A conversation with biotech leader, Sujal Shah, former CEO of CymaBay Therapeutics about his company's story arc, leadership, resilience, and building a biotech company in the face of adversity. Questions?:
[email protected] Follow us on X: https://x.com/DrugDealinPodConnect with Shivu: https://linktr.ee/shivusharmaCheck out Big Pharma Sharma: https://bigpharmasharma.substack.com/ Connect with Kenny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennylalwani/ 00:00 Introduction to Biotech Leadership 03:00 Sujal Shah's Journey in Biotech05:46 Leadership Philosophy and Team Dynamics 09:13 Navigating Challenges at CymaBay 11:48 The Development of seladelpar 15:07 Strategic Decisions in Drug Development 17:58 Clinical Trials and Regulatory Interactions 20:50 The NASH Study and Its Implications 47:10 Navigating Drug Development Challenges 49:07 The Patient-Centric Approach in Drug Development 51:56 Facing Clinical Setbacks and Organizational Resilience 53:36 Unexpected Findings and Immediate Reactions 01:00:27 The Emotional Toll of Drug Development 01:05:08 Rebuilding Purpose and Finding Answers 01:19:52 Patient Advocacy and Support During Crisis 01:23:30 Uncovering the Truth: The Role of Independent Panels 01:33:59 Independent Review and Safety Assurance 01:36:50 Leadership Challenges and Stakeholder Management 01:40:12 Resilience in Adversity 01:43:51 Turning Point: Stock Recovery and Investor Relations 01:47:07 Skepticism and Ongoing Challenges 01:55:00 Data Presentation and Competitive Landscape 02:01:11 Building a Robust Evidence Package 02:04:53 Reflections on Leadership and Future Aspirations