It’s A Great Time To Be In Biotech

Emily BurkeBiologics, Biotech Basics, Cancer, Clinical Trials, Drug Approvals, Drug Development, Drug Targets, FDA, Genomics, HIV, Mechanism of Action, Monoclonal Antibodies, The WEEKLY

It’s a great time to be in biotech—new therapeutics are breaking ground faster than we can say “monoclonal antibody” and the technologies behind them are heavy with promise and potential. Our mission is to keep your industry knowledge up to date and the WEEKLY is here to give you a smart primer on the basics. Below we have outlined several … Read More

New Brain Cells From A Pill

Emily BurkeBusiness of Biotech, Clinical Trials, Drug Development, Genetics, Small Molecule Drugs, Term of the Week

Imagine being able to regenerate your brain cells by swallowing a pill. The potential treatment relies on a process known as neurogenesis—”neuro” meaning nerves and “genesis” meaning creation. Adults suffering from neurological diseases or brain disorders may one day benefit from small molecule activators to promote the birth of neurons in the brain. Neurogenesis naturally occurs during fetal brain development and declines with … Read More

GMO A Day Keeps Doc Away? Thanks To RNAi Apples

Emily BurkeBusiness of Biotech, GMO, Ribonucleic Acid (RNA), The WEEKLY

The latest apple out of the orchard, the Arctic apple, just so happens to resist the ugly browning kids reject if sliced. So, how does biotech factor into the equation? Genetic engineering. This first-of-its-kind apple, approved by the USDA last week, caught our eye here at WEEKLY because it represents a new type of genetically modified food—one that has been … Read More

Curing Hepatitis C

Emily BurkeBiologics, Business of Biotech, Cancer, Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), Drug Approvals, Drug Targets, FDA, HIV, Mechanism of Action, Ribonucleic Acid (RNA), Small Molecule Drugs, The WEEKLY

The biotech industry gets its fair share of criticism. Take for example HBO’s John Oliver shining his light on biopharma last week and proclaiming drug companies are like high school boyfriends: more interested in getting into patients’ bodies than actually being effective once they’re inside. That soundbite prompted us at the WEEKLY to wonder: Is a 90% cure rate for a disease afflicting … Read More

The State Of Cystic Fibrosis And Precision Medicine

Emily BurkeCancer, Clinical Trials, Drug Approvals, Drug Development, Drug Targets, Easily Confused, FDA, Genetics, Genomics, Mechanism of Action, Orphan Disease, Orphan Drugs, Small Molecule Drugs, The WEEKLY

During President Obama’s State of the Union address last month, a cystic fibrosis patient named Bill Elder sat beside First Lady Michelle Obama. Diagnosed with the disease at 8 years old, Mr. Elder is “healthier now than ever before” at age 27, thanks to Vertex’s (Boston, MA) Kalydeco. As a third-year medical student, he is not only surviving, but thriving. Receiving an invitation to … Read More