The Pistoia Alliance has announced plans to respond to the changing needs of the life science industry as digital transformation accelerates.
The Alliance has hired Imran Haq, Anca Ciobanu and Linda Kasim to lead the three new themes of its reorganised project portfolio: Emerging Science and Technology, Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of R&D, and Empowering the Patient.
The themes will help R&D-led organisations tackle global health challenges both today and in the future, as identified in the Pistoia Alliance 2030 Report, with the ultimate goal of getting treatments to patients faster.
“Our mission has always been to advance public health through collaboration. As we build on our existing successes, these themes will allow us to align ourselves with the biggest challenges across the life sciences industry,” commented Dr Steve Arlington, President of the Pistoia Alliance. “The Alliance has always recognised that tackling major health challenges requires a stable underlying infrastructure. Areas like data governance and standards are just as important as headline grabbing “moonshot” initiatives. We give our members the most powerful forum for collaboration to take on such challenges together. We break down walls between companies and overcome cultural barriers to collaboration to deliver projects with tangible outcomes that are catalysts to achieving bigger goals. Now, we’re asking members to come forward and suggest their ideas under these new themes.”
Emerging Science and Technology: This theme will explore the potential of nascent technology to reshape R&D and is led by Imran Haq.
Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of R&D: This theme will aim to drive transformation and reduce barriers to innovation in R&D by solving common pain points that scientists encounter. This theme is led by Anca Cioban.
Empowering the Patient: This theme will build trust in the industry by engaging the patient to play a role in co-designing research and services. It is led by Linda Kasim.
Dr Jim Sullivan, CEO Vanqua Bio, former Vice President Discovery at AbbVie and member of the Pistoia Alliance Advisory Board, said: “I am confident these themes will ensure the Alliance helps its members to make even more breakthroughs. These themes will not only support innovation in the lab, they will bring new therapeutics to fruition sooner and produce results that reach back to patients – who are the most important stakeholder of all.”
