Healthcare Companies Chase Cures and Capital in South Florida

Introduction to the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference

Leaders of hundreds of public healthcare companies are in South Florida this week, talking up their innovations and financial performances to attract and impress investors at the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference.

Consumers will find that nearly every disease or ailment they suffer from has a treatment in development, as big and small companies see opportunities in Americans’ desire to live longer and pain-free. From new devices for sleep apnea to drugs for cancer, to creams for chronic itching and drops for improved eyesight, advances are underway that hold promise.

Presentations and Product Updates

Presenters like LENZ Therapeutics wowed the audience on Monday with product updates, such as an eyedrop that lasts all day and allows for close-up vision, which most people use reader glasses to achieve. The eye drops target a market of over 128 million people in the U.S. who need help with near vision.

Factors Affecting the Healthcare Industry

This year, new factors are affecting how quickly consumers can obtain a drug or device to improve or save their lives, according to company executives. The uncertainty in Washington, D.C., looms large. Policy turbulence, regulatory uncertainty, shakeups at health agencies and President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on drug pricing and tariffs factor into the future for the devices and treatments working their way toward the marketplace.

The Role of Policy and Regulation

“This year, the biggest questions we are opening with for all of our companies is the policy calculus in Washington, D.C., and how that could play out across the healthcare sector,” said Asad Haider, Goldman Sachs’ head of the healthcare business unit within Global Investment Research and the lead analyst for the U.S. pharmaceuticals sector. “The starting point in all these presentations is give us the landscape on where things could go with respect to what’s going on in Washington, D.C.”

Conference Attendance and Goals

Over 200 top managerial teams attended the conference, representing every corner of the healthcare field, from major pharmaceutical companies to small biotech firms. The goal of the three-day conference was to provide institutional investors with insights into companies’ business plans, data, and progress, particularly at a strategic mid-year point.

Innovation Hotspots

Innovation hotspots this year include treatments for weight loss, with a focus on oral drugs replacing injectables and medications to help maintain a healthy weight. Another is oncology, immunology, and neuroscience with breakthroughs to detect diseases earlier and find new drug delivery methods. Several companies at the conference have formed partnerships with companies across the globe to access new markets, technologies, and expertise.

Global Collaborations and Emerging Markets

China is emerging as a global leader in biotechnology, with numerous U.S. and European companies collaborating with or licensing technologies from Chinese companies. Summit Therapeutics, a Miami-based company, drew interest at the conference with its innovative cancer-fighting, bispecific antibody, ivonescimab, and its partnership with a Chinese laboratory. Ivonescimab has shown promise in previous trials in China and additional trials are underway combining the drug with chemotherapy to target non-small-cell lung cancer.

Investment and Funding

Doron Junger, of Sanvia Capital, a South Florida biotech investment firm, said he attended the conference looking to invest in companies developing innovations that could address large or niche markets in a more meaningful way. A few have caught his attention; however, he is cautious about those who tout therapies in their pipelines.

Breakthroughs and Developments

On Monday, Arcturus Therapeutics of San Diego presented an update on a daily inhaled treatment for Cystic Fibrosis, which could be a breakthrough for the disease. Additionally, BioAge Labs CEO Kristen Fortney explained how her California company uses samples from a repository to study the biology of human aging and develop new therapies for obesity. Even after scrapping its lead obesity candidate due to liver toxicity, BioAge Labs is not shying away from the weight loss space and believes it can improve upon oral therapies now on the market, she said.

The Future of Healthcare and Aging Population

“More and more people are aging, and by definition, they are using more healthcare,” said Haider of Goldman Sachs. “The aging population is going to need new drugs, better drugs, faster drugs for diabetes and cardiometabolics and oncology and all of these diseases that potentially could kill you. There will be innovation, but what are we willing to pay for that innovation?”

Conclusion

The Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference brought together leaders from across the healthcare industry to discuss innovations, challenges, and opportunities. As the industry continues to evolve, it is clear that there will be winners and losers, and the future of healthcare will depend on the ability of companies to adapt to changing regulations, technologies, and consumer needs.

FAQs

• Q: What is the focus of the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference?
  A: The conference focuses on providing institutional investors with insights into companies’ business plans, data, and progress in the healthcare sector.
• Q: What are some of the innovation hotspots in the healthcare industry?
  A: Innovation hotspots include treatments for weight loss, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience.
• Q: How is China emerging as a global leader in biotechnology?
  A: China is emerging as a global leader in biotechnology through collaborations with U.S. and European companies, licensing technologies, and developing innovative treatments such as ivonescimab.
• Q: What is the impact of the aging population on the healthcare industry?
  A: The aging population will need new, better, and faster drugs for diseases such as diabetes, cardiometabolics, and oncology, driving innovation and investment in the healthcare sector.