Latest news with #biopharma
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
At the WBUR Festival, exploring the good and bad scenarios for Massachusetts' future
On Friday morning, I had the opportunity to help kick off the inaugural WBUR Festival in Boston with a panel on 'The Future of Innovation in Massachusetts.' My panelists: Katie Rae from Engine Ventures, an MIT-affiliated venture capital firm; Julie Kim, president of the U.S. Business Unit at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, now the largest biopharma employer in Massachusetts; and Avak Kahvejian, a general partner at Flagship Pioneering, an incubator of new companies in Cambridge. The group laid out some reasons for optimism about the future of innovation in our state, and also some reasons for concern. I asked what advice they would give to parents of children who are still in school today about the job market. Rae made the case that federal research funding cuts may paradoxically stimulate innovation by pushing academic researchers to create startups and commercialize their work on a faster time frame. In the short term, 'we might get more companies because of this moment than fewer,' she said. She cited Commonwealth Fusion Systems as a prime example — it emerged from an MIT lab that had lost its funding several years ago. 'They invented the company,' she said, instead of letting the science die on the vine. Read more: MassLive's 12 innovation leaders to watch in 2025 'It's not that I'm not upset about what's happening,' Rae said, 'but I do think really good things are going to come out of it.' But over the long term, she acknowledged, 'we're going to get fewer [companies] because there's less funding.' Kahvejian made the case that, while national and global pressures exist, Massachusetts remains extraordinarily well-equipped to generate breakthrough innovations. Flagship Pioneering, where he is a general partner, raised a $3.6 billion fund last year — its largest ever — to invent and launch new biotech companies. Kahvejian noted the state has shown resilience in the past: Many big names of the 20th century, such as Polaroid and Lotus Development Corp., have vanished, but new companies have emerged and grown. Rae offered hope that even in a divided Washington, supporting technology development in areas like advanced chips and energy production has bipartisan support. 'No matter what party you're in, you're going to want to fund the things that are fundamental to long-term economic prosperity and security,' she said. Rae was encouraged that Harvard University is standing up to pressure from the Trump administration, despite efforts to block the school's enrollment of international students and to eliminate essentially all federal funding of research there. Of Harvard President Alan Garber, she said: 'He's doing all those things and actually gaining a lot of support, right? He got a standing ovation at Harvard [graduation] yesterday.' Is there a way for Harvard to emerge victorious in the tangle with Trump and various federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security? 'I think Harvard is winning in a lot of ways,' Rae said. 'They're winning in different court battles. And I think long-term, they will prevail. There's great research there. It's an institution that the U.S. should be proud of, and is proud of, and produces so many of our great leaders ...' Kim sounded the alarm about China's scientific momentum. 'There are now 30% of the original publications [in the journal Science] coming from Chinese labs. The U.S. is now at 30%. The number is declining for the U.S., and it's increasing for China, so ... it's no longer a copycat economy.] There's innovation coming from that country,' she said. Kahvejian pointed to investor hesitation caused by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's inconsistency and volatile stock markets. With regards to the FDA drug approval process, he said that some biotech companies are reporting delays and 'strange responses' — but it's not universal. Kim and Kahvejian both expressed concern about a broader societal drift away from believing in science and supporting scientific research. Kahvejian said that echo chambers, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and misinformation are amplifying anti-science sentiment. 'We need to talk about how this stuff works,' he said, calling for better science education and public engagement. Rae echoed this, warning that resentment of elites and academia is feeding distrust and division. Kahvejian warned that the federal government's wavering stance on vaccines is damaging long-term public health preparedness and also investment in that industry sector. 'We've gone back the other way, almost worse than we were before [COVID], where vaccines are seen as a bad thing,' he said. Kim emphasized that the rapid pace of change makes it impossible to prescribe a single career path. Instead, she advises her own children to lead with intrinsic motivation: 'Pursue your passions,' she said. In her view, the key is not locking into one trajectory, but embracing a mindset of continuous learning and flexibility. In a world where entire industries can emerge or transform within 18 months, passion becomes a compass — guiding students to stay engaged and resilient as the landscape shifts. Kahvejian took that one step further, recommending that students follow not just their passion, but their curiosity, especially across disciplinary boundaries. 'Pursue your curiosity almost more than necessarily your passion,' he advised, warning against rigid academic silos. A student who majors in chemistry but ignores developments in AI or statistics risks becoming obsolete, he said. 'You will be pigeonholed, and you will end up marginalized.' Rae argued that foundational technical skills are as vital as ever. 'Don't be afraid of hard sciences. It is so fundamental to the future,' she said, referring to subjects like physics, biology and chemistry. At the same time, she encouraged students to embrace AI as a partner, not a threat: 'AI is your friend.' She also highlighted the importance of forming relationships with other curious, driven people. 'Cultivate friendships. Cultivate other curious people,' she said. Kim underscored that opportunity doesn't always require a four-year degree. She highlighted work with the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to create 'alternate pathways' into biotech and related fields for students pursuing vocational routes. 'There are a lot of things you can do in manufacturing, as well as on the administrative side — marketing, sales, etc.,' she said. Hidden in plain sight: Trump's enduring mark on Massachusetts Waymo's driverless taxis will face some unique obstacles in Boston MassLive's 12 innovation leaders to watch in 2025 New head of $100M AI hub says Massachusetts' strengths shouldn't be a 'best-kept secret' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ConcertAI Provides Intelligent Automation of ASCO® Guidelines into its Generative and Agentic AI Precision Suite™ and CancerLinQ® SmartLinQ™ Solutions
Powered by CARAai, ASCO® Guideline-concordant care recommendations will be automatically provided to CancerLinQ Network medical oncologists through SmartLinQ, and for biopharma research through Precision Explorer and Trials CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 31, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ConcertAI, a leader in oncology generative and agentic AI SaaS and multi-modal data (MMD) solutions for healthcare and life sciences, today announced the integration of the American Society of Clinical Oncology® (ASCO®) Guidelines through the CARAai platform for its Precision Suite and CancerLinQ® SmartLinQ solutions™. Now, the power of the Precision Suite's low-latency and high-recency data can be used by biopharma researchers to assess Guideline-concordant care and outcomes at any point in time or reviewing changes over time. Members of the CancerLinQ® network using SmartLinQ solutions will now have ASCO Guideline-concordant recommendations for their individual patients as an augmentation of their assessment of treatment options. This published information will be integrated with other SmartLinQ features that can help oncologists consider a complete set of treatment options for optimized patient outcomes. In December of 2023, ASCO and ConcertAI announced the acquisition of CancerLinQ and ongoing network operations as a ConcertAI initiative. Over the last year and a half, ConcertAI has advanced the SmartLinQ application for QOPI® applications as well as advanced notifications of potentially beneficial diagnostics and newly approved therapeutics for a provider's patients. SmartLinQ works directly within the workflows of Epic and other EMRs. ASCO Guidelines will be augmenting the SmartLinQ solution by June 15th as part of the company's effort to assure that all network practices have that informational resource. On May 30th, ConcertAI announced its oncology Precision Suite™ of generative and agentic AI solutions for advancing analytics and inferences, and for clinical trial design and optimization. The ASCO Guidelines will be available within these solutions by June 30th for assessment of Guideline-concordant care across the widest array of settings, and to inform the design of clinical trial controls according to published clinical recommendations. "Through CancerLinQ, ConcertAI has an almost decade-long history of collaborating with ASCO," said Jeff Elton, Ph.D., Vice Chairman of ConcertAI. "This license of ASCO Guidelines represents a new opportunity to harness the latest generative and agentic AI technologies to promote high-quality cancer care, evidence generation, and advanced care insights." The CancerLinQ SmartLinQ deployment of these guidelines will be available to demonstrate at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. About ConcertAI: ConcertAI is the leader in predictive and generative AI SaaS and real-world data research solutions for healthcare and life sciences. Our mission is to accelerate insights and outcomes for patients through research-ready data, CARAai™ technologies, and scientific expertise in partnership with over 46 leading biomedical innovators, 2,000 healthcare providers, and medical societies. TeraRecon provides advanced radiological image visualizations and clinical AI decision augmentation solutions for MRI and CT. CancerLinQ® is an initiative of ConcertAI, providing oncology providers with ASCO-aligned automated QOPI and ASCO Certified® quality solutions and SmartLinQ™ analytic services. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ConcertAI has offices in Bangalore, Frankfurt, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, and Tokyo. For more information, visit us at View source version on Contacts Media ContactTreble McKenzie Covellconcertai@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ANGLE PLC (ANPCY) (Q4 2024) Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth and Strategic ...
Revenue Growth: 31% increase in 2024 compared to 2023. Gross Margin: Maintained at approximately 62%. Operating Expenditure: Reduced by 21%. Net Loss Reduction: Decreased by 29%. Cash Runway: GBP11.6 million, lasting into Q1 2026. Fundraising: Raised GBP9.3 million gross in June 2024. Pharma Contracts: Secured three large pharma contracts and one large biopharma contract. Potential Revenue from Trials: GBP1 million to GBP4 million for Phase 2 trials; GBP15 million to GBP45 million for Phase 3 trials. Companion Diagnostic Revenue Potential: Estimated at GBP20 million annually per program. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Signs with ANPCY. Release Date: May 28, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. ANGLE PLC (ANPCY) achieved a 31% growth in revenues for 2024 compared to 2023, despite adverse market conditions. The company successfully secured three large pharma contracts and one large biopharma contract, with all progressing well and concluding successfully. ANGLE PLC (ANPCY) developed a new DNA dual analysis method, offering unique insights by analyzing both living cancer cells and fragments of dead cells. The company reduced operating expenditure by 21%, contributing to a 29% reduction in losses. ANGLE PLC (ANPCY) has over 100 peer-reviewed publications from independent cancer centers validating the effectiveness of its Parsortix system. There are delays in decision-making from large pharma companies, affecting the timing of potential contracts. The company faces challenges due to the tightening funding environment, impacting smaller biopharma companies and delaying some projects. Uncertainty in research funding, particularly in the US, is causing delays in purchasing decisions from research institutions. The company is experiencing delays in the procurement process in Europe, even when they are the preferred vendor. ANGLE PLC (ANPCY) faces competition from established methods like circulating tumor DNA (CT-DNA) analysis, requiring significant market education efforts. Q: Can you give us a sense of how discussions with potential medtech partners are going and the size of the opportunity compared to pharma? A: Andrew Newland, Chief Executive, explained that while pharma has a defined process for clinical trials, medtech opportunities, though fewer, can be substantial. Medtech companies are interested in using Parsortix for repeat testing, which could significantly expand their revenue opportunities. The cost of tissue biopsy in metastatic breast cancer is high, and Parsortix offers a cheaper alternative. Q: Have you seen evidence of project cancellations or delays affecting the business? A: Ian Griffiths, Chief Financial Officer, noted that there have been some delays, such as Eisai handing back a project to BlissBio. This creates uncertainty, but discussions with BlissBio are ongoing. The pipeline is building, but decision-making has been slower due to market conditions. Q: Does your cash runway through Q1 2026 assume further cost reductions? A: Ian Griffiths stated that while they continue to manage costs, investments in the clinical lab are necessary to meet the requirements of large clients like AstraZeneca. They aim to keep the cost base tight while ensuring they have the capacity to deliver. Q: Is there a Parsortix product development pipeline, and what does it look like? A: Andrew Newland mentioned that the focus is on developing uses for cancer cells rather than the instrumentation itself. The Parsortix system is stable, and development work is centered on methods to analyze cancer cells, funded mainly by customers. Q: Are large pharma opportunities more about educating them on CTC technology or competition with CT-DNA? A: Andrew Newland explained that educating pharma about CTCs is crucial. Some may not be familiar with CTCs or have had past experiences with older systems. Demonstrating the advantages of Parsortix and providing data is key to gaining their interest. Q: How are tariffs affecting your business? A: Ian Griffiths noted that tariffs in the US are passed directly to customers, as Angle has a unique offering that cannot absorb these costs. Customers accept this as part of dealing with Angle. Q: Do you have visibility on when funding for basic research might open up again? A: Ian Griffiths stated that there is uncertainty due to potential budget cuts in the US. Some institutions may secure funds from other sources, but government institutions might struggle, affecting their ability to fund projects. Q: Do you have visibility on when large pharma like AstraZeneca will make decisions? A: Ian Griffiths acknowledged the challenge in predicting timing. While the pipeline is strong, uncertainty in the environment means they must be cautious in their expectations. Revenue recognition will also be spread over time once deals are signed. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Veeva Systems Inc (VEEV) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Surpassing Revenue Goals and ...
Total Revenue: $759 million for the quarter. Non-GAAP Operating Margin: 46%. Revenue Run Rate Goal: Achieved $3 billion for calendar 2025. Release Date: May 28, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Veeva Systems Inc (NYSE:VEEV) reported total revenue of $759 million, surpassing their guidance. The company achieved a non-GAAP operating margin of 46%, indicating strong operational efficiency. Veeva AI is a major initiative that is off to a good start, with potential positive impacts on the life sciences industry. The company has successfully onboarded over 80 customers to Vault CRM, with plans to reach 200 customers within a year. Crossix, a part of Veeva's commercial segment, outperformed expectations and is growing at more than 30% year-over-year. The macroeconomic environment is uncertain, largely due to dynamics in the US administration, which could impact future performance. Some customers prefer custom projects, which may lead to decisions against migrating to Veeva's solutions. The company acknowledges potential funding issues in the small biopharma market due to macroeconomic uncertainties. Veeva's horizontal CRM initiative is still in the early stages, with many details yet to be determined. There is a risk of conservatism in large pharma due to macroeconomic uncertainties, which could delay projects. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Sign with VEEV. Q: Can you provide insights into the migration of 200 customers to Vault CRM and the factors influencing their decisions? A: Paul Shawah, EVP, Strategy: Vault CRM is performing well, with over 80 customers live today and on track to reach 200 in a year. The migrations are driven by Vault CRM's superior features, including our AI strategy and integration of sales, marketing, and medical functions. Some customers prefer custom projects, but we expect to retain the majority. Q: How is the macro environment affecting Veeva's business, particularly in discretionary revenue areas like services? A: Peter Gassner, CEO: Despite macro uncertainties, we haven't seen a material impact on our results or pipeline. Smaller biopharma might face funding issues, but areas like Crossix, which offer quick ROI, are less likely to be affected. Q: Can you elaborate on Veeva's strategy for entering the horizontal CRM market? A: Peter Gassner, CEO: We're excited about horizontal CRM, focusing initially on large enterprises. We aim to differentiate through innovation and our public benefit corporation model. We hope to have our first customers by year-end, emphasizing customer success and product excellence. Q: What is driving the commercial strength, particularly in Crossix, and are there other growth areas? A: Paul Shawah, EVP, Strategy: Crossix has seen significant growth due to investments in product development, particularly in marketing optimization and audience targeting. CRM remains stable, and we're seeing early success in data cloud initiatives like Link and Compass. Q: How is Veeva approaching AI in life sciences, and what potential does it hold for the industry? A: Peter Gassner, CEO: We're embedding AI deeply into core applications, aiming to increase life sciences efficiency by 15% by 2030. Our AI strategy focuses on specific industry needs, such as regulatory approval and safety case management, ensuring a significant impact on customer operations. Q: What are the key takeaways from the recent Veeva Commercial Summit? A: Peter Gassner, CEO: Customer sentiment is positive, with excitement around Vault CRM's growth and Veeva AI's potential. The summit highlighted our progress in CRM add-ons, data cloud, and the broader commercial solutions beyond CRM. Q: How is the CRM conversion progressing among top 20 pharma companies, and what are the decision drivers? A: Paul Shawah, EVP, Strategy: We're on track with expectations, with some top 20 companies already deciding to move to Vault CRM. The decision drivers include the desire for innovation and integration of sales, marketing, and medical functions. Q: How is Veeva addressing challenges in data integration and AI within the industry? A: Paul Shawah, EVP, Strategy: The industry faces challenges in fragmented data and AI integration. Veeva's approach involves harmonizing data sets and embedding AI into industry-specific processes, addressing these challenges at a foundational level. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Minister hails ‘exciting' degree where students spend two years working in industry
A new biopharma degree where students spend half their time on campus and half completing paid work experience has been hailed by the Minister for Higher Education as an 'exciting step forward' for how third level education is delivered in Ireland. The new BSc/MSc in immersive bioscience and biotherapeutics at University of Limerick (UL) is due to be launched on Thursday. The development comes at a time of debate in higher education circles about whether the sector is too reliant on industry-sponsored research and education in order to plug State funding gaps. UL has described the degree as a new venture. designed in collaboration with international companies such as Eli Lilly and Analogue Devices, which seeks to 'cultivate the leading scientific minds of the future'. READ MORE The companies will contribute to curriculum design, participate as guest contributors and host students on industry residencies. The first intake of students will be in September 2026. It follows a similar model to UL's immersive software engineering programme, now in its third year of operation. Students will receive a bachelor and master of science degree in four years, with two years spent learning on campus and two years working in biotech industries. UL says students will have the 'competitive advantage of two years of experience working in industry when they graduate'. Minister for Higher Education James Lawless welcomed the launch of the 'iBio' programme. 'This innovative, industry-led and learner-focused course recognises that not all learning happens in lecture halls,' he said. 'Through immersive, hands-on experiences, both on campus and in the workplace, students will graduate with not just a degree, but two full years of real-world industry experience.' The programme, he said, offered 'more choice, more relevance, a modern model of education that's fit for the future and supports the vision of education driving Ireland's economy.' Acting UL president Professor Shane Kilcommins said the new degree represented a 'giant leap forward' in the delivery of undergraduate scientific education. Students, he said, will be 'embedded in the knowledge community where they are active and interactive partners in the learning process.' Prof Jakki Cooney, iBio course director, said the course was all about developing a passion for the science of disease and medicines, about being creative and curious about the world, embracing challenges and working in teams using scientific data to solve complex problems. 'We are offering a new way to learn the science and biology of medicine making and discovery,' she said. The Government has acknowledged that there is a funding gap of more than €300m facing Irish higher education and has pledged to address this over successive budgets. Meanwhile, research by into funding of Irish universities found that industry funding of third level is increasingly becoming the norm. The paper highlighted potential risks such as the erosion of support for academic endeavours that may not be perceived as having commercial value, as well as challenges in preserving the integrity of academia in a landscape increasingly driven by market-driven priorities.
