AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT ZIOPHARM ONCOLOGY

Charlestown, Massachusetts-based Ziopharm Oncology, a bioengineering company specializing in immuno-oncology medicines to activate the immune system to target multiple cancers, has announced a major restructuring and cost reduction program to "extend the cash runway into the first half of 2023."

The restructuring program will impact 50% of the company's personnel or approximately 60 employees.

According to the recently hired Kevin Boyle, Ziopharm's new CEO, “We appreciate the many contributions the impacted employees made to Ziopharm and we commit to supporting these valued colleagues during this transition. We believe today’s strategic decision was necessary to create an organization structured and staffed for success and focused on the goal of generating clinical data in our promising TCR-T Library program. I am confident in the ability of our highly talented team to execute our strategy.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? VACCINE USE AS A BUSINESS DECISION

We are seeing significant pressure on individuals and organizations to conform to the political dictates of the day.

Some organizations are threatening to fire or otherwise penalize individuals who do not have proof of vaccination.

The constitutionality of a government mandate or the legality of any organization demanding you place your life in jeopardy from medication side effects as a condition of employment is questionable. Especially when the medicine has a conditional or emergency use government permit.

While the scientific evidence of efficiency and efficacy may be contradictory, there is a prudent path for individuals. Discuss the matter with your personal physician who knows your condition, medications, and can consider the side effects and make an informed recommendation.

It is your life. The risk you are willing to assume is the key to decision-making. Much like accepting the risk of crossing a street, driving, or flying. If you are in a high-risk cohort, the decision becomes easier as your choices are well-defined.

Disease rates are meaningless as they vary with the number of tests administered and how the statistics are massaged. Hospitalizations and death rates are interesting, but unless they are stratified by age and condition, they may not be informative.

Vaccine Efficacy is how the vaccine behaves in controlled trials and is the percentage reduction of a disease in a group of individuals

Vaccine Effectiveness is how the vaccine behaves in the real world where factors beyond those found in controlled trials such as underlying chronic illness, age, other medications taken, storage of vaccines, and more can alter the effectiveness in widespread uncontrolled usage.

Wishing you good health, the primary key to fully enjoying life.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT THERAVANCE BIOPHARMA (12/22/2021)

DECEMBER 22, 2021 — AN ADDITIONAL 38 LAYOFFS

The company has announced that there will be an additional 38 layoffs after the disappointing results of the late-stage clinical failure of its blood pressure treatment and its mid-stage failure of its ulcerative colitis treatment. Layoffs are scheduled for late February 2022.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 — Original post…

San Francisco, California-based Theravance Biopharma US, a developer specializing in the discovery, development, and commercialization of organ-selective medicines, has announced a major restructuring that will impact 75% of its current workforce. The restructuring will impact 163 employees between November 2021, and be completed by February 2022.

The decision was driven by later-phase clinical trial failures and the desire of the company to refocus its resources on the development of respiratory drugs.

According to a statement issued by Theravance chairman and CEO Rick E. Winningham, "Given the recent results from our late-stage development programs, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to focus our resources on our most promising respiratory programs and reduce the size of the organization. I am confident these actions will help us to continue making transformational medicines aimed at improving the lives of patients suffering from serious respiratory illnesses while creating value for our shareholders.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?