The Drug Discovery World Podcast

Drug Discovery World (DDW)
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Oct 15, 2025 • 30min

Overcoming barriers to patient access

Discover how novel techniques in human cell manufacturing are breaking down barriers to cell therapies, promising wider patient access. The conversation dives into the cost challenges of current autologous therapies and explores the allogeneic approach, which could revolutionize treatment availability. Transitioning to blockchain, discover how decentralized identities can enhance informed consent processes, making them more efficient and secure, while addressing privacy concerns. The potential applications of these advancements could reshape the future of clinical trials.
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Oct 14, 2025 • 16min

DDW Highlights: 14 October 2025

The latest episode of the DDW Highlights Podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW's Bruno Quinney narrates five key stories of the previous week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry news. Last week, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists for their discovery on regulatory T cells. Elsewhere, AI use continues to rise in pharma and biotech, while CAR-T therapy has been used for the first time to treat ulcerative colitis. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Oct 7, 2025 • 15min

DDW Highlights: 7 October

DDW's Bruno Quinney narrates key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates. This week's news is led by the agreement by Genmab to acquire Merus, an announcement which could have important ramifications in cancer research. Scientists have also made breakthroughs in pancreatic cancer, as well as in the understanding of Covid 'brain fog'.
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Oct 3, 2025 • 13min

First-in-class mechanisms for the next wave of dermatology innovation

In the In Conversation With series, a part of the free DDW podcast, DDW speaks with members of the drug discovery industry about their work and how it helps turn science into business. In this episode, Megan Thomas is in conversation with Thibaud Portal, Founder and COO of Alys Pharmaceuticals, a biotech launched in 2024 with a landmark $100 million seed round. The conversation explores the vision behind founding Alys, the role of strategic collaborations with leading scientists, and the rationale for building a diversified dermatology pipeline spanning atopic dermatitis, systemic mastocytosis, and rare conditions such as Cold Urticaria. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Sep 26, 2025 • 14min

DDW Highlights: 26 September 2025

The latest episode of the DDW Highlights Podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW's Bruno Quinney narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates. In this week's news, results from a clinical trial offer hope for the first time that Huntington's disease can be slowed. Elsewhere, new synthetic kidneys could be 'revolutionary' tools for kidney disease research, and pharma giant Merck has partnered with technology company Siemens to develop AI projects. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Sep 19, 2025 • 17min

DDW Highlights: 19 September 2025

The latest episode of the DDW Highlights Podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW's Bruno Quinney narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates. In this week's news, AstraZeneca has halted its £200 million research investment in the UK. Elsewhere, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fast-tracked a gene therapy, CAR-T therapy could be an effective cancer treatment, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated its thresholds for ultra-rare disease drugs. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Sep 11, 2025 • 9min

From established medicines to rare disease innovation

In the In Conversation With series, a part of the free DDW podcast, DDW speaks with members of the drug discovery industry about their work and how it helps turn science into business. In this episode, Megan Thomas is in conversation with Emma Johnson, CEO of Essential Pharma, about the company's move into clinical development, with the acquisition of Renaissance Pharma's immunotherapy asset in development for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma in children. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Sep 3, 2025 • 29min

Redefining the future with plant-based therapeutics

In the In Conversation With series, a part of the free DDW podcast, DDW speaks with members of the drug discovery industry about their work and how it helps turn science into business. In this episode, Megan Thomas is in conversation with Joel Stanley, CEO of Ajna Biosciences. We explore the promise and challenges of botanical drugs, focusing on Ajna Biosciences' approach to developing therapeutics derived from plants such as cannabinoids and psychedelics. Joel reflects on his experience co-founding Charlotte's Web during the early medical cannabis movement and how that shaped his perspective on botanical drug development. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Aug 26, 2025 • 12min

DDW Highlights: 26 August 2025

The latest episode of the DDW Highlights podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW's Megan Thomas narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates. The news this week has emphasised the importance of shared knowledge and expertise to the development of new drugs, whether that is through research collaboration agreements or mergers and acquisitions, with a number of new deals across different therapy areas. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts.
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Aug 21, 2025 • 26min

Strategies and challenges in therapeutic development and lab practice

This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, titled "Strategies and challenges in therapeutic development and lab practice", which covers three articles written for DDW Volume 24 – Issue 4, Fall 2023. They are called: "The inner workings of antibiotics", "Targeting advances in immunotherapies", and "The considerations for building sustainable labs in pharma". In the first article, Dr Luke Clifton, Instrument Scientist at ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, explains the molecular mechanism behind antibiotics. In the second article, DDW Editor Reece Armstrong speaks to Christian Leisner, Chief Executive Officer of antibody therapeutics' developer CDR-Life about methods to increase access to antigens and improving immunotherapy treatments. In the third article, DDW Editor Reece Armstrong speaks to Will Fogden, UK Development Manager, Kadans Science Partner, about sustainable efforts in pharma and the considerations industry needs to take into account when developing sustainable buildings.

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