267: Why Affordable Insulin Is a Money Problem, Not a Science Problem with Eric Moyal - Part 1

Insulin was first discovered over a century ago—yet in the United States, 1 in 5 insulin-dependent patients still ration their lifesaving supply. Why is a molecule so essential, and so well understood, still so out of reach for so many?Eric Moyal, founder of Project Insulin, decided to challenge not just the science, but the business model itself. With a background in nonprofit fundraising—not drug development—he’s building a biosimilar insulin glargine and promising to sell it directly to patients at cost, insurance or not.Topics discussed include:The origins of the insulin affordability crisis and the impact of profit-driven healthcare systems (04:27)How over a million Americans are forced to ration their insulin every month, and the broader impact on patients’ (lives 06:37)The advantages and challenges of approaching drug development with a background outside of biotech (08:37)The fundraising-focused strategy for overcoming scientific and technical hurdles in developing biosimilar insulin (09:17)Technical details on Project Insulin’s development process, including selection of CDMOs, importance of analytical data, and process challenges like reverse-phase cleaving and crystallization (11:16)The impact of recent FDA regulatory changes on the development and approval pathway for biosimilars in the U.S. (15:45)Smart insight: A nonprofit approach to essential medicines could reshape the future for patients who depend on them. By removing shareholder expectations and focusing on affordability and access, leaders like Eric Moyal are proving new paths are possible—not through incremental science alone, but through bold re-imaginings of how science serves the public.If you enjoyed this episode, you might want to listen to these within a broader set of discussions on biologics affordability, CMC strategy, and bioprocessing realities — from the economic barriers blocking patient access and regulatory decision-making for biosimilars, to CDMO selection for resource-constrained teams:Episode 136: 5 Roadblocks to Affordable Biologics (And How to Overcome Them)Episodes 57 - 58: Crafting a Solid CMC Strategy: Key Factors and Common Pitfalls with Matthias MüllnerEpisodes 103 - 104: One-Stop Shop vs. Specialist CDMO: A Scientist's Guide to CDMO Selection with Sigma MostafaConnect with Eric Moyal:Email: [email protected]: www.projectinsulin.orgInstagram: www.instagram.com/projectinsulinLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/82500193TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@project.insulinYouTube: www.youtube.com/@ProjectInsulinNext step: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform. By doing so, we can empower more scientists like you. Stay tuned for more inspiring biotech insights in our next episode.Support the show