International Business Today How Cancer Drug Development Works in Biotech with Dr. Giovanni Abbadessa
Only 1 in 10 cancer drugs survives to approval. Dr. Giovanni Abbadessa explains why people, not molecules, determine which ones make it.
From secret lab experiments that saved a shelved drug to multispecific antibodies that hit four targets at once, this is the full reality of biotech innovation. You'll learn why 68% of marketed drugs come from small biotechs, how China is outpacing US investment, and what NIH cuts mean for cancer treatment.
Dr. Giovanni Abbadessa is CMO at ModeX Therapeutics, leading clinical development of multispecific antibodies for cancer. Previously VP of Oncology Early Development at Sanofi, he spent 20+ years bringing drugs from lab to clinic, including a BTK inhibitor that led to ArQule's acquisition by Merck.
🧬 How a "dirty" drug everyone rejected led to a $20/share Merck acquisition
📉 Why ArQule's stock crashed from $6 to $1 after two failed Phase 3 trials
🔬 How ModeX's tetraspecific antibodies outsmart cancer resistance with four targets
🌏 Why China's biotech deals with global pharma grew by a third year over year
💸 How NIH cuts could halve PhD pipelines and shrink the drug development workforce
⚡ Why the biotech race is like Formula 1: lose a few seconds and you're lost
00:00 Intro: "Drugs don't develop drugs. People develop drugs."
01:33 From Naples to oncology: volunteering in India and choosing cancer research
06:50 Small biotech vs. big pharma when drug trials fail
10:30 Why ArQule's Phase 3 failed and the stock crashed to $1
12:20 Secret lab experiments and breakfast pancakes that rescued a shelved BTK drug
19:20 How the BTK inhibitor got ArQule acquired by Merck at $20/share
22:00 How ModeX's multispecific antibodies work: CD3, CD28, and T cell engagers
26:30 The 2006 TeGenero disaster and why CD28 must be carefully controlled
33:00 The tetraspecific advantage: moving binders to tune affinity
36:00 How oncology clinical trials work from Phase 1 to FDA approval
42:00 How NIH funding cuts ripple from PhD students to fewer drugs for patients
48:30 China's biotech rise: from copying molecules to leading innovation
54:00 The space race analogy: would the 1960s have defunded NASA mid-race?
56:00 Why scientists need to stop "speaking Latin" to the public
About the Guest: Dr. Giovanni Abbadessa is CMO at ModeX Therapeutics, developing multispecific biologics for cancer and infectious disease. Previously VP of Oncology Early Development at Sanofi, he oversaw 16 experimental drugs. He trained in oncology in Milan and holds a PhD in genetic oncology.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbadessa ModeX: https://www.modextherapeutics.com/team-member/giovanni-abbadessa/
About the Host: Ravi Sarathy is Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business and co-host of International Business Today.
Northeastern: https://damore-mckim.northeastern.edu/people/ravi-sarathy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravi-sarathy-5848705/
🎬 Watch: https://youtu.be/qVLkpHFkvZQ
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InternationalBusinessToday 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2y21XexVdXEiTBdZQIuSyf 🍎 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-business-today/id1665009512 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-business-today-by-northeastern-university/ 🌐 https://damore-mckim.northeastern.edu/podcasts/international-business-today/
🎓 Explore Northeastern's online programs → https://online.northeastern.edu/
#BiotechInnovation #IBTPodcast #NortheasternUniversity #GiovanniAbbadessa #DrugDevelopment #ModeXTherapeutics #CancerResearch #FutureOfMedicine #NIHFunding #ChinaBiotech #BusinessPodcast