Breakthrough: The Quest for Life-Changing Medicines

Meet the doctors, scientists, patients and campaigners tackling the world’s worst diseases

We often hear about the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry – from extortionate pricing to the opioid epidemic. But there’s another story to be told.

Through the story of eight revolutionary treatments, Dr William Pao cuts to the innovative heart of medical science and celebrates the tireless work of those fighting for better care. Behind each of these medicines – whether a potentially life-saving new treatment for cancer, or something as commonplace as paracetamol – there stands a cast of characters and a wealth of stories.

The trajectory from the laboratory to the local chemist is rarely a straight line. Eureka moments are few are far between. Drug hunting demands leaps of imagination and lateral thinking, the accumulation of the knowledge and expertise of many, and – nearly always – a hefty dollop of luck.

Breakthrough documents these journeys and grants a privileged look at the stories behind the medicines that improve – and very often save – our lives.

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‘This book is a must read for anyone interested in learning how new therapeutics are created and should also appeal to the curious reader fascinated by innovation, popular science, biology and medicine.’ ―Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of the Pulitzer Prize winner The Emperor of All Maladies
 

'It is a miracle that any drug ever gets approved. Pao uncovers years of research, flashes of insight and gruelling clinical trials to explain how some drugs succeed against all odds. This celebration of human ingenuity shines a light on the relentless resilience behind medical breakthroughs that have transformed patients’ lives. Utterly compelling.' ―Dame Kate Bingham, former chair of UK Vaccine Taskforce and author of The Long Shot
 

'William Pao’s book vividly brings to life the people involved in medical research and development to find new ways to advance clinical outcomes for patients. The perseverance; intuition; iterations required to engineer that "sweet spot" are narrated in a very readable way. Over my decades in Life Sciences I have seen with each new approach in medicine that it is a miracle that it reaches licensure. As John Davey, the US philosopher, said last century, "Every great advance in Science has issued from a new audacity of imagination". Our thanks should go to the wide variety of skilled people and to patients who join us in exploring better outcomes for the diseases we face' ―William 'Bill' Burns, Former CEO of Roche Pharma
 

‘Breakthrough reads like a mystery novel. It draws the reader in, first by describing the scientific discovery that provides key insight into a disease and then by weaving a tapestry of those who overcame almost unimaginable challenges to design and test the medicines we have today that cure, prevent, or vastly improve outcomes for those stricken with grievous illnesses… inspirational; a must read for anyone interested in or associated with drug discovery and development.’ ―Mace Rothenberg MD, President and executive director of Museum of Medicine and Biomedical discovery