Sign in

    Rami Katkhuda

    Senior Equity Research Analyst at LifeSci Capital

    Rami Katkhuda is a Senior Equity Research Analyst at LifeSci Capital, specializing in coverage of immunology, inflammation, and cardiometabolic companies such as Mineralys Therapeutics, Inventiva, Moonlake Immunotherapeutics, Disc Medicine, Eledon, and VYNE Therapeutics. He has maintained Buy ratings on key biopharmaceuticals, with his recommendations supported by rigorous analysis of clinical results and company fundamentals, notably demonstrating success with Mineralys Therapeutics and consistent performance in the sector. Katkhuda began his analyst career after earning degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University, and joined LifeSci Capital in 2018 following prior roles at GfK and ColumbiaDoctors. His professional credentials include advanced graduate education and industry experience, positioning him as a leading analyst across life sciences equity research.

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Mineralys Therapeutics (MLYS) leadership

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Mineralys Therapeutics (MLYS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda of LifeSci Capital asked about AstraZeneca's blood pressure measurement methodology and its potential impact on placebo response, and whether the FDA has specified requirements for 52-week safety data for filing.

    Answer

    CEO Jon Congleton stated he was unaware of AstraZeneca's specific methods but highlighted Mineralys's adherence to AHA best practices to control for placebo effect. Regarding the NDA filing, he explained that the FDA does not provide a specific percentage for 52-week patient data, and the goal is to submit a sufficient and appropriate safety database for review.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Mineralys Therapeutics (MLYS) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda of LifeSci Capital sought to confirm if the Explore-CKD patient population, characterized by modest proteinuria, differs from that of a competitor's study and whether that competitor's UACR reduction result is a fair benchmark.

    Answer

    Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Rodman and Executive Jon Congleton confirmed key differences. Dr. Rodman explained that their trial targets hypertensive nephropathy, a distinct CKD subset from the metabolic syndrome-driven CKD often associated with higher proteinuria. Mr. Congleton added that their trial's baseline blood pressure inclusion criteria are higher, further distinguishing the populations and making direct UACR comparisons inappropriate.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Mineralys Therapeutics (MLYS) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda from LifeSci Capital questioned the expected difference in treatment effect between the ADVANCE and Launch trials and asked for views on a competitor's shorter half-life ASI and lorundrostat's positioning in chronic kidney disease (CKD).

    Answer

    Executive Jon Congleton found it difficult to predict a delta between the trials, noting Advance is more rigorous while Launch is more 'real-world.' Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Rodman suggested that historical data indicates a longer half-life, like lorundrostat's, is preferable for maximal efficacy. He positioned their CKD strategy as focusing on blood pressure control to prevent kidney damage, which their drug's profile is well-suited for, especially in combination with an SGLT2 inhibitor.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Mineralys Therapeutics (MLYS) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda of Lifesci Capital asked if recruiting patients with a lower eGFR in the pivotal trials could increase hyperkalemia rates compared to the Target-HTN study. He also inquired if the Launch-HTN trial would include an analysis of compliant versus non-compliant patients.

    Answer

    Executive Jon Congleton stated that based on modest potassium changes in Target-HTN, they were comfortable lowering the eGFR threshold to 45 for the pivotal trials. He noted the Explore-CKD trial, which goes to an eGFR of 30, uses a reduced 25mg dose as a precaution. He also confirmed Launch-HTN will have a prespecified analysis comparing patients with over 75% compliance to those with less, using AiCure technology for tracking.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Viridian Therapeutics, Inc.\DE (VRDN) leadership

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Viridian Therapeutics, Inc.\DE (VRDN) leadership • Q1 2024

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda of LifeSci Capital asked about Veridian's plans for filing VRDN-001 for approval in the U.S. and Europe in parallel and inquired about the potential size of the ex-U.S. market opportunity for Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).

    Answer

    President and CEO Stephen Mahoney confirmed that the TED epidemiology in Europe is very similar to the U.S. He stated that the company is actively developing its ex-U.S. strategy, including for regions beyond Europe, and will provide more details at a later date.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Eledon Pharmaceuticals (ELDN) leadership

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Eledon Pharmaceuticals (ELDN) leadership • Q1 2023

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda of LifeSci Capital asked if the iBox scoring system would be used in the BESTOW study and inquired about potential paths for the continued development of Tegoprubart in ALS, given recent regulatory successes in that field.

    Answer

    President and Chief Scientific Officer Steve Perrin confirmed that the iBox scoring system is being evaluated as an exploratory endpoint, noting its potential to estimate long-term graft function. CEO David-Alexandre Gros added this is part of a collaboration with CareDx. Regarding ALS, Gros stated that the current financing is for the transplant program, and while they will look for ways to advance in ALS, it would require a well-designed trial to truly answer the efficacy question, which is not the current focus.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Eledon Pharmaceuticals (ELDN) leadership • Q4 2022

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda from LifeSci Capital asked about the typical timeline for eGFR stabilization post-transplant and whether key learnings from previous trials with drugs like iscalimab and belatacept influenced the design of the BESTOW study.

    Answer

    President and Chief Scientific Officer Steven Perrin explained that eGFR levels tend to stabilize around 90 days post-transplant and become predictive of longer-term outcomes. Both he and CEO David-Alexandre Gros confirmed that learnings from prior trials, particularly the belatacept studies, influenced the BESTOW design. Key takeaways included the benefit of using ATG for induction, the importance of maintaining a consistent IV route of administration, and the utility of eGFR as a primary endpoint.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Eledon Pharmaceuticals (ELDN) leadership • Q3 2022

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda from LifeSci Capital asked for the rationale behind the dosing regimen chosen for the Phase 2a study in IgAN and inquired about plans for a subcutaneous formulation of tegoprubart.

    Answer

    President and CSO Steve Perrin explained that pharmacokinetic data from the Phase 2 ALS study informed the 5 and 10 mg/kg doses and the every-three-week frequency for the IgAN trial, allowing for higher exposure levels with less frequent dosing. CEO David-Alexandre Gros confirmed that the company is actively working on a subcutaneous formulation, which would be particularly advantageous for chronic conditions like IgAN.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI

    Rami Katkhuda's questions to Eledon Pharmaceuticals (ELDN) leadership • Q2 2022

    Question

    Rami Katkhuda from LifeSci Capital asked for clarification on whether mean eGFR could be an approvable endpoint in a potential Phase 3 study for kidney transplant. He also requested quantification of how much CNI treatment typically affects eGFR in transplant patients during the first year.

    Answer

    CMO Jeff Bornstein explained that while mean eGFR has not been a primary endpoint for approval historically, it's not ruled out for the future, and the current Phase 2 data will inform their regulatory strategy. He further detailed that CNI treatment variably but consistently lowers eGFR, noting that a one-year eGFR below 50 ml/min is predictive of poor long-term graft outcomes, reinforcing eGFR's value as a surrogate endpoint.

    Ask Fintool Equity Research AI