Rob Perez

On April 30, CEO LeAnn Boyd will join national healthcare leaders in a panel discussion of GLP-1s and their impact on the self-funded employer market. The session, How a Side Effect Turned into a Selling Point for Pharma, is part of the HPI Innovations Self-Funding Conference in Boston. As the first PBM to collaborate with Noom for Work, Liviniti has expertise not only in GLP-1s but in flexible options that support employees on their weight-loss journeys – whether or not their benefit plans extend coverage for this popular drug class. Read more about this panel discussion covering the health and cost impact of drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and others: https://lnkd.in/gd9fVY4V #Liviniti #HPI #GLP1s

55

2 Comments

🔬 Join us at Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Xchange, Boston 2024, on June 21st, for a dynamic roundtable session on "Emerging Opportunities for Liver-Targeting and Extrahepatic Areas" within the Oligonucleotide Discovery track. 🔬 🌟 We're thrilled to announce Lakshmi Bhagat, Associate Scientific Director at Luye Pharma Group, as the facilitator for this insightful discussion. Lakshmi brings a wealth of expertise and leadership from her current role as Associate Director at GeneLeap Biotechnology. 🎓 Lakshmi holds a PhD from the University of Delhi, India, and has honed her skills through postdoctoral training at Massey University, New Zealand, and Harvard Medical School. With over 20 years of experience in the drug development industry, Lakshmi specializes in nucleic acid therapeutics, including innate immune receptor agonists and antagonists, antisense, and siRNA. 💡 Notably, Lakshmi played a pivotal role in the development of Idera Pharmaceuticals's TLR9 agonist, Tilsotolimod, from discovery to Phase 3 clinical trial. Her contributions extend beyond the lab, with co-inventorship of 33 US patents and authorship of 50+ peer-reviewed publications. 🚀 Don't miss the opportunity to gain insights from Lakshmi Bhagat and other industry leaders at Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Xchange 2024. Register now and be part of shaping the future of oligonucleotide therapeutics! 🔒 SECURE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PASS TODAY! 🔒 https://bit.ly/3wYHLnQ 💊 Only available for Senior Scientists and above, from Bio and Pharma companies with a drug pipeline. 💊 * Agenda subject to change. #OligonucleotideTherapeutics #DrugDiscovery #Biotech #Pharma #Innovation #DrugDevelopment #Science #Research #Oligonucleotides #Therapeutics #Healthcare #LifeSciences #Leadership #Roundtable #BostonEvents #Networking #ScientificCommunity #ClinicalTrials #MedicalResearch #Genetics #hubXchange #FreePass #RegisterNow #ComplimentaryPass

40

Our CEO Michael Nally spoke at MassBio's State of Possible Conference with Barry Greene of Sage Therapeutics, Sharon Cunningham of Shorla Oncology, and Daphne Zohar of Seaport Therapeutics, moderated by Douglas Banks of Boston Business Journal. The panel explored Massachusetts' success in the life science industry—a story of innovation and resilience. These leaders discussed how they have survived and thrived through significant challenges. In a blog entry for MassBio, Mike notes: "By spearheading the transition from trial-and-error to programable, precision-based drug development, Massachusetts is reshaping the future of healthcare to better serve patients, the ecosystem, and the economy." Learn more about the panel, including a replay: https://lnkd.in/eHanbnQF #GenerativeAI I #ProteinEngineering 

46

1 Comment

The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia released “Leading the Way: Cell and Gene Therapy in Greater Philadelphia Sector Snapshot 2024." This in-depth report describes the Greater Philadelphia region’s remarkable growth journey in the cell and gene therapy (CGT) sector over the past decade, showcases how Greater Philadelphia has emerged as a global leader in CGT and highlights a variety of Penn’s contributions to the field. The report notes that Penn has spun out 40 companies since 2018, which has significantly contributed to the growth of the CGT sector in Greater Philadelphia. In addition, Penn Medicine was recognized as a top location for Phase I and II trials in novel cell and gene therapies and the Penn mRNA Institute recently received a $350 million investment. All of this has helped further grow the expanding CGT space in Philadelphia, which has received over $8 billion in private capital invested since 2018 and generated 7,000+ jobs. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g-UKX6Rc 

21

Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development has partnered with Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) on the DATAcc by DiMe’s new project, “Building the Business Case for Digital Endpoints." This project will increase investment in digital measurement development and deployment in clinical trials by developing a value framework, industry benchmarking tools, ROI forecasting models, and a modular template business case framework to support innovators across the field to invest in digital endpoints and advance their broad adoption and scale in clinical research. To learn more about this project, visit https://bit.ly/3VszB0D Tufts CSDD's Joseph DiMasi and Zachary Smith are continuing with an advisory role on the project and have collaborated with CSDD's Abigail Dirks, MS, Ken Getz, and other industry leaders at Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Genentech, UCB, Bayer, Takeda and MindMed on research "Assessing the Net Financial Benefits of Employing Digital Endpoints in Clinical Trials". To access the research article, visit https://bit.ly/3Vs8oex #digitalendpoints #clinicaltrials #research

43

Day 2 Highlight at World Orphan Drug Congress in Boston 🌐 Industry insights on partnering in the rare disease space struck a chord with us. Panelists discussed the advantages of partnerships between large and small biopharma and pharma companies. While established organizations can bring more resources to the development of medical treatments, smaller companies often have a deeper understanding of rare diseases and innovative approaches to problem-solving. 💡 Our agile team at Alethium Health has designed our clinical trial platform to anticipate nuanced needs and challenges before they happen. We’ve optimized trials by adjusting for patient or caregiver struggles, such as incorporating televisits and providing additional translations, to make clinical trials globally accessible at exceptional speed, reduced costs, and minimal risk. 🚀 #ClinicalTrials #OrphanDrugCongressUSA #DigitalClinicalTrials #RareDisease

4

#VentureCapital is flowing again into #biotech, but the slower pace of investments can impact the ways CEOs are being compensated.   CEO & Managing Partner Leslie Loveless offers her perspectives on the topic in this insightful new article in BioSpace.    She explains that pay packages and one’s appetite for risk help determine whether a CEO candidate is right for the job.   “There are a lot of people that are very drawn to the higher-risk, higher-reward scenario that you see in biotech, and if that is what you’re drawn to, great. Go for it,” Loveless said. “But if that is not how you are wired, if that’s not in your DNA, then I would encourage folks to appreciate that about themselves. And don’t go into a negotiation with a biotech wanting them to pay you like they are Big Pharma, because they’re not going to. That’s not how they’re wired.”   We appreciate the coverage, Angela Gabriel!   #lifesciences #executivesearch

28

3 Comments

Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. has announced positive long-term data from the Phase 1 portion of their ongoing Phase 1/2 study of NTLA-2002. This single-dose in vivo CRISPR-based gene editing therapy has led to 98% mean reduction in monthly attacks for patients suffering from hereditary angioedema (HAE). And, 8 out of 10 patients remained attack-free following the 16-week observation period. These promising results indicate that NTLA-2002 could change the lives of people afflicted with HAE. #genetherapy #CRISPR https://lnkd.in/evkqTURF

11

New Health Policy Commission (HPC) research 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐋𝐏-𝟏 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭-𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 $𝟐𝟕𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧���𝐢𝐧𝐠. While all GLP-1 drugs in Massachusetts increased in price between January 2018 and September 2023, average gross commercial prices were highest for drugs indicated for weight loss (Wegovy and Saxenda). Alongside increasing prices for these drugs are increasing prescriptions. The HPC analyzed trends in GLP-1 prescriptions in Massachusetts through September 2023 and found that 𝐢𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑, 𝟑.𝟐% 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐆𝐋𝐏-𝟏 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠, 𝐚 𝟕-𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖. Read more about the use and spending impacts of GLP-1 drugs in Massachusetts: https://lnkd.in/e5H-6zUp #healthcare #healthpolicy #pharmaceuticals #weightlossdrugs #GLP1 #healthequity

11

Just released, Part 2 of Darwin and Rajiv's discussion on Cell and Gene Therapy. Some topics they discuss are: - Clinical holds - Gene Therapy developers and outsourcing - Evolving regulatory guidance for C&GT. https://lnkd.in/eqi7xSkh Join in their conversation! #biotech #cellandgenetherapy #clinical #regulatory

1

1 Comment

With a singular, relentless focus on driving improved #patient outcomes, SR One invests in companies that we believe have the drive and capabilities to advance new therapies with novel approaches to addressing #diseases. At SR One, we partner with founders and entrepreneurs to help reimagine today’s #science for tomorrow’s #medicines. #venturecapital #innovation #healthcare

60

MassBioDrive harnesses the power of MassBio’s global life sciences network to help new founders launch their biotech startups. We announced our #MassBioDrive Spring 2024 Cohort back in March, and as we near the end of the eight-week program, we are highlighting our five emerging biotech companies chosen to participate. Today, please meet Sphinxion Therapeutics! Q: Tell us about your company and what you’re developing. What are you most excited about? A: We are developing adeno-associated virus mediated SGPL1 gene therapy as a lifesaving cure for sphingosine phosphate lyase insufficiency syndrome, a rare but devastating inborn error of lipid metabolism that leads to fibrotic kidney disease, kidney failure and other serious consequences. We believe our gene therapy will additionally have broad utility in the treatment of other fibrotic conditions. Q: What advice do you have for other biotech companies just getting started? A: Picking the right team to start your journey is as important as the science fueling the company. Have the end game in mind with your team to avoid irrevocable mistakes at the outset. Build a team with complementary, but different skill sets and lean on industry mentors to pressure test your work and make it better. Everything is amplified in a startup environment, so choosing the right people to learn and grow from is as important as progressing your company. Q: What has been most impactful or surprising to you since joining the MassBioDrive program? A: We expected a diversity of talent within our mentor group since the MassBioDrive program is staffed with seasoned experts across functions. We were pleasantly surprised by how quickly our group clicked and supported each other as well as our ambition for our company. Interacting with our mentors gave us tremendous insight about how our scientific knowledge, preclinical findings and key assumptions inform the strategy and tactics to propel our company forward. Learn more about Sphinxion Therapeutics: https://sphinxion.com/ Learn more about MassBioDrive: https://lnkd.in/eJrjF72Y

14

2 Comments

The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) ended this week. Members of our team were there. Here's brief summary of the key themes that stood out from the meeting >> https://lnkd.in/ePVjs2ZH Authors: Mary Lee, Shankar Sundar, & Tahel Noy #oncology #cancerresearch #biotech #pharmaceuticals #ASCO2024 #ASCO24

38

In part 3 of our interview series with Applied Clinical Trials Magazine, featuring Ken Getz of the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development and Steve Young of CluePoints, Ken and Steve discuss what could be holding stakeholders back from adopting risk-based quality management. https://bit.ly/3WDDt01

21

RiverVest managing director Niall O'Donnell shares the stage at the American Thoracic Society's #ATS2024 Respiratory Innovation Summit (#RIS2024) with Geeta Vemuri of Agent Capital, Bernard Davitian of Omega Funds, Drew Field of Bain Capital Life Sciences Fund LP, Katarina Pance, PhD of SR One Capital Management, and moderator Brian Matesic, MD of Norwest Venture Partners. The panel discussed investing in respiratory companies including strategies, challenges, due diligence, and advice for entrepreneurs. Niall’s key messages were: 1. Put patients first 2. Assemble a strong biotech team 3. Advocate for refined orphan disease language in the Inflation Reduction Act (#IRA) of 2022 The language used in the IRA is of enormous concern to RiverVest Venture Partners and others in the life sciences arena. It unintentionally curtails efforts to pursue future follow-on indications for approved orphan disease treatments. Innovators need to see economic justification in developing a drug for a small market, and being able to apply the same drug to multiple needs has often been the way that companies could justify such investments. Thank you Lyn Baranowski for inviting Niall to join you at ATS/ RIS. RiverVest portfolio company Avalyn Pharma Inc. is developing inhaled formulations of approved medications to treat rare respiratory diseases with an initial focus on interstitial lung diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. Isaac Zike Ph.D. Pascal Krotee, Ph.D. Dustin Bell, PMP #lungdisease #respiratorycompanies #americanthoracicsociety #raredisease #orphandrugs

137

3 Comments