Dr. Licholai's insights.
Predicting Human Disease With Generative Models
The latest breakthrough in Nature demonstrates something unprecedented: the large-scale use of transformer-based large language models (LLMs) to model how human disease unfolds across lifetimes. While AI chatbots like ChatGPT have captured headlines for mimicking conversation, this work shows their potential to transform healthcare. For the first time, researchers have applied the architecture of generative AI to predict individual health risks, creating a comprehensive model of disease progression. The result is not just a scientific milestone but a signpost for the future of medicine, prevention, and policy.
Global Drug Development Shifts East
The pharmaceutical industry is experiencing its own “DeepSeek moment,” according to science writer Hiya Jain. Just as the upstart AI breakthrough caught Silicon Valley off-guard, China is emerging as a formidable force in drug development, fundamentally altering the global landscape of medical innovation.
Eddie Vedder Amplifies Fight Against Children's Butterfly Disease
Pearl Jam’s frontman turns his platform into a powerful force for epidermolysis bullosa research, just as breakthrough gene therapies offer unprecedented hope.
FDA’s Conditional Approval Plan Would Unleash Biotech Innovation
In a move that could dramatically reshape the landscape for rare disease treatments, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has announced plans to create a new pathway for drugs targeting rare conditions. This announcement signals a potential paradigm shift in how the FDA approaches drug approvals for conditions affecting small patient populations—a change that many experts believe is long overdue. “We’re going to be rolling out a new pathway for drugs, which is a pathway based on a plausible mechanism,” Makary said in an April interview with The Megyn Kelly Show. This straightforward but profound statement encapsulates a significant philosophical pivot in the agency’s approach to drug evaluation.
Breakthrough Gene Therapy For Butterfly Children’s Disease
A revolutionary treatment brings new hope to those suffering from a devastating rare skin disorder, while showcasing an innovative funding model that could transform rare disease research.
AI Superintelligence Startup Promises New Drug Discoveries
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming nearly every industry, the intersection of AI and drug discovery is emerging as one of the most promising frontiers. The recent rise of companies like Lila Sciences and Recursion Pharmaceuticals reflects growing confidence among investors and researchers that AI could unlock previously unattainable scientific insights, accelerating drug discovery and reshaping scientific exploration.
Inflation Reduction Act Unintended Consequences For Medical Innovation
In 2022, the Biden Administration enacted the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a sweeping piece of legislation aimed at reducing healthcare costs. Among its most significant provisions was the ability for Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, a move that was hailed as a potential game-changer for lowering healthcare expenses. While the immediate effects of the IRA’s price negotiations are being keenly felt by consumers and the healthcare industry, the long-term impact on biopharmaceutical innovation, particularly in early-stage drug development, is becoming a growing concern.
AI Simulations Help Drug Trials
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming nearly every industry, the intersection of AI and drug discovery is emerging as one of the most promising frontiers. The recent rise of companies like Lila Sciences and Recursion Pharmaceuticals reflects growing confidence among investors and researchers that AI could unlock previously unattainable scientific insights, accelerating drug discovery and reshaping scientific exploration.
One-Third Of Former NFL Players Think They Have Chronic Brain Injury, Study Says
Fans of contact sports like football, boxing or soccer are aware of the risks of injury to the brain. Repeated blows to the head can cause a condition known as traumatic brain injury, which can have serious consequences. But for American football players, the risks may be even greater.
AI Tool Speeds Drug Repurposing: And It’s Free
Innovative approaches to drug discovery are needed to help find effective treatments for the myriad of diseases that afflict humanity. The process is extremely lengthy and expensive, with timelines up to 15 years and costs over a billion dollars. Now TxGNN, a groundbreaking artificial intelligence model, has been developed, promising to improve the way opportunities are identified for diseases with limited treatment options and made available for free to encourage clinician-scientists advance the search for new therapies.
Artificial Intelligence Needs A Shrink
There are widely reported concerns about ChatGPT hallucinations. If this were a human being, we’d be assessing their psychological fitness. As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to permeate our world and move toward artificial general intelligence (AGI), we will need to have a new breed of mental health professionals … digital psychiatrists.
New Therapeutic Promise For Fibromyalgia
A novel approach using a non-invasive, painless laser called Fibrolux offers new hope for fibromyalgia, a notoriously challenging condition that affects about 4 million US adults, about 2% of the adult population, and is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared device for the condition. The laser treatment was shown to reduce pain by more than half and the number of pain points by 20% or more in 87% of patients in a clinical study.
Revolutionizing Chronic Back Pain
Chronic low back pain, a formidable foe causing disability and soaring healthcare costs, now faces a promising breakthrough. A recent study unveils a surprising protagonist in the realm of back pain, introducing a groundbreaking restorative approach that boasts clinically proven "substantial and durable" benefits for the multitude grappling with this persistent affliction.
It’s Time For ‘Nutrition Labels’ In Artificial Intelligence
Today software does not come with information labels that clearly says what you’re about to use in standard, simple language. But what if it did? Regulators use nutrition labels to prevent false advertising and promote food safety. We have an opportunity to re-think health technology labeling to rebuild trust and help people make better choices. Imagine if the new wave of generative artificial intelligence (AI) products had clear labels to engage the public about risks and benefits. Perhaps some of the issues from the recent OpenAI board coup and governance concerns could have been addressed using adequate education and warnings.
Entrepreneurs Use AI To Transform Clinical Trials
AI has been making headlines in the last year for its potential use in logistics, business, technology, healthcare, and more. But what about clinical research? We expect sponsors and clinical researchers will leverage AI to improve trials in multiple ways.
Congress Navigating The Future Of AI In Healthcare
In the era of rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) stands as a transformative force with the potential to revolutionize various sectors, including healthcare, education, and the labor market. Its capabilities are impressive, from speeding up drug discovery to enhancing personalized learning. Harnessing the power of AI also brings with it a set of challenges and ethical concerns. As we tread into the uncharted territory of AI integration, Congress and the FDA have taken on the responsibility to ensure that we strike a balance between maximizing its benefits and minimizing its risks.
AI In Clinical Research: Now And Beyond
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in clinical research is rapidly evolving, offering a glimpse into a future where medical innovation is driven by data-driven algorithms. Recent developments, regulatory considerations, and the promising future of AI in clinical research are reshaping the landscape of drug development and patient care.
AI Is Game Changer For Toughest Areas Of Drug Discovery
The world of drug research and development is undergoing a seismic shift, thanks to the power of artificial intelligence, according to industry experts. Machine learning and predictive algorithms focused on large molecules such as antibodies are creating a new era in which drug discovery is getting faster and more efficient. Traditionally one of the most complicated areas of research, these advances are happening now with major investment coming from pharma and venture capital.
Combating The Growing Rate Of Unnecessary Surgeries
U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems are being accused of supporting high rates of unnecessary elective surgeries, putting profits before patients, and not providing patient-centered, evidence-based care. Doctor-led Vori Health is helping address inappropriate spine surgeries through a more integrated approach to musculoskeletal (MSK) care
Tackling The Youth Mental Health Crisis With Virtual Intensive Outpatient Treatment
Amidst the current mental health crisis, the demand for innovative and scalable solutions has reached unprecedented importance. Though several new therapeutic interventions have emerged over the past five years, there still exists a noticeable gap in meeting the specific needs of high-acuity patients. Charlie Health is on a mission to change this by making a more intensive level of care available to young people.
AI Poised To Revolutionize Drug Development
There has been much discussion recently about how artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) will revolutionize pharmaceutical research. Substantial progress has been made in the discovery and identification of new drugs enabled by AL/ML. Now the clinical testing process is being revitalized by advances in technology. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is paving regulatory groundwork with a new discussion paper regarding AI/ML in drug development.
Joy Is Next Frontier Of Precision Medicine
Medical entrepreneurs and precision medicine researchers are asking a surprising question … “Can we measure joy?”
First Ever Topical Gene Therapy Approved For “Butterfly Disease” Children
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a transformational treatment for one of the most tragic of pediatric skin diseases. The first-of-its kind topical gene therapy for epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is expected to be available in the United States in the third quarter of 2023 under the name is VYJUVEK according to Krystal Biotech (KRYS.O). EB is a rare, debilitating skin disorder characterized by fragile skin that blisters and tears easily. The young people affected by EB are sometimes called “Butterfly Children” because of their highly fragile skin. Current treatment options primarily focus on managing symptoms and preventing infection, but the groundbreaking gene therapy
Innovation, Regulations And Safety
Regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) play an important role in supporting innovation by promoting safety. By establishing standards for the safety and efficacy of drugs, medical devices, and other products, regulators help to ensure that these products are of high quality and that they meet the needs of patients and consumers.
Compelling Economics Of Decentralized Trials
Better, faster, cheaper is the aspiration for many innovations including those affecting pharmaceutical trials. A recent study from the respected Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) has shown that decentralized clinical trials can deliver results more quickly with both improved savings and quality compared to most traditional trials
Renaissance In Precision Neuroscience Expected
This week saw considerable optimism and promise for neuroscience research. The announcement regarding a late-stage Alzheimer’s drug infused excitement into a field that has had disappointments and clinical failures over the years. Scientists and industry experts at the Precision Neuroscience Summit predicted a renaissance in research and development, and that by 2030 there will be system-level innovations to further accelerate breakthroughs ranging from early neurodiagnostics, interventions and artificial intelligence (AI) enabled clinical trials using novel endpoints.
Massive Digital Library Released To Accelerate Clinical Research And Cut Costs
Health technology startup HumanFirst is changing the way clinical trials are run by putting people at the center of drug development. The company already works with many leading pharmaceutical companies and CROs through their AtlasPro offering–the industry’s most comprehensive library of digital measures and technology–and has just released a new platform called AtlasEDU.
Vori Health Transforms Back And Joint Pain Treatment
Neurosurgeon Dr. Ryan Grant and Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mary O’Connor want to transform musculoskeletal care by doing less surgery. They are building a multi-billion dollar health service company. Dr. O’Connor is the previous Chair of Orthopedics at Mayo Clinic in Florida and Dr. Grant’s track record as a successful serial entrepreneur means that Vori Health will have a major impact in the musculoskeletal market that affects up to 50% of adults throughout the world.
Covid Bumped High End Travel To Safe (And Exclusive) Places
Covid has been catastrophic to human welfare, public health and many jobs. The pandemic shutdown devastated much of the travel industry, which is only just showing signs of recovery. Estimates are that there was $2 trillion in lost revenue to hotel chains, airlines and others over the past two years. According to the World Travel Organization international tourist arrivals declined globally by 73 percent in 2020, with about a billion fewer travelers
Diagnostic Industry Shifts In Response To Covid, Patient Demands
Better availability and a new type of “open-source diagnostics” are coming as a response to increased demand for molecular testing during Covid. This is good news for consumers, similar to other open-source technologies that have spurred innovation, expanded markets, increased scalability and created applications faster. Large manufactures like Abbott and Labcorp have worked to make home testing available, and smaller companies like Enzo Biochem have restructured to make testing technologies, products, reagents and assays based on an novel open-source platform.
Digital Age Offers New Promise For Suicide Screening, Risk Assessment And Treatment
Digital medicine and telehealth are yielding promising applications in suicide prevention and identification of people at-risk. Behavioral health service leaders are responding and partnering with providers of digital health solutions in order to reduce suicide attempts via early identification such as the recently announced partnership between Beacon Health Options and Oui Therapeutics.
Lessons And Rewards Of A Serial Entrepreneur’s Life
One silver lining of the Covid-19 catastrophe has been the surge in medical innovation and new digital technologies. The next generation of emerging health tech entrepreneurs will need role models and best practices if they are to prosper in the uncertain policy landscape and economic upheaval of post-pandemic America. We can learn from successful innovators whose principles have endured the test of time
If You Build It ... Haven’s Demise Foretold
Recently the vaunted Haven joint venture created by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase announced it was shutting down as reported by Forbes and others. So could Haven’s downfall have been predicted?
Bringing Routine Covid-19 Testing Into The Home
Great news that vaccines are getting approved. Attention is now on who gets the medications and when. However, experts continue to say that widespread Covid-19 testing is critical to help contain the pandemic even during vaccine roll out. We need convenient tests that can quickly and accurately identify individuals who are capable of transmitting the infection.
New PTSD Sleep Disturbance Product Receives FDA Clearance
A novel personal digital device for the reduction of sleep disturbance due to nightmares from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The NightWare device relies on patented intelligent software and uses an Apple Watch. It can recognize individual sleep patterns and senses physiologic changes that occur when the wearer experiences a nightmare or sleep disturbance
Digital Medicine And Remote Monitoring Receives Boost From New Playbook
A new Digital Measures Playbook was unveiled to help doctors and companies develop safe and effective clinical measures across patient care, research and public health. This is the latest multidisciplinary effort co-led by Elektra Labs and the Digital Medicine Society (DiME), a volunteer professional group created to drive scientific progress and broad acceptance of digital medicine to enhance public health in partnership with industry and academia
This Portable Bedside MRI Device Has Received FDA Clearance
A new portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system recently received clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This novel technology represents an new point-of-care imaging category and comes at a time when healthcare experts are seeking more affordable and accessible diagnostic solutions
Fitbit Atrial Fibrillation Approval Revs Up Competition With Apple Watch
Fitbit announced this week regulatory clearance in both the US and Europe for its electrocardiogram (ECG) app to identify atrial fibrillation (AFib). The company received an 510(k) designation for its app to assess AFib, a condition that affects more than 33.5 million people globally. According to the company, the new ECG app allows people to take on-the-spot readings to check for AFib at any time. It adds to the expanding suite of applications Fitbit has been racing to incorporate into its wearable devices such as blood oxygen measurement and early detection of COVID-19
Johnson & Johnson, Apple’s New Virtual Trial Model Shows Early Enrollment Success
Johnson & Johnson and Apple recently launched a first-of-its-kind randomized virtual clinical trial and is already enrolling patients dramatically faster than standard studies. The Heartline trial is designed to explore if its heart healthy app, paired with the Apple Watch’s irregular rhythm notification (IRN) and electrocardiogram (ECG) apps, can help reduce the risk of stroke. The new virtual model means that people can participate remotely throughout the entire study without having to travel to research sites. Heartline opened to enrollment on February 25 and the study rapidly had 4,000 patients signed up within the first days after study launch.
Digital Therapeutics Leaders Focus On Reimbursement
This past week the DTx (Digital Therapeutics) West conference was held in Silicon Valley. CEOs, venture capitalists, and executives met to debate the state of digital healthcare. Surrounded by technology giants such as Oracle and Google, DTx leaders discussed how the industry needs to solve its reimbursement conundrum in order to keep growing
Digital Healthcare Growth Drivers In 2020
It has been an extraordinary time for digital medicine and the new year will bring continued growth. The key drivers are expanded patient engagement as well as institutional investment with the ultimate goal of reducing costs. Big pharma, payers and insurance companies have recognized the business benefits of patient empowerment. Digital applications are helping patients become better decision makers for their own health by providing personalized insights. As companies and legislators seek to reduce health costs, digital tools are ever more attractive options to drive efficiencies.
Digital Health Trial Uses AI For Better Epilepsy Treatment Decisions
Imagine having to choose from over 14,000 different treatment scenarios to decide which drugs might be best for a child or a loved one affected by epilepsy. This is what faces many families according to the experts at Stanford and doc.ai who have announced a new type of clinical trial using artificial intelligence (AI). The project’s goal is to help make the process more scientific using population data and less prone to lengthy individual trial-and-error. Researchers are analyzing medications, side effects, genomic information, environmental exposures, activity and even physical traits. This type of work produces vast amounts of information and requires so much processing power that it can only be performed by the latest AI systems
AI Policies Are Setting Stage To Transform Healthcare But More Is Needed
White House and federal leaders have been working behind the scenes to lay the groundwork to use technology for dramatic improvements in healthcare. Since the announcement of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Initiative earlier this year there has been increased funding and agency proposals that will lead to more accurate diagnoses, earlier treatments and ultimately empower patients be in control of their own health. But even more attention is needed to keep America competitive on the global AI front.
Digital Medicine Movement Is Growing Up And That’s A Good Thing
There has been a lot of hype about the digital transformation of healthcare. Some commentators are beginning to say the field is growing too fast and others say it has already peaked. Sure, there have been many promises but now the initial exuberance is being tempered as people focused on responsible progress and real payment models come into the picture, setting the stage to help address healthcare’s many problems
Digital Therapeutics Hot Summer With Major IPOs and First Oncology App
This is an exciting summer for the Digital Therapy (DTX) industry. Recently Voluntis announced marketing authorization of the first oncology disease management software platform. This comes on the heels of two impressive IPOs for digital health companies Livongo and Health Catalyst. Livingo achieved a valuation of over $3 billion on its first day, and Health Catalyst was over $1 billion. This is welcome news since venture capitalists have invested billions into DTX but have been waiting for liquidity in public markets. Voluntis was one of the first in this category to go public on Euronext Paris in 2018.
Digital Company Propeller Finds Success With Public Health
Propeller Health is a digital company that has positive clinical results as well as financial success. Last year Propeller was acquired for $225 million after being named a Most Innovative Company. It also has public health as a core mission. Business models that promote social initiatives may prove to be a successful formula for digital medicine.
The Digital Medicine Society Is Developing Evidence-Based Standards For Digital Health
Professional groups and industry-wide collaborations are emerging to drive the growth of healthcare innovation. The development of high-quality, evidence-based products and services is now being supported by the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) as well as the existing Digital Therapeutic Alliance (DTA).
Verily's OneFifteen Promises Self-Learning Healthcare
Verily, the life sciences arm of Google-parent company Alphabet, recently announced a new initiative called OneFifteen that promises to fulfill the long-awaited dream of a Learning Healthcare System (LHS) for addiction and rehabilitation. Defined as the alignment of science, informatics and incentives, LHS were originally proposed to address the country’s escalating healthcare problems and provide the best care at lower cost. However, the vision has been difficult to implement due to our fragmented healthcare structure. Now the power of Google’s technology, resources and connections are being applied to build a true self-learning health system.
Johnson & Johnson Plans Virtual Clinical Trial, Builds On Apple Heart Study Results
The results of the landmark Apple Heart Study, conducted by Stanford Medicine, were released at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 68th Annual Scientific Session and Expo last weekend. The virtual, observational study enrolled more than 400,000 participants over the age of 22 from all 50 states. The study was oversubscribed in a span of only eight months
Call For CRISPR Moratorium Echoes Early Days Of Gene Therapy
A group of influential scientists have urged that clinical use of CRISPR be put on hold in the wake of the Chinese gene-edited baby debacle. The call to suspend research on heritable germline DNA is reminiscent of the self-imposed moratorium when gene therapy first emerged in the 1970s. It is also a reminder that maintaining ethical standards is critical during the frothy times surrounding exciting novel medical technologies.
Digital Therapeutics Need Quality Standards
Quality standards are necessary to help promote adoption of the novel class of interventions called digital therapeutics. This rapidly emerging industry needs to bring together regulators, engineers, practitioners, and companies to agree on definitions that enable innovation, according to product development and regulatory specialists.
Can Digital Medicine Improve Drug Adherence
Lack of proper adherence to medications has been called a national epidemic. To help address the adherence problem multiple digital health solutions have been proposed with some concerns that there has been limited large-scale evidence to support adoption. A new program focused on oncology patients is attempting to make a difference using a value-based payment structure between a health system and technology company.
Nature Or Nurture? Genetics Matters More For Understanding Disease
Understanding exactly to what extent genetic versus environmental factors contribute to disease has been difficult to pinpoint despite many research efforts. A new extensive study suggests that genes generally count somewhat more than environmental factors with some exceptions. These findings build on the standard teaching in medical schools that environmental factors are equal to heredity in contributing to illness.
Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Puts On A Human Face
Can a selfie help predict your health risks? The doc.aiapp helps people to answer that question by applying artificial intelligence (AI) to health records provided by users. The company has attracted millions of dollars from strategic investors and uses novel techniques to engage customers
Digital Healthcare Growth Drivers In 2019
The digital transformation of healthcare will see significant growth in the next 12 months fueled by institutional interest in driving down costs and improving patient engagement. Expect increased pharma investment, improving regulatory status, payer engagement with digital tools and better telemedicine connectivity through consolidation.
Blood Test Detects Dozens Of Cancers Early
A new blood test capable of detecting more than 50 types of cancer has delivered highly promising results in one of the largest interventional screening trials to date. The PATHFINDER 2 study of the Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test showed a more than seven-fold increase in cancer detection rates when added to standard recommended screenings.
Reclaiming America’s Drug Innovation Edge
We are on a bureaucratic trajectory where American leadership in approving innovative medicines may not be sustainable and our most experienced pharmaceutical leaders are concerned. Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb recently warned in The Washington Post that pressure from the East threatens to erode our leadership in drug development.
Pfizer Bets Big On Obesity Market
Pfizer $4.9 billion cash acquisition of Metsera, a clinical-stage biotech focused on next-generation obesity drugs, is more than another high-profile deal in pharma’s dealmaking spree. It signals a strategic pivot: Pfizer intends to plant its flag firmly in the obesity market, one of the largest growth opportunities in the history of biopharma.
FDA And White House Fast-Track Drug Approvals And Innovate On Prices
In a sweeping set of policy announcements that combine speed with cost control, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the White Houseunveiled a new package of measures designed to accelerate access to high-priority medicines and lower their prices.
Has the CRISPR Revolution Arrived Yet
The first drugs using the CRISPR technique are approaching the market, with the potential to transform the lives of people with certain genetic illnesses. We talked with Dr. Greg Licholai about the state of the technology.
How Is the Pharmaceutical Industry Responding to COVID-19
As pharmaceutical companies work to develop potential vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, they are operating under extreme pressure—as well as the restrictions on movement and interaction that are affecting all of us
Has Employment Become the Goal of the U.S. Healthcare System
Dr. Greg Licholai writes that the complexity of the healthcare system has generated unexpected incentives—one of which is that we have come to rely on the industry for jobs
Is CRISPR Worth the Risk
Dr. Greg Licholai, a biotech entrepreneur and a lecturer at Yale SOM, explains the gene-editing technology’s potential and its dangers
Three Questions: Dr. Greg Licholai on Biotech After Theranos
We asked Dr. Greg Licholai, a lecturer at Yale SOM and and a biotech entrepreneur, what other healthcare startups can learn from the Theranos debacle
Academic
Patients left behind: Rare dermatologic conditions miss the orphan drug development boom
Afton Chavez, Greg Licholai
J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019 Oct.
Orphan drugs are those indicated for the treatment of uncommon conditions and are granted 7 years of exclusivity by the US Food and Drug Administration. As a result of this designation, there has been a considerable increase in rare disease research, pharmaceutical development, and market expenditures; however, we hypothesize that rare dermatologic diseases have been relatively neglected.
AMICI-ALTRO SENORES JOINT VENTURE
Yale School of Management 2026
The joint venture proposal between Amici–Altro and Senores was bold, multifaceted, and fraught with trade-offs. Examines shared ownership, governance complexity, and potential dependence in the large and growing global generic pharmaceutical market.
STRAND THERAPEUTICS
Yale School of Management 2026
Strand Therapeutics is a rapidly growing synthetic mRNA company that has generated unexpectedly positive clinical data with its first drug development candidate. CEO Jake Becraft faces important decisions which will affect the ability to develop its lead product, the need to create a robust pipeline and the requirement to invest in its unique scientific platform.
SKINMAP
Yale School of Management 2026
SkinMAP CEO William Hall faces key questions about how the company can raise funds and how to address the large dermatology diagnostic market.
WALMART HEALTHCARE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Yale School of Management 2025
As the General Manager (GM) of the Walmart Healthcare Research Institute (WHRI) preparedher presentation for the clinical research business unit’s strategic plans to Walmart executives, she was excited for the tremendous opportunity that lied ahead. WHRI had the potential to bring novel clinical research to millions of Walmart customers across the United States, transforming it into an accessible care option on a national scale. However, to achieve this vision the GM had to develop a sustainable business model and strategy that aligned with Walmart 's mission to "save money, live better." Additionally, she had to navigate the technology, compliance, and security challenges tied to managing large volumes of health and retail data.
VORI HEALTH
Yale School of Management 2024
As a board-certified neurosurgeon, Dr. Ryan A. Grant believed that the medical system treating chronic orthopedic and musculoskeletal (MSK) pain was inherently broken. He believed that he could challenge the way traditional medical institutions treated back and joint pain and build a profitable and sustainable company, even in a tough funding environment. His goal was audacious, but as a successful healthcare entrepreneur with multiple startups, Grant was used to winning.
ORANGE GROVE BIO
Yale School of Management 2024
In late 2023, Orange Grove Bio co-founder and CEO Marc Appel considered the future of his private drug development investment firm. Orange Grove Bio, (OGB) had finished its fourth-year nurturing promising early-stage drugs for new treatments of cancer, autoimmune, and inflammatory disease. The possibility of an influx of new capital was good. The company was thinking about launching additional rounds of private equity financing. Furthermore, Appel expected three of its portfolio companies to be cleared by the Federal Drug Administration for initial tests on people by 2025.
CHARLIE HEALTH
Yale School of Management 2024
Charlie Health is a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) that provides evidence-based treatment for teens and young adults at risk for mental health crises. Founded in 2020, Charlie Health is now available in 25 states. The company's treatment program is tailored to those who need significant treatment for severe and imminently dangerous conditions.
BRAINLAB: IMAGING A MEDTECH FUTURE
Harvard Business School 2021
Co-Author Regina Herzlinger. Can Brainlab, a privately held firm, compete with giants like Medtronic and Amazon in delivering the Digital Operating Room of the future? The CEO is pondering solutions for secure exchange of medical information, pricing a new robotic imaging device, and reorganizing the firm. Thirty years have passed since the self-taught computer programmer Stefan Vilsmeier founded the firm and achieved dominance in many fields. How can he maintain it in the face of this new, powerful, and well-funded competition?
A RARE DISEASE PATIENT REGISTRY
Yale School of Management 2020
Michael Hund, CEO of Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Partnership (EBRP), had arrived at a fork in the road. He faced a decision on the structure of an entity he had created with cloud computing industry leader Amazon Web Services for a database of health information about Americans struggling with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Should he spin out the new entity from EBRP into a for-profit venture? He had been besieged by offers from venture capitalists and investors to capitalize a for-profit company. Or should he stay with the tried-and-true model for medical charities and establish a non-profit to hold the database? Both options offered opportunities and challenges
KLICK HEALTH PANDEMIC CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Yale School of Management 2020
Lori Grant looked into the night outside her hotel window in late February 2020. She had been CEO of Klick Health, the world’s largest independent health marketing agency, for just a mere four months. She had spent the day leading one of her first leadership off-site meetings in Utah, planning for the year ahead.
THE DATA INSURGENCY
Yale School of Management 2019
The struggle to answer the healthcare data ownership question has already started with billions of dollars at stake. The players in this emerging fight include doctors, hospitals and pharmacies; global healthcare corporations and Silicon Valley venture capitalists backing elite Harvard and Stanford trained scientists; as well as the world’s leading technology firms. Some believe every consumer will be affected as immense forces of technology, capital and individual rights collide.
CRISPR THERAPEUTICS EDITING THE HUMAN GENOME
Yale School of Management 2018
Bill Lundberg looked out the window of his new office in Kendall Square, pausing as he read the email from the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics. The email concerned ethical issues related to the scientific platform of the company he had recently joined. It was March, 2015 and he had been Chief Scientific Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics (CT), one of the hottest biotech start-ups in Cambridge, for only one month.
EVERLYWELL CREATING ACCESS TO LAB TESTING
Yale School of Management 2018
In early 2017 Julia Cheek was able to reflect on a hectic couple of years. She had built a fast-moving startup in a traditionally brutally competitive space: consumer healthcare. Her company, EverlyWell, had achieved a monthly run rate of about $1 million in sales within a year of launch. She had even been featured on and won a huge deal on the television show Shark Tank, as well as closed a major funding milestone.
NOMAD HEALTH
Yale School of Management 2017
“This is a brilliant idea,” Alexi Nazem thought when first heard about Nomad Health. A short time later he agreed to become the company’s CEO. The idea Nazem found so compelling was a platform through which healthcare professionals interested in pursuing temporary work could find hospitals needing short-term staff. Most hospitals and practices found temporary physicians through brokers and agencies; a process neither physicians nor their employers found efficient or satisfying. Nomad promised to provide a clean solution that would make the experience more transparent and less costly.
COBALT THERAPEUTICS RISE OF DIGITAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Yale School of Management 2017
In 2014, Seth Feuerstein, MD, JD, the founder and CEO of Cobalt Therapeutics, stopped the car and sat staring at his phone. He had been on a routine call with a senior executive from Magellan Health, a major healthcare management company, discussing their contract as a vendor. At the end of the call, the executive said, “By the way, would you ever consider selling your company?” Feuerstein was shocked. He laughed and said, “That’s an interesting question."
TALKSPACE AND DIGITAL HEALTH MARKET DYNAMICS
Yale School of Management 2018
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympic gold medal wonder of all time stared into the camera. “Throughout my career, I struggled with depression and anxiety at various times, and I found it so difficult to get the help I needed," he said.
MEDICAL TOURISM IN SINGAPORE
Yale School of Management 2017
As Dr. Marc Schwartz’s plane descended into Singapore Chugai International Airport in the fall of 2016, he considered the objectives of the visit. Marc was a prominent neurosurgeon in a prestigious practice in Los Angeles. He had met an influential businessman named RonaldSoo, who had been on the Board of Directors of Summit Datai, a healthcare corporation that managed the largest private hospital chain in Asia. He had invited Marc and his colleague Dr. Dan Kelly, another prominent LA neurosurgeon, to go to Singapore. They were to visit the flagship Saint Ann Grove Hospital as well as their new luxurious Saint Ann Vesper Hospital. The two American doctors had been asked to advise hospital leadership on setting up a neurosurgery Center of Excellence (COE).
POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT AT ATRIUS HEALTH
Yale School of Management 2017
In mid-2015, Emily Brower was appointed to the newly-created position of Vice President of Population Health at Atrius Health. Brower faced the challenge of framing a strategic plan to integrate population health approaches more broadly across the large physician practice organization.