Stanford School of Medicine Career Management Series
Naturejobs and Stanford University School of Medicine Career Center (SoMCC) have collaborated to
bring you the SoMCC "Industry Insights" seminar series. This series provides a forum for leaders in business and academia to share first-hand experiences and perspectives on the trends and forces shaping the biosciences enterprise informed by their respective vantage points. In so doing the series offers unique visibility into the diverse settings where biomedical professionals are engaging their skills and forming careers.
Industry Insights
Science and the Business of Drug Discovery, Dr. Ashraf Hanna, MD, Genentech Inc. Date published: 10 October 2007
- I. Interview and Introduction
- Michael Alvarez conducts a brief interview with speaker, Ashraf Hanna PhD, MD. Dr. Hanna is the vice president of Alliance Management and Portfolio Planning at Genentech. He asks Dr. Hanna about his educational background and the transition from scientific research into business. He briefly charts his path from university, to consulting, to medical school and finally, the biotechnology industry. Dr. Hanna discusses the collaborative process involved in drug discovery and development at Genentech. He describes his role in alliance management, managing the relationships between the different groups involved in testing a new drug and eventually brining it to market.
- II. Chapter One: Biotech and Pharma Distinction
- Dr. Hanna outlines his presentation and discusses the fundamental technological differences between Biotech and Pharma. The major difference is in their origins: Biotechnology is based on genetics and DNA, Pharmacology based on chemistry. He gives a few brief examples of developmental successes from both.
- III. Chapter Two: Genentech - Birth of Biotech
- Dr. Hanna talks about Herb Boyer and Bob Swanson, founders of Genentech. He offers an account of their first meeting, which directly led to the founding of Genentech. Their successful fabrication of human insulin in 1978 significantly advanced the field of biotechnology, laying the groundwork for subsequent breakthroughs. He offers a timeline of significant drugs developed by Genentech and gives statistics on the company's growth into a leading biotech company.
- IV. Chapter Three: Drug Development Approach
- Dr. Hanna describes recent trends in drug development, and outlines Genentech's specific philosophy on the motivations and processes that go into drug discovery. He discusses Genetech's place in the industry and the methods by which they stay at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs and compete with much larger companies in the pharmaceutical industry.
- V. Questions & Answers
- Dr. Hanna fields questions from the audience concerning his impressions of the biotechnology industry and his role at Genentech.
