pharmaphorum Podcast

Towards a healthier world: Momentum in UK health system transformation, with Lee-Ann Farrell

In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Lee-Ann Farrell, Head of National Programmes at Johnson & Johnson, about what delivery will look like in practice when it comes to the National Cancer Plan, the 10-Year Health Plan, and the Life Sciences Sector Plan.
The conversation ranges what comes next following the clear policy direction of the Plans, including how the system can move from ambition to implementation, particularly in ensuring innovation is adopted consistently and at pace across cancer care.
Farrell discusses the role of innovative medicines within evolving care pathways – as ambitions grow around earlier diagnosis, improved outcomes, and care closer to home – as well the dual role of innovative medicines, both as drivers of better patient outcomes and as contributors to economic growth and system sustainability.
You can listen to episode 262 to go here of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it – and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Trustworthy and novel AI in clinical trial planning, with Kris Kaneta

In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Kris Kaneta, chief product officer at Norstella, which is helping life sciences companies speed up development with instant strategy recommendations.
Kaneta discusses AI in drug trials and commercialisation and just what’s possible when clinical AI has access to a data set robust enough to allow it to make real strategic recommendations.
Kaneta also touches upon why patient-level data is pharma's most important asset in the AI race and the roadblocks that stand in the way of further expanding the efficacy of AI for clinical trials.
You can listen to episode 261 to go here of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it – and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

The cardio-renal-metabolic space and obesity as a chronic disease, with Ramy Younes

In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Dr Ramy Younes, Corporate Vice President, Global Head of Clinical Development, CardioRenalMetabolism, at Boehringer Ingelheim.
The conversation explores the crisis beyond obesity that many clinicians and health systems are now grappling with: that obesity can’t be treated as a short-term, weight-loss lifestyle issue. Rather, it needs to be managed as a complex, chronic, multi-organ disease.
Younes discusses how liver disease is often missed in cardiometabolic risk and is referred to as the ‘liver blind spot’, as well as what integrated pathways can do to improve outcomes and ease system pressure.

On the power of T-cells, with Cedrik Britten

In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh sat down with Dr Cedrik Britten, chief medical officer at Immatics, to discuss novel PRAME-directed T-cell immunotherapies.
Targeting PRAME unlocks new treatment options for a broad patient population with significant unmet medical need. And to do so safely and effectively requires deep expertise in immunology, drug development, and beyond.
Britten explains how finding the right cancer target is only half the equation – the other half is creating the key that fits the lock to that cancer. So it is that, in addition to discovery of tumour-specific targets like PRAME, Immatics designs either engineered T-cell receptors (or TCRs) or bispecific molecules that recognise and bind to those targets.
Britten also shares his dreams for the future of the field; his hopes far into the distant horizon.
You can listen to episode 259 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it – and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Why everyone should care about longevity, with Boyang Wang

Longevity and healthspan have emerged rapidly as an increasingly serious category of healthcare study and investment. But there are a lot of ideas inside the industry and out about exactly what the goal is. Is it about extending lifespans as much as possible? Are we trying to live forever? Or do we just want to experience less physical and cognitive decline as we age?
In today’s episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, host Jonah Comstock speaks with Boyang Wang, the founder of Immortal Dragons, a $40 million Singapore-based fund focusing exclusively on moonshot longevity innovations.
In a broad-ranging conversation, they talk about popular misconceptions about the longevity space and why it’s something that everyone should care about. They talk a bit about specific areas of investment for Immortal Dragons like organ synthesis and gene therapy. And they try to look ahead into the future of a space which is all about getting us to that future alive and well.

A philosophical look at market turn in the Age of AI, with John Holodnak

Today, the life sciences sector is prioritising recruitment of leaders who can scale efficiently in capital-constrained environments, as well as focusing on hybrid operator-strategists who can integrate AI into R&D, clinical, and commercial workflows.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with John Holodnak, co-founder of Occam, about how AI is beginning to reshape career paths across life sciences.
Holodnak discusses AI’s transformation of functional roles in life sciences, such as regulatory, market access, and business development, and explores the breakdown of linear career paths and way ahead for biotech and pharma professionals tomorrow.
You can listen to episode 257 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it – and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Providing patient access to new therapies, with Dean Erhardt

Pharma and tech companies are working more closely together than ever. As proven by the news of Merck and NVidia’s new partnership, for example. But while the idea of using AI for drug discovery has been around for a while now, patient access has an awfully long way to catch up to the promise of these new therapies.
In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Dean Erhardt, founder of D2 Solutions, an end-to-end strategic partner delivering industry-leading consulting and purpose-built technologies to pharma manufacturers, hospitals, pharmacies, payers & PBMs.
The conversation focuses on the disconnect between distributions, reimbursements, and patient services, particularly when it comes to speciality medicines, as well as patient access today versus the state of patient access tomorrow, and the benefit or otherwise of price protection guarantees with PBMs, when it comes to new therapies.
You can listen to episode 256 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it – and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Pushing through barriers to commercial launch success, with Amanjeet Singh Saluja

Despite billions spent on new technology and improving data analytics, companies continue to struggle with commercial launch success, with around 35% of launches missing expectations since 2012.
Why is launch underperformance such a big problem, and why isn’t technology alone offering a sufficient solution? In a special episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, sponsored by Axtria, we spoke with Amanjeet Singh Saluja, a Principal at Axtria, about the current state of affairs in launch success.
In our conversation, Singh Saluja digs into the strategic and institutional causes of failed launches and what strategies can help redeem them. He also discusses some of the external forces that have reshaped the pharma commercialisation industry, and how to keep pace with those trends and changes.
Finally, of course, we talk about agentic AI. Even though it may not be a silver bullet, when used correctly, in the right strategic context, it can make a big difference.
Meet Singh Saluja and other senior life sciences commercialisation leaders at Axtria Ignite 2026, an invitation-only event where the industry works through these challenges and more. June 10-11th in Princeton, NJ. Register here.
 
About the Interviewee
Amanjeet Singh Saluja is a seasoned leader in AI, analytics, and cloud software. He currently heads a Strategic Business Unit at Axtria Inc., a leading global provider of AI and cloud solutions to the life sciences industry. Singh Saluja has built, scaled, and exited three successful ventures, and is the original inventor of a US patent for collection cycle optimisation through advanced analytics. He brings 26 years of experience advising Fortune 500 clients in financial services, life sciences, and MedTech on risk management, commercial strategies, and artificial intelligence. He has been recognised in Marquis Who’s Who in 2025.
Singh Saluja is particularly skilled at driving growth, improving sales efficiency, optimising costs, cultivating high-performing teams, and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence through executive leadership. He began his career in process re-engineering and strategy roles at KPMG and Andersen. Singh Saluja holds a degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He is passionate about leveraging AI and analytics to drive business success. 
About Axtria
Axtria helps life sciences companies harness the potential of data science and software to improve patient outcomes by connecting the right therapies to the right patients at the right time. The company is a leading global provider of award-winning cloud software and data analytics to the life sciences industry. We’re proud to deliver proven solutions that help pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics companies complete their journey from data to insights to action, enabling them to earn superior returns on their investments. As a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, Axtria is committed to aligning strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, and taking actions that advance societal goals. For more information, please visit www.axtria.com.

Every drug is a story, with Thomas Goetz

Here at pharmaphorum we tend to focus on the latest developments in the pharmaceutical space. And to be fair, that’s quite a lot to keep us busy. But the history of pharma is full of incredible stories that might just be new to a lot of people, even those inside the industry.
On today’s episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, host Jonah Comstock speaks with Thomas Goetz, former executive editor of Wired; co-founder of Iodine, a drug data company that was acquired by GoodRx; and, most recently, creator and host of the Drug Story podcast.
Each episode of Drug Story dives into the story behind a particular drug and the condition that it treats, unlocking fascinating morsels of history and, indeed, current controversies along the way.
Goetz discusses the inspiration for the show and what he hopes listeners will take away from it. He also talks about how his perspective is neither pro- nor anti-pharma, but about recognising pharmaceutical medicine as the socially and morally complex market that it is.
Take a listen for a taste of how every drug contains a multitude of stories, and then check out season 1 of Drug Story if you want a little more.

Looking to gene therapy for ocular diseases, with Lance Baldo

In a new episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Lance Baldo, CEO of Beacon Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company harnessing the transformative power of gene therapy to deliver meaningful outcomes for severe ocular diseases.
Baldo discusses the ocular disease landscape, as well as Beacon’s work targeting X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) and geographic atrophy (GA), and what the future could look like in terms of innovation in this field.
You can listen to episode 253 of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it – and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.