The Readout Loud

In this discussion, venture capitalist Bruce Booth, a partner at Atlas Venture, shares insights from his annual biotech year-in-review report. He argues that the biotech sector may be rebounding, pointing to recent stock performances and clinical innovations. Booth discusses the potential surge in IPOs for 2026 but cautions about the risks of poor-quality companies going public. He also analyzes the effects of DTC offerings by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which could lead employers to cut funding for weight-loss drugs. Finally, he highlights the changing dynamics in venture capital as AI draws investment away from biotech.

Megan Molteni, an investigative science reporter, and Anil Oza, a fellow science reporter, dive deep into the turmoil at the NIH in their latest discussion. They explore the impacts of federal policy changes on American science and the unsettling loss of trust between researchers and the government. With a focus on reforms, they debate the balance needed between innovation and stability. The conversation also touches on the geopolitical stakes for U.S. scientific leadership and what researchers need to watch for in 2026.

David Olson, director at UC Davis Institute for Psychedelics and co-founder of Delix Therapeutics, delves into groundbreaking research on non-hallucinogenic drugs that promote neuroplasticity. He discusses how these substances may treat depression and anxiety while avoiding the psychedelic ‘trip.’ Olson also explores design challenges in creating these therapies, including safety and abuse potential. He outlines encouraging results from clinical trials on zalzupindol, highlighting rapid antidepressant effects that last well beyond treatment.

Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, discusses his mission to revolutionize health care through his venture, Cost Plus Drugs, aimed at lowering prescription costs. He shares insights on TrumpRx, a direct drug purchasing initiative he champions. Cuban critiques the PBM system for its lack of transparency and discusses how direct-to-consumer pricing can enhance accessibility. He also touches on innovative ideas for financing gene therapies and shares his thoughts on sports betting and its implications.

Dean Li, Head of R&D at Merck, discusses the groundbreaking results of Merck's oral PCSK9 candidate, enlicitide, which shows impressive LDL cholesterol reduction comparable to injectables. He explores the challenges of making effective heart disease treatments more accessible and the potential public health impact of wider adoption. The conversation also touches on FDA leadership changes and hopes for regulatory pathways that prioritize patient access while maintaining safety. Li emphasizes the importance of innovating beyond injectables and targeting new areas in cardiometabolic health.

Lizzy Lawrence, STAT's D.C. correspondent specializing in FDA and health policy, joins to discuss a brewing crisis within the FDA. She reveals leadership disputes between Vinay Prasad and his team, leading to declining morale and multiple staff exits. The shock departure of director George Tidmarsh for allegedly misusing his position adds to the turmoil. The conversation also touches on the heated bidding war between Pfizer and Novo Nordisk for the desirable MetSera assets, highlighting the competitive landscape in the obesity treatment market.

Neil Kumar, the CEO of BridgeBio, shares insights about the company's recent Phase 3 successes and discusses their innovative hub-and-spoke model. He reveals exciting news about the potential full approval for Ripetol and competitive strategies for Atrubi. Meanwhile, STAT reporter Jason Mast dives into Moderna's post-COVID turmoil, examining internal conflicts and the fallout from ambitious expansions. He highlights the challenges ahead for mRNA technology in therapeutics and the impact of political sentiment on the company’s future.

Can Trump take credit for North Carolina's booming biopharma industry? Which drugs could get a shortcut to the market? And who wore a tuxedo to the STAT Summit? We discuss all that and more in the latest episode of "The Readout LOUD."Elaine is out this week, so Adam and Allison dive into the latest news in the life science industry together, including the two companies pushing the Food and Drug Administration, the first recipients of the Commissioner’s National Priority Review voucher, and why Flagship Pioneering founder Nobuar Afeyan thinks that mRNA vaccines are the canary in the coal mine that is the drug industry. Adam also asks Allison about her trip to North Carolina to check out the local biomanufacturing boom.

On this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD”: an interview with veteran biotech executive and company founder Clive Meanwell. Pfizer recently acquired one of Meanwell’s companies, the obesity drug developer Metsera, for just under $5 billion. Meanwell offered his perspectives on the evolving obesity drug market, and continued need for drugs to treat diseases with large prevalence, which he’s doing with his latest venture, called Corsera Health. Meanwell also weighed in on drug pricing policies both in the U.S. and the U.K. Your favorite podcast co-hosts have been extra busy this week moderating panel discussions at the STAT Summit in Boston, so we prerecorded this interview with Meanwell on Oct. 8. A regular “Readout LOUD” episode will return next week. 

Jared Holz, a healthcare strategist at Mizuho, provides insights into the biotech rebound and investor sentiment, emphasizing the impact of fewer IPOs on market recovery. He shares that hedge funds are currently driving biotech investments. Meanwhile, Dietmar Berger, from Gilead Sciences, discusses innovative cell therapies in oncology. The conversation also explores AstraZeneca's surprising revival of a shelved rare disease candidate due to a calculation error, and Peter Marks’ transition to Eli Lilly adds a splash of controversy to the biotech landscape.