Matters of the heart

In the United States, 96.1 million people suffer from hypertension, and another 5.8 million from heart failure. However, investment in new therapies for these chronic diseases isn’t growing at the rates needed to keep up with the impact they have on human health or the economy, says the latest report from the BIO Industry Analysis team. 

The report: The BIO Industry Analysis team’s new report, The State of Investment and Innovation in Hypertension and Heart Failure, is the fifth in a series on the innovation landscape of highly prevalent, chronic diseases.

The key finding: Cardiovascular disease costs the American health care system more than twice as much as cancer ($275 billion versus $125 billion, respectively), but over the last 10 years, there has been 13 times more investment in cancer treatments ($15.5 billion) than cardiovascular therapies ($1.2 billion).  

Sure, the clinical pipeline for cardiovascular therapies has grown—by about 3% over four years. But compare that to the metabolic disease pipeline which has grown 66%, or the immunology and cancer pipelines which have each grown by more than 40%.

Only ONE new drug class for hypertension has been approved in 20 years—yet despite the growing footprint of the disease, Phase I trials have declined drastically in the last decade.

Why it matters: These chronic diseases have a huge impact on the U.S. health care system, with total cases and costs expected to rise (to $655 billion by 2035), but investment isn’t growing at the rates needed.

You’re going to bring up drug pricing, aren’t you? Yup. Both investors and biotech researchers say international price indexing would chill investment in new cures. And the millions of patients suffering from these diseases can’t afford to miss out on the little investment they already get.

Dave’s Details: Cures for cardiovascular disease are far from one-size-fits-all, and much more work is needed to understand the pathophysiology of different subtypes of diseases, causes, and genetic risk factors so we can develop more effective therapies with fewer side effects. Advancements in science and a policy environment that stimulates greater investment in R&D are necessary. – David Thomas, BIO’s VP of Industry Analysis

More Health Care News: 

Bloomberg: Travel ban won’t help contain coronavirus, House panel told
“The travel restrictions are unlikely to keep the virus out of the U.S. because it’s spreading too quickly and too silently to know when someone in another country might be carrying it." 

Nature: Step aside CRISPR, RNA editing is taking off
“RNA editing…could allow clinicians to make temporary fixes that eliminate mutations in proteins, halt their production or change the way that they work in specific organs and tissues. Because cells quickly degrade unused RNAs, any errors introduced by a therapy would be washed out, rather than staying with a person forever.”

It's the same biotechnology innovation conference you know and love—with a new and improved name. Meet BIO IMPACT, the conference FKA BIO World Congress. Here’s the scoop.

About the conference: For nearly two decades, the BIO World Congress has brought together thought leaders from around the world to discuss new ideas for the biobased economy and make critical partnerships to spur investment.

Now, it has a new name:BIO IMPACT Ag & Environment Conference, which more accurately reflects the focus on agriculture and environment biotechnology transforming the way we eat, move, and build—think food and farm innovation, sustainable fuels, and manufacturing developments to help us move away from materials like fossil fuels and plastic. 

The date: September 21-24, 2020, in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of America’s growing hubs of innovation and technology.

The details: As always, the event will feature timely discussions, BIO One-on-One Partnering meetings, and opportunities to network with more than 1,000 attendees and pitch investors. 

Ready to make an impact?Start preparing for BIO IMPACT now by submitting a proposal to participate and watch for more details throughout the year. 

Read more:
How the biobased economy can help us meet our world’s shared sustainability goals.

More Agriculture & Environment News: 

Brookings Institution (Opinion): Why the purchase commitments in the US-China trade deal should not be replicated, ever
“One, this deal gives China leverage over the United States that it did not previously possess. Two, these commitments undermine market forces and the rules-based trading system, with both direct and strategic costs for the U.S.” 

South China Morning Post (Opinion): Despite the US-China trade war deal, investors should brace for a widening chasm between the two countries
“US and Chinese economic policy may increasingly diverge…It is likely that, in the next decade, almost by dint of their monopolistic position, regulation around the use of personal data and accountability for user-generated content could increase substantially.”