Quin Wills, an Oxford and Cambridge University alumnus with a DPhil in Statistical Genomics, MSc in Applied and Computational Mathematics, and MPhil in Computational Biology, co-founded Ochre Bio after his time as a Novo Nordisk researcher. His mission: to develop RNA therapeutics for chronic liver disease and help the millions of people on the liver transplant waiting list.
During his research career, Wills recognized that discarded human donor livers provide superior preclinical models compared to traditional methods using biopsies from inflamed, fatty livers.
Since co-founding Ochre Bio, he and his team have constructed what they say is the largest genomic atlas of the human liver and secured over $40m in funding to genetically reprogram diseased liver cells in donor livers unfit for human transplant. The company’s innovative approach combines AI drug discovery with human data through its unique liver perfusion lab, essentially conducting “clinical trials before the clinical trial.”
As CSO, Wills leads a global scientific team whose expertise spans functional and computational regulatory genomics, knowledge graphs, recommendation systems and drug discovery applications.
Ochre Bio’s most notable collaboration to date is a deal with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop novel regenerative treatments for chronic liver diseases, including late-stage MASH cirrhosis. Using Ochre’s proprietary discovery platform -- which integrates machine learning, human big data, advanced imaging, genomic phenotyping, RNA chemistry, and ex-vivo human-organ perfusion models — the partnership aims to identify and validate new regenerative targets. The deal includes up to $35m in up-front and near-term milestone payments, with the deal valued at up to $1bn.
In this episode of the In Vivo podcast, Wills discusses his academic and career trajectory, the company’s unique platform, its partnering progress and plans for the future.
Timestamps:
Intro
2:30 - Quin Wills’ background and journey into genetics
5:00 - Ochre Bio’s approach to discovery and validation
7:07 - Wills’ transition from academic research to entrepreneurship
9:33 - Ochre Bio’s early and late-stage liver disease approaches
11:30 - Ochre’s partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim
15:00 - Ochre’s human liver research and value of organ perfusion
20:00 - Potential clinical assets
21:12 - The value of stratification in liver disease treatments
23:10 - Is Ochre a longevity medicine company?
24:42 - Ochre’s growth strategy
25:00 - Future plans and regulatory challenges
