Pharma Pulse: Mark Cuban Disrupts Drug Pricing, AstraZeneca Expands US Manufacturing, and BMS Bets Big on RNA Therapeutics

October 13, 2025

This episode of Pharma Pulse covers how Mark Cuban’s direct-to-consumer pharmacy is challenging traditional drug pricing models, AstraZeneca’s $4.5 billion investment to expand its Virginia manufacturing site, and Bristol Myers Squibb’s $1.5 billion acquisition of Orbital Therapeutics to advance RNA-based medicines.

Welcome to Pharma Pulse, a Pharmaceutical Commerce podcast where we bring you the latest insights shaping patient access, supply chain/logistics, data & tech, and healthcare innovation. I’m your host, and today we’re diving into Mark Cuban’s bold disruption of the prescription drug market, AstraZeneca’s latest investment in US manufacturing, and Bristol Myers Squibb’s multibillion-dollar move into RNA-based medicines.

Entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs is shaking up the healthcare landscape by showing that insurance isn’t always necessary for affordable prescriptions. The company’s direct-to-consumer model sells generic drugs at transparent prices, offering patients savings that often surpass traditional insurance copays. Industry experts say this model is forcing payers and PBMs to re-examine drug pricing structures, while providing uninsured and underinsured patients with an accessible, simplified alternative.
In manufacturing news, AstraZeneca is expanding its Virginia facility financial commitment, raising its total investment to $4.5 billion as part of its broader strategy to strengthen US-based production. The expansion will support the company’s biologics and antibody-drug conjugate pipeline—key areas of growth in oncology and immunology—while boosting domestic supply chain resilience amid global manufacturing shifts.
Lastly, in biopharma M&A, Bristol Myers Squibb announced a $1.5 billion acquisition of Orbital Therapeutics, a company specializing in RNA-based medicines. The deal underscores BMS’s commitment to expanding its early-stage research portfolio in genetic and immune-mediated diseases, as the company aims to diversify its revenue base ahead of key patent expirations later this decade.

From cost transparency and domestic manufacturing to next-generation RNA innovation, these developments reflect a fast-evolving landscape for pharma strategy and patient access.

That’s it for this episode of Pharma Pulse. For more insights on trends transforming pharmaceutical access and care delivery, visit pharmaceuticalcommerce.com.

Thanks for listening—until next time, stay well and stay informed.

You can catch Pharma Pulse directly on Audioboom, Spotify, or iHeart.