Profiles
One doctor helped kickstart US nuclear medicine’s new wave. Now he’s refining it.
Nuclear medicine has multiple approved cancer treatments and diagnostics in the United States, and Dr. Ebrahim Delpassand, founder of RadioMedix, is a key figure driving this wave. From early introduction of therapies like Lutathera and Pluvicto to now focusing on unmet needs such as pancreatic cancer and brain tumors, he continues to lead the development and industrialization of radiopharmaceuticals.
A protein model designed for space could expand pharma’s definition of ‘druggability’
Omnigeniq's protein model, derived from a space bioreactor project, uses 'deterministic intelligence' combining biophysics and AI, without relying on external big data, to present proteins in a ligand-ready state. The company is collaborating with research institutions and a US nonprofit organization for neurodegenerative diseases, and plans to build the first computational model of E. coli, with the ultimate goal of creating a human holographic twin.
RNAi looked doomed to fail — until Alnylam’s science chief found a way
This article tells the story of how Kevin Fitzgerald, Chief Scientific Officer of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, overcame the engineering challenges of RNAi technology to turn a Nobel Prize-level technology into marketed drugs. From early failures to the approval of the first drug Onpattro in 2018, and now four products on the market, Fitzgerald's journey demonstrates the power of persistence and innovation.
A day in the life of GSK’s U.S. president
How Maya Martinez-Davis, President of GSK US, balances frequent travel and new product launches amid declining vaccine sales and regulatory uncertainty, driving the company's transformation toward specialty medicines and oncology pipeline.
The former Wall Street analyst shaping Novartis’ big-picture strategy
Former Wall Street analyst Ronny Gal joined Novartis in 2022 as the newly created Chief Strategy and Growth Officer. He assisted CEO Vas Narasimhan in driving the company's divestiture of non-core businesses such as Sandoz, focusing on core therapeutic areas like oncology and cardiovascular, and led acquisitions including Chinook and Anthos to address patent cliffs and industry competition.
Her son’s DMD diagnosis shook her world. As a biotech CEO, it was also an epiphany for better rare disease R&D.
Five years ago, Michelle Werner's son Caffrey was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a news that left this biotech CEO with nearly two decades of drug development experience feeling isolated and helpless. In the process of seeking treatment options, she discovered numerous shortcomings in rare disease drug development, and her son was even ineligible for any clinical trial enrollment due to factors such as age. This experience became a turning point in her career—in 2022, she joined Alltrna, a company under Flagship Pioneering, as CEO, dedicated to developing universal therapies that could cover multiple rare genetic diseases using a tRNA technology platform, and introducing the well-established basket trial concept from oncology to bring new hope to rare disease patients.
Former Pfizer CSO Mikael Dolsten on writing his next chapter, embracing AI and asking the ‘big questions’
After stepping down, Pfizer's former Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten joined the boards of several biopharmaceutical companies, including AI drug discovery company Immunai. He shared his thoughts on leadership, the synergy between AI and human intelligence, and the future direction of the industry.
The industry heavyweight behind Novavax’s push to bounce back
Dr. Ruxandra Draghia-Akli joined Novavax as Executive Vice President and Head of R&D last autumn. She previously drove the launch of Merck's Ervebo and held senior positions at J&J and the European Commission. Facing declining COVID-19 vaccine sales and questions about the company's survival, she plans to leverage the Matrix-M adjuvant platform and external partnerships to rebuild the product pipeline and steer the company out of difficulty.
Left to clean up after ‘pharma bro’ Shkreli’s arrest, former Turing CEO Ron Tilles reckons with the past
After Martin Shkreli's arrest, his founded company Turing Pharmaceuticals teetered on the brink of collapse. As one of the largest shareholders, Ron Tilles was forced to take on the CEO role, struggling to keep operations afloat amid severed bank ties, withdrawn suppliers, and global public condemnation. In a recent exclusive interview, he revisited that 'nightmarish' experience and how he extricated himself from the drug pricing controversy, now embarking on a new chapter in the rare disease field.
CEO with type 1 diabetes works to deliver ‘world’s first’ functional cure
Sernova CEO Jonathan Rigby, a Type 1 diabetes patient, is dedicated to developing the world's first functional cure. His Cell Pouch System helped 7 patients achieve insulin independence in Phase 1/2 trials, sustained for over four years.