Conquering COVID-19: When and From Where Will Vaccines and Therapies Emerge?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

This week on Hubwonk, Host Joe Selvaggi is joined by Pioneer’s Bill Smith, Visiting Fellow in Life Sciences, and Dr. Peter Kolchinsky, Harvard-trained virologist, biotech investor and author of the new book, The Great American Drug Deal, to learn how the SARS-CoV2 works, what a vaccine may look like, and how we might produce it to scale.

 

Guest:

Peter Kolchinsky, Ph.D. is a biotechnology investor and a scientist. He co-founded and runs the Boston-based investment firm RA Capital Management; writes and teaches about biomedical entrepreneurship and its potential to transform global health; serves on the boards of several public and private drug development companies; and lives in Massachusetts with his historian/equestrian wife, strong-willed children, and reasonably well-trained dog.

In addition to The Great American Drug Deal, he is the author of The Entrepreneur’s Guide to a Biotech Startup. Peter served on the Board of Global Science and Technology for the National Academy of Sciences and writes about the biotech social contract. He holds a BA from Cornell University and a PhD in Virology from Harvard University.

About the Guest Co-Host:

 Dr. William S. Smith is Pioneer’s Visiting Fellow in the Life Sciences. Dr. Smith has 25 years of experience in government and in corporate roles. His career includes senior staff positions for the Republican House leadership on Capitol Hill, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Massachusetts Governor’s office where he served under Governors Weld and Cellucci. He spent ten years at Pfizer Inc as Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy where he was responsible for Pfizer’s corporate strategies for the U.S. policy environment. He later served as a consultant to major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. Dr. Smith earned his PhD in political science with distinction at The Catholic University of America.

About the Host:

Joe Selvaggi is the host of HubWonk. Joe is a US Navy veteran, entrepreneur, investment professional, former candidate for US Congress, and political commentator. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. He lives in Boston.

Get new episodes of Hubwonk in your inbox!

Browse recent episodes:

Learning From California: Policy Lessons From Golden State Exodus

Joe Selvaggi speaks with Tim Anaya of the Pacific Research Institute about his new book, The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide, exploring insights and lessons on how Massachusetts can stay competitive.

New England Short Circuit: Distorted Incentives Drive Energy Prices Up and Reliability Down

Joe Selvaggi talks with Travis Fisher from the Cato Institute about the rising costs and increasing fragility of the New England power grid, as green capacity incentives distract from neglected infrastructure.

Controlling Drug Prices: Costs and Benefits of Direct Negotiation with Big Pharma

Joe Selvaggi talks with Bill Smith, Director of the Life Sciences Initiative at Pioneer Institute, about the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on drug pricing negotiations and its potential effects on drug development, consumers, and taxpayers.

Harris’ Tax Vision: Policy & Politics

Joe Selvaggi talks with Tax Foundation Vice President William McBride about the details and potential effects of the tax policy proposed by Kamala Harris's presidential campaign

Digital Privacy Divide: Can Law Enforcement Google Where You’ve Been?

Joe Selvaggi talks with Cato Institute legal fellow Brent Skorup about the split in the court of appeals over the Constitution's 4th Amendment protections concerning law enforcement's search of location tracking data.

Housing Bond Bill: Could Billions Better Bay State Cost of Living

Joe Selvaggi talks with Pioneer's Senior Housing Fellow, Andrew Mikula, about the recently passed $5.2 billion bond bill, discussing its key features and how it might impact the supply and cost of homes in Massachusetts.

Ruinous Red Tape: Epic Cost of Unchecked Federal Rule Making

Joe Selvaggi discusses the emergence of the massive, costly, and rapidly growing register of federal rules and regulations with Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Wayne Crews.

Property Tax Reassessment: Beleaguered Buildings Bear Burden of Boston’s Burgeoning Budget

Joe Selvaggi talks with Marty Walz, the interim president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, about more viable, long-term alternatives to Mayor Wu’s property tax classification proposal.

Registering Republican Realignment: GOP Convention Showcases Conservatism’s New Direction

Joe Selvaggi talks with the CATO Institute’s Dr. Norbert Michel about the shift in the Republican vision and policy goals from decades past, as reflected in the nominees and guest speakers at the 2024 GOP Convention.

Candidate Selection Breakdown: Presidential Primary Primacy or Determined Delegate Detour

Joe Selvaggi talks with MIT Professor Charles Stewart III about the political party’s presidential candidate nomination process and what or who ultimately decides who is chosen.