1. Molecular Diagnostics As The Next Major Conceptual Transition

Jan Buck welcomes Dr. George Poste onto his show to discuss his uniquely rich view of the life science industry and highlights of his distinguished career. George tells us about his time at SmithKline Beecham, where he witnessed the dramatic transformations driven by molecular biology, genomics, and genetic engineering. Furthermore Jan and George look into molecular diagnostics and how they will allow us to transcend symptoms based empirical approaches and more rigorously characterize the underlying molecular pathologies.

2. Mapping the Human Genome, And The Innovator’s Dilemma In The Pharma Industry

On this latest edition of the Jan Buck Show, Dr. George Poste tells the story of one of the greatest broad-scale industry collaborations, the SNP Consortium (which became the HapMap Project). Aimed to study population genomics in relation with the analysis of susceptibility to disease and responsive to treatment, it harness the power of a large number of companies to create this body of data, furthering the research capabilities of all, while defraying risk and cost. Jan and George continue to discuss radical innovation, the innovator’s dilemma, and how it has applied to pharma and it’s blockbuster drugs.

3. Taking Out A Small Number of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plants Could Dislocate Medicine Supply For Large Numbers of the Global Population

Dr. George Poste tells the story of his involvement with the Antibioterrorism Task Force and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. When the DoD started looking at global infectious diseases – trying to measure the social, economic and military risk – they brought George in. Jan and George then discuss the post 9/11 era, and securing the medicine production and supply chain.

4. The Biodesign Institute, A Radical Experiment To Extract The Low Intensity Signal That May Be Indicative Of Disease

Dr. George Poste tells Jan Buck about his beginnings as veterinarian in the south of England, his escape from Europe to the United States in pursuit of greater scientific opportunity, and his recruiting at SmithKlein Beecham, taking genetic engineering technologies into the industry. George and Jan comment on the contribution the pharmaceutical industry has made towards human life. They continue to discuss his role in the creation of the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University, where the life sciences are integrated with high level engineering, computing, and mathematical analysis. They measure hundreds or thousands of genes simultaneously, defining patterns of expression of multiple markers in the body, that may be indicative of disease.

5. A Look to the Future: Personalized Medicine, Consumer Driven Health, Synthetic Biology

Jan Buck and Dr. George Poste take a look at the blockbuster based business model of the Pharma industry, and how it might evolve in the years to come. They identify two emerging trends. First, is personalized medicine. Diagnostics and therapy will be increasingly linked. Clinical trials will become smaller, more effective, and cheaper to run. Second is consumer driven health, in which we all take greater responsibility for our own health. Finally, George tells us of his latest governmental responsibility, heading a new task force on synthetic biology – genetically engineering microorganisms to develop a new industrial ecology that can create alternative energy, novel materials, and molecular species that would otherwise be impossible or prohibitively expensive to produce.

This interview was conducted at the Nassau Inn, Princeton NJ, on December 10th, 2008

Featuring:

• George Poste, Chief Scientist, Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative; Director, The Biodesign Institute; Arizona State University
• Jan Buck, Commentator & Celebrity

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1. Portrait of Wall Street’s Pioneer Drug Analysts

The first biotech investment banker tells Jan how he got started in the business, as an analyst and a dealmaker, and continued to build the first formal life science focused research program at Lehman Brothers. Fred Frank, Vice-Chairman of Lehman Brothers (Barclays) discusses the tsunamis of change that are affecting the industry, and why Biotech and Pharma form natural partnerships. One is opportunity long and capital short, the other is opportunity short and capital. Fred illustrated this point by comparing the cash and innovation coming from the 100 largest pharma on one hand, and the 100 largest biotech on the other, demonstrating the need they have for one another.

2. The Future of the Industry, and the Lehman / Barclays Deal

Jan Buck asks Fred Frank where the industry is heading, and if we should be expecting radical change in the near future. Fred Frank looks at the assumptions that fueled the growth of the industry from its earliest onset, and their relevance today. He then asks Fred about the Lehman / Barclays transaction. Is it a fit? Will there be a change in activities? What will determine the success of the acquisition?

3. Blockbuster Drugs, and the 3 Eras of the Biotech Industry

Fred and Jan review the changing dynamics of the industry (pre-76, 1976 to 2000, and post-2000). They discuss the monumental changes faced by Pharma, the danger of stock buybacks, and the impact of blockbusters on the development of drugs and the valuation of companies. Fred and Jan also discuss some of the more successful business models today, including the Genentech / Roche agreement – although the recent capital acquisition does come under question.

This interview was conducted at the New York Stock Exchange, on September 23rd, 2008, in New York City.

Featuring:

• Frederick Frank, Vice-Chairman, Lehman Brothers (Barclays)
• Jan Buck, Commentator & Celebrity