Approved

18 posts

Approved

Approved

@approvedfm

Deep dives into biotech history and drug development. For founders, VCs, and the life sciences community.

Katılım Şubat 2026
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Approved retweetledi
Charlie Petty
Charlie Petty@incredutility·
Finally got around to listening to the @approvedfm keytruda episode and I recommend it. It strikes the difficult balance between science and narrative. Lots of original material including interviews with Organon and Schering-Plough execs. More of this please.
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Alex Kesin
Alex Kesin@alexkesin·
Nice to hear Roger's side of this question! In our latest episode of @approvedfm, we asked Roy Baynes - architect of Keytruda's clinical development at Merck, who followed Roger to Eikon - the same question. Here's what Roy had to say about China's emerging role in pharma:
Brad Loncar@bradloncar

𝐎𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚: Regarding the China debate that has been raging here, a phrase I've heard asked many times is: "What if the next Keytruda comes from China?" Well, this morning I posed this Q to the developer of Keytruda, who has also been in licensing drugs from China lately.

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Kayhan Moayeri
Kayhan Moayeri@__kayhan·
@srikosuri is right — @ApprovedFM is instantly required listening for anyone in biotech. The Keytruda episode is wild. Discovered by accident from a failed RA antibody program. Almost out-licensed for nothing in 2010. Now Merck’s biggest drug ever at $30B+ a year. Interviews with the actual inventors and the former CMO. The kind of context you can’t get anywhere else. Stories like this stay with you because they’re the truth of how drugs actually get made — serendipity, stubbornness, and execution that refuses to break. We see it every day on the CDMO side with oncology biologics and complex mAbs.
Sri Kosuri@srikosuri

So in love with this new podcast, Approved! It’s acquired for biotech and drugs. Amazing job @alexkesin and Matthew; really hope you keep it going.

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Sri Kosuri
Sri Kosuri@srikosuri·
So in love with this new podcast, Approved! It’s acquired for biotech and drugs. Amazing job @alexkesin and Matthew; really hope you keep it going.
Alex Kesin@alexkesin

Keytruda transformed cancer care and made Merck more money than any drug in history. It was also discovered by accident, and nearly out-licensed in 2010 for pocket change. New Approved + exclusive interviews with the inventors and the Merck CMO who ran development:

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David Shaywitz
David Shaywitz@DShaywitz·
2/3 I wrote a detailed history of origins of Keytuda a few years ago for Forbes - so fantastic to see this come alive (w updates!) in new podcast. forbes.com/sites/davidsha…
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David Shaywitz
David Shaywitz@DShaywitz·
1/3 If your interested in biopharma and medical innovation, and you love pcasts like @AcquiredFM … here’s a show you’ll really enjoy: Approved, about the twists and turns leading ultimately to approved new medicine; great ep on Keytruda -> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/app…
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Neal Padte
Neal Padte@NealPadte·
People miss how uncertain major biotech breakthroughs look in real time. As my @Curie_Bio colleague Greg Carven @MadMabScientist discusses, Keytruda came surprisingly close to never happening. Great behind-the-scenes look at drug development of a major blockbuster oncology drug.
Alex Kesin@alexkesin

Keytruda transformed cancer care and made Merck more money than any drug in history. It was also discovered by accident, and nearly out-licensed in 2010 for pocket change. New Approved + exclusive interviews with the inventors and the Merck CMO who ran development:

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Alex Kesin
Alex Kesin@alexkesin·
Keytruda transformed cancer care and made Merck more money than any drug in history. It was also discovered by accident, and nearly out-licensed in 2010 for pocket change. New Approved + exclusive interviews with the inventors and the Merck CMO who ran development:
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Alex Kesin
Alex Kesin@alexkesin·
"Come and help Merck to its former greatness and rightful place in history." Thursday, on ep. 3 of @approvedfm: the inside story of Keytruda, the best-selling cancer drug of all time. Feat. Roy Baynes, Gregory Carven & Michel Streuli. Follow on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube 🎬
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Alex Kesin
Alex Kesin@alexkesin·
Approved episode #2 out now: Geron They trailblazed longevity biotech in the '90s, cloned telomerase, funded early hESC work - and after 34 years got the first telomerase inhibitor approved for a rare blood cancer. Full story on the pod.
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Alex Kesin
Alex Kesin@alexkesin·
Starting something new: Approved, a biotech podcast I'm co-hosting with Matthew Pech. Our first episode covers Amylin Pharmaceuticals: the pioneers of the GLP-1 drug class.
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Keşfet

@iskander @AcquiredFM @US_FDA @alexkesin @srikosuri @WSJBooks @Curie_Bio @MadMabScientist