On March 10, a day before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was postponing foreign inspections through April. This increases the risk that some drug and device companies will run into issues obtaining approval for their products. F.D.A. Commissioner Stephen Hahn ... READ MORE >
Life Sciences
The life sciences sector comprises some of the middle market’s fastest-growing companies. Whether developing life-saving new drugs or robotic components for surgery, this vibrant sector is a hotbed of innovation.
Coronavirus and the rise of virtual health visits
The human toll of the coronavirus only continues to mount: Confirmed cases have topped 118,000, deaths have surpassed 4,000 and Italy has quarantined 16 million people. It has led employers around the globe to encourage employees to work from home or take unpaid leaves of absence. In Seattle, the epicenter of Covid-19 cases and fatalities in the ... READ MORE >
Shadow IT risk is growing as health care industry consolidates
As U.S. health care systems continue to consolidate, they must be aware of the information technology risks lurking in the shadows. The pace of consolidation remained strong last year, with approximately 1,600 deals. And while megamergers are expected to slow in 2020, larger organizations continue to purchase smaller systems through tucked-in ... READ MORE >
Coronavirus reveals vulnerability in the life science supply chain
As the coronavirus continues to spread and the supply shock to the global economy grows, there is increasing concern about how the outbreak could affect the life sciences industry, especially the availability and quality of drugs and medical equipment. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn cautioned that the outbreak "would ... READ MORE >
Advances in gene sequencing accelerate the response to coronavirus outbreak
In contrast to China’s slow and secretive acknowledgement of SARS in 2003, the Chinese government and scientific community have been significantly more transparent regarding the Wuhan virus. On Jan. 31, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar praised China for its “efforts and coordination with public health officials across the globe.” Advances ... READ MORE >
Want a fuller picture of biotech’s promise? Look beyond the public markets
A recent Wall Street Journal article highlights the underperformance of the Nasdaq Biotech Index against other benchmarks. The article implies the weak returns are due to a lack of blockbuster biotech therapies; at the same time, the piece underscores the robust private funding activity within the biotech ecosystem. The ecosystem and the capital markets in ... READ MORE >
Biotech needs cash in hesitant market
Life science companies require a cash infusion at least twice as big as that of 2018 to fund research and development at a time when investors remain skittish, according to a Bloomberg analysis. The analysis suggests that over 100 biotech companies, including makers of oncology therapies and treatments for other life-threatening conditions, need to raise ... READ MORE >
Better data use has pros and cons for life sciences
The volume and variety of health care data should expand significantly in 2019. Specifically, we will be monitoring growth in data sources outside those collected from traditional electronic health records, including information gleaned from wearable technology and direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Life science companies should consider how best to ... READ MORE >