Q&A: Pharma/Biotech
Hello everyone!
After being in drug development for a number years, I pivoted to pharma business strategy consulting (clinical portfolio management specifically), and I now run my own consulting firm. My clients are mostly institutional investors and other consulting firms. I really enjoy the process of someone "picking my brain" on anything pharma/biotech - I actually find it more intellectually stimulating than a lot of the things I've done throughout my career. Ask me any anything biotech/pharma - trends, specific drugs/classes, companies etc... - and I will reply (when I can). Happy AMA!
(PS: I can answer anything from a clinical or business strategy perspective, finance is not my strong(est) suit though)
Any primers/books you recommend someone to read to learn more about the industry/investing in biotech/pharma?
My 2 favs (more about biotech than pharma per se):
-The Billion-Dollar Molecule, by Barry Werth
-Genentech: The Beginnings of Biotech, by Sally Smith Hughes
Got a bunch here if you’re willing (not a pharma guy myself)…
How close are you to the funding environment for early stage companies? How are current market conditions impacting the space?
How ‘frothy’ were things really in the recent run-up (through early 2021) in terms of potentially crappy / overly risky companies getting funded? Are we going to see a big wave of bankruptcies / shut downs in next couple years after the crazy IPO & SPAC activity?
Are companies slowing R&D spend a lot due to fear of launching a secondary in the near term?
General appetite amongst your clients for biotech investments amidst rising rates? Preference for later stage / proven assets only?
Cell and gene therapies continuously get brought up as a major new area (from a supplier / manufacturing / service vendor perspective)…your take on the potential of these two areas and quality of the pipeline (maybe too broad a question)?
How much of genetic testing is unnecessary?
PM’d
Thank you for this.
A few questions:
Thoughts on companies such as Insitro? Wondering how CRO's will be forced to change as artificial intelligence potentially changes biopharmaceutical R&D processes
What are your thoughts on PatSnap?
Which checkpoint will work best with PD1?
How hard is biotech startup? (i.e you have a drug idea and want to grow)
How hard is it to break into biotech PE/HF/VC? What background do you need?
Do you need a phd or masters to thrive? What will a medical doctor degree do?
Cool career background. Congrats on starting your own company. I am a new VC associate. My shop invests in late stage biotech (80% private), but recently started dipping their toes into public markets because of the downturn. I am relied upon to generate pitches / investment thesis and present this information in concise 10-15min presentations. I am wondering if you can give a super rough outline of what the key points you would be interested in hearing in this style of pitch. Obviously TAM, relevant clinical trial outcomes, competitor analysis, SOTP outputs. Is there anything else you would focus on?
Not OP but been in the public equities space for 3 years, would love to exchange thoughts on PM/offline
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