The Business of Biotech is live — and in full effect — at BIO this month, with an unprecedented episode taping in front of a live audience on the evening of June 17. If you’re in Boston and don’t have dinner plans, come check it out!
In May, the Business of Biotech covered a diversity of ground, from Alnylam’s commercial plans and Vir Biotechnology’s product pivot, to tips for landing angel investment dollars from the Mid Atlantic Bio Angels. In today’s funding environment, everyone could use an angel in their corner.
Also in May, Anna Rose Welch, editorial and community director at Advancing RNA, made an auspicious return to the podcast, bringing Michelle Werner, CEO at Alltrna, along with her. Werner discusses her ambitious goals for Alltrna’s transfer RNA (tRNA) therapies and shares valuable insights from her experience as a first-time biotech CEO developing a new drug modality.
As always, send me your thoughts on past episodes and ideas for new guests, and thanks for watching or listening. And reading, too — here are a few hand-selected May articles from Life Science Leader, and a few choice quotes from the May episodes of the Business of Biotech. Enjoy!
Ben Comer, Business of Biotech host and chief editor, Life Science Leader |
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| | Biotech Beat | June 17, 2025 |
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| ![]() | | by BEN COMER | What if GLP-1 drugs could be administered continuously, over a six-month period, with only one trip to a physician’s office? That’s what Vivani Medical CEO Adam Mendelsohn is working toward, via a tiny subdermal implant. Vivani’s lead candidate is an implant loaded with exenatide. Semaglutide is on deck; development timelines coincide with patent expiry. | READ NOW → |
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![]() | | by ANDREA PFEIFER | What has Andrea Pfeifer, Ph.D. learned in more than 20 years of working in Alzheimer’s disease? Perseverance, above all. Since Pfeifer co-founded AC Immune in 2003, seven antibodies for AD have failed, including one of her own. But setbacks can be fuel for innovation, and strategic partnerships helped Pfeifer build a sustainable business. | READ NOW → |
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| ![]() | | by RAYMOND FORSLUND, PH.D., MBA | A survey conducted by BIO found that close to 90% of U.S. biotech companies rely on imported components for at least half of their FDA-approved products. Tariffs could also lead to disruption in the supply chain, and rattle investors, writes Raymond Forslund, Ph.D., at Syner-G BioPharma Group. | READ NOW → |
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![]() | | by VENABLE LLP | Unexpected delays in FDA product reviews could bungle anticipated milestone payments, if drug developers don’t plan for that risk, according to expert attorneys at Venable LLP. It’s time to take a closer look at those “commercially reasonable efforts,” or CRE contract clauses, before an FDA holdup breaks the bank. | READ NOW → |
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| | "With our value-based agreements, it's really about putting your money where your mouth is ... we're now covering roughly 55% of our commercial and Medicare advantage patients through value-based agreements." | ― Tolga Tanguler, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, episode 252 |
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| "The whole idea behind what we're doing is one single engineered tRNA, which may be used to address hundreds, if not thousands, of different rare diseases. And as a rare disease parent, I know that there are somewhere around 10,000 of them." | ― Michelle Werner, CEO, Alltrna, episode 254 |
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| "One of my pet peeves is related founders, whether it's a husband and wife, or a parent and child. In my opinion, you will always put your familial relationship, first and your business relationships second." | ― Yaniv Sneor, Founder, Mid Atlantic Bio Angels, episode 255 |
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| | Created exclusively for the leaders of new and emerging biopharma firms, the Business of Biotech podcast tackles organizational, funding, HR, regulatory, production and CMC considerations with insight from peer founders who have taken biologic therapies from an idea to clinical success. Check out our episode archive. The Business of Biotech is produced in partnership with Avantor. |
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