Joel Berg
Joel Berg is a freelance writer based in York, Pennsylvania. He has covered healthcare and financial services, as well as general business news, for more than 20 years. He also teaches writing at York College and Millersville University.
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Startup banks on immune-system memory to tackle cancer
Loki Therapeutics is advancing research that leverages the immune system’s ability to recall childhood vaccinations and direct it against cancer. The company’s lead therapy candidate could enter phase 1 clinical trials this year.
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Teen entrepreneurs create platform to make drug donations easy
Many pharma companies already donate drugs to charity. But the New Jersey-based entrepreneurs have developed a technology platform that makes the process easier to manage and opens up new opportunities.
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Payer’s Place: Dawn Maroney
Dawn Maroney, President, Markets of Alignment Health and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, to discuss how they are using technology to provide better service and care to consumers.
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Startup targets orphan kidney disease with former Merck drug
Vera Therapeutics licensed the drug candidate after analysis of earlier trials revealed its promise. Boosted by $80 million in Series C funding, the company hopes to launch a phase 2B trial this year.
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Recoveries down under federal False Claims Act but likely to rise again
Covid-19 may have hampered investigations and led authorities to shift resources to more obvious frauds, attorneys said. But the pandemic also created new targets to investigate, including telemedicine and CARES Act funding.
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Study: Biotech no riskier for investors
Despite lower sales, lack of profits and heavy R&D spending, biotech companies that went public between 1997 and 2016 reached similar market caps as non-biotech companies, according to an academic study.
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VC playing field tilts to established companies, funds
The tilt was less pronounced in pharma and biotech, which attracted a record level of investment despite the Covid-19 pandemic according to a quarterly report on VC investment activity.
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Speed, collaboration have been hallmarks of Covid-19 response, CEOs say
Pharma companies moved fast in 2020 to tackle Covid-19 and to address longstanding issues of racial equity, the CEOS of BD and Sanofi said in a session at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. The challenge lies in keeping the momentum going in 2021.
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Chief scientist on Operation Warp Speed resigns
The scientific adviser who guided U.S. efforts to speed up development of vaccines for Covid-19 is resigning at the behest of the incoming Biden administration.
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Biotech startup raises $25M for cancer, Covid-19 vaccines
Vaccines developed by Aivita Biomedical use a patient’s own blood to attack cancer and Covid-19. But the company also offers a consumer skin-care product that it plans to begin selling more widely.
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Applying Remote Patient Monitoring to Surgery Prep and Recovery, Oncology and Women’s Health
Join us to learn about the latest trends in remote monitoring and how to extend its benefits beyond chronic conditions to more patients – all while using fewer staff resources.
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One year after founding, startup EQRx raises $500M to advance goal of cheaper cancer drugs
The latest funding brings total investment in the company to $750 million. The money has gone, in part, toward licensing of promising drug candidates in breast, lung and other cancers.
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Next-gen antibody tests promise more answers to Covid-19 questions
The new tests can open a window into the duration of immunity and to the antibody levels needed to sustain it. But first, a universal standard is needed to ensure results are comparable between tests.
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Armed with $270M in capital, Scorpion Therapeutics aims to broaden the reach of precision oncology
Founded in 2020, Scorpion is agnostic about the potential therapies and targets it will explore with what it describes as its drug-hunting engine. But the company is hoping to unveil its first drug candidate this year.
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In fight over drug discounts, HHS lawyer sides with hospitals
Prominent drug companies have said they want to curb waste and abuse in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. But the top lawyer at HHS is echoing the criticism hospitals have been leveling against the drug companies over access to the program.
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Trial results add to uses for Exact Sciences test
The genomic test, known as Oncotype DX, can help predict whether women with certain forms of breast cancer will benefit from chemotherapy — and those who won’t. The latest trial results extend the test’s reach.
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Moderna, Roche team up to track duration of Covid-19 protection after vaccination
Moderna is using a Roche antibody test in clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine. The test can measure the antibodies created through vaccination, offering a window into how long protection lasts.
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Payer’s Place: Dr. Anil Singh
Dr. Anil Singh shares his insights into the strategies employed by the organization to identify the most effective digital solutions for their members.
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Discover the Next-Gen Platform for Integrated Collaborative Care
Beyond EHRs and digital front doors, reducing the gaps in patient care journeys.
