Friedberg predicts all infectious disease could be eradicated in 20 years if not for regulatory obstacles.
“I think in twenty years we could kind of eradicate all infectious disease. The only thing holding that up is regulation because the science is known.”
Friedberg believes Altos Labs' $3 billion model of acquiring academic teams will likely yield commercial breakthroughs.
“I think it's a really interesting model. I'm really curious to see what comes out of Altos Labs, given that the number of teams that they've gone out and like vacuumed up from academia, the probability of that portfolio of teams having a breakthrough or a set of breakthroughs that has commercial success is very high.”
Friedberg reports 40% of biotech companies now trade below cash due to shifted investor time horizons.
“40% of biotechs are trading below cash now, because historically you've bet on a biotech company, and then if they hit their mark, they go and raise more money, And then they hit that mark, they raise more money.”
Friedberg describes Chinese team identifying seven plant enzymes that catalyze transformation of sugars to starch molecules.
“this team identified seven enzymes from plants that basically catalyze the transformation of sugars over to starch into amylose and amylopectin.”
Friedberg reports Chinese biotech licensing deals jumped from 5% in 2022 to 42% in 2025.
“In 2022, Chinese companies were just 5% of licensing deals. 2025, 42%. And recently, one of the biggest licensing deals ever was three s bio, 1,250,000,000 upfront with a $6,000,000,000 total with Pfizer.”