BioCentury This Week

The podcast dives into the fierce competition between U.S. biotechs and China's rapidly innovating life sciences sector, urging American companies to adapt and learn. It discusses the fallout from recent FDA staffing cuts, raising concerns about employee morale and the impact on drug approval processes. The conversation also highlights trends in biotech IPOs, with cautious optimism amid mixed performances. Finally, it explores the shifting dynamics of investment in the biopharmaceutical assets landscape, emphasizing strategic responses to global competition.

Western VCs are paying more attention than ever to innovation emerging from Asia — from antibody-drug conjugates to bispecifics, AI and beyond — as the NewCo Model becomes the latest trend to bridge talent, assets and venture money across the Pacific and on to North America and Europe. On a special edition of BioCentury This Week podcast, a trio of leaders from Asia’s life sciences ecosystem — Khoo Shih of Singaporean investor ClavystBio, McKinsey & Company’s Anirudh Roy Popli and Wendy Pan of Goodwin and BayHelix — join the BioCentury team to set the stage for the fourth BioCentury-BayHelix East-West Biopharma Summit. They discuss the innovations driving the deal flow from East to West, including the creation of start-ups in the West formed around assets from Asia. The summit takes place March 3-5 in Singapore.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/65510800:00 - Introduction04:49 - The Newco Model and Industry Trends09:13 - BayHelix and Cross-Border Transactions11:31 - McKinsey's Perspective on Asian Innovation26:58 - Final Thoughts and Registration InformationTo submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text

White House plans to slash FDA and NIH risk decimating two agencies at the core of U.S. biomedical innovation. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s editors assess draft plans by the Trump administration that seek to halve FDA staff, cut NIH, and reduce overhead payments to academic institutions. The policy addressed in a recent Guest Commentary for BioCentury, “Defending the NIH, the NSF and the foundation of American science,” by the Scleroderma Research Foundation’s Luke Evnin, Peter Rubin of No Patient Left Behind, and Ra Capital’s Peter Kolchinsky.BioCentury’s team also discusses how biotechs are becoming increasingly successful at navigating the obstacles to get precision therapies across the FDA finish line.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/65503400:00 - Introduction00:59 - FDA, NIH & Trump 2.016:26 - Biotechs & Precision MedicineTo submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text

A surge in Western companies tapping into Asian biotech assets highlights a new model of innovation emerging in the region. Discussed are key players and the shift in investment toward autoimmune diseases. Concerns about significant staff reductions at the FDA may hamper drug approvals, posing a threat to the regulatory landscape. Additionally, Vertex's new pain therapy is examined, showcasing challenges in commercialization amid a saturated market. This expansion into pain management marks an exciting step beyond their cystic fibrosis focus.

Psychiatric drug development has had major wins over the past year-and-a-half — think Karuna Pharmaceuticals' $14 billion takeout by Bristol Myers Squibb and the subsequent launch of a new schizophrenia therapy — but targeted neuropsychiatric drug development is still in its infancy. On a special edition of the BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s editors detail the promise of precision medicine in the space and break down what recent setbacks for key players mean for next steps in the clinic. The team is joined by special guest Peter Schueler, SVP of drug development solutions, neurosciences, at ICON, who delivers takeaways from this month’s the ECNP Roadmap Meeting on Precision Psychiatry in Frankfurt and a recent white paper by ICON. This episode of BioCentury This Week was sponsored by ICON Biotech.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/654903 00:01 - Sponsor Message: ICON Biotech02:20 - Precision Neuropsychiatry06:39 - Insights from ICON's Peter Schueler15:59 - Challenges in NeuropsychTo submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text

BioCentury’s analysis of the technologies behind last year’s biotech series A raisers sees progress in nanoparticles, CAR cell therapies, degraders and antibody-drug conjugates. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury’s editors discuss the trends spotted in 2024’s crop of more than 150 series A rounds — from top therapeutic areas and modalities to the leading investors funding the innovation.The editors turn to Washington for takeaways from BioCentury’s “exit interview” with Patrizia Cavazzoni, the recently departed director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, and checks in on FDA and NIH’s turbulent transition under Trump 2.0.Finally, the podcast team previews BioCentury’s upcoming fourth East-West Summit, which will focus on globalizing Asia innovation and the red-hot “Newco Model” in Singapore March 3-5, and the twenty-fifth Bio€quity Europe, which will be held in Belgium in May. This episode of BioCentury This Week was sponsored by ICON Biotech.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/65483700:01 - Sponsor Message: ICON Biotech01:57 - Series As: Trends in Innovation12:18 - BioCentury Conferences Preview18:45 - Insights from FDA's Cavazzoni21:58 - Turbulence at FDA, NIHTo submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text

Political uncertainty looms over biotech investments as experts weigh bullish and bearish perspectives for 2025. Key catalysts in bispecifics, immunology, and neurological treatments are in the spotlight, with promising developments on the horizon. The podcast also tackles the competition between CAR-T therapies and bispecifics for autoimmune diseases. AI-driven drug development is a hot topic, with venture capitalists sharing insights on resource allocation and future strategies. Innovations in obesity treatment and regulatory challenges further enrich this stimulating discussion.

Excitement filled the air at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, with a major $15 billion acquisition deal stealing the spotlight. Participants expressed optimism amidst tricky capital markets, discussing new trends in mergers and acquisitions. The growing influence of Asian investors is reshaping collaborations in biotech. Neurology is buzzing with advancements as the FDA approves therapies based on innovative endpoints. Plus, there are fresh developments in CAR T therapies, promising an engaging landscape for biotech innovation and partnerships.

J&J’s $14.6 billion takeout of neurology play Intra-cellular Therapies headlined a buzzy start to the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, where a flurry of deal announcements recalled the conference’s pre-pandemic days. On the latest BioCentury This Week podcast, BioCentury's editors discuss the takeout of Intra-cellular, the third 11-digit neuro M&A in the past 13 months, as well as M&A involving Idrx and GSK, and Scorpion Therapeutics and Eli Lilly. Turning to Washington, the team explores what’s behind BIO CEO John Crowley’s visit to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, impending changes at FDA under Trump 2.0 and key takeaways from Rep. Jake Auchincloss appearance on BCTW’s sister podcast, The BioCentury Show. The team also breaks down the key trends in the past year in FDA approvals. This episode of BioCentury This Week was sponsored by ICON Biotech.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/65469400:01 - Sponsor Message: ICON Biotech02:38 - JPM Deal Buzz11:20 - Washington Update16:08 - Rep. Auchincloss’ Take on Biopharma 21:01 - FDA Regulatory DecisionsTo submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text

Can biotech break free of the macro factors that have buffeted the industry of late? On the first BioCentury This Week podcast of 2025, BioCentury’s editors offer their predictions for the New Year and — exploring the themes from Simone Fishburn’s latest Letter from the Editor — ask whether biotech can overcome the financing environment, policy concerns and geopolitical tension that have been hammering the industry to deliver on the meaningful strides companies have been taking to deliver innovations to patients.Plus, Washington Editor Steve Usdin discusses what U.S. policymakers need to do now in the wake of a year’s worth of wrangling over the Biosecure Act, and Executive Editor Selina Koch breaks down readouts from Neumora on its KOR antagonist navacaprant to treat major depressive disorder and Axsome Therapeutics for its AXS-05 to treat agitation in Alzheimer’s patients. This episode of BioCentury This Week was sponsored by ICON Biotech.View full story: https://www.biocentury.com/article/654620 00:01 - Sponsor Message: ICON Biotech01:51 - Biotech's Repeating Challenges10:52 - Biotech in the New Year23:07 - Beyond Biosecure28:10 - Neurology ReadoutsTo submit a question to BioCentury’s editors, email the BioCentury This Week team at podcasts@biocentury.com.Reach us by sending a text