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CEO Spotlight: Andrew Heath, Protherics, Inc.
By Sterling-Hoffman Life Sciences Journal
When he hires, he says he just doesn’t go by the resume of the person; attitude, style and personality are also high on the list.
Having been close to sickness and human suffering through his
work as a practicing physician, he was inspired to contribute to
medicinal drug development. Andrew Heath, CEO, Protherics, Inc. talks to Sterling-Hoffman Life Sciences Journal about his company’s successes, future opportunities and the challenges faced by the industry today.
Sterling-Hoffman Life Sciences Journal
(SHSLJ): What is your
greatest source of inspiration in the life sciences industry?
And in your life?
Andrew Heath (AH): Being so close to sickness and human
suffering as a practicing physician inspired me to make a
contribution in another way – marrying my business skills and
medical experience to develop drugs. I can't imagine a more
fulfilling and rewarding combination.
SHSLJ: What would you be doing if you weren't working in the
life sciences industry?
AH: There are several sectors that maybe aren't as rewarding,
but sure a lot of fun – fashion, property…
SHSLJ: How do you like to spend your time when not at work?
AH: I have a house near Bordeaux, so wine is always high on the
list.
SHSLJ: When did you know
that you wanted to work in the life sciences industry?
AH: As a child I always
wanted to be a doctor – and once qualified, got more and more
involved in clinical trials.
SHSLJ: Which segment within the life sciences industry do you
see as a growing prospect in the coming years?
AH: Biotech will continue to replace big pharma's in-house R&D
as the major innovator and source for new therapeutics.
SHSLJ: Can you share one or two of your company's most exciting
successes?
AH: Our first FDA approval – CroFab (for rattlesnake bites) in
2000, and our deal with AstraZeneca with our anti-TNF antibody
for sepsis in December 2005.
SHSLJ: What are the challenges that still need to be overcome
within the bio-pharmaceutical industry?
AH: Protecting intellectual property rights have become more
important than ever, if we are to maintain an appetite to invest
in programs with a 10 –15 year horizon. We also need regulators
to better understand, in the interest of the patient, the
financial implications of the decisions taken.
SHSLJ: What are the advantages of working at your company?
AH: We are small, but not too small, we are serious, but have
fun, and we know that what we do impacts people's lives.
SHSLJ: Where do you think you have outsmarted your competitors?
AH: We have stuck with a technology base (polyclonal antibodies)
and an indication (sepsis) because we believe we can resolve a
significant unmet medical need. It's great to prove the skeptics
wrong and we're already well on the way.
SHSLJ: How do you want to position the company in the next 5
years?
AH: We need to continue to grow both organically and through
M&A. In 5 years we expect to have at least two or three new
products from our own pipeline on the market, and sell through
our own Marketing and Sales Teams.
SHSLJ: In your opinion, what is the value of education in
today's generation as compared to yours?
AH: With a growing gap between rich and poor in most countries,
education is more important than ever as a route to facilitate change – be it in one's own life or those of others.
SHSLJ: Tell me about your core initiatives right now - what are
some of the focus areas for 2008?
AH: We now have 6 programs in Phase 2. We must ensure that we
deliver results on time and to budget.
SHSLJ: How do you hire the best people? What are the top 3
things you look for when hiring?
AH: Someone once said that you make a hire on a resume, but fire
on personality. You must look beyond the resume at the
intangibles – attitude, style and personality.
SHSLJ: Is finding life sciences professionals a challenge?
AH: Finding good people is hard whatever sector you work in. You
can start by finding a good recruiter.
SHSLJ: What trends do you see in the life sciences industry and
what opportunities are in store for your company?
AH: Despite the current investor bias away from biotech, the
long-term outlook is excellent, with biotech R&D the
overwhelming source of innovative medicines.
Andrew Heath is CEO of Protherics, Inc., a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and marketing critical care and cancer products. He holds an M.D. and Ph. D. from Sweden’s Gothenburg University. After a career in research and clinical medicine at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Heath joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1989. He has held both R&D and commercial positions with Glaxo and Astra, in Europe and the US. Dr. Heath served as Chief Executive Officer at AeroGen Inc, from 1996, joining Therapeutic Antibodies as Chief Executive Officer in March, 1998. He continued as CEO upon the formation of Protherics in 1999. He is a Non-Executive Director of XLTG Inc. For interview feedback, contact Dr. Heath at
andrew.heath@protherics.com
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