In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Pharma’s Zoey Becker sits down with Bobby Sheng, the CEO of Bora Pharmaceuticals, to discuss the concept of “friend-shoring” in drug manufacturing.

"Friend-shoring" involves conducting manufacturing processes in countries considered friendly or allied. Sheng discusses the criteria for deeming a country “friendly” and explores whether this strategy could help address drug supply shortages.

To learn more about the topics in this episode:
Bora plants its flag in the US with $210M acquisition of generics manufacturer Upsher-Smith
Emergent, pivoting away from CDMO business, sells Baltimore plant to acquisitive Bora for $30M

In this week’s episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Pharma’s Zoey Becker sits down with Bobby Sheng, the CEO of Bora Pharmaceuticals, to discuss the concept of “friend-shoring” in drug manufacturing.
"Friend-shoring" involves conducting manufacturing processes in countries considered friendly or allied. Sheng discusses the criteria for deeming a country “friendly” and explores whether this strategy could help address drug supply shortages.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/bora-plants-its-flag-us-210m-acquisition-generics-manufacturer-upsher-smith" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/bora-plants-its-flag-us-210m-acquisition-generics-manufacturer-upsher-smith">Bora plants its flag in the US with $210M acquisition of generics manufacturer Upsher-Smith</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/emergent-pivoting-away-cdmo-sells-baltimore-site-acquisitive-bora-30m" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/emergent-pivoting-away-cdmo-sells-baltimore-site-acquisitive-bora-30m">Emergent, pivoting away from CDMO business, sells Baltimore plant to acquisitive Bora for $30M</a></li>
</ul>

Biopharma and medtech explained. Every week, journalists from Fierce Biotech, Fierce Medtech, and Fierce Pharma recount the latest industry trends and why they matter. We'll analyze the week's biggest business news, from mergers and marketing to drug R&D and device development. Available every Friday morning. 

Biopharma and medtech explained. Every week, journalists from Fierce Biotech, Fierce Medtech, and Fierce Pharma recount the latest industry trends and why they matter. We'll analyze the week's biggest business news, from mergers and marketing to drug R&amp;D and device development. Available every Friday morning.&nbsp;

The Top Line

Biopharma and medtech explained. Every week, journalists from Fierce Biotech, Fierce Medtech and Fierce Pharma recount the latest industry trends and why they matter. We’ll analyze the week’s biggest business news—from mergers and marketing to drug R&D and device development. Available every Friday morning.

 

Biopharma and medtech explained. Every week, journalists from Fierce Biotech, Fierce Medtech and Fierce Pharma recount the latest industry trends and why they matter. We&rsquo;ll analyze the week&rsquo;s biggest business news&mdash;from mergers and marketing to drug R&amp;D and device development. Available every Friday morning.
&nbsp;

A closer look at 'friend-shoring' and the drug shortage challenge

Recorded last week at Fierce Biotech Week in Boston, this episode of “The Top Line” features a conversation with Kristen Fortney, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of BioAge Labs.

In a conversation with Ayla Ellison, editor-in-chief of Fierce Healthcare and Life Sciences, Fortney discusses the company’s decade-long effort to use human aging data to identify drug targets tied to longevity and age-related disease. She also breaks down BioAge’s oral NLRP3 inhibitor, BGE-102, which the company believes could have applications across cardiovascular, ocular and CNS diseases by targeting inflammation linked to aging biology.

The conversation also explores why pharma companies are paying closer attention to aging and exercise biology, how GLP-1 drugs are reshaping conversations around prevention and what the future of aging-related medicine could look like.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 
BioAge CEO has big plans for 'multi-disease impact' of NLRP3 drug across cardio, ocular and CNS
Novartis, BioAge take on age-related diseases in $550M pact
What can we learn from 2024’s biotech IPOs?

Recorded last week at Fierce Biotech Week in Boston, this episode of &ldquo;The Top Line&rdquo; features a conversation with Kristen Fortney, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of BioAge Labs.
In a conversation with Ayla Ellison, editor-in-chief of Fierce Healthcare and Life Sciences, Fortney discusses the company&rsquo;s decade-long effort to use human aging data to identify drug targets tied to longevity and age-related disease. She also breaks down BioAge&rsquo;s oral NLRP3 inhibitor, BGE-102, which the company believes could have applications across cardiovascular, ocular and CNS diseases by targeting inflammation linked to aging biology.
The conversation also explores why pharma companies are paying closer attention to aging and exercise biology, how GLP-1 drugs are reshaping conversations around prevention and what the future of aging-related medicine could look like.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/ceo-bioages-triple-threat-drug-aims-treat-cardiovascular-ocular-and-cns-disease">BioAge CEO has big plans for 'multi-disease impact' of NLRP3 drug across cardio, ocular and CNS</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/novartis-and-bioage-take-age-related-diseases-new-550m-pact">Novartis, BioAge take on age-related diseases in $550M pact</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/what-can-we-learn-2024s-biotech-ipos">What can we learn from 2024&rsquo;s biotech IPOs?</a></li>
</ul>

BioAge CEO talks NLRP3 and ‘pipeline in a pill’ ambitions

Emerging pharma organizations face unique technology challenges as they prepare for launch. Expectations for AI-enabled decision-making continue to rise, even as teams remain small and operate in highly regulated environments. In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, Fierce Biotech host Kelly Hogan speaks with JR Raelin, executive director of analytics and insight at SynOx Therapeutics and Krishna GS, business technology solutions manager at ZS, about how first-launch and emerging companies can design an agentic future-ready technology road map.

The conversation examines common pitfalls, including chasing new technology and AI trends before establishing data readiness, underinvesting in integration, and relying on fragmented point solutions. Raelin and Krishna explain why strong data foundations, governance, and interoperability are prerequisites for. and how agentic AI—when built on that foundation—can close the gap between insight and action in real commercial workflows.

Listeners will also hear a framework for scaling platforms over time, guidance on what effective implementation looks like in the first 60 to 90 days, and examples of connected workflows across commercial, medical, and patient functions. The episode closes with a compelling case for why the agentic roadmap is the most important strategic asset a first-launch company builds before its second product—and how getting it right converts a single launch into a portfolio intelligence engine.

Emerging pharma organizations face unique technology challenges as they prepare for launch. Expectations for AI-enabled decision-making continue to rise, even as teams remain small and operate in highly regulated environments. In this sponsored episode of The Top Line, Fierce Biotech host Kelly Hogan speaks with JR Raelin, executive director of analytics and insight at SynOx Therapeutics and Krishna GS, business technology solutions manager at ZS, about how first-launch and emerging companies can design an agentic future-ready technology road map.
The conversation examines common pitfalls, including chasing new technology and AI trends before establishing data readiness, underinvesting in integration, and relying on fragmented point solutions. Raelin and Krishna explain why strong data foundations, governance, and interoperability are prerequisites for. and how agentic AI&mdash;when built on that foundation&mdash;can close the gap between insight and action in real commercial workflows.
Listeners will also hear a framework for scaling platforms over time, guidance on what effective implementation looks like in the first 60 to 90 days, and examples of connected workflows across commercial, medical, and patient functions. The episode closes with a compelling case for why the agentic roadmap is the most important strategic asset a first-launch company builds before its second product&mdash;and how getting it right converts a single launch into a portfolio intelligence engine.

Designing an agentic, future‑ready tech roadmap for emerging pharma (Sponsored)

Despite a prolonged period of policy uncertainty in the U.S.—and the ripple effects across the global life sciences and healthcare industries—executives at health companies are still seeing opportunities amid the tumult. In many cases, they’re finding that the resilient business models they built through disruptions like the pandemic have positioned their companies not just to survive, but to thrive in a new normal for the industry.

In this episode of “The Top Line,” Fierce Pharma’s Fraiser Kansteiner chats with Glenn Hunzinger, PwC’s U.S. health industries leader, about results from the firm’s recent survey on investor sentiment. Focusing on health companies, Hunzinger explains how many innovative drugmakers have managed to capitalize on the shifting environment. Still, he warns that a more uncertain landscape for U.S. innovation and continued tariff pressures on sectors such as medtech could pose challenges down the line.

To learn more about the topics in this episode: 
AstraZeneca CEO's conservative MFN model excludes reference markets from forecast
As Johnson & Johnson navigates changing tariff landscape, execs lay out their expectations
Trump eyes 100% tariff rate for companies that have not struck MFN deals: Bloomberg

Despite a prolonged period of policy uncertainty in the U.S.&mdash;and the ripple effects across the global life sciences and healthcare industries&mdash;executives at health companies are still seeing opportunities amid the tumult. In many cases, they&rsquo;re finding that the resilient business models they built through disruptions like the pandemic have positioned their companies not just to survive, but to thrive in a new normal for the industry.
In this episode of &ldquo;The Top Line,&rdquo; Fierce Pharma&rsquo;s Fraiser Kansteiner chats with Glenn Hunzinger, PwC&rsquo;s U.S. health industries leader, about results from the firm&rsquo;s recent survey on investor sentiment. Focusing on health companies, Hunzinger explains how many innovative drugmakers have managed to capitalize on the shifting environment. Still, he warns that a more uncertain landscape for U.S. innovation and continued tariff pressures on sectors such as medtech could pose challenges down the line.
To learn more about the topics in this episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/astrazeneca-ceo-conservative-mfn-model-excludes-reference-markets-forecast">AstraZeneca CEO's conservative MFN model excludes reference markets from forecast</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/johnson-johnson-lifts-2025-sales-guidance-pharma-strength-trump-tariffs-start-weigh-medtech">As Johnson &amp; Johnson navigates changing tariff landscape, execs lay out their expectations</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/trump-set-impose-100-tariff-drugs-companies-have-not-struck-mfn-deals">Trump eyes 100% tariff rate for companies that have not struck MFN deals: Bloomberg</a></li>
</ul>

A closer look at 'friend-shoring' and the drug shortage challenge

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