Blue Matter Blog
February 5, 2024
Nobody ever said that developing and commercializing a new therapy is an easy task. We all know the failure statistics, challenges involved in development, and investment requirements. We’re also aware of myriad time-sensitive details that seem to multiply during the pre-launch and launch time frames…and we know how challenging it can be to successfully commercialize …
January 19, 2024
The CNS market is an incredibly broad and rapidly evolving space, covering a wide range of diseases, from the highly prevalent to the extremely rare. It spans all age ranges, from pediatric populations to the elderly. CNS diseases are treated by neurologists, psychiatrists, neuromuscular specialists, sleep specialists, primary care physicians (PCPs), and others. Given its …
October 17, 2022
In our previous installment, we explored the fact that therapy with a psychedelic substance typically goes far beyond the medicine itself. Most often, it’s integrated with preparatory counseling, therapist support during the drug treatment itself, and talk therapy after a drug treatment. This, of course, can have significant implications for the overall cost of therapy, …
October 7, 2022
In Part I of this series, we discussed the surging levels of interest and investment in psychedelic therapies. After decades of lying dormant, psychedelic medicines are back, and a lot of research dollars are being invested to bring them to market. However, there is more to psychedelic therapy than the drugs themselves. Many psychedelics being …
October 4, 2022
Interest in psychedelic therapy has risen substantially in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. After decades of being ignored due to legislative action, psychedelic substances now represent an emerging class with the potential to be disease modifying across a range of mental and behavioral health issues. We’ve written about psychedelics before, and that …
April 5, 2022
There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic brought major disruption to people across the globe. Of course, it affected people’s health. But it also caused major shake-ups in people’s finances, as well as the ways in which they work, socialize, worship, and more – impacting all facets of personal and public life. Interestingly, it also …
January 4, 2022
Just over a year ago, we wrote a two-part series on the “quiet revolution” that’s going on in CNS therapies (access part I here and part II here). The exciting developments in oncology may be grabbing the headlines, but very interesting things are happening in CNS and much of it has flown just under the …
November 30, 2021
In early November of 2021, COMPASS Pathways released phase IIb data on its psilocybin-based therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Varun Renjen, M.D., leader of our CNS team, talks about this data and its implications for COMPASS (and for psychedelics in CNS therapy overall).
September 20, 2021
Introduction Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a devastating disease, but recent therapeutic advances are delivering major benefits for patients, as well as driving competition in a complex market landscape. In Part 1 of our series, we reviewed the disease biology and therapeutic approaches currently marketed to treat SMA. Here, we look to the future and …
September 16, 2021
On September 9, 2021 at the MedInvest Neurological Diseases & Mental Health Disorders Conference, our own Varun Renjen moderated a panel discussion entitled, The Renaissance of Psychedelics in CNS Medicine. This video includes the full panel discussion and the Q&A session following it. Thanks very much to all of our panelists for their expertise and …
August 18, 2021
The Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) treatment landscape offers a compelling case study of how very different therapeutic approaches can be successful in alleviating a devastating rare disease, leading to a complex treatment landscape with continued opportunity for both improved patient outcomes and biopharma market success. Here in Part 1, we introduce the disease and its …
July 14, 2021
Varun Renjen, M.D. describes how the recent decision to restrict Aduhelm’s label to earlier-stage patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) could be a good thing for Biogen’s new Alzheimer’s therapy. He also outlines three lessons for other pharma companies entering the Alzheimer’s market. Link here
June 28, 2021
Biogen’s Aduhelm® (aducanumab) is the fist potentially disease-modifying therapy approved for Alzheimer’s disease. However, it could face some significant challenges as it goes to market. Varun Renjen, M.D., describes the three main ones in this short video. Link here.
June 24, 2021
On June 7, 2021, the FDA approved Biogen’s Aduhelm® (aducanumab) for Alzheimer’s disease. As the first potentially disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s, it could have some significant impacts on the market for Alzheimer’s therapies. Varun Renjen, M.D., outlines those potential impacts in this short video. Link here
June 21, 2021
Don’t miss this informative webinar on Tuesday, July 20 at 11:00 am EDT. Register here. Psychedelics and other traditionally taboo substances are undergoing a bit of a “renaissance” in central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics. These types of substances have a long and storied history around the world. Now, research into their potential therapeutic benefits is …
June 8, 2021
There is no shortage of disabling and deadly diseases in the world. However, few match Alzheimer’s disease (AD) when it comes to sheer ability to cause fear and dread. It’s not a rare disease. In fact, it’s on the rise. There is no cure (nor effective treatment yet) and it’s ultimately fatal. And, most frightening, …
May 25, 2021
Introduction Members of Blue Matter’s CNS team attended the Psychedelic Therapeutics & Drug Development Conference, a virtual event that took place May 4-6, 2021. This event was particularly interesting to our team because we had just completed a white paper entitled “Taboo” Substances are Getting Another Look in CNS that explored the substances and companies …
May 24, 2021
Introduction Members of our CNS team attended the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) virtual annual meeting, which took place April 17-22. As expected, it was an interesting and useful event, full of industry therapeutics updates, clinical research data, scientific sessions, and educational courses presented in a series of virtual panels, posters, and fireside chats. It …
March 22, 2021
Psychedelics and other traditionally taboo substances appear to be undergoing a bit of a “renaissance” in central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics these days. These types of substances have a long and storied history all around the world. Now, science is getting serious about exploring ways to use them to treat a range of diseases and …
January 5, 2021
So far in this series, we’ve spent a great deal of time looking backward. In part 1, we discussed the “quiet revolution” that has been taking place in CNS over the past several years. Interesting advances are being made in a range of CNS therapies while other areas, such as oncology, tend to get more …
December 15, 2020
In Part 1 of this series, we said that a “quiet revolution” has been taking place in central nervous system (CNS) therapies. While much attention has been focused on the dramatic advancements in oncology, companies large and small have been focusing more resources on CNS research, and the pace of advancement is accelerating. In that …
November 16, 2020
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Some readers might recognize that as a memorable line from the ‘80’s classic movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Those same readers might also ask what it has to do with central nervous system (CNS) therapies. In …