Pharma Strategy Blog

This week I’ve been reading a fascinating book about Michael Oher’s journey to the NFL. The title?

The Blind Side.

And then I had a thought. That’s exactly what the cancer cell aims to protect it’s blind side from assault.

New developments in cancer (and peobably other therapy) treatments will come when scientists think strategically about attacking the vulnerabilities that either negate that protection or find new create ways to kill the menace.

Chemotherapy was used as blunt tool in the same way Lawrence Taylor was a one man sacking machine for the Giants. As offences evolved, smart defensive teams switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and had large, agile and athletic ends rush the passer. Strategy in football is constantly evolving on offence and defence.

What do we need now?

Maybe some creative and subtle gadget plays, such as nanotechnology approaches mentioned in the post on pancreatic cancer.

Or perhaps just thinking strategically out of the box as Gail Roboz did when she asked at the Chemotherapy Foundation, “why can’t we keep more people in remission?”

There are many other interesting examples evolving and being tested in company pipelines right now, as the Novartis-Incyte deal shows.

I’ll be interested in reporting what new at ASH next week: watch this space for more details!