When 10,000 doctors stood up and cheered for a cancer drug — America's innovation machine made it possible

Roderick Wong, MD is Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of RTW Investments (Credit: courtesy of RTW Investments)

You might have seen, in early June, more than 10,000 oncologists and drug developers gave a standing ovation mid-presentation. The slide that moved the room showed survival curves for Revolution Medicine’s daraxonrasib. For the first time, a drug showed a path to beating pancreatic cancer, nearly doubling survival. Thanks to social media, millions more shared that moment.

Over the last half-dozen years of my 25-year career in biotech, I’ve enjoyed more and more moments like this. The vast majority have been thanks to U.S. leadership in drug innovation. But we are at an important crossroads. American patients face high healthcare costs at home, while the rise of China and AI adds new anxieties. As America celebrates its 250^th anniversary, we should reflect on what made this country the world’s engine of drug innovation and how we can sustain it for American patients.