Opposite Spectrums

In our June issue of Pharmaceutical Executive, we present an interesting dichotomy of coverage across three of our feature stories. It’s a combination and balance that isn’t always easy to achieve, but when it does, it’s pretty cool. A thought-provoking cocktail, if you will. And it usually occurs organically, when planning, timing, execution, and even a drop of happenstance (see Mark Cuban) all fall into place.

Our June issue is a perfect example, and we hope you find the coverage a little extra special. We first offer an exclusive interview with the aforementioned Cuban, where the Dallas Mavericks owner (bracing for Boston in the NBA Finals as of this writing), “Shark Tank” star, and, as of early 2022, in the direct-to-consumer pharmacy game, dishes on the problems—and his solutions—to the complex and always highly-charged pharmaceutical pricing apparatus in the US. The interview and article materialized after Group Social Media Editor Miranda Schmalfuhs noticed that Cuban followed our sister publication, Pharmaceutical Commerce, on X. She reached out to the biz giant, querying his interest in discussing the evolution of his popular Cost Plus Drug Company in disrupting the systems in place determining prescription drug cost. The rest is history.

As you can imagine, in classic Cuban style, he’s honest and direct. And, as far as his company’s mission—providing a transparent, affordable Rx buying option (with 2,200 drugs available and growing)—he’s focused on the moment.

Two additional June coverage pieces feature themes and people on the other end of the healthcare and motivation spectrums—the manufacturer and developer sides. But those, too, are each diverse from the other. One is our Pharma 50 report, presenting our annual rankings of the top 50 biopharma companies based on prescription drug sales, and the other an executive profile of Craig Tooman, CEO of the clinical-stage biotech Silence Therapeutics, who discusses his company’s work advancing hopeful next-generation treatments based on the idea of “silencing” or suppressing genes.

So a little old with a little new. The commercial jockeying of Big Pharma and the innovation impact of emerging biotech. Power and promise.

We hope all our coverage this month delivers some valuable and useful food for thought. As always, thanks for reading.

Mike Hennessy Jr. is President and CEO of MJH Life Sciences