Alex Martinez has worn many hats throughout his career. As CEO and co-founder of Intrinsic Medicines, he’s leading the Seattle-based biotech’s development of human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) drugs to treat a range of gut immune microbiota brain axis disorders, with programs in Parkinson’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome entering phase 2 trials. But for the former lawyer and venture capitalist, it’s also a personal pursuit. “I’m evaluating our drugs in the context of the human, subjective experience because I’m living it,” he said. Martinez has had IBS since he was 11 years old, and from time to time, the disease has triggered numerous complications. “I’ve gotten staph infections … and had to have some pretty significant interventions,” he explained. “When I started this company, I actually went through a potential oncology patient journey that, luckily, did not turn out to be the case. When you’re shaped by that experience … I [then] wanted to do everything I can to help people.”

Full report : Intrinsic Medicines is entering phase 2 trials in Parkinson’s disease and IBS for its human milk oligosaccharide drug candidates next year.