Bayer is combining advances in cell biology and synthetic biology with applied engineering to develop new ways to prevent disease, detect it early or address the root cause. To keep the global company nimble and to drive further innovation, Bayer directs 60% of its translational and clinical research funding into partnerships with small biotech and digital health startups. Through investments, joint research, lab development, grants, marketing, and mentorship, Bayer is pursuing the ultimate goal of bringing the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.
Why is a pharmaceutical company like Bayer developing digital healthcare technologies to help prevent disease?
Our vision is health for all. We see digital technologies that leverage AI and big data as important in giving patients greater control in their own care, which improves patient engagement. It also provides physicians earlier insight and helps them diagnose disease earlier, which drives earlier interventions. One example is an AI platform we’re developing that will assist radiologists in the early detection of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which is high blood pressure in the lung’s arteries caused by blood clots. We take very large data sets and have algorithms that learn how to detect certain disease states or patterns in medical images. If patients are diagnosed earlier, there are treatment options, including surgery, that can potentially be curative.
How will this type of collaboration improve treatment options for patients?
I think we have become even more agile and flexible in recent years. Through LEAPS by Bayer, our impact-investment unit, we’ve invested in 13 healthcare companies over the last two years alone, and over the next three years, Bayer will invest more than 1.3 billion euros in this unit. The focus is on long-shot projects with the potential to cure genetic disease, provide sustainable organ or tissue replacement and prevent and cure cancer...to name a few. We have demonstrated our ability to be creative and nimble about how we specifically design those collaborations to advance science and bring medicines that truly benefit patients to the world. Greater collaboration in research can aid in the transformation of healthcare.
What is Bayer doing to help more cancer patients benefit from molecular tests and targeted treatment?
Many patients who might benefit from precision oncology treatments aren’t aware of biomarker testing, or they can’t access it because they lack insurance coverage. We believe biomarker testing of tumors must be used more commonly at the beginning of treatment, and we have several initiatives in place to advance that paradigm. First, we support a number of campaigns and educational resources to increase awareness of biomarker testing in precision oncology. The second is a significant effort in supporting state policy initiatives to expand insurance coverage, including Medicaid, of biomarker testing at the time of diagnosis. Third, we’ve partnered with a diagnostic company to support access to biomarker testing for eligible patients, and we are developing a similar program in areas where there’s a higher prevalence of genomic markers influencing tumor progression.
Is Bayer involved in any research designed to expand the pool of cancer patients who would benefit from CAR-T therapies and other forms of immunotherapy?
We believe CAR-T technology has the potential for breakthrough innovation for patients with solid tumors. With our partner, Atara, we aim to develop off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapies that could be produced on a higher scale, resulting in faster and broader access to treatment. The second example is our recent acquisition of Vividion Therapeutics. We’re using novel discovery technologies to unlock high-value, traditionally undruggable targets with precision therapeutics, and our initial focus is on targets that are relevant to oncology and immunology. We’re also in a Phase 1 trial with a small-molecule inhibitor blocking a specific receptor, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, which we believe is a key player in helping tumor cells evade an immune response.
How long will it be before routine blood screening for tumor markers is done as part of an annual physical to detect cancer in its earliest forms?
I believe we will see significant progress in the next five to 10 years in specific tumor types such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, probably first driven by early adopters such as academic clinicians and oncology specialists. It will still be many years before we will see routine liquid biopsy for early cancer detection in physical exams. One example is the Galleri blood test, which has shown the ability to detect more than 50 types of cancer. But if you look at the positive predictive value, it only stands at roughly 44% accurate. So, it’s still in its early development.
Why is Bayer pursuing cell and gene therapies for Parkinson’s disease, and how likely are they to restore function to patients with this incurable disease?
There’s no disease-modifying treatment today for Parkinson’s Disease. Our work in Parkinson’s is very exciting, but still in its early stage. In 2019, we acquired BlueRock Therapeutics. We initiated a Phase 1 study for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease, using pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons. The FDA has granted fast-track designation, enabling accelerated development. Essentially, we’re progressing toward regenerative brain repair. We’re hopeful.