Month: September 2022

EXECUTIVES WITH JAPAN'S BIOTECH INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (JBA) discussed with me the issues they face. Despite creating hundreds of startups, and Bioclusters, they need a success. Their international BioJapan conference has a low participant to meeting ratio, and needs more international delegates. Japan is new to partnering. They are making strong efforts to connect to other Bioclusters worldwide. They recognize that Japan is a tough place for foreigners to navigate, and acknowledge that help is needed. The language and complexity of transportation require a local guide to help foreigners. View in LinkedIn

ON THE BULLET TRAIN BETWEEN TOKYO AND KYOTO, it seemed that a squirrel could travel rooftop to rooftop between the two great cities without touching the ground. This immense population density was also concentrated in land that was a flat coastal plain barely above sea level. No housing was in the hills, unlike California. This seemed precarious. for obvious reasons. The reason? Most people rely on the excellent public transportation system. California, is a ruggedly individualistic car culture. Japan is exactly the opposite: a group-centric public transportation society. View in LinkedIn

TOKYO IS A BUSY, VIBRANT CITY, honest, polite, clean and friendly. I accidentally left my wallet on a coffee table and a client ran down the street to return it to me. The memorable intense rail commute where people are crushed together relies on the absence of pick-pockets. A society that has 1,500 seismic trembles a year naturally seeks safety and predictability in rigid complex social rules. During the day modest, quiet and orderly, they let their hair down in bars at night in large boozy male groups, bonding and rebonding the important societal glue, month after month, year after year. View in LinkedIn

JAPAN AND CATALUNYA SHARE IMPORTANT SIMILARITIES. Both have invested in the Knowledge Revolution. Both have created decent Bioclusters. Both need a real success to be a Tipping Point for capital access in Biopharma. Both have the Nail That Sticks Up issue (ambition is too individualistic). Both need access to experienced international entrepreneurs. Both are very honest cultures which place a high value on friends and family. There are lessons to be learned from each for the other. View in LinkedIn

SMART INSULIN NANOPARTICLES RELEASE DRUG IN RESPONSE TO GLUCOSE AND LASTS FOR TEN DAYS. Now we are trucking! View in LinkedIn

NANOPARTICLE PAYLOAD MODELING. View in LinkedIn

NANO TNF ALPHA FOR CANCER ENTERS PHASE II. BETTER TARGETING, LESS TOXICITY. View in LinkedIn

A FRESH LOOK AT DATA SUGGESTS BIO RETURNS ARE EARLIER THAN THOUGHT. This shows that some strongly held VC views are prejudices without a factual basis. Great work collecting the data! Make this break the urban myth! http://lnkd.in/wVEBEz View in LinkedIn

BUST THE URBAN MYTH THAT ALL DRUG DEVELOPMENT COSTS OVER 1Bn USD. These articles continue, sadly. The VC specialty pharma investments, hundreds, would mot exist if this were true. Again: Big Pharma costs for developing a new drug are staggering because of staggering inneficiencies, which do not exist in small companies. View in LinkedIn

OH PLEASE! THE URBAN MYTH OF THE COSTS TO DEVELOP A NEW DRUG perpetuates itself dishonestly. It only costs 1 Bn in bloated inefficient Big Pharma with huge carrying costs. But even this number is padded. Do they pay these sums for in-licensed drugs? Rarely. Usually these licenses are hundreds of millions, which pays back the investors in the licensee company very handsomely. You cannot talk out of both sides of the mouth and retain credibility, except with gullible reporters! Let's keep the dialogue honest!! View in LinkedIn