We Have A PR Problem

The Business of Biotech gets quite a bit of fan mail, mostly from listeners in the industry who enjoy the insight gleaned from a couple of humans casually talking shop. Last month, however, we got some angry mail. One guy said I’m on the wrong side of history for discussing the advance of mRNA vaccines with Ethris ' Carsten Rudolph, Dr. on?episode 187. Another took umbrage with my interview with Addimmune? ’s Jeff Galvin , which, from the critic’s perspective, offered false hope of a functional cure for HIV (you can access that article below).??

These critiques came from a vaccine hesitator and an industry skeptic, himself a patient. They came from the public our industry serves. A Gallup poll published late last year revealed that just 18% of U.S. citizens have a positive view of the pharmaceutical industry. Pharma performed the worst of 25 industries in the survey. We got beat by the federal government, oil & gas, and lawyers. So, yeah. Cambridge, we have a PR problem.??

These examples demonstrate that it’s not just Big Pharma’s problem. And it can’t be solved from within. We’ll have to emerge from our academic and industry bubbles to engage public disdain, regain public trust, share the good work and reinvigorate the business of biotech. Who’s willing to do that???

We’ll keep doing our part here at the Business of Biotech. Here’s this month’s roundup of some of the best biotech business stories from your allies at Life Science Connect . Be sure to?listen, watch, subscribe, and share!

Matthew Pillar , Business of Biotech host and chief editor, Bioprocess Online

Biotech Beat

Time For Biotech To Play Politics

Last month, I offered a snarky remark about the U.S. House Select Committee on China’s proposed “Biosecure Act,” which I cover in more detail?here. Since this article was published, the Senate passed the bill in nearly unanimous fashion. In an interesting twist, Senator Rand Paul , who’s historically been decidedly critical of U.S. biopharma’s ties to China, offered the lone “no” vote. READ NOW→

Biogen’s Second Chance At AD

On the heels of Aduhelm’s rocky non-start, my Life Science Leader colleague Ben Comer wrote this insightful piece on 卫材 ’s commercialization strategy for Leqembi, which is particularly interesting given the drug’s co-development with Biogen (which canned the former mAb to advance the latter). In?this follow-up article, Comer focuses on the co-promotion strategy. READ NOW →

A “Functional Cure” For HIV?

Addimmune? ’s Jeff Galvin isn’t the first to analogize human biology to an operating system, but he’s one of the analogy’s most fervent advocates. This feature covers the company’s attempts to put the theory to practice, replete with a blow-by-blow of one of the most interesting clinical trials (and most forgiving clinical patients) we’ve ever heard. READ NOW →

An Homage To Women In Biotech

We celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8 with a profile on Debra Weiss , RN, MSN. Debbie’s career journey from University Hospital clinical work to Big Pharma, and now, the Chief Operating Officer’s chair at the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute , offers inspiration and important leadership lessons that transcend gender.

READ NOW →

Quotes Of The Month

“Any progress at bit.bio has been based on failure. But that's also a thing we celebrate, that we've learned something other than that something has failed.”

― Mark Kotter , M.D., CEO, bit.bio ,?Episode 188?

“If you're doing something really innovative, then by definition there's not a market for your product, because it's an innovative product that hasn't existed yet. But. there might not also be any investors to invest in your thing.”

― Brian Finrow , J.D., Co-Founder & CEO, Lumen Bioscience ,?Episode 191?

“You won't get a partnership or an acquisition until you don't want one, where you love what you have so much, you might keep it for yourself. Then the partners come running in.”

― Robert Williamson , President & COO, Triumvira Immunologics, Inc. ,?Episode 192?

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