Episode 119: 2026 Biotech Market Update – What Investors Are Watching Right Now
What’s really happening in biotech right now, and where should innovators and investors be paying attention?
In this market update episode, host Elaine Hamm, PhD, is joined by guest host Travis Manasco, MD, for a candid conversation on the current state of biotech investing. Together, they unpack where momentum is building, where enthusiasm is cooling, and how founders, scientists, and investors should think strategically as the market finds its footing. From GLP-1s and AI to women’s health and preclinical challenges, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at today’s biotech landscape—just in time for JPM.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Which biotech sectors are heating up and why areas like obesity, AI-enabled clinical trials, and women’s health are drawing renewed interest
- Why early-stage and preclinical innovation remains a tough funding environment, despite long-term opportunity
- How market signals like acquisitions and JPM dynamics may shape biotech strategy in the year ahead
Tune in for an honest, insightful market conversation that cuts through the hype and helps you think more clearly about where biotech is headed next.
Links:
Connect with Travis Manasco, MD, and check out Solas BioVentures.
Connect with Elaine Hamm, PhD, and learn about Tulane Medicine Business Development and the School of Medicine.
Check out the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026.
Check out our previous episode with Travis on AI in Medicine.
Connect with Ian McLachlan, BIO from the BAYOU producer.
Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU – the podcast.
Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.
