October 2019 – Biostart Magazine

Leading Transformation: The Power of Science Fiction

October 16, 2019 Jane 0

Anyone who has tried to lead change in a big company knows how hard it is to move from meetings to action. Although everyone may nod their heads in the meeting, creating real behavior change is an entirely different matter. There are several prescribed remedies, and we have tried them all, including preselling the results, giving leaders information about our personal experience with the problem, and using data. But these tactics rarely produced behavior change.

What we call a story in the business world – often just a chronological series of events – doesn’t work. In such a “story” there are no characters, no plot, no conflict, no resolution. Nothing to make you believe. Nothing to inspire change. Truthfully, typical business tales are not real stories.

Real stories are something different. They have…

Attached Issue № 0819

Keep it secret! Advice for your first patent application

October 9, 2019 Jane 0

Ross Cummings is a biochemist and specialist private practice patent attorney, who works with biotech companies and universities to develop their IP portfolios and strategy to support their commercial goals.

What’s your advice for people putting together a patent application for the first time?

Firstly, and most importantly, do not disclose anything to any third party outside a very clear, signed confidentiality agreement. Keep the invention secret until a patent application has been filed at the patent office. Then, ensure that any later disclosure does not go beyond the contents of the patent application. Ideally, you should…

Attached Issue № 0819

The CEO perspective

October 2, 2019 Jane 0

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a publicly-traded clinical-stage drug development company, focused on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic kidney disease (CKD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Their discovery program is based on drug repurposing; finding new uses for already approved drugs.

Christopher J. Moreau joined Algernon (previously called Breathtec Biomedical) as CEO in March 2018 to bring new leadership to the company. His first mandate was to review the company’s key technology and to make recommendations to the board on the company’s business plan.

Behind the scenes at Algernon

In the fall of 2018, Algernon acquired a company called Nash Pharmaceuticals. Nash’s business model was to…

Attached Issue № 0819