Rating: 
Summary: The Billion Dollar Molecule - One Company's Quest...
Review: A thouroughly enjoyable read, Werth sheds light on the personaliteis and complexities of an amazing and multifaceted business. Throughout, the author uncovers the unseen deal-making, hand-wringing, and fist clenching that dominate the start of Vertex, a strucure-based paharmaceutical firm. I particularly enjoyed the background on the Boger-Schreiber collaboration and rivalry, and the ensuing rivalry in Vertex's own labs. Further, following the last few years of Vertex's ups and downs via the Internet has been thoroughly enjoyable. Werth's style is easliy read, and his obvious unhindered access to Vertex and its people make the story enjoyable, suspenseful, and dramatic.
Rating:
Summary: The Billion Dollar Molecule - One Company's Quest...
Review: A thouroughly enjoyable read, Werth sheds light on the personaliteis and complexities of an amazing and multifaceted business. Throughout, the author uncovers the unseen deal-making, hand-wringing, and fist clenching that dominate the start of Vertex, a strucure-based paharmaceutical firm. I particularly enjoyed the background on the Boger-Schreiber collaboration and rivalry, and the ensuing rivalry in Vertex's own labs. Further, following the last few years of Vertex's ups and downs via the Internet has been thoroughly enjoyable. Werth's style is easliy read, and his obvious unhindered access to Vertex and its people make the story enjoyable, suspenseful, and dramatic.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, vivid insights into biotech hustle
Review: A well-told, vivid story about real life drug development, executed with a sharp observer's eye and an even hand. Hardly a gushing account of medical miracles in the making, but by no means industry bashing either. Rather, an inside look at real people in a fascinating world. This book never quite got the critical acclaim that it deserved.
Rating:
Summary: A great biotech story
Review: A wonderful story of the trials and successes of a pharmaceutical start-up, based on the premise of structure based drug design. The books provides valuable insight into what it takes to help run and work inside such a company.
Rating:
Summary: A great biotech story
Review: A wonderful story of the trials and successes of a pharmaceutical start-up, based on the premise of structure based drug design. The books provides valuable insight into what it takes to help run and work inside such a company.
Rating:
Summary: reads like a thriller
Review: awesome book about a start up in the pharmaceutical industry. a must for everybody who works in this field or who thinks about founding a company in the chemical/pharmaceutical/biochemical field. a must read!
Rating:
Summary: A real insiders account of a high-tech startup
Review: Barry Werth has managed in this book to capture the essence of the excitement, frustrations, suffering and satisfaction of being in a successful high-tech startup company. Having had unprecedented access to staff at Vertex and its collaborators, he has managed to reconstruct events from all angles. Werth presents his story in a compelling dramatic style, from the heady heights of scientific discovery, to the depths of VC capriciousness. This book is highly suggested reading in our new startup!
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary look into the world of Big Pharma
Review: Barry's Werth spent several years with the scientists and bio-venturers who formed Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The work paid off in an insightful and entertaining book. The Billion Dollar molecule is the holy grail of the researchers in today's pharmaceutical world, and this book shows how they go about attaining it. A remarkably easy book to read even if you don't know a protein from a Springsteen. The reader can find something valuable from all angles. Read it as a science book, a thriller, a business narrative, or a straight novel, you'll find delight here.
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Summary: This is one hell of a book; an epic saga, a page-turner
Review: Good info. on biotech, too, for the educated layperson
Rating:
Summary: Fast-paced and Insightful
Review: I first read this book nearly two years ago as research for a novel I was writing. Recently, I turned to it once more to pick up a few terms and found myself reading chapter after chapter! This non-fiction tale has enough twists and turns and drama to match any thriller on the market. An informative and engaging tale of a pharmaceutical start-up and the people involved. Joshua is interesting enough that the book could have been solely about him, but he isn't the only one. All of the players in this ego-driven mega-drama are interesting on many levels. Who would I reccomend this book to? Anyone who likes a well-told story. A background in medicine is not needed, and neither is a knowledge of business practices. All you need to enjoy this book is a brain . . . and a night light because you'll be reading this book deep into the night.
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