Breakthrough

Breakthrough Synopsis

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

'A must read.' Siddhartha Mukherjee, bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies

What does it take to create a new medicine? The trajectory from laboratory to your neighbourhood pharmacist rarely runs smooth. Drug hunting demands radical leaps of imagination, the expertise of many… and a hefty dollop of luck. Unsurprisingly, 'eureka' moments come few and far between - but, when they do, the effects can be life-changing.

Charting the discovery of eight revolutionary drugs, Dr William Pao cuts to the innovative heart of the industry and celebrates the tireless work of the scientists, doctors, parents and patients fighting for better medical care. For 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. Documenting these fascinating journeys, Breakthrough grants a privileged look at the stories behind the medicines that improve - and very often save - our lives.

Foreword by Nobel Prize-Winner Harold Varmus

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'Utterly compelling.' Dame Kate Bingham, author of The Long Shot

'A celebration of medical innovation.' Guardian

'Captivating... An essential read.' Art Levinson, former CEO of Genentech