Encouraging female leadership in pharma
Andrea Schwarz discusses launching a commercial team during the pandemic, working at a company that focuses on oncology, and encouraging the next generation of women in pharma (1,351 words, 6 minutes)
Andrea Schwarz, the Commercial Lead for BeiGene Canada, has emphasized the company’s commitment to developing cancer treatments that are both affordable and accessible globally. In a recent episode of the NPC Podcast, Schwarz highlighted BeiGene's unique approach to drug development, which includes taking on the high risks and costs associated with bringing new therapies to market. The company’s strategy involves expanding into new markets, including Canada, to ensure a broader reach for their cancer treatments.
“Their mission was clear,” she said. “They wanted to build a next-generation biotech company through courage, persistent innovation, and challenging the status quo.”
Schwarz [pictured below] joined BeiGene Canada and launched the commercial team during the Covid-19 pandemic, which she described as an interesting experience. “We launched with Brukinsa, which is a second-generation BTK inhibitor, in 2021, and we only had one indication,” she said. “Today, I’m proud to say that we have four indications with a fifth on the way.”
She added that when she started at BeiGene, the company had 5,000 employees globally and has since grown into a fully integrated biotech company with more than 10,000 employees worldwide. “We have one of the world’s largest research teams, massive internal clinical development, and an in-house manufacturing capability that has expanded to a new campus in New Jersey.”
Schwarz noted that BeiGene focuses purely on oncology, and the company wants to be seen as a leader in cancer care. “We’re looking at covering possibly 80 per cent of the world’s oncology diseases out there,” she said. Schwarz also said she is in charge of the hematology strategy and is looking at introducing to market new molecules similar to Brukinsa, but even better. “BeiGene is great at bringing new medications that are better and improved. So from a strategic point of view, we have a strong pipeline coming in the next few years.”
Schwarz emphasized the importance of encouraging more women to become leaders in pharma. She said women, and professionals in general, need to be clear and assertive on where they want to go with their careers and what they want to do. “If you want to advance your career and you want to pursue leadership roles in pharma, you have to own it. You have to build your brand,” she said.
She noted that strong mentorship is also essential when pursuing leadership roles. “I’m a big believer that you need to have strong mentors,” she said. “I also believe that it’s worth the investment, especially as a woman, to get a coach to get clarity and ask questions to understand your strengths, values, where you want to go and what you want to do.”
THIS WEEK 02/20/24
Health Canada granted a Notice of Compliance with conditions to Pfizer’s elranatamab solution for injection (Elrexfio) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in adult patients.
Dermavant Sciences announced it has submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application U.S. FDA for tapinarof (Vtama) cream for the topical treatment of atopic dermatitis in patients two years of age and older. It’s currently approved for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults in the U.S.
Sparrow BioAcoustics launched Stethophone, software that turns smartphones into medical-grade stethoscopes, allowing people to capture, analyze, and share heart health data with their physicians from any location.
NeuroQore, Inc., a neurotechnology company supported by the Ontario Brain Institute and SOSV, a venture capital firm, received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for its neuromodulation treatment for patients with with major depressive disorder.
LISTEN UP
In season 12 of the NPC Podcast, Aldona Armstrong, Commercial Solutions Lead, Immunology at UCB, gives insights into patient advocacy initiatives, working with key opinion leaders, and ways to implement specialty marketing approaches. Hear her in conversation with podcast hosts Mitch Shannon, Jim Shea and Mark McElwain.
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 21 years. In the selection committee’s view, they represent a cross-section of the qualities that make our business unique and fulfilling. NPC Healthbiz Weekly will acknowledge the 2023 Hall of Fame Honorees over the next few weeks. Nominate a colleague for the 2024 Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame here.
2023 Inductee
Christine Lennon
General Manager
Incyte Biosciences Canada
Pointe-Claire, Que.
An unprecedented set of challenges sometimes has the upside of bringing out the latent strengths in people. Just ask Christine Lennon. Her appointment in April 2020 as General Manager of Incyte Biosciences Canada, responsible for opening the company’s first affiliate in Canada, coincided with the start of the Covid pandemic. Facing an abrupt halt to the touchstones of onboarding—conferences and physician meetings—she quickly adapted. “With no distractions of travel, conferences, or family gatherings, I was able to laser focus on starting the company and being very strategic,” she says. “Our goal was to get first-in-class Incyte therapies that had been approved in the U.S., the EU, and Japan to Canadian patients and we succeeded in that. Cancer and other diseases did not slow down during the pandemic. It was then, and still is, a race against time.”
She’s quick to add that her company can’t always be in sprint mode. “We need to make sure that our ability to bring safe and effective medications to Canadians in a timely fashion is sustainable. If we do this correctly it should be a marathon.”
Incyte is a global biopharmaceutical company recognized for discovering and developing proprietary therapeutics for serious unmet needs and making them available worldwide. In addition to over 25 years of pharma experience, including overseeing the Novartis Oncology patient team, Lennon has firsthand experience as a caregiver for parents afflicted by cancer, including one diagnosed with a rare form of the disease.
Despite significant progress in developing innovative treatments, getting these drugs reimbursed in Canada remains a persistent challenge. “Regulatory approval in Canada is federal, but the payment of therapies is provincial,” Lennon explains. “It also depends whether these new drugs are intravenous or oral within each province, but even then, they aren’t necessarily accessible to all Canadian patients.”
In trying to push the reimbursement needle forward, it helps that Lennon is working for a company that has received numerous accolades, including Newsweek’s U.S. list of the Top Most Loved Workplaces of 2023, “There’s a distinct culture at Incyte,” she explains. “Pretty much everyone who has worked here has been successful at a much larger pharma company before coming to Incyte. People like the fact that our hierarchy is purposely kept flat so that anyone can approach the CEO or head of chemistry without multiple layers of bureaucracy.”
Being inducted into the Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame means a lot to Lennon. “It’s very humbling, and I feel very privileged and responsible to be part of bringing therapeutic advancements to Canada and their caregivers.”
Please participate in our survey on access to drugs for Canadians and the impact of U.S. politics
We invite you to participate in our survey on the affordability of medications in Canada and the potential implications of U.S. political developments on Canadian access to vital medicines. The data collected through this form will be kept confidential and anonymized. Your insights will be pivotal in shaping the narrative around these critical issues.
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Life Sciences Ontario: Knowledge and Networking Breakfast Event
Join Life Sciences Ontario on the morning of February 27th for insightful discussions about the dynamic interplay between pension funding and venture investment in the life sciences sector.
Learn from seasoned experts as they share strategies, challenges, and predictions for navigating this evolving landscape.
Event Topic: "Shaping the Future of Life Sciences Through Pension Funding and Venture Investment."
Date: Tuesday, February 27th, 2024
Venue: Marsh - 120 Bremner Blvd, Suite 800, Toronto ON
Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am EST
Register here
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