The Readout Loud

Epizode

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  410: A father’s mission to save his daughter, and allegations on telehealth GLP-1 prescribing 23.07.2026 1h 4min

  What does it take to develop a therapy for an ultra-rare disease? What are the allegations against a telehealth company that’s partnered with Novo Nordisk? And has a wanted fugitive been posing as a biotech executive? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. We speak with our colleagues Jason Mast and Matthew Herper about their impactful look at one father’s mission to develop a treatment for his daughter’s ultra-rare disease. The subject of that feature, Matt Wilsey, also joins us.
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  409: Predicting biotech clinical trials & a new Alzheimer's drug controversy 16.07.2026 35min

  On this week’s episode of "The Readout LOUD": The Kalshi prediction markets are coming for biotech, plus the controversy over an experimental Alzheimer’s disease treatment from Biogen. Kalshi, the maker of prediction markets, announced this week that it is expanding into biotech. Soon, you’ll be able to make bets on the outcomes of clinical trials and FDA drug reviews. Is that a good thing? We’ll discuss the issues with Jonathan Kimmelman, a bioethicist at McGill University who has researched prediction in clinical trials. We also chat about Biogen and its tau-lowering drug for Alzheimer’s. A mid-stage clinical trial presented this week showed the drug reduced levels of the tau protein and slowed the rate of cognitive decline in patients. But the data also raised a lot of questions that left experts and investors debating the drug’s future.
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  408: Whistleblower takes on health insurance and FDA commissioner candidates 09.07.2026 43min

  Why does getting family health insurance through a job cost as much as buying a new car? How did a whistleblower take on an insurance contractor? And who might be the new Food and Drug Administration commissioner? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s weekly biotech podcast. STAT reporter Bob Herman joins us to discuss his new series, "Out of Pocket, Out of Reach," which dives into how soaring costs for health insurance are hurting Americans and small business owners. We also speak with Chris Deacon, who filed a whistleblower lawsuit after spotting how an insurer may have violated contracts to provide health benefits for New Jersey's state workers. We also discuss the latest news in life sciences, including Anthropic's push into drug development and Vertex's largest-ever acquisition.
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  407: The mysterious case of Eli Lilly's obesity drug 25.06.2026 42min

  Who got exclusive access to Eli Lilly's highly anticipated obesity candidate? Why are drugmakers spending so much money on acquisitions? And are hair loss drugs a good investment? We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT's biotech podcast. We bring on our colleague Lizzy Lawrence to discuss her scoop that Lilly and the Food and Drug Administration have allowed one person to receive the pharma company's obesity candidate, retatrutide, through the FDA’s “compassionate use” program. We also discuss the resurgence of M&A, Lilly's interest in a hair loss drug, and then the FDA's reversal on rare disease drugs.
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  406: New hope in treating Huntington's disease and a report card on RFK Jr.'s promises 18.06.2026 36min

  This week: New hope for people living with Huntington’s disease, and a report card on RFK Jr.’s effort to remake health in America.  The Food and Drug Administration reversed its opposition to a closely watched gene therapy for Huntington’s disease, clearing a path for its maker, the biotech company UniQure, to file for U.S. approval. Joining us to discuss this new development and what it means for the Huntington’s community is Lauren Holder, a Huntington’s disease advocate who is living with the early stages of the disease.  A pledge to “Make America Healthy Again” earned Robert F. Kennedy Jr. his job as the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. He entered the role with a long to-do list, and a goal of delivering measurable improvements within two years. How has he fared? Isabella Cueto, STAT’s chronic disease reporter, has been closely tracking Kennedy and the MAHA movement’s actions, and joins us to discuss. 
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  405: An obesity drug deep-dive, and peptides move mainstream 11.06.2026 36min

  Can any of the new obesity medications in development stand out from the pack? Which company just broke records with its IPO? And will the Food and Drug Administration allow greater access to experimental peptides? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast.[2:37 PM]Undark’s Sara Talpos joins the podcast to discuss her reporting on the peptide BPC-157, and how its jumped from a Croatian lab to bodybuilding forums on Reddit to the FDA. (STAT co-published Talpos articles; the second piece was was supported by the Pulitzer Center). We also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including obesity data from the American Diabetes Association meeting and a record-breaking IPO.
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  404: What RevMed's pancreatic cancer drug meant for one patient 04.06.2026 37min

  Why did oncologists give a standing ovation to a data presentation on Revolution Medicines' pancreatic cancer drug, daraxonrasib? Why did biotech stocks perform so badly this week? And are concrete beaches better than normal beaches? We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT's biotech podcast. We bring on Leanna Stokes, who was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer in 2023. She discusses how participating in RevMed's trial for daraxonrasib has affected her disease and life, and what the drug means for patients and the field. We also chat about other data presented during last week's meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the market reaction to Abivax's ulcerative colitis data, and the upcoming meeting of the American Diabetes Association.
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  403: Biotech exec Jeremy Levin on the industry's strategic turning point 28.05.2026 47min

  On this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” we chat with longtime biotech executive Jeremy Levin about his new book, “Biotech in the Balance: Saving a Strategic Industry in an Age of Distrust.” That sounds alarmist, and it is in some respects, but as Levin explains, the book is also a roadmap to a brighter future for the biotech industry.
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  402: Guarding biotech from China and big bets in longevity 21.05.2026 44min

  On this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” the hosts discuss STAT's Breakthrough Summit West, where powerful leaders from health care and science rubbed shoulders. They share some of the juicy conversations and insights, including BridgeBio CEO Neil Kumar's comments that the company is publishing “not the right structures” in their research publications. Listeners also will hear Allison's interview with Joe Betts-LaCroix, CEO of the Sam Altman-backed longevity company Retro Biosciences. Retro is preparing for its first clinical data readout and examining just how much impact AI can have in drug development. The hosts also discuss colleague Damian Garde's article on how China is tearing biotech apart and one self-appointed spokesperson’s strategy.
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  401: Makary’s departure and Cassidy’s tenuous Senate seat 14.05.2026 40min

  This week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD” is all about health politics. We bring on FDA reporter Lizzy Lawrence to discuss Makary’s departure — why he is leaving, which of his policies will stick, and what we know about his acting replacement, Kyle Diamantas. Washington correspondent Chelsea Cirruzzo also joins us to discuss a closely tracked Republican Senate primary election this weekend. Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate health committee, is up against two upstart rivals, including a Trump-backed candidate. The outcome of the primary could have far reaching implications for Trump’s health care agenda.
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  400: Seaport's IPO adventure, obesity pill battles, and Makary's troubles 07.05.2026 33min

  On this week’s episode of "The Readout LOUD," we chat with Seaport Therapeutics CEO Daphne Zohar, fresh off the biotech’s successful IPO. Plus, Elaine, Allison, and Adam chat about this week’s notable news, including the obesity pill battle between Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, a Phase 3 study win for Cytokinetics, and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary’s White House troubles. Oh, by the way, this is the 400th episode of your favorite biotech podcast.
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  399: Hair-raising trial results, and Servier’s M&A wishlist 30.04.2026 41min

  Why are investors excited about hair loss drugs? Will artificial intelligence make clinical trials run more smoothly? And how does a nonprofit pharma company compete in the M&A arena? We get into all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s weekly biotech podcast. Veradermics CEO Reid Waldman joined us to discuss his company’s data, and why hair loss is such a trendy topic in biotech. Then, Servier Pharmaceuticals CEO David Lee joined us to discuss the company’s acquisition of Day One Biopharmaceuticals.
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  398: A CAR-T biotech's dramatic turnaround, and drugmakers' tactics to drive more scripts 23.04.2026 37min

  How did a biotech company that almost ran out of money three times get acquired for over $3 billion? Will the M&A streak continue? And why are drugmakers working with a telehealth company called Prescribery? We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of "The Readout LOUD," STAT's weekly biotech podcast. Venture capitalist Bryan Roberts joins us to discuss his firm’s investment in Kelonia Therapeutics, the CAR-T biotech that Eli Lilly just said it would buy for $3.25 billion. We also bring on our colleague Katie Palmer to talk through her story about pharma companies using bargain-basement telehealth providers to drive drug prescriptions and sales.
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  397: A pancreatic cancer breakthrough, and new hope for an off-the-shelf CAR-T treatment 16.04.2026 49min

  On this week’s episode of the Readout LOUD: a pancreatic cancer breakthrough and new hope for an off-the-shelf CAR-T treatment in lymphoma. Your favorite biotech podcasting crew is back to full strength this week, and we’re bringing you two newsy guest interviews. First, we’ll talk with Allogene Therapeutics Chief Medical Officer Zach Roberts about new study results that bolster the company’s efforts to develop an off-the-shelf CAR-T therapy for B-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.Then, we’ll dive into the biggest news of the week: Revolution Medicines and the stunning survival benefit reported for its experimental drug in a Phase 3 pancreatic cancer study. Paul Oberstein, a pancreatic cancer expert from NYU Langone, will join us to discuss the Revolution Medicines data and what it means for pancreatic cancer patients.
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  396: A new trick for old science, and biotech VCs' scrambled playbook 09.04.2026 32min

  Why is old exon science getting new traction? What’s unsettling biotech VCs? And who will be the next CEO of PhRMA? Adam is out, so Elaine and Allison dive into the latest news, including how China and artificial intelligence are straining biotech VC firms, in addition to more M&A. They also discuss how a cancelled Food and Drug Administration meeting led to a biotech’s demise. Plus, there’s new hope for an old theory on treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy. STAT reporter Jason Mast details the clinical testing underway.
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  395: Biotech investors' plea to Trump, and a busy M&A week 02.04.2026 31min

  How has the Food and Drug Administration's recent decisions on rare disease drugs affected investment trends? Why is Eli Lilly getting into sleep medicine? And where did Allison go on her vacation? We discuss all that and more on this week's episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT's weekly biotech podcast. Biotech investor Rod Wong joins us to talk about why an industry-patient coalition he's part of sent a letter to President Trump asking for more regulatory flexibility at the FDA. We also discuss the U.S. approval of Eli Lilly's obesity pill, recent deal-making by large pharma companies, a strange story about promotion of psychedelic drugs on YouTube, and more.
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  394: Eli Lilly's deal man, Allogene's off-the-shelf CAR-T, and Merck's Terns buy 26.03.2026 25min

  On this week’s episode of "The Readout LOUD": Allison DeAngelis is still away, leaving Elaine Chen and Adam Feuerstein to mind the podcasting store. You've been warned. Eli Lilly’s deal man Jake van Naarden is very, very busy, so what does that mean for biotech and pharma? Speaking of deals, Merck is buying Terns for nearly $7 billion. Why are some people mad about it? You might be surprised to hear this, but off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies for cancer are still a thing. We preview an interesting data readout coming soon from Allogene Therapeutics. And finally, someone forgot to tell Wave Life Sciences that weight loss drugs are supposed to help people lose weight.
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  393: A conversation with the 'godfather' of biotech 20.03.2026 45min

  On this week's episode of "The Readout LOUD," we bring you a special conversation with Stelios Papadapolous, also know as the "godfather" of biotech. He sat down for an on-stage chat with our colleague Damian Garde Thursday afternoon during STAT’s Breakthrough Summit East event in New York City. We also chat about the latest biotech news, including new weight loss data from Structure Therapeutics and Eli Lilly, plus recent staff departures from the Food and Drug Administration.
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  392: Epstein's pal attempts a biotech comeback, and Prasad exits the FDA 12.03.2026 30min

  How was a known friend of Jeffrey Epstein able to raise $100 million, with the help of a prominent biotech VC? And will Vinay Prasad return to the Food and Drug Administration for a "three-peat"? Damian Garde joins Allison, Adam, and Elaine to discuss his article about Boris Nikolic, a well-connected biotech investor with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, who has raised a new biotech investment firm. The hosts also talk about Prasad's second exit from the FDA and a congressman's probing of the agency's rare disease drug denials. And they recap Novo Nordisk and Hims' detente and Xenon Pharmaceuticals' promising seizure data.
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  391: Breaching the IBD efficacy ceiling, and sham surgeries 05.03.2026 30min

  Will drugmakers finally be able to breach the efficacy ceiling in inflammatory bowel disease? And is the Food and Drug Administration being flexible enough with rare disease treatments? Spyre Therapeutics CEO Cameron Turtle joins the podcast to discuss his company's experimental IBD medications, and whether the drug industry is scraping the barrel in the search for better treatments. We also discuss the latest news in the life sciences, including the ongoing debate between the FDA and UniQure over its Huntington's disease therapy, as well as Moderna's mammoth patent settlement.