#15 - Rivalries and the race for remedies

The coffee break biotech roundup, by SomX.

Good morning, my biotech champions,

From insulin pricing spats and autoimmune treatment showdowns, to stem cell breakthroughs, superbug survival strategies, and a bold battle over cancer diagnostics – competition is fierce in biotech right now. 

So grab your cup of tea, settle in, and let’s see who’s edging ahead in these medical showdowns!

Thanks for reading,

Dodo 

If there’s anything you’d like to see in future editions of Biotech Dodo, send us a message.

Discover 🔍

⚖️ FTC sues major pharmacy benefit managers over price of insulin (Pharmacy Times): Talk about ruffling some feathers… The Federal Trade Commission is taking on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) Express Scripts, Optum and Caremark for unfair rebate practices that have driven up insulin prices and restricted patient access – seeking to end their “exploitative conduct”. Express Scripts has already filed a counter-suit for false claims made by the FTC, and is demanding a retraction.

Our take: This lawsuit could shake things up and finally pull back the curtain on the enormous influence over costs and access that PBMs, long the unsung middlemen of drug pricing, wield. An FTC victory could herald greater pricing transparency, inject some much-needed competition, and – fingers crossed – make life-saving insulin more affordable for all.

🩸 AstraZeneca wins rare autoimmune indication for Asthma biologic Fasenra (BioSpace): AZ’s Fasenra (benralizumab) has clinched FDA approval to treat autoimmune condition eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), a rare and rather bothersome form of vasculitis. In its Phase III trial, Fasenra demonstrated non-inferiority to GSK’s Nucala – showing a 59% remission rate compared to Nucala’s 56% – giving those dependent on corticosteroids or unresponsive to Nucala a much-needed alternative.

Our take: With similar remission rates to GSK but a better shot at reducing steroid dependency (and all the complications that come with it), AstraZeneca’s Fasenra could mean a real quality-of-life boost for patients who’ve long been stuck with high-dose corticosteroids – allowing them to taper off them more easily with lower risk of relapse.

💰Stem cell startup spun out of George Church’s lab raises $75M (Endpoints): George Church is back at it – this time with GC Therapeutics, spun out of his Harvard lab. The startup aims to slash the months-long process of turning stem cells into adult human cells to just four days, using transcription factor ‘light switches’ to turn gene expression on and off. With $75M in backing from Cormorant Asset Management and Andreessen Horowitz, they’re now gearing up for trials targeting blindness, diabetes and Parkinson’s.

Our take: Five years in the making, GC Therapeutics isn’t just another stem cell startup – this is George Church’s latest brainchild. By rethinking the stem to adult cell pathway, the streamlined process could unlock faster, more accessible cell therapy development for complex conditions like neurological and immune diseases. If they can pull it off, this might just be the breakthrough regenerative medicine has been waiting for.

🦠 Superbugs ‘could kill 39m people by 2050’ amid rising drug resistance (The Guardian): Well, it seems the superbugs are gaining ground. In the first global analysis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends over time, scientists warn that by 2050, drug resistance could contribute to over 1.91 million deaths each year, with older generations most at risk. The study is clear: better prevention, new antibiotics, and improved healthcare access are desperately needed if we’re to stop this march of microbial mischief.

Our take: We’ve been resting on our antibiotic laurels for far too long – and the numbers show it. Although young children have benefited from better vaccines and hygiene, the elderly are caught in the AMR crossfire, being more prone to chronic diseases and hospital-induced infections. Without innovation, effective infection prevention controls and failure to replenish the antibiotic arsenal, we risk not just our future health, but all the generations that follow.

And finally…

🍿 The Battle Brewing Over Blood Tests for Cancer (The Wall Street Journal): Dodo loves a quick flutter but, in the bookies’ battle no one saw coming, Guardant CEO AmirAli Talasaz has challenged Exact Sciences’ Kevin Conroy to a $1M bet on who has the best colorectal cancer test. This follows positive early data from Exact Sciences showing that their test was better at detecting advanced adenomas. In July, Guardant Health’s Shield became the first FDA-approved blood test for colorectal cancer screening, and Exact Sciences seems to be hot on their tails.

Our take: A $1M bet from two CEOs? That’s more than just bravado – it’s a clear sign of how seriously both companies take their data. This kind of public wager sets a new tone for the industry, where bold claims about diagnostics will need to stand up to scrutiny. If this ‘rivalry’ drives advancements in early cancer detection, the real winners will be the patients…and that’s a contest we’re all rooting for!

Tune in 🎧

🗣️ Fear, facts and frustration: Why scientists need to speak up
Ginkgo Bioworks’ Creative Director Christina Agapakis discusses the power of storytelling in science and the challenges of communicating research to the public.

🧬 Breaking biotech barriers: RNA’s next frontier
Sarah Boyce, President & CEO of Avidity Biosciences, shares her journey from big pharma to leading groundbreaking advancements in RNA therapeutics.

📚 Estonia's biobank: Is this the first large-scale personalised medicine initiative?

Labiotech’s Jim Cornall chats with Professor Lili Milani, head of the Estonian National Biobank, and Neil Ward, VP of EMEA at PacBio, about their collaboration to implement personalised health at national scale.

Apply ✍️

🔍 R&D Imaging Engineer, IXICO – Eager to translate science into action? In this role you’ll adapt cutting-edge imaging solutions for clinical trials, optimise workflows, and turn pre-existing analysis into production-ready tools in neuroimaging.

🧠 Organoid Scientist, a:head bio – Ready to advance the next wave of neurological drug development? Using your expertise in human biology and scaling cell culture workflows, you’ll develop 3D brain organoids to tackle neurological disorders.

📈 US Market Access Pipeline Director, AbbVie – Got a knack for navigating payers? This role will lead AbbVie's Neuroscience and Eyecare market access strategy, shaping the pipeline from early development to launch, and ensuring valuable US payer perspectives are embedded early.

RSVP 📆

⛰️ 01-02.10 | Sifted Summit & Official Summit Warm-up | London, UK: The Sifted Summit looks to be one of the year’s most interesting startup events! Before the curtain rises, SomX is hosting the Official Sifted Summit Warmup on 1st October at London Bridge. Whether you’re headed to Greenwich or just fancy a chinwag with the tech crowd, make sure you’re on the list – we’ll be keeping the seats warm!

👩 02.10 | The Global Growth Engine of the Women's Health Industry | London, UK: The women’s health industry is on a rocket-fuelled rise, and this event will give you the inside scoop on what’s powering it. Experts will peel back the curtain on the movers, shakers, and innovations – a must for anyone curious about what’s next in this evolving sector.

🧬 15.10 | European Cell & Gene Therapy Summit 2024 | London, UK: Now in its second year, connect with leading experts, executives and thought leaders in an event aimed to inspire, educate, and connect you with the people shaping the future of advanced therapies.

Got news, jobs or events you think are worth coo-ing over? Post an event here, or email us at biotechdodo@substack.com!

SomX is a communications and creative agency for healthcare. We are clinicians, scientists, creatives and communicators dedicated to serving our healthtech, biotech, pharma and public sector clients with services across strategy, content, PR, design, events and media production. Get in touch to learn more.