Ben Sidders on integrating causality in AI for R&D success

For AI to truly revolutionise drug discovery, it must move beyond pattern recognition and predictive analytics to include causality, which is essential for technical and regulatory success in drug discovery. In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Ben Sidders, chief scientific officer at Biorelate, a company leveraging advanced data science methods to transform the focus and impact of drug discovery and development. Sidders discusses how integrating causality in AI for biotechnology can drive greater R&D success, and more generally about how AI can contribute meaningfully and transparently to the advancement of biotechnology and drug development. You can also listen to episode 191a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy has attracted increasing attention in the treatment of refractory diseases that are not sensitive to current therapies, such as in oncology. In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Greg Piefer, founder and CEO of SHINE Technologies, a nuclear fusion company mastering more immediate applications of fusion – such as in producing cancer-fighting medicine. Piefer provides an overview of the nuclear medicine field and discusses clinical research that demonstrates that radiopharmaceuticals substantially improve the overall survival of patients with certain types of cancer. Additionally, the conversation touches upon why the US is so very behind in developing and commercialising these therapies. You can also listen to episode 190a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

The second annual HLTH Europe conference brought together health leaders, start-ups, investors, and developers from across the globe for a mid-year pulse check on where healthcare innovation stands today – and where it’s headed next. Amid economic uncertainty and shifting regulatory priorities, pharma, health tech, and care delivery are all racing to prove value and scale innovation. In this special extended episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, Deep Dive editor Eloise McLennan sat down with editor-in-chief Jonah Comstock for a candid debrief on the key themes, hot topics, and hallway conversations that shaped the event in Amsterdam. From the rise of GLP-1s and the push for true patient-centricity, to the potential (and pitfalls) of AI and the routes to funding bold new ideas, they unpack what’s hype, what’s real, and what still needs funding to take flight. Plus, exclusive interviews from the show floor: Benedikt von Thüngen, founder and CEO of Sanome, on how AI is helping the NHS predict the risk of hospital-acquired infections Fiona Costello from Brain+, on making cognitive stimulation therapy for dementia more accessible, scalable, and effective Nick Ross, co-founder of Invest in Equity, on why the future of life sciences investment must be built on gender equality You can listen to this episode, as well as previous episodes of the pharmaphorum podcast, in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series - on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

In today's healthcare landscape, there is a pressing need for quantitative methodologies that include the patients' perspective in any treatment decision. In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Marc Buyse, founder of IDDI and One2Treat, and also co-founder of CluePoints, about his recent work as one of the editors of – and a chapter contributor to – the first edition of "𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵-𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴", recently published by the Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. The conversation explores generalised pairwise comparisons (or GPCs), applications in various disease areas, implications for regulatory approvals and benefit-risk analyses, and considerations for patient-centricity in clinical research and treatment decisions. You can also listen to episode 189a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

At this year’s Veeva R&D and Quality Summit, it was revealed that Novo Nordisk and Veeva have entered into a new partnership for clinical development. In this episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Stephanie Bova, chief digital officer at Novo Nordisk, and Rik van Mol, SVP R&D and Quality at Veeva, about the partnership, Novo aiming to accelerate clinical trials and launches by uniting business and IT on the Veeva Development Cloud to enhance collaboration, automation, and data consistency. It’s a mutual collaboration for addressing challenges and opportunities within these areas for Novo, while learnings from the collaboration will feedback into what Veeva does for the industry.  You can also listen to episode 188a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

The JCA process was passed into law by the European Union in 2022. The Joint Clinical Assessment is a process that will systematically assess all available clinical evidence for new drugs. Rolled out in stages, starting with oncology drugs and advanced therapy medicinal products this year, it will be fully implemented by 2030. In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh speaks with Tommy Bramley, SVP of market access and healthcare consulting at Cencora, about the JCA, as yet unanswered questions (at the time of the conversation) and the key challenges facing manufacturers. Bramley also discusses the work of Cencora within this changing landscape of drug clinical assessment. You can also listen to episode 187a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Originally employed in atomic physics, mass spectrometry is now an indispensable tool in modern science, and importantly medical science. In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Melissa Sherman, CEO of MOBILion Systems, a company pioneering next-generation separation science, by innovating best-in-class instruments that deeply, accurately, and efficiently characterise complex molecules. Sherman discusses the practical impact of this new technology for R&D, MOBILion's work with mass spectrometry technology at the moment, and the future horizon for this and NGS. You can also listen to episode 186a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Onsite at ASCO 2025 in Chicago, web editor Nicole Raleigh sat down with Dr Stacy Lindborg, CEO of IMUNON, to discuss the company’s oral presentation at the Congress from the Phase 2 OVATION 2 study of IMNN-001, an IL-12 immunotherapy, in women with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer – since published in the peer-reviewed journal Gynecologic Oncology today. Dr Lindborg shares her journey to her present role, the true potential shown in this new data for addressing unmet needs in advanced ovarian cancer, and the oncological space – and ASCO 2025 itself – more generally. You can also listen to episode 185a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

Osteosarcoma is an extremely challenging and often aggressive cancer that has particular treatment challenges due to location, changing genotypes, and high recurrence rates. It mostly affects children and young adults under 20 years of age. In a new pharmaphorum podcast, web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Paul Romness, president and CEO of OS Therapies, a company focused on the identification, development, and commercialisation of treatments for osteosarcoma (OS) and other solid tumours. Describing the current treatment landscape for primary and secondary bone cancer, Romness explains the potential of their own – OST-HER2, a bioengineered bacterial immunotherapy based on listeria. You can also listen to episode 184a of the pharmaphorum podcast in the player below, download the episode to your computer, or find it - and subscribe to the rest of the series – on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podbean, and pretty much wherever else you download your other podcasts from.

At ASCO 2025, Servier presented data in the IDH-mutated cancer space. Onsite at McCormick Place in Chicago, pharmaphorum web editor Nicole Raleigh spoke with Becky Martin, chief US medical at Servier about the key data from the company’s Tibsovo and Voranigo programmes, as well as the implications for patients and the wider themes of the Congress this year. Listen to this and other interviews from ASCO 2025 here.