Tag Archives: Business Strategy

2021 challenged us all in many ways. As successive waves of SARS-CoV2 variants swept around the globe, we saw a monumental scientific achievement in our industry – the development and distribution of a completely new vaccine – accompanied by various failures and missteps that undermined progress against the pandemic. It was an imperfect and at […]

One of the most common questions I get asked is how I got into the business side of the biotech industry, and in particular business development. My career path did not follow a predictable, straight line. I had not set out intending to become a chief business officer at a biotech company. It was a […]

With hundreds of gene therapies currently in clinical trials, the demand for manufacturing has exploded in just a few years. Biotech sponsors looking for contract manufacturing organization (CMO) partners face a difficult challenge, as bigger players compete for resources and consolidation reduces the number of prospects. So how do you find the right CMO for […]

Does commercialization strategy matter when you are years from having a commercial product? In my experience in biotech, the answer is a resounding yes. Biotech is an industry that has a high rate of failure — 90 percent of drug candidates do not get approval.  Even if approval comes, a study by Deloitte Center for Health Solutions […]

It’s tempting to think that the first skill you need to learn in business development is negotiating. That’s important, of course, but it should not be your first stop. Business development, at its core, is all about building relationships. And while that may sound simple, I’ve seen many up-and-comers stumble because they fail to understand […]

Most of the titles in a biotech C-suite are generally self-explanatory. The Chief Technical and Manufacturing Officer runs operations in CMC and analytics. The Chief Financial Officer handles financial strategy and investor relations. The Chief Commercial Officer prepares for bringing investigational therapies to market. Then there’s the title I hold: Chief Business Officer (CBO). This […]

In a recent blog post, I walked through my tips for reading your adversaries’ body language while maintaining your own poker face throughout negotiations. In this second post, I’ll share practical tactics for gaining leverage and using it wisely. Women of biotech, there’s also a special section for you – so read on! Be prepared […]

It’s back-to-school season, and that puts me in the frame of mind to share some of the most important lessons I’ve learned in a long career focusing on one of the most daunting pillars of the biopharma BD world: the negotiation. First, a metaphor: imagine a wobbly card table with a dozen rubber balls in […]

When AVROBIO went public in June 2018, I found myself on the steep end of an unexpected but interesting learning curve regarding data disclosure. I had spent years leading Shire’s business development team, so I was well-versed in the regulatory requirements for public companies. However, I suddenly had to reckon with the complexities that ensued […]

It’s never too early to start thinking about the end goal. That’s been my philosophy throughout my career, and in the rapidly maturing field of gene therapy, it’s non-negotiable. After all, even after we as an industry nail the science, we will face substantial clinical, regulatory and logistical challenges in bringing these therapies to market. […]