Tapping into the Ecosystem to Find a Cure for Cancer
By Chandra Ramanathan, Vice President & Head, East Coast Innovation Center, Bayer
My 23-year journey in pharmaceuticals has allowed me to wear all kinds of hats and play many roles. I am an entrepreneur at heart, so I’m highly motivated by exploring new things, meeting new people and seeking out innovation to solve problems. But, I will always be most passionate about work in the oncology arena, where I’m proud to have been involved in the development and launch of three novel treatments.
Everyone has likely been touched by cancer in some way, and many of us have seen the truly devastating impact this disease can have on those we care the most about. The idea of curing cancer — all cancer — is a long way off, but one that I hope to see in my lifetime and one that I want to be part of. With advances like precision medicine, we are getting closer every day. In fact, 2018 was a record year for new drug approvals by the FDA, with the largest share coming from oncology.
One of the unique responsibilities I have as the head of our East Coast Innovation Center in Cambridge, Mass. is managing the partnerships and alliances that help fuel our efforts to bring new treatments to patients. At Bayer we like to say that, “innovation is everywhere,” which is why partnering is such an important part of our portfolio and drug development strategy. Sometimes the best ideas come from outside an organization. In order to find them, we need to nurture new ways to connect emerging scientists and technologies with the more mature ecosystem.
This is one of the primary reasons Bayer has chosen to partner with the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR). We know that the next great idea — or perhaps cure — could be blossoming in the lab of a post-doc or a startup hungry for seed funding. For the past several years, Bayer has partnered with AACR to foster the promise of new technologies and treatments that could change the way we manage cancer today.
Recently, AACR and Bayer presented $250,000 in grants to 10 emerging scientists working in the promising areas of oncogenic signaling, immuno-oncology, and targeted thorium and antibody drug conjugates. Cancer is a key focus area for Bayer and we have been providing life-saving medicines to patients for nearly 15 years. The objective of the AACR-Bayer Innovation and Discovery Grants program is to support education and research endeavors that may lead to the discovery and future development of therapies in these areas.
I am inspired by the work these grantees are undertaking as it gives me hope for a future without cancer. At Bayer, we’re committed to delivering Science for a Better Life to advance a portfolio of innovative oncology treatments for patients who need them. I’m deeply proud to lead our engagement with AACR and our work in the Cambridge ecosystem that sponsors and nurtures the next generation of innovators and programs.
