Working in the rare disease space often means blazing a new trail — whether it’s in drug development for an illness with no approved medications or building bridges to help patients cross the access divide.
This year’s slate of Rare Disease Warriors are currently dedicating their careers to these lofty pursuits. While some are leading clinical operations for drugs targeting unmet needs, others are working to ensure patients have access to treatments that reach the market. And in the close-knit communities of the rare disease world, these pharma pros are often driven by the deep relationships they forge with patients.
Here are this year’s Rare Disease Warriors.
Dr. Soraya Bekkali
“From bench to bedside, collaboration is essential to advancing life-changing treatments.” Read more ➔
Dr. Heather Lau
“It is important to challenge prevailing theories and be open to novel approaches.” Read more ➔
Carlos Martin
“We need to ensure R&D resources go to areas of high unmet need — no more me-too drugs.” Read more ➔
William Rote
“Rare disease is where we belong. This is where we can add the most.” Read more ➔
Cheryl Schwartz
“Humility grounds us, reminds us we don’t always have the answers, and encourages us to continually seek diverse perspectives.” Read more ➔
