Pharmaverse Podcast

In this powerful episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack sits down with Shetal Vyas, Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy and Development at Ardelyx, to explore what authentic leadership really means in today’s pharmaceutical industry. From immigrating to the United States at the age of seven to leading high-pressure pharma launches,  Shetal Vyas shares deeply personal st...

Season 3, Episode 1: Building a People-First Culture with John Harlow Join Michael Petrack and John Harlow, a senior commercial leader in the pharmaceutical industry, as they explore how to create a people-first culture in Pharma. Gain actionable leadership insights on balancing performance with empathy, hiring for culture fit, fostering curiosity, and driving team success. Learn practical tips fo...

In this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack sits down with Allison Trucillo, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Avalon Pharma, to explore what it truly means to lead with a growth mindset in the Pharmaceutical industry. Allison shares her inspiring career journey from physician to pharma executive, discusses the powerful growth equation (stress + rest = growth), and exp...

Dive into the Pharmaverse Podcast with host Michael Pietrack as he speaks with Marco Smit, CCO and COO at Domelabs AI, about the revolutionary impact of AI on the pharmaceutical industry. This episode covers: - How AI, including Gen AI and Agentic AI, is reshaping drug development and operational strategy - Emerging roles in pharma and guidance for recruiting AI-savvy talent - Practical tips for e...

Season 2, Episode 22: Man in the Arena with Tony Lin Join Michael Pietrack on The Pharmaverse Podcast as he interviews Tony Lin. In this inspiring episode, Tony shares his leadership journey, the invaluable lessons he learned from his father, and the resilience needed to thrive in Pharma. He dives deep into facing challenges, navigating cultural transitions, mentorship, and the power of mental cue...

Season 2, Episode 21: A Century of X-Rays with Margaret Yu In this powerful episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack sits down with Dr. Margaret Yu, Chief Medical Officer at ARTBIO, an oncology company leading the charge in Radioligand Therapy (RLT) to revolutionize cancer care. Dr. Yu unpacks the 130-year history of radiation in medicine — from the discoveries of Marie and Pierre...

Season 2, Episode 20: Exploring The "ProFound" with John Lepore | The Pharmaverse Podcast Join host Michael Pietrack on The Pharmaverse Podcast as he talks with John Lepore, CEO of ProFound Therapeutics, about leadership, career pivots, and the future of pharmaceutical innovation. Discover how passion, mentorship, and strategic partnerships drive breakthrough therapies and impact patient...

Season 2, Episode 19: Confronting Osteoporosis with Miranda Toledano Welcome back to the Pharmaverse Podcast, hosted by Michael Pietrack. In this episode, we sit down with Miranda Toledano, CEO of EnteraBio (NASDAQ: ENTX), to explore: 🔹 The evolving treatment paradigm for osteoporosis 🔹 Why millions of women worldwide remain undiagnosed and untreated 🔹 EnteraBio’s groundbreaking EV613 oral tabl...

Join Michael Pietrack on the Pharmaverse Podcast as he sits down with Dr. Chadi Nabhan, MD – CMO and Head of Strategy at RyghtAI, hematologist, oncologist, author, and podcast host – to explore the future of clinical trials, AI innovation, and leadership in healthcare. 📕In this episode, Dr. Nabhan shares: ✔️How RyghtAI uses AI digital twins to speed up clinical trials and reduce costs. ✔️The proc...

Season 2, Episode 17: Ode To The Oncopig with Jessicca Rege Welcome to The Pharmaverse Podcast, your go-to destination for insights in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. In this episode, host Michael Pietrack sits down with Jessicca Rege, PhD, CEO of Seuss Clinicals, to discuss pioneering approaches in preclinical oncology research using the Oncopig cancer model. Jessica shares her experienc...

Season 2, Episode 16: Breaking Barriers with Jacob Becraft Join Michael Petrack on the Pharmaverse Podcast as he interviews Jake Becraft, CEO & Co-founder of Strand Therapeutics! Discover how Jake is transforming cancer treatment with programmable mRNA therapies. Hear about his journey from a small town in Illinois to MIT, how jiu-jitsu shaped his leadership, and the lessons of team-building,...

🎧 Season 2, Episode 15 | What’s In a Name? Featuring Raj Devraj In this insightful episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack welcomes Raj Devraj, a seasoned leader in the pharmaceutical industry, to explore the power of identity, legacy, and what’s truly behind a name. From cultural influences to leadership values, Raj shares stories from his personal and professional journey—offe...

Season 2, Episode 14: Leading Across Generations with Claudio Pasquinelli In this heartfelt and insightful episode, we sit down with Claudio Pasquinelli, MD, the recently retired Vice President of Clinical Science at Takeda. With over 25 years of experience in pharma and a background in clinical medicine, Dr. Pasquinelli shares profound lessons on leadership, generational mentorship, and navigatin...

On this episode of The Pharmaverse Podcast, Art Krieg, the President of Zola Therapeutics, tells Michael that vision, endurance, resilience, and a whole lot of grit are needed to run a biotech. Krieg has faced the rugged terrain and uphill climbs that come with building science-based companies. But just like a marathoner, he’s never stopped putting one foot in front of the other. 🎧 In this episod...

Season 2, Episode 12: Becoming A Talent Magnet with Joy Right 🎙️ In this episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast, host Michael Pietrack interviews Joy Right, VP and Head of Talent Acquisition at Flagship Pioneering, to dive deep into the future of biotech hiring, AI in recruitment, and pharma leadership. Discover how talent acquisition in the pharmaceutical industry is evolving with AI-driven tools, pe...

Welcome back to the Pharmaverse podcast, host Michael Pietrack interviews Shon Remich, Chief Medical Officer at ARMR Sciences. They discuss Shon's unique background in the military, his transition to the pharmaceutical industry, and the critical work ARMR is doing to combat the opioid epidemic. "Knowing your passion is incredibly important." The conversation delves into leadership l...

Welcome back to another great episode of the Pharmaverse podcast, host Michael Pietrack interviews Dr. Jill White, a leadership presence expert. They explore the concept of executive presence, its importance in the pharmaceutical industry, and how professionals can enhance their image and communication skills to project confidence and authority. White shares insights on the science behind leadersh...

Welcome back to the Pharmaverse! In this episode our host Michael Pietrack speaks with Isaac Veinbergs, co-founder and chief business officer of Libra Therapeutics. They discuss the company's focus on developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases through the mechanism of autophagy. Isaac shares insights from his career journey, including pivotal moments that shaped his path from acad...

Welcome back to another great episode of the Pharmaverse Podcast!  This week our host Michael Pietrack interviews Jiten Pant, founder and CEO of NOBiotics, a company focused on the therapeutic properties of nitric oxide. Jiten shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings in India to becoming a leader in the biotechnology field. Learn from story of NOBiotics and Jiten's childhood and jo...

Welcome back to another great episode of the Pharmaverse podcast! This week our host Michael Pietrack interviews Michael Chancellor, MD, co-founder of Lipella Pharmaceuticals. They discuss Chancellor's unique journey from being a board-certified urologist without finishing his Bachelors degree, to a professor and finally to a successful biotech entrepreneur! Learn about the challenges of star...

This week our host Michael Pietrack interviews Josh Schwartz, MD MBA, Vice President of Medical Affairs North America at BeOne ( formerly BeiGene.)  They discuss the importance of leadership in the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on developing others, the journey from individual contributor to manager, and the qualities that make an effective leader. Schwartz shares insights on mentorship, the c...

Welcome back for another great episode!  In this episode of the Pharmaverse podcast, our host Michael Pietrack interviews Tonia Nesheiwat, VP of Medical Affairs at Caribou Biosciences. Covering everything from baseball teams, inspiring family journey to America, and of course the latest in the Pharmaverse. Together, they delve into Tonia's journey from her family's immigration story to h...

Welcome back to the Pharmaverse Podcast! Today our host Michael Pietrack interviews Donnie Wooten Jr., the global head of strategic medical content and omni-channel at Organon. They discuss the importance of MSLs in the pharmaceutical industry, career progression, embracing change, and the concept of omni-channel marketing. Donnie gives candid advice to those starting out "Knock out your day...

Season 2, Episode 3: The Landscape of the Pharma Industry with Nav Singh 🔬 How is AI transforming pharma? Why are R&D costs skyrocketing? What makes a true leader in the industry? In this episode, host Michael Pietrack sits down with Nav Singh, Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey, to explore the challenges, innovations, and future of the pharmaceutical industry. From rising R&D costs to t...

Welcome back to the Pharmaverse Podcast!  In episode 2 of Season 2, our host Michael Pietrack interviews Rob Abbott, CEO of ISPOR, discussing the significance of Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) in the pharmaceutical industry. There is a LOT to learn here, so buckle up for a great episode!  They explore ISPOR's role in influencing health policy, the implications of the Inflation...