The Drug Discovery World Podcast

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. Love is in their air this Valentine’s Day as this week’s news round-up celebrates the importance of collaboration in life sciences, whether that’s in the sharing of data, technology, or expertise. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts. 

This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, titled “The continued evidence of AI’s drug discovery value”, which covers two articles written for DDW Volume 24 – Issue 2, Spring 2023 of DDW. They are called: “How generative AI could improve drug discovery” and “Can artificial intelligence help craft new medicines?” Absci is a generative artificial intelligence (AI) drug creation company with goals of bringing better biologics to patients more quickly. In the first article, DDW Editor Reece Armstrong speaks to Sean McClain, the Founder and CEO of Absci about how generative AI is being used within drug discovery and the company’s work in the antibodies sector. In the second article, Professor Sonika Bhatnagar explores how artificial intelligence is enabling drug discovery at rates never seen before.

The latest episode of the DDW Highlights podcast is now available. DDW’s Megan Thomas narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates. Following World Cancer Day on 4 February, the news round-up this week focuses on new approaches to the treatment of cancer, including radiopharmaceuticals, programmable cell depletion and preventative vaccines. You can listen here, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify or Google Play.

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. In the same week that Phesi revealed that breast cancer is the most studied disease for the fourth year in a row, we have seen a number of breakthroughs in the treatment of solid tumours, both in the early preclinical and later clinical stages of research.  You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts. 

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. This week we have seen a number of positive announcements related to the early clinical and preclinical development of immunotherapies, including an islet cell therapy for diabetes, an antibody-drug conjugate and a CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma, and a peptide-drug conjugate and a vaccine for head and neck cancers. You can listen below, or find The Drug Discovery World Podcast on Spotify, Google Play and Apple Podcasts. 

Explore the latest developments in drug discovery, including a pharmaceutical company's strategic acquisition aimed at CNS treatments. Learn about innovative partnerships, like those between Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Orna Therapeutics, driving advancements in gene therapies. Discover a promising collaboration focused on ALS therapies, as well as Xylo Core Therapeutics' impressive funding success to further angina treatment research. The podcast covers exciting industry trends and insights as 2025 kicks off with strong momentum.

This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, titled “Where are the global breakthroughs, opportunities and developments in cancer research?”, which covers three articles written for DDW Volume 24 – Issue 2, Spring 2023 of DDW. They are called: “Global breakthroughs in cancer drug discovery”, “The Achilles’ heel of cancer”, and “Immunotherapy is here to stay”. At the time of writing in the first article, AstraZeneca UK had appointed David Brocklehurst as Head of Oncology in the UK. I spoke with him about how AstraZeneca is innovating to displace chemotherapy and research areas of significance. In the second article, Genoscience Pharma’s Philippe Halfon and Eric Raymond share their expertise on targeting the recycling of unsustainable production of palmitoylated cancer-associated proteins.  In the third article, I spoke with Frédéric Triebel, the French immunologist/oncologist who is best known for his 1990 discovery of the LAG-3 immune control mechanism. Triebel shares insights from his career, expands on his experience with the company he founded, Immutep, and comments on the future of immuno-oncology.

The discussion kicks off with the impact of long COVID on cognitive functions, such as brain fog, and the urgent need for targeted drug development. Experts explore the biological changes linked to post-COVID cognitive impairment, urging the pharmaceutical sector to prioritize this issue. The landscape of the UK life sciences ecosystem is highlighted, showcasing collaborative efforts in cancer treatment innovation. Additionally, the conversation shifts to fragment-based drug discovery and click chemistry, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize therapeutic effectiveness.

Recent funding initiatives are making waves in drug discovery, with $300 million secured by an AI-driven firm and Ottimo Pharma's impressive financing. Collaborations, including Tessera Therapeutics and the Gates Foundation, aim to tackle fibrosis and sickle cell disease. Genetic medicine is advancing with breakthroughs for sickle cell treatment and a new bifunctional antibody in cancer therapy. The role of AI in research continues to expand, enhancing capabilities and igniting innovation across the industry.

This week highlights cutting-edge advancements in cell and gene therapies. There's exciting news about the first in vivo BCMA CAR-T candidate reaching clinical trials. Researchers are making strides against placental growth restriction, aiming to enhance maternal and child health. The podcast dives into groundbreaking cancer treatments, including promising trials for multiple myeloma. New research centers are emerging, focusing on gene therapies for heart disease and rare disorders, paving the way for future medical breakthroughs.