Bridging differences from bench to boardroom
Dr. Ted Witek draws from his experience across industry and academia (390 words, 2.5 min)
“We’re all after the same thing in healthcare,” said Dr. Ted Witek, professor and senior fellow at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, and former CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Canada.
Speaking on the NPC podcast about his career journey from academia to industry to senior management and back, Dr. Witek (photo below) emphasized that despite “different worlds, different structures, and different governance,” the key to working smoothly with academia as an industry person—or vice versa—is to understand the end goals of each role.
“When academics and industry scientists [can] discuss and address any issues head-on,” he said, “we’re able to blend the best of what we do, [which is] ultimately developing and innovating drugs.”
He described how finding common ground helps to overcome what otherwise seem like natural barriers. “At the end of the day, those of us that have our vocational commitment to developing drugs, we all want to make a difference and we’re doing it from different venues.”
“How do you do it? You keep an open mind, you respect your colleagues, and you stay passionate and professional,” Dr. Witek said. “That’s how I moved from discipline to discipline, [and] ultimately got the opportunity for leadership positions across the value chain and Pharma. I have not had a day in 30 years in Pharma that I wasn’t excited.”
Dr. Witek said that one skill that served him well, “going from the bench to clinical research to alliance management to general management,” was the ability to “take off [his] clinical coat [and] let those with the expertise do that job.”
“I did have a management style of building trust and delegating,” he said. “When you get to trust your colleagues, you have a very efficient organization, and when you don’t have that trust is when you have more difficulties.”
Now, as a professor and senior fellow at the Institute of Health Policy Management & Evaluation (IHPME) and Director of the Doctor of Public Health program at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Dr. Witek is giving advice on career development from the academic side.
“My guidance is, don’t worry about a linear track. In fact, you can avoid it,” he said. “Yes, we’re going to advance ourselves academically, but life goes on. Don’t worry so much.”
THIS WEEK 04/05/22
Novo Nordisk announced that ESPEROCT (Antihemophilic Factor VIII (Recombinant, B-Doman Truncated), PEGylated) and ZONOVATE (Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant, B-Domain Truncated) are now publicly available through Canadian Blood Services. Both ESPEROCT and ZONOVATE are antihemophilic medications that will help support Canadians diagnosed with hemophilia A.
Novavax announced the submission of its request to expand the conditional marketing authorization of the Nuvaxovid Covid-19 Vaccine, also known as NVX-CoV2373, in the European Union to teenagers between 12 and 17 years of age. The submission includes clinical data from an ongoing Phase 3 trial of 2,247 teenagers across 73 sites in the United States.
A new federally funded national training platform is designed to develop future leaders in digital health solutions. An initiative of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Early Professionals, Inspired Careers in Age Tech program was set up to help graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early career researchers improve the quality of life of older Canadians with complex health needs and their caregivers by developing better, faster access to digital health solutions.
Janssen announced that Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance with Conditions (NOC/c) approving RYBREVANT (amivantamab). RYBREVANT is a fully human, bispecific antibody used to treat adults living with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) Exon 20 insertion mutations whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.
Next from our NPC Webinar series! Join panelists Leandra Wells (GSK), Peter Brenders (Beigene), Jim Shea (CCPE) and Danny Goldman (Sanofi) for a conversation about new ways of working, the pandemic’s impact on career mobility, and the skill sets individuals and teams need to navigate today’s workplace.
The Spring webinar will be held this Wednesday, April 6 starting at 11:00am ET. Don’t miss out!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Season Six of the NPC Podcast has concluded, an ongoing exploration of Pharma’s purpose, process, and people with a diverse list of guests across eight episodes.
Podcast co-hosts Mitch Shannon, Jim Shea and Mark McElwain spoke with guests for various perspectives on career development, understanding cancer patient journeys, the impact of the pandemic on work in Pharma, and lessons from the vaccine rollout. Did you miss an episode? Catch up now!
CANADIAN HEALTHCARE MARKETING HALL OF FAME
The Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame awards were established in 2002 to honour healthcare marketers who have contributed to our vocation and inspire others.
More than 100 honourees have been selected during the past 18 years. In the selection committee’s view, they stand for a representative cross-section of the qualities that make our business unique and fulfilling. Each week, NPC Healthbiz Weekly will acknowledge one past Hall of Fame Honouree.
2013 Inductee
Glenn Block
Raleigh, N.C.
Editor’s Note: Glenn is currently an independent consultant in biopharma and biotechnology with a specialty in pharmaceuticals & aesthetic devices.
To Glenn Block, succeeding in business and contributing to society were goals that are totally compatible. “I chose a business degree because it gave me a lot of options,” says Block, General Manager, Merz Pharma Canada Ltd., who majored in marketing and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “I wanted to pursue a career in the world that would allow me to make a contribution and marry that with my passion for business.”
Block began his pharma career in 1991 in the sales force for Allergan Inc., focusing on ophthalmology therapeutics. one of the ophthalmology products was Botox, which was originally used to treat strabismus and blepharospasm. Block was named Sales Representative of the Year in 1994 and in 1996 while in the field.
Botox was originally indicated for medical use, and it was research by Vancouver physicians Alastair and Jean Carruthers, that highlighted to Allergan that the product could offer more than strictly medical benefits.
“The marketing lesson was to listen to our customer,” says Block. “The idea of where and how to best utilize a drug treatment and determine what is a business opportunity can come from physicians, since they have first-hand knowledge, working with patients.”
Block took a deeper dive into dermatology when he became Director, Dermatology Business Unit at Biogen Idec Canada in 2003. He credits his team with trailblazing and overcoming many hurdles in the launch of the biologic psoriasis therapy Amevive. “We had a great team and a very successful Canadian
launch.” After success with dermatology, he took the position of Director, Neurology Business Unit, at the company. He increased sales of Avonex and prepared for the Canadian launch of Tysabri, both multiple sclerosis treatments.
In 2006, Block was approached by Merz and asked to evaluate the potential for the entry of a new botulinum toxin, Xeomin, into the Canadian marketplace. The challenge would be introducing a competitor to Allergan’s long-established product. Block worked at Merz’s head office in Frankfurt, Germany for a year before setting up the company’s Canadian operations in Burlington, Ont. more than four years ago.
“The key to any organization is building a strong product portfolio and assembling a great team, and I am extremely proud of the team we have put together,” he says. In the four years since the inception of Merz Pharma Canada, Block and his team now have products in the neuroscience, Aesthetic Dermatology and the OTC spaces.
NEXT WEEK
In the 04/12 edition of the NPC Healthbiz Weekly, we’ll hear Sanofi Canada’s Danny Goldman in conversation with our NPC podcast hosts. It’s easy to get your no-charge subscription and have the issue sent to your phone or inbox each Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. sharp.
Stay safe, stay sure, and stay on your game. We’ll see you again next week.