S
Julie McHugh
Company Group Chairman, Global Virology Business, J&J
ACCOMPLISHMENT: Launching 2 HIV drugs in 18 months
FOCUSED ON: Pharma's long-term legacy
Julie McHugh developed a chronic case of love for pharma at 21 via a management-training program at SmithKline Beckman. "Being able to apply a business perspective to an industry in pursuit of the most profound value—health—to this day allows me to feel passionate about my work," she says. Like other leaders, McHugh also thrives on pharma's complexity. "I always feel like I'm just a little bit in over my head, and I like that," she says
Julie McHugh
At J&J, McHugh made her name by proving the experts wrong. Launching Remicade, she was told to expect "a very niched, not terribly exciting product," and instead made it into a $3.3 billion cash cow. "I have a way of thinking about things as being achievable, even if they haven't been done before, and then backing into a plan," she says. "Also, I listen carefully to my team, especially the scientists. As a lay person, I'm not afraid to ask questions."
At her current gig—heading R&D and commercial strategy in virology, one of J&J's three therapeutic units—the MVP is Tibotec, with its three new HIV drugs. That focuses her ambitions on the global level. Accordingly, McHugh's expectations of what is needed from her generation's leadership is high. "We're not only thinking about how to be excited about the business now, but also committed to building the business we're going to be working in 10, 20 years from now," she says. "We know that we need to be more intentional about the legacy we leave. It's about being commercially successful, but it's also about being globally relevant."
The Transformative Role of Medical Information in Customer Engagement
October 3rd 2024Stacey Fung, Head of Global Medical Information at Gilead Lifesciences, delves into the evolving role of Medical Information (MI) in the pharmaceutical industry. Covering key topics like patient engagement through omnichannel strategies, combating misinformation, and leveraging AI to enhance medical inquiries, the conversation with Stacey highlights MI's critical role in ensuring patient safety and supporting drug development. She also shares her professional journey and tidbits for early career professionals on professional development.
Unlocking value and cost savings in patient services with technology and talent
October 2nd 2024Traci Miller, Director, Sonexus™ Access and Patient Support, Cardinal Health, discusses the current digital trends in the patient services industry and how the optimal balance of technology and talent can transform manufacturer-sponsored patient support programs. Hear how Cardinal Health combines best-in-class program and pharmacy operations with smart digital tools to ensure product and patient success and reduce operational costs.