In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Steve Potts, CEO of Breakthru Medicine, to discuss how biotech financing, drug pricing policy, scientific infrastructure, and public trust are reshaping oncology innovation and U.S. biopharma leadership.

Key Topics:
Biotech Financing: Series A funding, early-stage platform headwinds, clinical asset momentum, academic funding strain.
Small Molecule Shift: IRA incentives, NDA versus BLA timelines, oncology pipeline pullbacks, antibody drug conjugates.
Orphan Cures and EPIC Acts: Orphan Cures Act, EPIC Act, patent life concerns, investor return requirements.
Most Favored Nation (MFN) Pricing Risk: OECD reference pricing, European access delays, launch sequencing, global cost-sharing tensions.
Science Policy Threats: NIH grant oversight, peer review risks, vaccine backlash, U.S. biopharma leadership.

If biotech CEOs (or an executive delegate from the CEO) are interested in taking the first step toward being a policy voice on one topic in our ecosystem, contact Steve Potts on LinkedIn.

The May 29 Office of Management and Budget sweeping regulatory change, which would shift grant funding decisions from scientists to politicians, is catastrophic for science, patients, and the biotech industry. Please read about what this proposal would do, and if you agree that it would forever tie political views to winning federal funding (and it will cut both ways), please sign this petition or others and speak out: https://fight2win.standupforscience.net/

Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded at ASCO 2026 on 6/1/26. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC © 2026.

In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duane-schulthess-66ba39b7/">Duane Schulthess</a> speaks with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-potts/">Steve Potts</a>, CEO of <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/breakthrumed/">Breakthru Medicine</a>, to discuss how biotech financing, drug pricing policy, scientific infrastructure, and public trust are reshaping oncology innovation and U.S. biopharma leadership.
Key Topics:
<ul data-start="324" data-end="922">
<li data-start="324" data-end="448" data-section-id="p0uqsi">Biotech Financing: Series A funding, early-stage platform headwinds, clinical asset momentum, academic funding strain.</li>
<li data-start="449" data-end="573" data-section-id="k7qssb">Small Molecule Shift: IRA incentives, NDA versus BLA timelines, oncology pipeline pullbacks, antibody drug conjugates.</li>
<li data-start="574" data-end="686" data-section-id="1ma6irf">Orphan Cures and EPIC Acts: Orphan Cures Act, EPIC Act, patent life concerns, investor return requirements.</li>
<li data-start="687" data-end="807" data-section-id="11b70pc">Most Favored Nation (MFN) Pricing Risk: OECD reference pricing, European access delays, launch sequencing, global cost-sharing tensions.</li>
<li data-start="808" data-end="922" data-section-id="1x0h8b">Science Policy Threats: NIH grant oversight, peer review risks, vaccine backlash, U.S. biopharma leadership.</li>
</ul>
If biotech CEOs (or an executive delegate from the CEO) are interested in taking the first step toward being a policy voice on one topic in our ecosystem, contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-potts/">Steve Potts on LinkedIn</a>.
The May 29 Office of Management and Budget sweeping regulatory change, which would shift grant funding decisions from scientists to politicians, is catastrophic for science, patients, and the biotech industry. Please read about what this proposal would do, and if you agree that it would forever tie political views to winning federal funding (and it will cut both ways), please sign this petition or others and speak out: <a href="https://fight2win.standupforscience.net/">https://fight2win.standupforscience.net/</a>
Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded at ASCO 2026 on 6/1/26. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC &copy; 2026.

Duane Schulthess is the CEO of Vital Transformation, host and producer of Vital Health Podcast.  Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and regulations. We measure their impact upon treatment pathways and the biopharma innovation ecosystem in collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform and client network, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders.

Duane Schulthess is the CEO of Vital Transformation, host and producer of Vital Health Podcast.  Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and regulations. We measure their impact upon treatment pathways and the biopharma innovation ecosystem in collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform and client network, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders.

Duane Schulthess, Managing Director of Vital Tran…