Vanguards of Health Care by Bloomberg Intelligence

“We’re here to lower the cost of prescription drugs for every American,” Mark Thierer, CEO of Waltz Health explains to Bloomberg Intelligence in this episode of the Vanguards of Health Care podcast. Thierer joins BI senior health care analyst Jonathan Palmer to discuss Waltz’s Marketplace Search solutions for pharmacies and payers and why the upcoming launch of its Intelligent Specialty Engine is a game changer. He also shares his insights into the latest trends affecting the PBM industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We are driving the market to exome and genome testing with a goal of making multigene panels be a thing of the past” Katherine Stueland, CEO of GeneDx, tells Bloomberg Intelligence’s analyst Jonathan Palmer on this episode of the Vanguards of Health Care podcast. They discuss GeneDx’s 80% market share in exome sequencing, the evolution of the genetic testing market and why the company’s core mission is delivering clinically-actionable results in rare diseases.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Penumbra keeps a two-page list of key thrombectomy opportunities and technologies to innovate that allows it to keep transforming, presently with its computed-assisted vacuum technology (CAVT) for removing clots from the body, CEO Adam Elsesser explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. In this Vanguards of Health Care podcast episode, Elsesser sits down with BI analyst Matt Henriksson for an in-depth interview about Penumbra, how CAVT can sense the pressure differentials between clot and blood to suck clot when it’s there and close the valve when not in order to limit blood loss, and how a serendipitous lunch was enough for him to adapt and expand technology originally designed for neuro cases to also treat peripheral disease, which has become Penumbra’s largest and fastest-growing segment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dexcom is expanding its portfolio of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) with the launch of Stelo, balancing the needs of patients and payors to maximize the use of the technology, CEO Kevin Sayer explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. In this Vanguards of Health Care podcast episode, Sayer sits down with BI analyst Matt Henriksson for an in-depth interview about how G7, Dexcom’s flagship CGM, is capturing share in every market it’s in, how the launch of Stelo opens up CGM access to nearly 25 million Type 2 diabetes patients in the US and how any patient can order the new CGM without a prescription.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enovis is well positioned in the orthopedic market, combining small-cap focus on product innovation with large-cap functionality, CEO Matt Trerotola tells Bloomberg Intelligence. That includes its commercial team, balance sheet and M&A, which let it penetrate some of the fastest-growing segments. In this Vanguards of Health Care podcast episode, Trerotola sits down with BI analyst Matt Henriksson for an in-depth interview about Enovis, how its technology has gained an edge in shoulders and ankles, how its focus on ambulatory surgical centers has created a niche in knees and hips and how it has honed its M&A prowess to continually add new innovation to its portfolio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Wegovy was approved in 2021, patients began inquiring about whether Ro could build a product that would give them the “Ro experience” in weight loss: The company went to work at the end of 2021, spent all of 2022 building it, launched in 2023 and is now scaling up, CEO and co-founder Zachariah Reitano explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Vanguards of Health Care podcast, Reitano sat down with BI analyst Jonathan Palmer to discuss how the Ro platform is uniquely positioned to scale in chronic care, the drivers of unprecedented demand for GLP-1 drugs, how taking friction out of the patient experience led to early success and why he’s trying to recreate his physician father with technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Butterfly Network looks to streamline the ultrasound workflow and disrupt the incumbent market with its portable ultrasound technology that uses semiconductors instead of traditional crystals, CEO Joe DeVivo explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. In this Vanguards of Health Care podcast episode, DeVivo sits down with BI analyst Matt Henriksson to talk about Butterfly’s new iQ3 system that employs computer chips from TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.) to match the quality of traditional ultrasound, all in the palm of a physician’s hand. This has the potential to streamline ultrasound appointments as a point-of-care option that allows immediate scans and diagnostics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“People who engage with an Included clinician experienced an average of two additional healthy days per month,” Owen Tripp, CEO of Included Health, explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. Tripp joins BI analyst Jonathan Palmer for this episode of the Vanguards of Health Care podcast for a wide-ranging discussion on why “healthy days” are Included’s North Star, the evolution of navigation and why over 30% of the Fortune 500 has contracted with the company. The conversation also covers Included’s progress in leveraging its care-delivery franchise, work around identifying quality and how member-centric product design improves outcomes while creating value.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CathWorks has developed a mapping platform for coronary arteries that streamlines cases, with a subscription model that can potentially accelerate its adoption and transition doctors away from traditional catheters, CEO Ramin Mousavi explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. In this Vanguards of Health Care podcast episode, Mousavi sits down with BI analyst Matt Henriksson to talk about CathWorks, how the FFRangio technology takes a routine angiogram exam, or X-ray, and its in-house AI algorithm to create a 3D map of the arteries. He also discusses how the FastFFR clinical trial showed that using fractional flow reserve measurements has a 93% diagnostic accuracy, and the next steps in implementing a Netflix-style commercial model through its partnership with Medtronic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We started this company looking at the current genomics field and evaluating the gap we’re trying to fill,” Molly He, CEO and co-founder of Element Biosciences, explains to Bloomberg Intelligence. Dr. He joins BI analyst Jonathan Palmer on this Vanguards of Health Care podcast episode to discuss the intricacies of building a new gene-sequencing instrument from scratch, the challenges of getting customers to adopt technology from new entrants and why the extension of the AVITI system beyond DNA into protein and cellular analysis is so important.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.