Few drugs in oncology have transformed the way we take care of patients. Ibrutinib is one such drug, and it belongs to a class called “BTK inhibitors.”
In this episode, Chadi captures the story of developing the drug through the eyes of Dr. Jeff Sharman, a prolific investigator and researcher; he is the director of research at the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute as well as the medical director of hematology research for The US Oncology Network.
Dr. Sharman begins by discussing the dynamics of opening clinical trials throughout the US Oncology Network, then shares his career choice to move into the community setting, how a research idea he came up with led him down a path of being discouraged by the academic research world, his experience treating the first ever patient in the world with ibrutinib, and the underpinnings of the biotech world.
More on his story and the drug development dynamics are described in the fascinating book “For Blood and Money,” authored by Nathan Vardi, who is next week’s guest.
These two back-to-back episodes will make you think, pause, and reflect.
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Dr. Simrit Parmar, founder of Cellenkos, joins the show to discuss her journey from the lab to the biotech startup world, detailing the inspiration behind launching her company, the challenges of securing funding, and the resilience required to overcome rejections. She shares insights into Cellenkos’ lead product, its progress toward market approval, and the rigorous
Carol Rausch—a healthcare professional, cancer researcher, and former patient with lymphoma—shares how her journey from researcher to patient transformed her understanding of medical language. She discusses the impact of word choice on patients, why certain battle and war metaphors can be harmful, and how language used in clinical settings differs from what resonates with those
Drs. David Braun and Toni Choueiri join to discuss a groundbreaking Nature study on a personalized neoantigen vaccine for adjuvant renal cell carcinoma. They explore the inspiration behind the trial, how the vaccine was developed and administered, and its safety profile. The conversation also covers patient outcomes after 3-4 years, including immune responses and disease
