Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is devastating. It causes lung tissue scarring that becomes thicker over time, causing chronic pain and difficulty breathing. However, it’s not just the physical toll of the disease that impacts patients, it’s also a significant decline in quality of life.

Since we have now rebranded twoXAR Pharmaceuticals as Aria Pharmaceuticals, I’m often asked “Why that name?” The dictionary defines the word “aria” as a long musical piece typically written for a solo voice with orchestral accompaniment in an opera, a theatrical work which combines drama, music, song and dance. You might be wondering, what does drug discovery and development have to do with opera?

I recently authored an article in Life Science Leader discussing my own misperceptions and preconceived notions about applying AI to an extremely challenging and complex process, drug discovery. Like many, my 30-year career in pharmaceuticals was rooted in the tried-and-true methodology of the traditional R&D process, with wins few and far between. But my dissatisfaction for the lengthy and often unsuccessful process to bring new molecules to market reached a heightened sense of urgency in 2017 when I started consulting for twoXAR and realized there might be a better way. I wanted to take a moment here and share what exactly drove me to the conviction I now have.

Every year, for the past 39 years, the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference has been one of the most reliable predictors of our industry’s health. It’s a gauge of industry innovation, deal making, funding and overall sentiment about the value of the pharmaceutical market.