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Willem Broekaert

Fake it till you fund it?

Silicon Valley investment gurus have long promoted the idea that startups should ‘fake it till you make it’ to become successful. The infamous fall of Theranos is a perfect showcase of how this attitude can turn into a disaster. We take a closer look at this philosophy of exaggeration and weigh up the merits of ‘fact vs. fiction’ when life sciences entrepreneurs are dealing with potential investors.

The hype cycle in life sciences investments: go with the flow or fight the current?

Everyone in the investment business is familiar with the phenomenon of technology hypes. These trends tend to come and go like inevitable tidal waves, and it’s easy to get swept up in the furious rush. But should you go with the flow, or are you better off swimming against the tide of technology trends?

Drug development trends: from common to orphan indications… and back again?

Over the past few decades, pharma has gradually shifted its target patient focus for newly launched drugs from large to niche populations. What has caused this trend, and is the pendulum of drug development swinging back again?

New GMOs on the horizon: say ‘cheese’!

To meet the challenges of climate change and global food demand, more VCs are investing in AgTech companies. A lot of these companies are using genetic modification to create better plant-based alternatives for animal products. One US company, Nobell Foods, is even developing casein-producing soybean plants that can be used to make plant-based cheese that tastes and melts like the real deal.

How to build the right team for start-up success

One of the key ingredients to start-up success is a stellar management team. Attracting (and retaining) the right kind of talent is a challenge though, especially when trying to balance the skills and personalities of different individuals. Getting this balance right is key to a well-rounded and cohesive team that will let a company grow into its full potential. Here is our advice on some important factors to bear in mind when building a life sciences management team.

Drug combos: how much is 1 + 1?

Many of our current antiviral, antibacterial and anti-tumour medications are comprised of combinations of two or three active substances, selected on the basis that these combinations slow down emergence of drug resistance. We are currently witnessing a rapid expansion of disease indications for which exploratory drug combos are being tested, as well as of the rationales for combining drugs. In this article, we examine the drivers behind this trend and the inherent caveats and complexities of drug combo development.

Why Are Start-Ups Such Hotbeds For Innovation?

A large proportion of new treatments and life sciences breakthroughs can often be traced back to humble beginnings in a start-up venture. Why is it that these smaller companies seem so adept at developing innovative products? What have they got that larger companies are lacking? V-Bio Ventures takes a look at some of the factors making start-ups hotbeds for innovation.

The million-dollar question: How much do you charge for a lifesaving drug?

The newest generation of ground-breaking gene therapy drugs, Zolgensma and Zynteglo, come with eye-catching price tags of more than a million dollars per treatment. Is the pharma industry recklessly overstepping a line here, or do they fall within current standards of value-based drug pricing? With more of these drugs soon to be rolling out of pharma pipelines, the stakes are rising high for patients, industry, governments, health insurance companies, as well as investors. It all warrants a deeper dive into the case.