Reshaping the narrative on biopharma innovation with BIO Board Chair Dr. Ted Love

Mainstage at the GA Life Sciences Summit

Dovetailing closely on access, advocacy, policy and innovation, BIO Board Chair and founder of Global Blood Therapeutics Dr. Ted Love discussed his mission oriented journey in the life sciences in the day’s keynote. This work continues with the need to reshape the narrative around biopharma innovation, access, cost and value.

“Drug cost is not a singular item,” Dr. Love told GRA Senior Advisor Greg Vaughn, MD in their post remarks chat. “We need to get copays out of the system and stop blocking egregious things we do to discourage patients from taking medicines.”

Our recent weekly bioBEAT summarized Dr. Love’s keynote thusly: 

“BIO Board Chair Dr. Ted Love founded a company (Global Blood Therapeutics—since acquired by Pfizer ) to develop treatments for sickle cell disease, so he is solidly grounded in the biopharma space. However, he’s enthusiastic about biotech’s potential to help achieve a wide range of societal goals. At Georgia Bio’s Life Sciences Summit this week, Ted spoke about the importance of communicating biotech’s full potential and opening minds to the promise of innovation.

“‘Showing the public how we change lives through innovations is a huge task that we must all embrace!’ he said in his remarks. ‘But, we can do this by telling everyone we talk to [that] biotechnology is our only hope – to fight egregious diseases and future pandemics, to produce clean energy to fight climate change, to solve food insecurity , and to provide biodefense to keep us all secure.’

“Ted shared a story about his own daughter’s (Alex) skepticism toward the biopharma industry—until she spent one summer working at Global Blood Therapeutics and saw firsthand how impactful the company’s work could be for patients. ‘Perhaps we can learn a lesson from my experience with Alex when it comes to reframing the narrative of our industry,’ he said.

“‘We need to increase awareness of what we are achieving in our society,’ he added, ‘by telling our powerful stories of innovation and standing up for science. It will require highlighting the possibilities of mRNA vaccines, gene therapy, crop editing , and the many other amazing technologies that we are investing in. mRNA took years and years to develop, but it arrived in time to treat Covid-19.’ Read Ted’s full remarks here. ”

Mainstage at the GA Life Sciences Summit

Georgia Life Sciences Joins National Coalition Urging Congressional Action on Key Innovation Policies

December 10, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences has joined 43 state and regional life sciences organizations in signing a national Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) letter calling on Congress to take immediate action on three bipartisan policy priorities that are essential to sustaining U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation and supporting patients nationwide. With Congress back in session and several critical programs at risk of expiring, the letter urges congressional leaders to advance the following provisions without delay: 1. Reauthorize the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PPRV) Program The PPRV program has been instrumental in incentivizing the development of therapies for children with rare and life-threatening conditions. Its lapse threatens to slow or halt research that families across the country are counting on. 2. Extend the SBIR/STTR Programs The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide crucial early-stage capital for emerging biotech and medtech companies—many of them in Georgia. Without reauthorization, hundreds of innovative small businesses face uncertainty, jeopardizing new therapies, diagnostics, and technologies in the pipeline, 3. Advance PBM Transparency Reforms Greater transparency and accountability within pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices are needed to ensure that savings reach patients and employers. Reforming PBM operations is essential to strengthening access and affordability across the healthcare system. A Unified Message from the Life Sciences Community The sign-on letter reflects broad, bipartisan alignment across the national life sciences ecosystem: researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, patient advocates, and state associations all share a common message— these programs underpin America’s global competitiveness and are vital to patients who rely on continued scientific progress. Georgia Life Sciences has shared the letter with members of Georgia’s congressional delegation and will continue engaging with policymakers to emphasize the importance of swift action.

GLS Joins Georgia Partners in Calling for Federal PBM Reform

December 7, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences is proud to stand with patient advocates, providers, and employers across the state in urging Congress to take meaningful action on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform. We recently signed on to a joint letter to Georgia’s Congressional Delegation stressing the urgent need for transparency, fair practices, and policies that ensure savings flow directly to patients.

GLS’ President and CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe in December's issue of Georgia Trend

December 4, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences’ CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe shares her perspective on the value of Georgia’s research universities in this month’s issue of Georgia Trend. “Georgia research institutions have felt a very significant impact from the federal rollbacks, specifically in NIH and NSF funding. Thacker Goethe’s message about the impact of research cuts is simple: Disruption shatters the foundational trust researchers have in grant continuity….” To read the full article, click here .
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