Last week, leaders from Axio BioPharma and Likarda came together for a dynamic discussion on the future of drug development, exploring how AI, formulation science, and U.S.-based manufacturing can shorten timelines, strengthen reliability, and deliver breakthrough therapies to patients faster.
Moderated by Jessica Martin Eckerly, CEO and Co-founder of Forward BIOLABS, the conversation featured Justin Byers, CEO and founder of Axio BioPharma, and Dr. Lisa Stehno-Bittel, President and Founder of Likarda. Together, they unpacked what it means to move from discovery to delivery in an era where data and manufacturing innovation are reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape.
One of the central themes was the critical importance of delivery decisions made early in drug development.
Dr. Stehno-Bittel emphasized that while active ingredients often capture the spotlight, inactive components and delivery systems can make or break a therapy’s success.
She shared how Likarda’s advanced encapsulation and polymer systems are designed to optimize drug release and stability allowing therapies such as peptides, antibodies, and cell-based treatments to reach their targets more efficiently. “We’re relearning a lesson the industry first encountered a century ago with aspirin,” she noted. “Delivery isn’t an afterthought. It’s fundamental.”
The conversation turned to the transformative role of artificial intelligence in streamlining both discovery and manufacturing.
Dr. Stehno-Bittel explained how Likarda implemented a large language model (LLM) trained on 15 years of experimental data to guide formulation decisions, enabling faster, more accurate predictions for new projects. Meanwhile, Byers described how Axio’s predictive AI models are optimizing purification and biomanufacturing workflows improving speed-to-clinic without compromising quality.
“AI isn’t magic,” Byers said. “It’s only as good as the data you feed it. Clean, consistent, explainable data builds trust among scientists and accelerates meaningful progress.”
Both leaders underscored that AI’s true potential lies in translating institutional knowledge into scalable, transparent systems that empower teams to work faster and smarter.
The discussion also spotlighted the growing movement toward domestic manufacturing, a trend driven by supply chain resilience, regulatory alignment, and the need for faster clinical readiness.
Byers highlighted Axio’s mission to provide pharmaceutical partners with AI-enabled, U.S.-based production capacity that ensures both speed and predictability. “When discovery and manufacturing live on the same continent, innovation doesn’t stall between ideas and impact,” he said. “It’s about giving pharma partners control, confidence, and real-time collaboration.”
Together, Likarda and Axio BioPharma are demonstrating a new model for collaboration, one where formulation innovation, AI-driven development, and domestic manufacturing operate as an integrated ecosystem.
By combining their complementary expertise, the two companies are showing how biotech can reduce risk, improve reproducibility, and unlock faster paths to patient-ready therapies.
As the conversation wrapped, all three speakers emphasized the shared mission that drives both organizations: building smarter, faster, and more resilient pathways for therapeutic innovation. Watch the full webinar below or connect directly with Axio BioPharma to explore collaboration opportunities.