Interview with Dr Jeremy Levin, about the book Biotechnology in the Time of COVID-19: Commentaries from the Front Line, a collection of stories about the biotechnology industry—its purpose, its people and how it has risen to battle the COVID-19 virus—told by forty-seven leaders of that industry in their own words. The industry is an ecosystem of scientists, doctors, patients, entrepreneurs, investors, bankers, analysts and reporters, all committed to treating and curing disease. It has been built over the past forty years, producing medical advances at an electrifying rate. As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, within just two months hundreds of companies had pivoted to apply their technologies to combat the virus. The contributors to this book offer inside views of this seminal industry, historical and personal perspectives, lessons learned, and looks into the future. Diverse as these leaders are, they are united by their conviction that science and medicine will light humanity’s way to greater health and longevity than it has ever known.
Dr. Jeremy M. Levin is Chairman and CEO of Ovid Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:OVID), a company whose mission is to bring treatment to patients with rare neurological conditions. Dr. Levin is concurrently the chairman of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). Prior to founding Ovid, Dr. Levin was president and CEO of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., (TLV: TEVA) Before Teva, Dr. Levin was member of the executive committee Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY). In that capacity he was the architect of and implemented the String of Pearls Strategy, which transformed Bristol. Dr. Levin joined BMY from Novartis (SWX: NOVN) where he was global head of strategic alliances. He has served on the board of directors of various public and private biopharmaceutical companies and is currently on the board of directors of Lundbeck (OMX: LUN). Dr. Levin was voted as one of the twenty-five most influential biotechnology leaders by Fierce Biotech and one of the top three biotechnology CEOs in 2020 by The Healthcare Technology Report. He is the recipient of the Albert Einstein Award for Leadership in Life Sciences and the B’nai B’rith Award for Distinguished Achievement. He has practiced medicine at university hospitals in England, South Africa, and Switzerland. Dr. Levin earned his bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s degree and doctorate in chromatin structure, at the University of Oxford, and thereafter his medical and surgical degrees from the University of Cambridge where he won the Kermode Prize for his work on Captopril.
Authors of individual chapters
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
Vicki L. Sato, Stelios Papadopoulos, Sam Waksal, Bill Sibold, Frederick Frank Q&A with a Biotech Pioneer, Brook Byers, Sol Barer
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES
Michelle McMurry-Heath, Andy Plump, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Karen Bernstein, Ron Cohen, Samantha Du, Cedric François
THE VIEW FROM INSIDE COMPANIES
George Scangos, John Young, Stéphane Bancel, Jean-Pierre Sommadossi, John V. Oyler, Paul Hastings, Christi Shaw, John Maraganore, Rachel King, Richard Pops, Deborah Dunsire
BROAD LESSONS
Kenneth I. Moch, Quita Highsmith, Luke Rosen, Sylvia Wulf, Philip Miller, Alex Zhavoronkov and Evelyne Bischof
LEADERSHIP
Jeffrey M. Solomon, Julie Louise Gerberding, Jeff Berkowitz, James Greenwood
INVESTOR PERSPECTIVES
Nina Kjellson, Bruce Booth, Alexander Karnal, Mark Lampert, Geoff Porges
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Peter Kolchinsky, Yaron Werber, Jeff Kindler, Otello Stampacchia