The speaker predicts the 2024 J.P. Morgan conference will be defined by tangible clinical data and proof-of-concept for new mechanisms, rather than a single dominant therapeutic modality like GLP-1s in the prior year. This reflects a maturing industry focus on execution and evidence-based confidence.
High conviction is expressed for TPD as a potential new class of drugs. Recent encouraging data from companies like Kymera Therapeutics on its STAT6 degrader is highlighted as evidence of the modality's promise to tackle difficult targets and overcome resistance.
Gene editing and gene writing are viewed as foundational future capabilities for the industry. The primary bottleneck and area of focus is achieving tissue-specific delivery beyond the liver, with both viral vectors and next-generation platforms showing promise.
The speaker sees significant potential for CAR-T cell therapies to move beyond their initial success in cancer into immunological and autoimmune diseases. The development of in vivo CAR-T approaches is also identified as a transformative innovation that could solve current scalability and accessibility issues.
Keep pulling the thread on Richard Smithner.