Episodes

Thursday Jun 30, 2016
Advancing Cancer Care with New Diagnostic Tools
Thursday Jun 30, 2016
Thursday Jun 30, 2016
The ability to find and tumor cells and DNA fragments shed by tumors circulating in the blood has given rise to liquid biopsies. This emerging area of diagnostics promises to improve cancer care, better monitor patient response to a therapy, personalize care, and provide earlier evidence of recurrence. We spoke to Andre de Fusco, CEO of Cynvenio, about the company’s liquid biopsy rare cell isolation platform, and its implications for changing how cancer patients

Wednesday Jun 22, 2016
A Biotech Reinvents Itself and How to Price Drugs
Wednesday Jun 22, 2016
Wednesday Jun 22, 2016
KaloBios, a biotech best known for a series of disastrous events including failed clinical trials, a bankruptcy filing, lawsuits, and the arrest of its CEO, is being reborn. In the process, it may provide a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion over drug pricing. In April, the development-stage company unveiled a pricing plan based on transparency, affordability, and reasonable profit. We spoke to Cameron Durrant, CEO of KaloBios, about his efforts to clean up the mess he inherited, turnaround the fortunes of the company, and introduce an innovate pricing model that could reshape the way industry thinks about pricing its products.

Thursday Jun 16, 2016
Using Technology to Modernize Preclinical Development
Thursday Jun 16, 2016
Thursday Jun 16, 2016
Despite a rapid advance of technology there’s been little change in the preclinical drug development process. Vium is hoping to change that by using sensors, automation, and bioinformatics to change the way data is gathered in the preclinical process to fuel better and faster decisions about the potential value of an experimental drug. We spoke to Tim Robertson, co-founder and CEO of Vium and Joe Betts-Lacroix, co-founder and CTO of Vium, about the company, how its hoping to change the preclinical drug development process, and why that’s essential.

Tuesday Jun 07, 2016
Can the Biotech Industry Stay on Track through Innovative Pricing
Tuesday Jun 07, 2016
Tuesday Jun 07, 2016
The biotechnology industry continued to post record numbers, attract significant investment, and won approval for a solid number of new drugs in 2015. Nevertheless, EY in its new Beyond Borders report warns that there’s a deceleration within the industry that points to threats that could undermine the robust growth it has enjoyed. We spoke to Glen Giovannetti, EY Global Biotechnology Leader, about the new report, the need for the industry to innovate pricing models for new drugs, and why as companies seeks to demonstrate the value of a product they will need to consider the unique perspective of each payer.

Wednesday Jun 01, 2016
Wall Street Turns Its Eyes to ASCO
Wednesday Jun 01, 2016
Wednesday Jun 01, 2016
Wall Street’s attention will turn to Chicago as the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology gets underway June 3 to June 7. Though this is a scientific conference, it is one closely watched by investors, who have been pouring through the abstracts that have been available and keeping an eye open for late-breakers that could move stocks. We spoke to Jon Gardner, deputy news editor for EP Vantage, about the ASCO meeting, what the early abstracts say, and who will likely be making headlines at this year’s meeting.

Thursday May 26, 2016
Understanding the Disease It Never Was on House
Thursday May 26, 2016
Thursday May 26, 2016
Lupus is an often misunderstood and misdiagnosed autoimmune disease. While some 1.5 million people—mostly women—have lupus, it can take years for someone with the disease to get a correct diagnosis. We spoke to Susan Manzi, medical director of the Lupus Foundation of America and Co-founder and director of the Lupus Center of Excellence at Allegheny Health Network, about the disease, why there are so few treatments available today, and why she holds out hope for the pipeline of new therapies moving through the clinic.

Thursday May 19, 2016
Why the State of Innovation Is Encouraging
Thursday May 19, 2016
Thursday May 19, 2016
Global innovation activity experienced broad gains across industry sectors last year, according to Thompson Reuters newly released 2016 State of Innovation report. We spoke to Anthony Trippe, senior patent analyst for Thomson Reuters about the report, its upbeat outlook, and what it says about the direction of innovation in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors.

Thursday May 12, 2016
Can Market Forces Fix Drug Pricing
Thursday May 12, 2016
Thursday May 12, 2016
The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing, a coalition of healthcare stakeholders, thinks that the rising cost of prescription drugs can be addressed through a series of market-based solutions that will strike a balance between preserving innovation and ensuring affordability. Its recently released plan outlines steps to increase transparency, competition, and value. We spoke to John Rother, executive director of the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing, about the organization, its focus on market-based solutions, and what it will take to make them a reality.

Daniel Levine
Daniel Levine is an award-winning business journalist who has reported on the life sciences, economic development, and business policy issues throughout his career. He is founder and principal of Levine Media Group, host of The Bio Report and RARECast podcasts, a senior fellow at the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, and author of Global Genes’ annual NEXT report on emerging trends in the world of rare disease. From 2011 to 2014, he served as the lead editor and writer of Burrill & Company’s acclaimed annual book on the biotech industry. His work has appeared in numerous national publications including The New York Times, The Industry Standard, and TheStreet.com.