Beyond The Molecule

Emma Morris and Iain McGill uncover the fascinating story behind Quell Therapeutics, revealing how a team of 6 top scientists came together to develop a pioneering cell and gene therapy that harnesses the body's immune response to prevent life-threatening organ transplant rejection. In this episode, we cover the cutting-edge science, top trends in precision medicine, and what it takes to build a successful biotech in just 2 years.

Karen Petersen shares her inspiring story, mapping her journey from cancer survivor to founder of Karen's Club – a not-for-profit designed to support patients of color considering taking part in oncology clinical trials. She explores challenging topics, including building trust in marginalized communities, to reveal how life science companies can break down barriers to help patients participate in life-saving research.

Building a successful healthcare start-up takes tremendous amounts of time, knowledge, and funding – and new ventures face roadblocks at every turn. So, how do entrepreneurs navigate this incredibly complex market? Frank Jaskulke, Vice President of Intelligence at The Medical Alley Association, shares the lessons he's learned and reveals how he is helping start-ups to scale, pivot, and build the social capital essential for winning in business and staying at the forefront of innovation.

Approximately 80% of clinical research and genomic studies consist of data from Caucasian participants. Roche and Genetech are determined to change that. Nicole Riche, Global Head of Health Equity and Population Science, reveals how her team developed a pioneering global strategy to address healthcare disparities across the entire product lifecycle to ensure the promise of personalized health care becomes a reality for all patients.

The rare disease diagnostic odyssey lasts on average 4.5 years. But what would happen if a novel innovation could diagnose a person with a rare disease instantaneously? Vanessa Lemarié, Director of Life Sciences Business Development and Program Owner of the Rare Disease Initiative at Ada Health, explains how the company is leveraging their ground-breaking medical AI technology to simplify diagnostic pathways and make the rare disease diagnostic odyssey a thing of the past.

The virtual clinical trial space exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, what’s it like to be the CEO of a company skyrocketing at the center of the clinical trial revolution? We chat to Medable founder and CEO Michelle Longmire to explore how her global platform empowers clinicians to develop patient-centric research strategies. We uncover how she has coped with the rapid success that saw the company's revenue grow by more than 500% in 2020, and what the future holds for decentralized clinical trials and digital endpoints.

James Atherton is back for season 2 of Beyond the Molecule, a podcast by Fishawack Health, and this time he’s accompanied by brand new co-host Ross Toohey. This season they uncover new never-before-told stories of healthcare innovation and chat to the CEOs, life science pioneers, and healthcare tech entrepreneurs transforming patient outcomes with cutting-edge solutions.

In this special bonus episode, we deep dive into rare disease and reveal not one but two perspectives from specialists in this area. First Leena Delal, Vice President, US Brand Lead at Alnylam tells the story behind ONPATTRO – a therapy that astounded doctors and patients with its ability to reverse the debilitating nerve damage caused by ultra-rare disease hATTR amyloidosis. Then, our Creative Director Kristin Morris, reveals what she learned in 11 years working solely in rare disease. She covers the changing landscape, how COVID-19 is impacting the patients, and her tips for ensuring authenticity in a virtual world.

Have you ever wondered how venture capitalists know which healthcare tech to invest in? Physician turned VC Sunny Kumar reveals how he differentiates between hype and true innovation, why he’s passionate about artificial intelligence and informatics, and what the future looks like for the healthcare tech industry in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Jill Hopkins has dedicated her life to restoring people’s vision. In this episode she talks about what it’s like to fight blindness, a game-changing innovation in ophthalmology, and how Roche-Genentech keeps innovating in the wake of COVID-19.

What does it mean to truly innovate, not just once but many times over? Dr. Steven Shak may be one of the few people who can help answer this question; from discovering the DNase1 gene, to developing a life-altering treatment for cystic fibrosis, and guiding revolutionary cancer drug Herceptin from concept to clinic, Steve Shak's groundbreaking work has changed the lives of millions across the globe. Now, in his newest venture as Chief Medical Officer at Exact Sciences, his portfolio of precision diagnostic tests have ensured one million cancer patients receive the right treatment at the right time. We discuss his life’s work (so far), his advice for pharma execs, and what next for the scientist.

In a country where health and social care are divided, Dan and Taylor have done the seemingly impossible. Inspired by their fellow veterans’ experiences, they developed Unite US – an platform that connects communities, governments and healthcare systems around the single goal of improving health holistically. In this episode, they reveal how they’re achieving this vision, their journey from military veterans to CEOs, and their advice for start-ups operating in complex healthcare environments.

When her husband battled dementia and lost the ability to communicate, Zoe saw first-hand how the care team’s failure to understand his needs negatively impacted his outcomes. So, she took matters into her own hands. She developed a tool to personalise his care and now her solution – MyCareMatters – is used by care staff and hospitals across the UK.  

Jacob Glanville is fascinated by the intersection of technology and medicine. Fuelled by his experiences growing up in war-torn Guatemala, he wondered how he could use technology to create a post-pathogen world. Now, as CEO of Distributed Bio, he’s achieving that vision. In this episode, he explains the story behind his innovative universal vaccine tech, why he chose to leave a top job at a prestigious pharmaceutical company, and how he got to where he is today.

How do you succeed in an industry where 90% of products fail? In this new series by Fishawack Health, we talk to pioneers defying the odds and developing healthcare innovations that are changing the world. But we don’t just cover their successes. We dive into their failures, lessons learned, and map the moments that defined them. Beyond The Molecule launches on Tuesday the 16th of June.