One Mechanism, Three Conditions: A New Direction in Neurological Treatment
December 3, 2025
What if inflammation was the key to unlocking treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Long COVID? In this episode of Power to the Patients, Brandon Li sits down with Cuong Do, CEO of BioVie, to explore the fascinating intersection of these seemingly unrelated conditions. From diving into medical research at the age of 14 to leading groundbreaking clinical trials, Cuong shares invaluable insights on biotech innovation, trial design, and navigating today's challenging funding landscape. Tune in to discover how a single molecule's unique ability to cross the blood-brain barrier could potentially transform treatment for millions of patients.
In this episode, host Brandon Li speaks with Cuong Do, CEO of BioVie, to explore the intersection of inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Drawing from his remarkable journey from Vietnam to McKinsey to biotech entrepreneurship, Do shares insights on drug development, clinical trials, and the future of CNS therapeutics.
What You'll Learn:
- Why inflammation may be the hidden link between Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Long COVID
- How to design effective clinical trials by minimizing variability and selecting objective endpoints
- The critical advantage of small molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier
- Why the amyloid hypothesis dominated Alzheimer's research and what we've learned since
- How biotech funding challenges are creating a pipeline problem for future drug development
- The "What Does Success Look Like" framework for maintaining focus on transformative outcomes in drug development
- Why continuous infusion delivery systems can improve safety profiles of existing drugs
- How to evaluate and acquire promising biotech assets through scientific due diligence
- Why Parkinson's trials can be more cost-effective than Alzheimer's studies
- The emerging technologies reshaping CNS drug development, from BBB crossing to personalized oncology
About the Guest:
Cuong Do is the CEO of BioVie, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for neurological and inflammatory conditions. With over 17 years as a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and executive roles at Samsung, Lenovo, and Merck, he brings extensive leadership experience across healthcare and technology sectors. His journey from conducting medical research at the age of 14 to founding multiple successful biotechnology companies showcases his deep commitment to advancing medical science.
Episode Resources:
Episode Resources: