The Top Line

The Fierce Pharma Marketing team publishes a special report each year on the top pharmaceutical drug ad spenders. This year’s report, which includes numbers for 2023, was published on Monday.   AbbVie was the standout in this edition, having spent heavily on ads for Skyrizi and Rinvoq. Overall spending on the top 10 ads also experienced a sizable increase compared to the previous year.  In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Pharma Marketing Senior Editor Ben Adams and Deputy Editor Andrea Park discuss the report, providing key insights and takeaways.   To learn more about the topics in this episode:   The top 10 pharma drug ad spenders for 2023See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fierce Biotech members Annalee Armstrong and Gabrielle Masson discuss the challenges and advancements in cell therapy, including a notable shift towards autoimmune treatments, manufacturing constraints, and the potential impact of CAR-T therapy in various medical fields.

Bruce Levine, co-inventor of Kymriah, and industry experts discuss CAR-T therapies, infrastructure challenges, FDA warnings on T-cell cancers post-treatment, advancements in gene editing for heart patients, cost-effective manufacturing strategies, and G-Rex technology for optimized cell production.

In the fast-paced field of life sciences, digital pathology is poised to be a game-changer. In this episode, we sit down with Grace Lee and Douglas Clark of Agilent Technologies to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with companion diagnostics (CDx). Clark kicks off, shedding light on the current levels of digital pathology adoption in both clinical trials and practice. Thereafter, Lee outlines several opportunities and the associated regulatory hurdles, looking at areas such as the utilization of whole slide images for companion diagnostic interpretation. Pointing to the amplified scrutiny on Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) and the emerging CDx guidelines in the EU and China, she emphasizes the importance of aligning with agencies: “Oftentimes we are trying to manage changes in the CDx world by providing regulators with evidence that assay performance has not changed.” Clark echoes these sentiments, first highlighting the challenges posed by image variability and the resultant disparities in CDx interpretation and scoring, and then offering an optimistic outlook on the transformative potential of AI in the realm of multiplexing assays. For a deep dive into the opportunities presented by digital pathology and CDx development, tune into the full episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the transformative potential of digital health technologies in advancing health equity? Rabin Martin, a global health consulting firm, explores those possibilities in this engaging episode. The conversation highlights the excitement surrounding digital tools and advanced analytics in achieving deeper insights, consistent care delivery, workforce support, and addressing social determinants of health. Listen in now. Host: Heath Clendenning, Fierce Life Sciences Producers: Matt Rickman and Samantha MazzottaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Delara Motlagh, Becky Butler Cap, and Kevin Kyle discuss cell collection, scaling projects from lab to clinic, and Germfree's decentralized manufacturing mission. Topics include locking in process decisions early, Catalent's new production site, and Germfree's recent asset acquisition from Orgenesis.

The podcast features Ori Biotech CEO Jason Foster and the Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center's CEO, Jason Bock discussing the advancements in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. They explore the current state of manufacturing, potential of personalized medicines, hurdles in the industry, and innovative approaches being pioneered by new companies. Topics include automated manufacturing tech, challenges in quality control, revamping supply chains, and accelerating the transformation of therapies.

Cody Powers, a consultant, discusses the top biopharma deals of 2023, 2024 forecast, and the best returns from small deals. They analyze the surge in M&A, dominance of large companies, deal premiums, and trends in the obesity space in M&A.

This podcast delves into the annual pharma revenue rankings, highlighting the top 20 companies for 2023 and comparing with 2022. It discusses Johnson's top position, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly's growth, Novo Nordisk's exceptional performance with GLP1 drugs, market performance of drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound, revenue projections, and strategic moves within the top 20 list.

Fierce Biotech's Annalee Armstrong and Fierce Pharma's Ben Adams discuss the Best Biotech Name and Drug Names tournaments. They explore what makes a company or drug name impactful, the tournament results, and the winning names like Wainua, Werewolf, and Obsidian. The conversation touches on the importance of memorable, pronounceable, and distinct names in the biotech and drug industry.