Another American technology based on Chinese technology

Qsentiment is mounting as Donald Trump returns to the White House. One particularly important one: His relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. What effect will it have on US vaccines? We tackle that question today, discuss another US biotech initiative to use Chinese technology, and more.

How RFK Jr.’s vaccine opinion how he can affect the policy

President-elect Trump’s decision to immunize well-known vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health policy responsibilities have raised questions about whether they can change government agencies to challenge or delay vaccine approvals and recommendations — and fan the flames of vaccine skepticism. Although Kennedy is not expected to run the health agency himself, he could still play a major role in changing expert panels like the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Kennedy could undermine public confidence in vaccines through public announcements, STAT’s Lizzy Lawrence and Timmy Broderick write.

“RFK has become influential in discouraging people from using vaccines, even though he’s not part of the government right now,” one health policy professor at George Washington University told STAT.

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How a Trump presidency could affect biotech

Is less regulation by the Food and Drug Administration good for the biotech industry? Do vaccine makers like Pfizer have a target on their back now? And the organization “Make America Healthy Again” helped by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will reduce the market for obesity drugs?

We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. To dig into how the election results could affect all things biopharma, we brought in three guests for the event: Lizzy Lawrence, STAT’s FDA reporter; Baird Auditor Brian Skorney; and longtime biotech executive Daphne Zohar.

Listen here.

Another American technology based on Chinese technology

Venture firm Aditum Bio yesterday announced a new company in the autoimmune field called Oblenio Bio. It is developing a T-cell-specific compound called LBL-051 aimed at targeting antibody-dependent diseases. This science is licensed from China-based Leads Biolabs.

Many American investors start companies that claim to license technology from China. At the same time, Congress continues to crack down on some Chinese companies with laws like the BIOSECURE Act. President-elect Trump, meanwhile, has a history of escalating tensions with Beijing, and has threatened large tariffs and duties on Chinese imports. It remains to be seen whether venture capitalists will continue to promote the China-centric licensing model.

It’s clear from Cassava Science

Rick Barry, CEO of Alzheimer’s company Cassava Sciences, tried yesterday to dispel misconceptions and misconceptions about the upcoming Phase 3 data on the company’s controversial drug, simufilam. Barry said on the earnings call that everyone will soon see “whether our hopes are right or wrong before too long.”

There have been widespread errors in Cassava’s early data, and mounting evidence suggests that simufilam is ineffective, as STAT’s Adam Feuerstein reported. Barry said the company will be reporting whether the treatment met its primary endpoint, rather than analyzing the data to determine effectiveness in other areas.

“Given the scrutiny this company is under, you can expect us to measure twice and double check before reporting our results,” Barry said. Even Adam was impressed.

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