopharm Innovation Fund

Cedric Odje is an Investment Associate at Debiopharm Innovation Fund, where he specializes in propelling innovations in pharma R&D and oncology through pre-seed to series A investments. Leveraging his M&A background and family office experience, Cedric is also a proactive business angel and jury expert, embodying a deep-seated passion for entrepreneurship and healthcare innovation. His strengths in conducting due diligence and board governance further solidify his role as a strategic partner in the investment ecosystem.

About Debiopharm Innovation Fund