Feldman's Faves: April 3, 2023

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE

Congratulations to all of you that have been working on the “deal of the century”. It’s been amazing process so far and will make for a great book one day. Good luck getting to the closing.

It is one of the best times of of year to be a sports fan – the women’s final of March Madness was one of the best games I have ever seen – way to go Tigers. The men’s Final Four is tonight (and as per usual I plan to watch the whole game but will likely fall asleep at halftime). Baseball season (and the new clock) has begun, the Masters is coming and NBA and NHL playoffs are on the horizon. So, so good.

For those of you celebrating Passover and Easter, I hope you have enjoyable experience with your friends and families.

There is a scientific theme to this week’s suggestions.

FOR BLOOD AND MONEY By: Nathan Vardi – The biotech world and ecosystem is truly remarkable. The players involved range from brilliant scientists looking to cure horrible diseases, to financial experts looking to create generational wealth, to regulators looking to make sure that this convergence of science and finance serves the public interest and minimizes potential harm. Needless to say, there is a lot potential conflict and a lot of opportunity. For Blood and Money, tells the story two biotech firms in California, Pharmacyclics and Acerta Pharma (and all of their drama), in their efforts to create blockbuster drugs to treat chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. As one reviewer describes this book, “For Blood and Money tells the little-known story of how an upstart biotechnology company created a one-in-a-million cancer drug, and how the core team—denied their share of the profits—went and did it again. In this epic saga of money and science, veteran financial journalist Nathan Vardi explains how the invention of two of the biggest cancer drugs in history became (for their backers) two of the greatest Wall Street bets of all time. In the multibillion-dollar business of biotech, where pharmaceutical companies, the government, hedge funds, and venture capitalists have spent billions on funding, experimentation, and treatments, a single molecule can stop cancer in its tracks—and make the people who find that rare molecule astonishingly rich. For Blood and Money follows a small team at a biotech start-up in California, who have found one of these rare molecules. Their compound, known as a BTK inhibitor, seems to work on a vicious type of leukemia. When patients start rising from their hospice beds, the team knows they’re onto something big. What follows is a story of genius, pathos, and drama, in which vivid characters navigate a world of corporate intrigue and ambiguous morality. Vardi’s narrative immerses readers in the recent explosion of biotech start-ups. He describes the scientists, doctors, and investors who are risking everything to develop new, life-saving treatments, and introduces suffering patients for whom the stakes are life-or-death. A gripping nonfiction read, For Blood and Money illustrates why it’s so hard to bring new drugs to market, explains why they are so expensive, and examines how profit-driven venture capitalists are shaping the future of medicine.” Even though this book is non-fiction it reads like a suspense novel. The characters are fascinating and even though you know how story ends, the path getting there is full of crazy surprises. This book both highly entertaining and educational. Here is a good review from Kirkus - https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nathan-vardi/for-blood-and-money/?page=3

TED Talks Daily - 3 elements of true fun -- and how to have more of it | Catherine Price – I really like fun, because it is fun…. I think the key to happiness (at least for me) is find ways to “play” no matter how old or serious or (self) important we become. This PODCAST extols the virtues of fun and its importance for our physical and mental well-being (as long as we don’t stress ourselves too much in our effort to seek fun). It also counters any argument the fun is frivolous. The goal of this talk is for us to be intentional about how we spend our leisure time (hanging with friends versus scrolling on our phones), which will pay huge dividends in all aspects of our lives. Here is an excerpt from the PODCAST itself, “What comes to mind when you think about the most fun moments of your life? Science journalist Catherine Price asked thousands of people across the world this question, and their answers led her to a new definition of "true" fun: a special confluence of playfulness, connection and flow. Hear her thoughts on why having fun is good for your mental and physical health and how to identify the tell-tale signs of "fake" fun -- as well as actionable tips for identifying what brings you joy. (This conversation, hosted by TED science curator David Biello, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event”: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ted-talks-daily/id160904630?i=1000603962297

Thank you for your ongoing engagement and participation.

And remember to stay safe, stay healthy and to docket daily.

Jon Feldman