Back Bay Life Science Report

Jonathan P. Gertler and Peter Bak
  • 4.0 (4)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Back Bay Life Science Advisors brings you expert insights from our advisors and investment bankers in the world of BioPharma & MedTech. On this podcast, you’ll hear from our experts in life science development, commercialization, and investment banking, scientific investigators, biotech and medtech executives, physicians, and strategists who excel at guiding global life sciences companies and their investors through complex decisions. Join us for insights generated from in-depth scientific, strategic, and financial analysis at the intersection of science and business.

  1. 2D AGO

    ADC Revolution in Ovarian Cancer: Current Developments and Future Outlook

    As ovarian cancer research enters a pivotal new era, Back Bay Life Science Advisors' Dr. Pete Bak is joined by Director Mavra Nasir and Consultant Trent Gordon for a deep dive into one of oncology's most active and rapidly evolving therapeutic landscapes. Despite ranking as one of the top causes of cancer death among women worldwide—with a five-year survival rate still hovering around 50%—ovarian cancer has historically suffered from a sparse treatment pipeline. That is changing fast. This episode traces the field's major inflection points, from the landmark approvals of bevacizumab and PARP inhibitors in 2014, to the game-changing 2022 ADC approval of Elahere, to the recent Keytruda approval in high PD-L1 expressors—and looks ahead to a wave of innovation that could fundamentally reshape how patients are treated. Pete, Mavra, and Trent break down the competitive ADC landscape, discuss next-generation entrants targeting folate receptor alpha and beyond, and examine what a crowded pipeline means for clinical development strategy in a space where the standard of care is moving fast. Podcast topics include: The ovarian cancer patient landscape: why late-stage diagnosis remains the norm and what that means for treatmentKey historical milestones in ovarian cancer drug development and why the pace of innovation is now acceleratingElahere's approval, efficacy profile, and the real-world challenges of ocular toxicity and patient eligibilityNext-generation folate receptor alpha ADCs from Genmab, Lilly, and AstraZeneca—and how they may differentiate on payload, ORR, and sequencingEmerging targets beyond folate receptor alpha: B7H3, B7H4, NAPI2B, and CDH6The role of ADC stacking and sequencing as the platinum-resistant setting becomes increasingly crowdedBispecific antibodies and the potential to convert immunologically "cold" ovarian tumors into candidates for immunotherapyAbbVie's strategy to expand Elahere into earlier lines of therapyHow clinical trial sponsors can future-proof development programs against an evolving standard of care—adaptive protocols, investigator's choice comparator arms, pre-specified amendment triggers, and FDA alignment strategiesThe importance of competitive intelligence, NCCN/ESMO guideline tracking, and reimbursement analysis for drugs in developmentThank you for listening. You can find previous episodes of the podcast on our website.We’d love to hear from you—questions and feedback are always welcome.

    30 min

  2. FEB 9

    2025 Drug Approval Review

    As the life sciences industry turns the page to 2026, Back Bay Life Science Advisors’ Dr. Pete Bak and Dr. Mavra Nasir take a detailed look back at FDA drug approvals in 2025, a year marked by regulatory turbulence, shifting policy signals, and several category-defining product launches. Despite a dip in the total number of approvals compared to prior years, 2025 delivered meaningful innovation across oncology, rare disease, pain, infectious disease, and beyond. In this episode, Pete and Mavra break down the key approval trends at both CDER and CBER, highlight standout commercial launches, and discuss what last year’s data may signal for drug development and regulatory strategy going forward. The conversation spans blockbuster forecasts, novel modalities, and evolving FDA expectations—from compressed review timelines to the potential phase-out of animal toxicology studies—offering listeners both a retrospective and a forward-looking view of the regulatory landscape. Podcast topics include: • Key FDA drug approval trends from 2025 and how they compare to prior years• CDER approvals and standout launches, including Insmed’s brensocatib in non-CF bronchiectasis• Vertex’s non-opioid pain drug Journavx and the commercial realities of first-in-class pain therapies• The continued rise of antibody-drug conjugates, with a focus on Daiichi Sankyo’s TROP2 ADC• A wave of innovation in hereditary angioedema, including RNA therapies and oral acute treatments• New approvals in antibiotics, women’s health, and pulmonary fibrosis• CBER approvals, including gene therapies, vaccines, and nonprofit-led commercialization models• What a slowdown in cell and gene therapy approvals may indicate• FDA policy developments to watch in 2026, including priority vouchers, streamlined pivotal trials, and alternative preclinical requirements• A prediction (and friendly wager) on whether 2026 will surpass 2025 in total approvals Thank you for listening. You can find previous episodes of the podcast on our website.We’d love to hear from you—questions and feedback are always welcome.

    29 min
  3. A Capital Markets Outlook for 2025: 2024, A Year in Review

    02/07/2025

    A Capital Markets Outlook for 2025: 2024, A Year in Review

    In this DNB//Back Bay Healthcare Capital Markets podcast episode, Jim Cirenza, Head of Fixed Income and Equities at DNB, Kristoffer Braaten, Director and Head of Equity Capital Markets at DNB, and Vasilios Kofitsas, Partner and Managing Director of Investment Banking at Back Bay Life Science Advisors, review the performance of the healthcare markets in 2024, offering insights into what 2025 could bring. With a detailed analysis of market trends, IPO activities, and investor behaviors, they evaluate the past year's challenges and the cautious optimism prevailing in the sector as the new year unfolds. As well, there's an emphasis on the importance of European investor engagement for companies looking to list in the U.S. market. Learn more about the DNB//Back Bay Partnership and read our disclosures here.

    16 min

  4. 11/08/2024

    The Optimism of Bispecific Antibodies

    The topic of bispecific antibodies has been an area of interest in the pharma space for a long time now. The recent news of the notable late-stage data from Akeso and Summit’s PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody ivonescimab to treat non-small cell lung cancer that has captured the industry writ large encouraged us to revisit the topic. To date, there have been ten bispecific antibody approvals in oncology, seven of which are for hematological malignancies. Recently, there has been more traction in development pipelines for solid tumors. Most bispecific antibody approvals are currently or projected to be above the $1M annual revenue threshold. Podcast topics include:  • The biologics of a bispecific antibody • The benefits of a bispecific antibody compared to autologous therapies • The buzz around Akeso and Summit’s PD-1 VEGF bispecific antibody asset • The broad state of bispecifics in approved products and development pipelines • The potential of trispecifics, bispecific conjugates and beyond

    27 min
  5. Dynamics in Healthcare Focused Markets

    09/30/2024

    Dynamics in Healthcare Focused Markets

    In this DNB//Back Bay Healthcare Capital Markets Episode, Vasilios Kofitsas, Partner and Managing Director at Back Bay Life Science Advisors speaks with Jim Cirenza and Kristoffer Braaten of DNB Bank in New York. They focus on key drivers affecting markets this year and discuss the recent news of the Fed’s decision to cut interest rates by 50-basis points.  Topics in the podcast include:  After two difficult years, the appearance of a healthy market rotation since July The Fed’s decision mid-September to cut rates by 50 basis points Healthcare IPOs: historical and recent activity – is the window opening?An outlook including headwinds and tailwinds that may impact the healthcare sectorWe welcome listener questions and/or topics you’d like to learn more about. You can listen to previous episodes here or submit your inquiries here. Learn more about the DNB//Back Bay Partnership and read our disclaimers at https://www.bblsa.com/dnb-back-bay-partnership.

    21 min

  6. 09/16/2024

    From NASH to MASH: Current Market Dynamics in Hepatology

    After a summer away from podcasting, Back Bay Life Science Advisors’ Dr. Pete Bak and Christian Thienel are back on the mic to discuss current market dynamics in liver disease with a focus on one of the most closely watched space in hepatology, MASH.  The big news includes a rebrand from NASH (non-alcohol related steatohepatitis) to MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis), the FDA approval of Madrigal Pharmaceutical’s Rezdiffra and real-time court rulings in Europe that may affect the rate of play for Ocaliva, a drug used to treat adults with primary biliary cholangitis here in the US. As Christian mentions in this episode, “The path to success is not always a straight line.” Other topics in this podcast include:  Hepatology market dynamics over the past five years, including activity from Gilead, Novo Nordisk, Intercept and CymaBay How treatment for primary biliary cholangitis, an autoimmune condition, went from a one to a three-product market Payer monographs and what’s required for hepatology drugsThe EMA recommendation earlier this month to revoke Ocaliva’s marketing authorization Which companies are active in the rare liver disease space and how they differentiate themselves Thank you for listening. You can find previous episodes of the podcast here.   We’d love to hear from you. Ask questions and submit your feedback.

    28 min
  7. Key Considerations for a US Healthcare IPO

    05/22/2024

    Key Considerations for a US Healthcare IPO

    In this DNB//Back Bay Healthcare Capital Markets podcast episode, learn about the key considerations, mechanics and timelines of going public on a US exchange.    Topics in this podcast include:    An overview of the decision-making process through execution for US-based and ex-US healthcare companies thinking about listing in the USCore considerations after deciding to pursue a US listing and how to prepare most effectivelyBuilding the “IPO advisory team”: types of advisors (legal, accounting, banking, IR firms, IP, etc.) and when to bring them inKey documents and associated timelines related to the SEC documentation as well as investor outreachWhat are the “don’ts” or mistakes companies make and how to avoid them  You can listen to previous episodes here or submit your inquiries here.   About our guests:   DNB//Back Bay is a committed partner throughout the healthcare development journey, addressing positioning, partnering, financing, M&A strategies, and listing support and execution on US and Nordic exchanges. Our team of more than 100 healthcare strategy and financial specialists spans the globe. Learn more about the DNB//Back Bay Partnership and read our disclaimers at https://www.bblsa.com/dnb-back-bay-partnership.   Cooley is among the top law firms for healthcare, tech and life science IPOs on both the issuer-side and underwriter-side. Their team of 1,300 lawyers is spread across 19 offices worldwide.

    35 min

  8. 04/30/2024

    Drug Development in Obesity

    Guests: Pete Bak and Christian Thienel   Length: 27 minutes   In this episode of The Life Science Report, Dr. Pete Bak and Back Bay Director, Christian Thienel catch up on the area attracting the most industry interest over the past couple of years: the anti-obesity space.   From big players looking to capitalize on the renewed interest in the obesity space to the staggering success of Novo Nordisk’s and Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 agonists (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound) for glycemic control and weight loss, there’s a lot to cover.   Topics in this podcast include: A brief introduction to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonistsWhy GLP-1s’ popularity is skyrocketing as treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesityHow amylin and petrelintide (a long-acting amylin analogue) are being newly re-imagined for the obesity space, as well as muscle-targeted approaches like myostatin and activinsWhere BD and investor interest lies as these drugs are expected to have north of $150B in sales annually within the next decadeWhat’s happening in early to late-stage drug developmentWhat the future holds for this sector, possibly to include cannabinoid one receptor inverse agonists and mitochondrial targets for metabolic disease  As always, thank you for joining us. Did you know we welcome listener questions? If there any areas you’d like us to explore further in metabolic disease and obesity, please let us know. Submit your questions here. Our Nordic-American Healthcare Conference 2025 will feature metabolic track. Learn more: https://nordicamericanhealthcareconference.com/   You can find previous episodes of the podcast here.

    27 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Back Bay Life Science Advisors brings you expert insights from our advisors and investment bankers in the world of BioPharma & MedTech. On this podcast, you’ll hear from our experts in life science development, commercialization, and investment banking, scientific investigators, biotech and medtech executives, physicians, and strategists who excel at guiding global life sciences companies and their investors through complex decisions. Join us for insights generated from in-depth scientific, strategic, and financial analysis at the intersection of science and business.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan P. Gertler and Peter Bak
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2021 Back Bay Life Science Advisors
  • Show Website
    Back Bay Life Science Report

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