• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • Subscribe
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • RSS
  • RSMUS.com

The Real Economy Blog

Search

  • Economics
  • Technology
  • Consumer
  • Industrials
  • Finance
  • Real Estate
  • Health Care
  • Life Sciences
Home > Coronavirus > 5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Jan. 18

5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Jan. 18

Jan. 21, 2021 by Steve Kemler and Adam Lohr

  • email
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin

Now that President Joe Biden has taken office, there will soon be a host of new faces in positions with significant influence over the life sciences industry, as the first item in our roundup this week explains. These include new leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services, key roles in the federal government’s COVID-19 response and countless other agencies and boards. Understanding these new leaders’ backgrounds and priorities will shape life science business leaders’ plans for what comes next.

We also look at how changes in technology and bioethics are helping to drive clinical trial diversity, what the start of 2021 looks like for initial public offerings, and how robotics continues to change both surgery and medical device manufacturing.

Each week, we aggregate industry news and highlight five things you need to know about in the life sciences space. Here’s the latest.

A new administration brings a new cast of crucial characters

As the Biden administration assumes power in the United States, a new slate of leaders will take roles that have critical significance for the life sciences industry. Although the article from Stat (linked above) focuses on positions for the government’s COVID-19 response, many of the people included in this list will also have a broader impact in life sciences and health care.

Major contract research organizations leverage technology to improve inclusion in trials

2020 brought heightened public attention to clinical trials, including scrutiny about whether trials were diverse enough in relation to the populations that would eventually receive the drug. In some very public cases, researchers found that the answer was no. This article looks at two companies that are joining forces to develop better modeling and analytics to ensure that trials are designed in a way that encourages inclusion.

Pregnant women were once excluded from clinical trials – now bioethicists are slowly changing their tune

Much like CROs are examining how technology can help them make trials more inclusive, bioethicists are reexamining their guidance on who should be included in trials. Traditionally, pregnant women have been one of the groups precluded from participating in trials, which has led to significant gaps in our understanding of drug safety and efficacy in pregnancy. This Scientific American article outlines how that is starting to change.

Following record life sciences IPOs in 2020, this year is off to a fast start

There is always a risk, when an industry has a record year, that it won’t be able to live up to it the next year. In 2020, life sciences was a bright spot in capital markets and saw record IPOs and investment. It will be a hard year to match, but 2021 is starting off strong with 12 IPOs so far. This Endpoint News article highlights the four most recent IPOs and a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) focused on life sciences.

Robotic surgery systems continue to be a focus of innovation

At the 2021 J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference earlier this month, a number of medical device companies highlighted their latest robotic surgery systems and plans for continued development. These announcements included an optimistic outlook by Intuitive Surgical, new indications by Zimmer, and the use of robotics at Medtronic both in patient treatment and on the manufacturing floor. One note of caution came from the CEO of Johnson & Johnson, who stressed that he sees robotic surgery as a long-term trend that may require a decade of development before it becomes mainstream, as this article mentions.

  • email
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin

Related posts

  • 5 things to know this week in life sciences: Week of Jan. 11

    News this week included Bluebird Bio’s announcement about splitting into two companies, the promise of quantum computing in drug design, and how mRNA platforms offer promise for diseases beyond COVID-19.

  • 5 things to know this week in life sciences: Week of Jan. 4

    In this week’s industry roundup, we look at recent drug price increases, the ongoing battle over 340B program discounts, key catalysts in Q1 for middle market biotech companies, and more.

  • 5 things to know this week in life sciences: Week of Dec. 14

    With the Food and Drug Administration approving the first COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use last week, the focus around the vaccine will start to shift toward public health messaging and how to convince tens of millions of people…

Filed Under: Coronavirus, Life Sciences Tagged With: coronavirus, Covid-19, covid-19 vaccine, life sciences, technology, vaccine

About Steve Kemler

Steve manages the Philadelphia market NetSuite team and provides NetSuite consulting services to a variety of clients in industries including life sciences, technology and wholesale distribution. Steve leads projects that require complex integrations, customizations and complex finance requirements.

As a member of RSM’s life sciences team, Steve consistently supports clients in the industry across the country. He also participates in the PACT MedTech series and is involved in multiple regional life sciences initiatives.

In May 2020, Steve was selected as a senior analyst in RSM’s cutting edge Industry Eminence Program, which positions its senior analysts to understand, forecast and communicate economic, business and technology trends shaping the industries RSM serves.

About Adam Lohr

Adam is an audit partner and life sciences senior analyst in RSM's cutting-edge industry eminence program. In addition to providing assurance services to his clients, he sits on RSM’s national life science team and leads the San Diego office life science practice.

His senior analyst responsibilities include advising the firm’s life sciences care clients and client servers as they work to navigate the rapidly changing industry environment. Adam regularly writes, presents and advises on capital markets, digital transformation, policy and other issues transforming life sciences. He is an instructor at the regional and national level, and is experienced in the application of ASC 606 revenue recognition for the technology and consumer products industries.

Adam has over 12 years of accounting and finance experience, serving private equity-backed and private closely held companies in the middle market. He specializes in providing financial audit services and helping clients respond to technical, regulatory and economic changes that impact their business.

Primary Sidebar

Other Regions

  • Canada
  • United Kingdom

Categories

  • Economics
  • Technology
  • Consumer Products
  • Industrials
  • Financial Services
  • Real Estate
  • Health Care
  • Life Sciences

Recent Life Science articles

5 things to know in life sciences: Week of March 1

Mar. 4, 2021

5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Feb. 22

Feb. 26, 2021

5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Feb. 15

Feb. 19, 2021

RSMUS.com links

The Real Economy

Middle Market Business Index

MMBI Special Reports

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS

About The Real Economy Blog

The Real Economy Blog from RSM US LLP was developed to provide timely economic insights about the middle market economy. It is offered as a complement to RSM’s macroeconomic thought leadership, including The Real Economy monthly publication and the proprietary RSM US Middle Market Business Index (MMBI).

© 2021 RSMUS.com | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy

The Real Economy Blog
  • Economics
  • Technology
  • Consumer
  • Industrials
  • Finance
  • Real Estate
  • Health Care
  • Life Sciences