Business Of Biotech A $1B AI Bet With Foresite Labs' Vik Bajaj, Ph.D.
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Dec 16, 2024 Vik Bajaj, Managing Director at Foresite Capital, is a savvy leader at the intersection of biotech and AI. In this discussion, he shares the remarkable launch of Xaira Therapeutics with $1 billion in funding. The conversation delves into how advanced computing is transforming drug development, the challenges of cancer screening tests, and the evolving regulatory landscape. Bajaj emphasizes the critical role of data in innovating healthcare solutions and the importance of collaboration across diverse disciplines in the biotech sector.
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Differing Timelines
- Vik Bajaj asked his team at Google Life Sciences when a study's results would impact patient care.
- Clinicians predicted a decade or two, scientists five years, and software engineers mere months, highlighting differing development cycles.
Bridging Worlds
- Disciplines like software engineering and biotech have vastly different product development cycles.
- Bridging these requires understanding each discipline's culture and not sacrificing scientific rigor while integrating software development practices.
Tools Shape Science
- Modern scientists are trained with industry-standard software tools.
- This reflects in academia, as evidenced by Nobel Prizes awarded for AI/ML, showing tools shape scientific exploration.