Power to the Patients

Brandon Li
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Power to the Patients

Power to the Patients is a LinkedIn Live and podcast series hosted by Power where clinical research leaders across sponsors, sites, CROs, and patient advocacy groups discuss patient centricity in clinical trials. We explore the bottlenecks in today's systems, challenge the status quo and talk about future opportunities for innovation. Looking for a clinical trial? Visit us at www.withpower.com

  1. John Krystal: Advancing Ketamine Research & Psychiatry at Yale

    4 DAYS AGO

    John Krystal: Advancing Ketamine Research & Psychiatry at Yale

    John Krystal, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Yale, joins Brandon Li to discuss his groundbreaking work on ketamine's antidepressant effects and the evolving landscape of psychiatric treatments. Dr. Krystal was at the forefront of the discovery of ketamine's rapid antidepressant properties in the 1990s. Dr. Krystal shares insights from his career - his pioneering work on the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine, exploring its journey from a misunderstood drug to a revolutionary treatment backed by rigorous research, its development into a treatment by Johnson & Johnson, and its dramatic impact on patients. The conversation also explores the future of psychiatric research, addressing the convergence of neurobiology, psychotherapy, and neuromodulation to create more effective, personalized treatments for disorders like schizophrenia and depression.

    1h 1m

  2. 25 FEB

    Next-Gen Treatments for Anxiety and Depression Disorders

    In this episode, Brandon sits down with Shawn Singh, CEO of Vistagen, to discuss a first-of-its-kind approach to treating mental health conditions. Vistagen is developing pherines, a new class of nasal spray treatments that work through nose-to-brain neural pathways, with the potential to provide fast-acting relief for conditions like social anxiety disorder and depression—without systemic exposure, weight gain, or addiction risk. Key Takeaways: Mental health treatments haven’t changed in decades. Traditional antidepressants come with slow onset, side effects, and compliance challenges—patients need better options. Vistagen’s pherines offer a completely new approach. These nasal sprays use neural circuits to deliver rapid effects without entering the bloodstream, eliminating common side effects. First-ever Phase 3 success for acute treatment of social anxiety disorder. Vistagen’s lead drug, Fasedienol, showed rapid and significant anxiety reduction in a public speaking challenge study. Non-systemic treatments could change the future of medicine. Unlike traditional pills, pherines don’t require processing through the liver or bloodstream—reducing toxicity and drug interactions. This could be a once-in-a-generation shift in neuroscience. If successful, pherines could reshape treatment standards for mental health and beyond.

    45 min

  3. 21 FEB

    Precision Psychiatry and Emerging Technologies

    In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Dr. Jordan Smoller - Jerrold F. Rosenbaum Chair in Psychiatry at Mass General, Co-Director for the Center for Suicide Research and Prevention at MGH and Harvard, Director of the Center for Precision Psychiatry, and a professor at Harvard Medical School, to explore the future of psychiatry. They discuss how AI, big data, and genomics are transforming mental health care—bringing us closer to precision psychiatry that moves beyond trial-and-error treatment. Dr. Smoller shares his journey from early psychiatric research to leading one of the foremost centers in precision psychiatry, tackling some of the biggest challenges in mental health. Key topics include: The promise of precision psychiatry – Why psychiatry has lagged behind other fields in precision medicine, and how AI and genomics are closing the gap. AI in suicide prevention – How electronic health records and machine learning models could predict suicide risk for earlier intervention. Rethinking antidepressant treatment – Why 50% of patients don’t respond to their first antidepressant, and how predictive modeling could reduce trial-and-error prescribing. Drug development breakthroughs – How genomics and AI are identifying new targets for psychiatric drug development and improving clinical trial success rates. Digital tools & biomarkers – The role of wearables, vocal biomarkers, and real-world data in improving diagnosis, treatment selection, and monitoring.

    1h 3m

  4. 7 FEB

    From Culture to Care: The Framework of Patient Centricity

    How do we move from a system that treats disease to a system that cares for individuals? Dr. Anthony Yanni, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Patient Centricity at Astellas Pharma Inc, has spent his career shaping patient-centricity—and in this episode, he shares a framework for embedding it into drug development, clinical trials, and healthcare delivery. We cover:- Building a patient-focused culture—why real patient centricity is an active process, not a slogan- Bridging the gap between research and real-world care—ensuring patient input guides drug development from the start- Mental health & neuropsychiatry trials—why patient voices must be front and center in an area long overlooked- Patient burden & clinical trials—how early engagement can improve recruitment and retention- Trust in pharma—why patient relationships must be built on transparency, collaboration, and listening first Dr. Yanni also shares insights from his new book, A Bandana and a Bluebird: The Path to a Patient-Centric Healthcare System.

    33 min

  5. 5 FEB

    Unraveling Mysteries of the Brain Through Neuroscience Research

    In this episode, Brandon Li sits down with Raymond Sanchez, former CMO of Cerevel, now at Bain Capital Life Sciences, to discuss the neuroscience renaissance—the explosion of new treatments, novel mechanisms, and scientific breakthroughs reshaping the future of neuropsychiatric research. Ray shares his career journey, from early psychiatry research at Yale to scaling Cerevel from 3 to 350 employees and guiding it to a $8.7B acquisition by AbbVie. Key topics include:- The neuroscience renaissance: What’s driving renewed investment and innovation in brain research. - Research in schizophrenia: How muscarinic drugs like KarXT and Emraclidine could change the treatment landscape for schizophrenia. - The challenge of clinical trials in psychiatry: Why subjective measures, variability, and rising placebo effects make trials so difficult—and why we urgently need objective biomarkers. - Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s research: Why disease-modifying therapies are the next frontier, and what’s still missing. - Precision neuroscience: The promise of biomarkers, digital tools, and personalized medicine—and how long it might take to reach clinical practice. Ray also shares one of his hopes for the future: developing validated biomarkers that can make psychiatric trials more objective and accelerate drug approvals.

    49 min

  6. 29 JAN

    Harnessing Precision Medicine to Redefine Psychiatric Treatment

    On this episode of Power to the Patients, we are joined by Amit Etkin, Founder & CEO of Alto Neuroscience and adjunct professor at Stanford, to explore how precision psychiatry is paving the way for more tailored approaches to mental health care. Amit discusses his journey from academia to founding Alto, the role of biomarkers in advancing treatment, and Alto's work on precision psychiatric medicines for MDD. Key Takeaways: - Precision Psychiatry in Practice: Amit shares how precision psychiatry applies biological insights, such as EEG biomarkers, to better understand and treat mental health conditions. While still emerging, these tools hold promise for improving care for patients. - Biomarkers and Individualized Treatment: EEG biomarkers are being used to study how individual brain activity can guide treatment choices. Amit explains how these data-driven methods could reduce the need for trial-and-error in psychiatry. - Amit’s Shift from Academia to Industry: Leaving a tenured position at Stanford, Amit founded Alto Neuroscience to create scalable solutions for unmet needs in psychiatry. He reflects on the challenges and rewards of translating science into real-world applications. - ALTO-300, Advancing MDD Treatment: ALTO-300 is being developed as an adjunctive therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients who haven’t responded to a first-line antidepressant. By using EEG biomarkers, Alto aims to identify patients most likely to benefit, potentially improving outcomes and speeding up recovery. - The Future of Precision Psychiatry: While precision psychiatry is still an evolving field, Amit emphasizes the importance of collaboration, rigorous testing, and scalable tools to make meaningful progress in mental health care.

    46 min

  7. 21 JAN

    Breaking New Ground with Psilocybin

    In this episode, Brandon Li speaks with Kabir Nath, CEO of Compass Pathways, about their groundbreaking work in using psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Kabir shares his personal connection to mental health, the journey of Compass Pathways, and their rigorous approach to clinical trials. The discussion also delves into the broader potential of psychedelics, regulatory challenges, and the importance of patient-centric innovation. Key takeaways:- Psilocybin for TRD: Compass Pathways focuses on treatment-resistant depression, addressing a critical unmet need for patients who have not responded to traditional therapies.- Pioneering Clinical Trials: Their phase 3 trials are the largest ever conducted for psilocybin, emphasizing safety, durability of results, and robust evidence generation.- Expanding Indications: Beyond TRD, Compass is exploring the potential of psilocybin for conditions like PTSD, highlighting its versatility as a therapeutic tool.- Patient-Centered Innovation: Kabir emphasized the importance of rigorous, ethical research to build trust and ensure equitable access for vulnerable populations.- Psilocybin vs. MDMA: The conversation highlighted the pharmacological and therapeutic differences between psilocybin and MDMA.- Policy and Public Perception: Managing public hype and addressing regulatory hurdles are key to ensuring the successful integration of psychedelics into mental health care.

    49 min

  8. 19/12/2024

    Bringing the Consumer Experience to Clinical Research

    In this episode of Power to the Patients, Srinivas Pai sits down with Katie Baca-Motes, Co-Founder at Scripps Research Digital Trial Center, to discuss how clinical research can learn from consumer industries to create better patient experiences. They explore advancements in digital clinical trials, behavioral science, patient-centric design, and the importance of diversity and equity in research. Katie also shares her unique insights from her time at Disney and her vision for transforming clinical research into a more inclusive and engaging space.   Key Takeaways: Patient-Centric Design: Clinical research often prioritizes researcher convenience over patient experience. Katie advocates designing trials with patients as true partners, incorporating motivations beyond financial incentives, such as learning, community, and altruism. Diversity and Equity: Building diversity into clinical trials from the planning stage is essential. Katie highlights the importance of including representative voices early on and addressing barriers like geographical and digital divides. Digital as a Bridge: Digital tools are not just for convenience; they can bridge gaps in access to clinical trials for underserved populations, especially in rural areas. Learning from Consumer Industries: Drawing from her experience at Disney, Katie stresses the importance of creating a seamless and engaging experience for participants. From onboarding to returning results, every touchpoint should enhance patient trust and retention. Reducing Barriers Through Behavioural Science: Katie highlights how applying behavioral science principles, like A/B testing and understanding participant motivations, can address key drop-off points in clinical trials. This approach ensures that trials are not just functional but also participant-friendly.

    24 min
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About

Power to the Patients is a LinkedIn Live and podcast series hosted by Power where clinical research leaders across sponsors, sites, CROs, and patient advocacy groups discuss patient centricity in clinical trials. We explore the bottlenecks in today's systems, challenge the status quo and talk about future opportunities for innovation. Looking for a clinical trial? Visit us at www.withpower.com

Information

  • Creator
    Brandon Li
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    Power to the Patients
  • Provider

    Castos has not identified itself as a trader for this podcast. If you are a consumer in the European Economic Area, consumer rights do not apply to agreements between you and the provider.

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