We recently sat down with the five biotech companies accepted into the Spring 2026 Drive cohort to learn more about their science, their “ah-ha” moments, and how Drive is changing the trajectory of their business. Today it’s Enexa Bio, a biotech that is engineering precision small molecules for autoimmune disease, led by a biomarker-driven lupus nephritis program. We spoke with CEO Benjamin Naovarat, MD, MBA.
CEO
CSO
What problem are you obsessed with solving—and why does it matter right now?
We are singularly focused on delivering meaningful therapeutic efficacy for autoimmune patients without subjecting them to the debilitating side effects that have long defined the standard of care. For decades, patients have faced an impossible trade-off: accept the toxicity of steroids and broad immunosuppressants, or watch their disease advance. That is not a choice patients should have to make.
What’s a recent moment that made you think, ‘this could really work’?
As a team, we are deeply committed to putting patients first and that commitment was reinforced in a recent conversation that reminded us exactly why this work matters. A patient shared that they were struggling with currently available small molecules due to tolerability concerns, while existing biologics weren’t acting quickly enough to provide meaningful relief. That moment crystallized our mission that if we can develop a therapeutic that captures the efficacy profile of a small molecule while also offering the benefit of a biologic, we have the potential to address a gap that patients are living with every day.
Since joining Drive, what’s one shift in your thinking, strategy, or network that’s had a real impact on your company?
The advisory board we have built through Drive has been nothing short of transformative. In just eight weeks, we have gained access to perspectives that span the full spectrum of drug development. From founders who have navigated the early rigors of clinical-stage biotech to executives who have scaled programs through the demands of large pharma. That breadth of experience has fundamentally shaped how we think about building this company. It is one thing to have a compelling scientific thesis; it is another to have the right voices in the room helping you stress test every strategic assumption along the way.