Senior Editor Annalee Armstrong was doing a pretty routine interview with Genentech’s Greg Rippon when she heard what she says was a mea culpa. Genentech wasn't able to recruit the kind of diverse population that would truly reflect the predominance of Alzheimer’s in non-white communities. Annalee will discuss what she heard from Rippon about the lack of trial diversity and how Genentech hopes to get it right in the future. 

How memorable are diabetes brands? According to a new report out by Phreesia, patients are too overloaded with names to remember. We'll discuss how pharma companies could change their marketing strategy.

To learn more about topics in this episode: 

• Genentech didn't get it right on diversity for critical Graduate Alzheimer's program. They're trying again 
• Diabetes brand awareness in the doldrums despite plowing big bucks into ad campaigns 
• Abbott proclaims FDA approval of neurostimulator to treat pain in 6 areas at once 
• After FDA rejection, Gilead's long-acting HIV med Sunlenca snags first global nod 
• Third Harmonic, with an old Novartis drug in hand, braves frosty IPO waters in a quick-fire cash grab 
• Alcon swoops on Aerie, striking $770M buyout to expand eye drug pipeline 
• Ex-Novartis unit Alcon keeps eye med expansion rolling with $770M pact to snap up Aerie 
• Alcon scopes out $475M acquisition of glaucoma stent maker Ivantis
• UPDATED: Teva won't reopen troubled California site, where 300-plus are losing their jobs 
• We're looking for 2022's Fiercest Women in Life Sciences—closes this week 

The Top Line is produced by senior multimedia producer Teresa Carey with managing editor Querida Anderson and senior editors Annalee Armstrong, Ben Adams, Conor Hale and Eric Sagonowsky. The sound engineer is Caleb Hodgson. The stories are by all our “Fierce” journalists. Like and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

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