10 Comments
Aug 3, 2023Liked by Elliot Hershberg

Elliot, great timing on this post. Really enjoyed learning about Vial. This high throughput model for drug discovery/development/and testing is awesome. Going full stack is truly the only way to turn the dogmatic nature of this industry on its head. I could almost see Vial becoming the infrastructure layer for "fabless" pharma and techbio companies. First vertically integrate like amazon and then start offering AWS etc.

Have you heard of Novartis's data42 initiative? I would love for your to explore some ways that big pharma companies are attempting to become more tech native. Looking forward to more posts as always!

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"First vertically integrate like amazon and then start offering AWS etc." this is a *super* important point. We've had mixed success with first attempting to build horizontal platform businesses in biotech. I think there is a lot to be learned from the sequence of events that led to AWS.

I haven't dug into the data42 initiative, but several Big Pharma companies are certainly working hard to modernize their processes. Aviv Regev going to Genentech, Ziv Bar-Joseph joining Sanofi.

Lots to analyze and discuss moving forward!

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Jul 31, 2023Liked by Elliot Hershberg

Hey Elliot! As we delve into the exciting frontier of biology, your insightful article on Vial's vision truly sparks my interest. With innovative minds like yours and the advancements in AI-first platforms, I'm optimistic about the transformative potential of clinical trials. Looking forward to more fascinating reads from you!

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Awesome, thank you, Adam!

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Jul 31, 2023Liked by Elliot Hershberg

Thank you for writing this Elliot! So excited to follow Vial -- one of those areas when you think about it, it’s so obvious we should attack with first principles and tech, and yet it doesn’t seem to have happened.

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Thanks so much, Jessica! Digitizing these workflows isn't rocket science, but a team like Vial needs to roll up their sleeves and make it happen.

Seems like low-hanging fruit to drive change at the intersection of technology and biology.

Thanks for reading!

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Superb article, Elliot!

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Thanks, Juan! Glad you enjoyed it.

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Thanks Elliot for another banger of an article! 🧠

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Having worked in a CRO, I agree there’s a lot of “waste”. However I would still point it back to the regulators EMA and FDA that has built up this industry. Almost all the clients know that there are unavoidable costs in order to get a biologic past the gatekeepers

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