Inside the growing world of biopharma prediction markets

Prediction markets are opening up new ways to bet on biopharma events, from clinical trial readouts to FDA approvals. But they also create a new set of risks for an industry where employees, researchers, contractors and others may have access to confidential information that could give them an edge. In this episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Biotech’s Will Maddox talks with David Oliwenstein, a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and former SEC enforcement attorney, about how regulators may approach misuse of nonpublic information in prediction markets, why biopharma could face heightened scrutiny and what companies should be doing now to reduce their risk. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Betting on biotech: Prediction markets set sights on clinical trials See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinical development organizations are facing mounting pressure to do more with increasingly complex protocols, larger data sets and tighter timelines. While automation has improved individual processes, many of the industry's most persistent delays continue to occur between tasks, systems and teams. In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, host Lauren Ledger sits down with Greg Lever, director of AI and Technology Solutions at IQVIA, to discuss why agentic AI is gaining attention across clinical operations. Lever explains how the conversation is shifting from task automation to workflow orchestration, with AI systems designed to coordinate activities, connect information and help reduce operational bottlenecks. The episode explores where sponsors can find the greatest opportunities for improvement, what it takes to move from pilots to enterprise-scale adoption, and how clinical roles may evolve as routine work becomes increasingly automated. The discussion also addresses the importance of data connectivity, governance and organizational readiness in building trusted AI programs. Listen now for a forward-looking conversation about how people, processes and intelligent systems could redefine the future of clinical trial execution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revolution Medicines recently made history with the approval of its RAS inhibitor Rasonque for advanced pancreatic cancer. But behind RevMed is an entire field of biotechs working to broaden the reach of RAS-targeting drugs. In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Biotech’s Darren Incorvaia sits down with Verastem Oncology CEO Dan Paterson and Chief Scientific Officer Jonathan Pachter, Ph.D., to discuss the significance of Revolution Medicines’ recent pancreatic cancer approval, Verastem’s work in the RAS-targeting space and how the company is trying to improve on existing approaches. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  FDA greenlights Revolution Medicines' pancreatic cancer gamechanger  As RevMed preps for ‘historic’ pancreatic cancer launch, questions linger on the ground  ASCO: Revolution Medicines confident in RAS leadership as rivals square up  AACR: Revolution sees pancreatic cancer win as 'tip of the iceberg' as RAS wave rises  Fierce 50 of 2026: Breakthrough honoree Verastem Oncology Fierce 50 of 2026: Breakthrough honoree Revolution Medicines  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 Fierce 50 includes people and organizations working on very different problems across biopharma and healthcare, from designing new proteins and developing cancer medicines to protecting vaccine science, improving health literacy and expanding representation in medicine. In this episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Editor-in-Chief Ayla Ellison looks at the stories behind several of this year’s honorees, including Revolution Medicines’ work targeting RAS, the protein-design research of David Baker, Ph.D., and Michael Osterholm, Ph.D.’s, decision to put plans to step back from public health on hold. The episode also explores the work of Lisa Fitzpatrick, M.D., Hip Hop Public Health, Eric Topol, M.D., and Mary Owen, M.D., and the problems they have chosen to keep working on.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The promise of precision medicine depends on more than scientific innovation. It also depends on whether eligible patients can be identified, tested and connected to the most appropriate treatment. In this episode of The Top Line, host Kelly Hogan is joined by Susanne Munksted, chief growth officer at Diaceutics, and Jordan Clark, chief customer officer, to discuss why many diagnostic-driven therapies still fail to reach their full potential. Drawing on findings from Diaceutics' practice gap studies, the conversation explores where patients are being lost across the diagnostic pathway and why improvements in testing have not always translated into better treatment decisions. The guests discuss increasing healthcare complexity, expanding biomarker requirements and the challenges clinicians face when making treatment decisions under time pressure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Fierce Pharma Week approaches, the Fierce Pharma Marketing team is taking stock of some of the biggest trends reshaping how drugmakers and healthcare agencies reach audiences. In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce’s Ben Adams and Zoey Becker discuss how pharma marketing is evolving across social media, creative work and agency strategy. They dig into the changing approach to HIV marketing, pharma’s experiments with platforms including Snapchat, and what a collaboration with MrBeast says about the industry’s efforts to reach new audiences. They also examine how healthcare agencies are putting AI to work, pharma’s return to the winner’s circle at Cannes and why Novo Nordisk built a maze along the River Thames in London this summer. The conversation comes as Fierce Pharma Week approaches Sept. 14-17 in Philadelphia. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  YouTuber MrBeast welcomes Amgen to the channel, kicking off pediatric cancer funding effort Inside agency view: Real Chemistry’s Frank Mazzola on audience nuance and rewarding creativity Snapchat creates ad format to support pharma disclosure needs Novo Nordisk asks public to ‘Meet Me in the Middle’ in new obesity experience installation Women’s ‘new health ecosystem’ takes shape on Reddit: report  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earnings calls are a chance to catch up with the latest developments across Big Pharma and beyond, and last quarter was no different. From the rollout of AI to the oral GLP-1 battle between Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and new leadership at Sarepta and Sanofi, it feels like the opportunities and challenges for biopharma have never been greater. In this week’s episode of "The Top Line," Fierce Pharma Senior Editor Fraiser Kansteiner and Fierce Biotech Senior Editor James Waldron share their takeaways from another whirlwind season of earnings calls. Alongside a Q2 scorecard breakdown, the Fierce editors discuss how several new CEOs are finding their footing, which drugs appear poised to cross the $1 billion sales threshold in 2026 and more. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Biopharma saw a Q2 sales boom led by Lilly, Sanofi, Regeneron and Astellas  Sanofi’s new CEO ‘looking deeply’ at late-stage pipeline as clinical clearout continues Novo CEO has 'no doubt' on eventual share price recovery as Wegovy pill continues to wow Sarepta’s new CEO Michael Severino faces critical milestones to prove growth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumerization is changing how patients engage with healthcare, and pharma companies may need to rethink how they approach awareness, diagnosis and commercialization. In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, host Irena Luo is joined by Rachel Stoll, Managing Partner, Growth & Innovation at Princeton10, and Kevin Nalty, Vice President of Strategy at Princeton10, to discuss how evolving patient behaviors are reshaping the healthcare journey. Together, they explore the impact of GLP-1s, telemedicine, AI, wellness technologies and other low-friction healthcare experiences that are raising expectations for convenience and accessibility. The conversation examines emerging gaps between health awareness and clinical diagnosis, the role of wellness tools and health data, and why some patients delay or avoid care altogether. The guests also discuss opportunities for pharma brands to rethink disease awareness, improve navigation to diagnosis and treatment, and borrow engagement strategies from successful consumer platforms that encourage long-term behavior change. Listen to hear practical insights on how brand teams can adapt their commercial strategies, identify hidden friction points and better meet the needs of today's healthcare consumer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having spent 14 years building out its capacity, Regeneron Genetics Center—the genomic research branch of the Tarrytown, New York-based pharma—is a pro when it comes to the sort of target validation work central to the field today. Now, as RGC continues the massive expansion of its genetic database, the center’s unique ability to interpret that trove of data could give it an edge in the age of AI-powered drug development. In this week’s episode of "The Top Line," Fierce’s Fraiser Kansteiner sits down with Andy Deubler, chief business and administrative officer at Regeneron Genetics Center, to discuss the role RGC plays in the larger Regeneron model, as well as where the center could be headed as drug development pushes into new technological frontiers. Aside from the data interpretation advantage RGC believes it holds in the AI era, Deubler also discusses how the unit’s ongoing genetic research has helped deliver recent breakthroughs like the hearing loss gene therapy Otarmeni. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Regeneron ushers in new genetic medicine era with groundbreaking gene therapy approval  J. Craig Venter launches genomics startup designed to boost diagnostic insights Genomics inks partnership deal with Greywolf to assess gene datasets How a new tool for large-scale gene editing could power novel genetic medicines   In global life sciences, insight isn’t the problem—execution is.  Disconnected dashboards, siloed teams and fragmented workflows make it harder to act—consistently, compliantly and at scale.  ZAIDYN by ZS closes that gap.  ZAIDYN is the Life Sciences Intelligence Platform that embeds intelligence in the flow of work, based on domain expertise and agentic AI across commercial, medical, patient and content work. Trusted by more than 150 life sciences organizations across over 100 countries, ZAIDYN is built for global scale, regulatory compliance and trusted AI—so teams act together across brands, markets and channels.  ZAIDYN. Move beyond reporting to intelligent action.  Learn more at ZAIDYN.aiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Novo Nordisk’s second-quarter earnings results this week were closely watched by analysts and investors eager to see whether the rollout of oral Wegovy could neutralize concerns about the pharma’s pipeline. Fierce spoke to Novo’s chief financial officer, Karsten Munk Knudsen, to dig into the figures, including the reasons behind the company’s decision to raise its full-year guidance and the launch of oral Wegovy across Europe. In the candid conversation, Knudsen also reflected on Novo’s “rollercoaster” journey in obesity, his approach to pursuing long-term growth for the company and why he’s “still optimistic” about CagriSema despite recent setbacks. To learn more about the topics in this episode:  Novo CEO accepts ‘couple of setbacks’ in R&D as CagriSema posts more mixed data Novo CEO has 'no doubt' on eventual share price recovery as Wegovy pill continues to wow ‘I’m a lot more optimistic today’: Mike Doustdar tells Fierce about pivotal first year as Novo Nordisk CEO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.