11 episodes

Stan Crooke rose from poverty to found a company that pioneered antisense drugs. After decades of struggle and years of public doubt, the company created a treatment that has saved thousands of children from the brutal disease spinal muscular atrophy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hope Lies in Dreams Nature Biotechnology

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 28 Ratings

Stan Crooke rose from poverty to found a company that pioneered antisense drugs. After decades of struggle and years of public doubt, the company created a treatment that has saved thousands of children from the brutal disease spinal muscular atrophy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Chapter 1: an ugly place

    Chapter 1: an ugly place

    Stan Crooke is born ⬩ A tenuous existence ⬩ Life with his mother ⬩ The Tech Corner ⬩ Arsenal Tech High School ⬩ Nancy ⬩ Hoodlum ways ⬩ Off to Purdue
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 32 min
    Chapter 2: a winding path

    Chapter 2: a winding path

    Quits Purdue ⬩ Pharmacy school ⬩ Off to Baylor ⬩ Harris Busch ⬩ Bristol Labs ⬩ SmithKline ⬩ The death of Nancy Crooke ⬩ The end of SmithKline
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 46 min
    Chapter 3: San Diego restart

    Chapter 3: San Diego restart

    Rosanne ⬩ An investor emerges ⬩ Founding Isis ⬩ The old garage ⬩ A proper space ⬩ A growing antisense scene ⬩ Starting a pipeline ⬩ Isis goes public
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 47 min
    Chapter 4: three kinds of failure

    Chapter 4: three kinds of failure

    Stumbling out of the gate ⬩ Launch of Vitravene ⬩ Questions about antisense ⬩ The field thins ⬩ Clinical failure ⬩ The darkest days
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 43 min
    Chapter 5: valley of antisense

    Chapter 5: valley of antisense

    The genomics bubble ⬩ Affinitak fails ⬩ Lynne saves the company ⬩ Hybridon pivots ⬩ New chemistries ⬩ Regulus formed ⬩ Isis as cult
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 41 min
    Chapter 6: lone voice in the wilderness

    Chapter 6: lone voice in the wilderness

    Rosanne saves the company ⬩ Ibis is sold ⬩ An approval ⬩ Souring on Genzyme ⬩ The end of Genta ⬩ The discovery of the SMA gene
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 43 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
28 Ratings

28 Ratings

Friendly? ,

A legend

Stan is a hero who has saved countless lives. Not many people appreciate the challenges he has overcome or his impact on thousands of lives around the world. SMA was a killer, no drug, no treatment until Stan’s drug.

Schmid b a c ,

Excellent story

This is a beautifully told story about a real pharma success. Highly recommend.

Burleith20007 ,

Great mix of science and storytelling

I’d never heard of antisense technology, nor its leading proponent — but this podcast makes it all compelling. Telling this tale of struggle — personal, scientific, and commercial — and making it interesting every step of the way is an accomplishment. I look forward to every new episode. Highly recommended.

Top Podcasts In Business

PBD Podcast
PBD Podcast
Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin
Money News Network
REAL AF with Andy Frisella
Andy Frisella #100to0
The Money Mondays
Dan Fleyshman
Young and Profiting with Hala Taha
Hala Taha | YAP Media Network
Prof G Markets
Vox Media Podcast Network