Molecule to Market: Inside the outsourcing space

One-hour special: Meet the next big thing in obesity

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Arvid Söderhall, CEO at Empros Pharma.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Arvid, covering:

• The personal story of a pediatrician treating an obese child that led to the creation of Empros Pharma and its lead asset
• The 10-year journey from an idea to a successful Phase IIb trial... and what it felt like to reach the magic milestone
• Critical characteristics required for a small pharma leader, and why CEOs stand and fall with their data
• The ins and outs of a CDMO selection process for Phase 3 trials and the commercial launch for a global drug to complement GLP-1 products
• How the investor climate has changed in the last 1-2 years... and how it has it turned upside down in the hot obesity space

Arvid joined Empros as a project manager in 2013, during the company’s foundational phase, before the EMP16 project was named. He quickly ascended to CEO, steering Empros to prioritize its founders and inventors while leveraging a strong network of contacts and leading Empros to a phase 3-ready project that surpassed initial expectations.

He holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry with a specialization in Computational Chemistry. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Berlin, marking his first engagement with the pharma industry and filing a first patent, introducing a foray into biotech entrepreneurship. Subsequently, Arvid worked at Stockholm-based biotech ‘Sidec,’ focusing on cryo-electron microscopy of proteins. Despite the premature technology leading to Sidec’s closure, the foundational concept later earned a Nobel Prize, underscoring the importance of timing in innovation.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed, and grow in life sciences.

M&A Roundtable and 2024 Predictions

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with:

• Sabina Ouimet-Storrs, Principal at GHO Capital Partners
• James West, Managing Director at Lincoln International
• Derek Hennecke, investor and board member in biopharma and cell therapy manufacturing

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology ecosystem with his guests, covering:

• The year of the failed process in 2023...
• Which sub-segments of the pharma services ecosystem are hot right now?
• A myriad of buys and builds, carve-outs, and platform deals
• An optimistic outlook for the year ahead... despite some significant market headwinds

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Transforming a family pharma firm

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Elisabeth Stampa, President Medicines for Europe and Board Chair at Medichem.

 

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Elisabeth, covering:

• She took the reigns of the family pharmaceutical firm from her father
• The struggle of turning around the business through rationalization and divestment and critical lessons learned from a tricky time
• Re-building into a multi-national, $140m+ API and FDF CDMO with flexibility at its core
• Insights into future trends will impact our space, including the aging population, reliance on Asia, and the need for patient affordability to access medicines

With over twenty years in the industry and an experienced business leader with a track record in growing and transforming businesses, Elisabeth serves on the Board of Medichem SA. She has been the former CEO of Medichem SA., transforming a pure API company into a competitive vertical integrated player.

A pharmacy graduate by trade, she also serves on the Board of Trustees at the IQS in Barcelona and is President Medicines for Europe. Elisabeth has been an active member of international associations throughout her professional career and advocates for legislative changes that improve patient accessibility and strengthen the European industry globally.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed, and grow in life sciences.

 

From MassBio... to the world

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Kendalle Burlin O’Connell, CEO and President of MassBio.

 

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Kendalle, covering:

• The story behind how Massachusetts became one of the biggest biotech clusters in the world and why this ecosystem has such an energy
• Kendalle’s non-linear journey into MassBio and how she made an impact (and ruffled some feathers)
• How she navigated her way to the top of MassBio, including lessons learned along the way and dealing with her inner voice
• Her optimistic sentiment for 2024 and the broader impact on global life sciences

Kendalle leads the organization's strategic direction and drives policy advocacy for the industry to ensure that Massachusetts life sciences companies have the best environment possible to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize breakthrough therapies and cures for people worldwide. Pursuing innovation and delivering for members are the hallmarks of Kendalle’s more than 15 years at MassBio, including the launch of several multi-year initiatives focused on realizing a diverse and equitable life sciences industry, supporting the continued growth and sustainability of the sector throughout Massachusetts, and providing resources and solutions to companies across the industry value chain.

A lawyer by trade, she has earned a spot on the Boston Business Journal’s 2023 Power 50: Movement Makers list is ranked number 33 on Boston Magazine’s 2023 list of The 150 Most Influential Bostonians, a 2022 recipient of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Inspire Award recognizing outstanding women leaders in the Cambridge community, a 2022 Boston power player as named by Axios, a 2021 executive fellow in the inaugural class of the Civic Action Project Collaborative, and a 2019 Boston Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree which acknowledges a leader’s impact on Massachusetts’ industries.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

From banking to biotech

Founder of the Center for Breakthrough Medicines - now part of SK Pharmteco.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Audrey, covering:

• How a career in real estate financial services led her to the world of cell & gene therapy
• The story of the creation of the Center for Breakthrough Medicines to its eventual sale and ‘fit’ with SK Pharmteco
• Why Philadelphia’s 'Cellicon Valley' is becoming one of the hottest life science clusters in the US
• Timeless tips on fundraising, networking and having a go for young people
• Her view on the market outlook for 2024 and beyond

Audrey is a serial entrepreneur, having founded three startups that have exceeded valuations above $1 billion. As Founder of the Center for Breakthrough Medicines, Audrey successfully launched the company, attracted 400 employees from around the globe, raised over $500 million in capital, closed a 15-year $100 million joint venture with the University of Pennsylvania’s Gene Therapy Program, and sold the company to SK Pharmteco.

Before launching CBM, Audrey founded Discovery Labs, which grew into the largest privately held life science real estate portfolio in the United States. She spent two decades as an executive in private equity, increasing assets under management to over $100 billion.

Awards have included being selected as the Top Trailblazer in Biotech, Most Influential Philadelphian, Titan 100 (2x), Healthcare Innovation Leader, and Woman of Influence. She is a renowned keynote speaker specializing in Cell and Gene Therapy, DEI initiatives, 'Cellicon Valley', and building bio innovation hubs.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Dealing with downturns... and the menopause.

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Denise Bowser, Co-Founder and Commercial Director of Onyx Scientific.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Denise, covering:

• The founding story of Onyx and helping the company gain traction in the early years
• A lesson in M&A - being acquired as a great business and being allowed to thrive as a great business
• The non-secret, simple secret sauce of retaining and growing clients over 20 years
• Functioning as a founder while feeling the force of Menopause... and timely advice for others in the workplace
• Advice for dealing with the downturn - diversification, doubling down on your core competence and customer care

Having founded Onyx Scientific in 2000, Denise has grown the business into a multi-million dollar CDMO with over 100 employees supporting clients in delivering their clinical programs in the pharmaceutical sector. With over 25 years of experience working with clients globally, Denise has built a successful business built on relationships & trust.

Denise plays golf in her spare time with a handicap of 16 & is an active member of her club, playing competitively for the team & loves getting out to nature, more recently discovering cold dipping & going on road trips in her campervan.

 

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

 

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

 

The dealmaker now redefining commercialization

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Dominic (Nick) Marasco, Executive President and Chief Commercial Officer at Envision Pharma Group.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Nick, covering:

• Building businesses, learning lots, and selling BioAgilytix
• With many options on the table... what was it that attracted him to Envision Pharma Group
• The real-life benefits and tangible impact of AI for pharma and biopharma companies
• Why great science and outstanding services that help will continuously be funded, irrespective of the ebbs and flows of the market

Dominic (Nick) Marasco is an entrepreneurial executive. He has over 25 years of executive experience in C-suite strategic planning, commercial operations, global business development, clinical Phase III trial design strategy, alliance management, financial resourcing, and P&L oversight within the Pharmaceutical, Biotech, and Medical Device industries.

Before joining Envision Pharma Group as Executive President and Chief Commercial Officer, Dominic served as Chief Commercial Officer of BioAgilytix, and in his tenure, he was actively involved in two buyer-side acquisitions and three integrations, as well as a seller-side sale of the company to new private equity owners, all within a 24-month timeframe. Before BioAgilytix, he served as Executive Vice President of Global Business Development and Commercial at Syneos Health, where he led the overall strategic direction of the worldwide business development team for the commercial division both in the U.S. and internationally.

He was previously Head of U.S. Sales for the Neuroscience Business Unit at Amgen, Inc., and before that, Global Commercial Head of Amgen Biosimilars. Dominic has also held commercial positions at Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals (a Novartis company).

He received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and ais an alum of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program. Dominic resides in Nevada.

Connect on LinkedIn: here

----

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed, and grow in life sciences.

 

The biotech CDMO planning to impact the US

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Himanshu Gadgil, CEO at Enzene Biosciences.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Himanshu, covering:

• How a personal tragedy led him from the US to India on a mission to make an impact
• Shifting from a technical to commercial focus to launch several biosimilars in India and beyond
• Being at the inception of a big pharma biotech spin-out focused on building a platform of innovation that contributes to society
• Taking its cost-effective, continuous manufacturing platform from India to the US via a CDMO vertical focused on novel biologics

Dr. Himanshu Gadgil serves as the CEO at Enzene Biosciences Ltd. Under his services, Enzene has grown from a start-up biotech to a multi-vertical, multi-site product development and manufacturing service-based biopharmaceutical company. Prior to Enzene, he worked as the Sr. Vice President at Intas Pharmaceutical Ltd. where he was instrumental in turning around the commercial product pipeline by launching several biosimilar products in multiple geographies.

During his stint in the US, he led different facets of process and product development at Amgen, spearheading IND, BLA, and Market authorizations of various blockbuster biotech products. At the inception of his career, he joined Waters Corporation, where he pioneered the development of QBD, enabling multi-attribute methodologies for biopharmaceutical characterization. Himanshu holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Tennessee and is a passionate scientific leader and innovator with over 50 publications and patents.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Molecule to Market: Our top trends 2023; part 2

In this special end-of-year episode, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with your host, Raman Sehgal, who reflects on the 50+ episodes and special guest interviews throughout 2023.

 

In the second part of our series on the top trends 2023, we dive deep into the dynamic and ever-evolving life sciences sector. From its various life cycles to the winds of change shaping the industry in 2024, there is a positive upturn on the horizon.

In part two of the top trends from 2023, Raman identified trends including:

• How the M&A market has suffered in a fractured CDMO space over the last 12 months
• The new breed of biotechs coming to the life sciences market and what they are doing differently to be slimmer and more capital-efficient
• The rise of artificial intelligence and the importance it will play in the digitization of the sector 
• Why adaptability and flexibility are causing a sizable impact on an uncertain financial market in the life sciences sector
• Why the term “Green Shoots” is back in the life sciences vocabulary 

Catch up on Part One! 

 

Subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

 

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed and grow in life sciences.

Outsourcing in Ontario - on the cusp of greatness

In this episode of Molecule to Market, you’ll go inside the outsourcing space of the global drug development sector with Jason Field, President & CEO of Lifesciences Ontario.

Your host, Raman Sehgal, discusses the pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chain with Jason, covering:

• How the combination of his scientific background and his passion for public policy made him a perfect fit for Lifesciences Ontario (LSO)
• How the pandemic acted as a wake-up call and catalyst to kickstarting a coordinated industrial investment strategy across Canada
• The unique ecosystem of Ontario and Toronto, with its blend of plentiful STEM graduates and a thriving start-up and innovation community
• Why Ontario has gone from ‘flying under the radar’ to becoming a powerhouse cluster in the North American biomanufacturing and advanced therapies space

Dr. Jason Field is the President and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario (LSO). LSO collaborates with governments, academia, industry and other life science organizations across Canada to promote and encourage commercial success throughout the diverse sector.

Jason obtained his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts and his B.Sc from the University of Waterloo. Jason’s professional experience includes the pharmaceutical industry and the Ontario government before joining LSO as Executive Director in October 2011.

He was appointed president and CEO in April 2014. He serves on several boards and advisory committees, including UofT’s Translational Research Program, ReMAP, BioTalent Canada, and Research Canada, and co-chairs the Resilient Healthcare Coalition. Jason is the 2017 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Waterloo and Chair of Ontario’s Life Sciences Council.

Please subscribe, tell your industry colleagues, and join us in celebrating and promoting the value and importance of the global life science outsourcing space. We’d also appreciate a positive rating!

Molecule to Market is sponsored and funded by ramarketing, an international marketing, design, digital, and content agency helping companies differentiate, get noticed, and grow in life sciences.