The Pharma Letter Podcast

Simon Wentworth
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The Pharma Letter Podcast

The Pharma Letter Podcast provides in-depth discussion and analysis focused on key trends, companies and events in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Our guests come from a broad array of sectors and business functions, from early stage research in biopharmaceuticals, to patient engagement and marketing, supply chain management and life sciences investing. Podcasts are typically 20-30 minutes in length and are released approximately once every two weeks.

  1. The Pharma Letter Podcast — Episode 30 — Japanese pharma in the UK

    FEB 14

    The Pharma Letter Podcast — Episode 30 — Japanese pharma in the UK

    In this episode, we’ll take a look at the role of Japanese pharmaceutical groups in the UK, with Jackie Davis, general manager at Astellas Pharma. Tokyo-headquartered Astellas (TYO: 4503) has developed a strong portfolio in urology, oncology and immunology, most recently with US FDA approval for Vyloy (zolbetuximab), a key addition to its cancer treatments. It’s one of many Japanese companies with a strong presence in the UK, represented nationally by the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group, of w...

    20 min
  2. How can we use AI to program antibodies?

    11/14/2024

    How can we use AI to program antibodies?

    This week, we discuss a novel AI-driven approach to drug development, and its potential to transform the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. We are joined by Yanay Ofran, chief executive and founder of Israel-based Biolojic Design, a company that is working on programmable antibodies. Biolojic's platform has already yielded a first-of-its-kind computationally designed antibody, now in Phase II trials, as well as a pipeline aimed at autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. The firm ...

    16 min
  3. Breakthroughs in MASH, with 89bio CEO

    06/25/2024

    Breakthroughs in MASH, with 89bio CEO

    This week we’re focusing on an area of clinical research that has been of great interest for a number of years, that is NASH, also known as MASH. It’s a high area of unmet medical need, with over 20 million diagnosed cases across Europe and the USA, and while there are more than 80 therapies currently in the pipeline, only around 5% of these are in Phase III development. One company working in this area is San Francisco-based 89bio (Nasdaq: ETNB), which has a candidate now in Phase II...

    22 min

  4. 01/17/2024

    How to develop cancer drugs faster, with Ellipses Pharma

    This week we are speaking with the chief executive of British drug development company Ellipses Pharma. Founded in 2018 to create new cancer therapies, the firm is following a unique multimodal approach to clinical development, leveraging a variety of technologies. That’s not the only way that Ellipses is rethinking drug development. The company uses a consultative model to provide an unbiased vetting process for candidates, with the goal of de-risking initial asset selection. Ellips...

    23 min
  5. CRO sector surges in bio revolution

    10/24/2023

    CRO sector surges in bio revolution

    In the world of outsourced clinical research, ICON is a big fish in a pond full of other increasingly big fish. In this episode of The Pharma Letter Podcast, we chat with the company’s chief commercial officer, George McMillan. Like many in the industry, the Dublin-headquartered clinical research organization (CRO) has sought to grow in size to take advantage of increasing demand for its services. A coming together of numerous advances in biotechnology over recent years has led to a new wa...

    13 min
  6. Lilly looks to lead in Alzheimer's

    07/17/2023

    Lilly looks to lead in Alzheimer's

    With an Accelerated nod for Aduhelm (aducanumab) and now full approval for Leqembi (lecanemab) in the USA, Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB) and Eisai (TYO: 4523) have overturned decades of failure in Alzheimer’s. But at the annual meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association (AAIC), it’s another neurology heavyweight taking center stage, as Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) makes clear its intention to remain a leader in the treatment of this challenging disease. At the AAIC in Amsterdam, we’re speaking with two key fi...

    17 min
  7. AAIC preview with Eisai deputy CCO Michael Irizarry

    07/06/2023

    AAIC preview with Eisai deputy CCO Michael Irizarry

    In the runup to the annual meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association, this week we are speaking with Michael Irizarry, deputy chief clinical officer at Eisai US. At the event in July, there will be plenty to discuss, with recent new data from Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) suggesting its anti-amyloid candidate, donanemab, is likely to provide healthy competition for Eisai's (TYO: 4523) own Alzheimer’s product, lecanemab - marketed in the USA as Leqembi. Like Lilly, Eisai has been a pioneer in neurology...

    23 min
  8. A new way to innovate, from Flagship Pioneering

    04/20/2023

    A new way to innovate, from Flagship Pioneering

    Set against a backdrop of foundering confidence in biotech stocks, the success of some companies incubated by Massachusetts-based Flagship Pioneering has been remarkable. Flagship has invested billions of dollars getting startups off the ground, many of which, such as Foghorn Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FHTX), Codiak Biosciences (Nasdaq: CDAK) and Rubius (Nasdaq: RUBY), have gone on to become publicly-traded companies. Moderna Therapeutics (Nasdaq: MRNA), the poster child for the firm’s strategy,...

    24 min
See All (29)

About

The Pharma Letter Podcast provides in-depth discussion and analysis focused on key trends, companies and events in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Our guests come from a broad array of sectors and business functions, from early stage research in biopharmaceuticals, to patient engagement and marketing, supply chain management and life sciences investing. Podcasts are typically 20-30 minutes in length and are released approximately once every two weeks.

Information

  • Creator
    Simon Wentworth
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Pharma Letter Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Pharma Letter Podcast

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