Who have been some influential leaders (Founders, CEOs) in the industry over the past 20 years?

          Medical and pharmaceutical advances are considered the most important industry advances, as these advances can save lives, come up with cures, and create new ways to fight and destroy harmful bacterias. Many emerging pharmaceutical companies count on their scientist making these discoveries and advances in order to propel themselves to the top of the industry. Sometimes all it takes is discovering a cure for one form of cancer to propel a company to the top. It all starts with the leaders in the companies, the CEO's.
          "OncoMed was founded in 2004 on the research Dr. Michael Clarke and Dr. Max Wicha conducted on the critical role cancer stem cells play in metastasis" (fierebiotech, 2008). The company got off to a slow start in the first two years, finding it difficult to find funding and medical pathways to market their products. In 2006, Paul Hastings took over the company and changed it forever. Hastings had decided to invest $3 million of his own money in the company, and after meeting with company executives, decided to raise $86 million more. Eventually the number increased to $154 million in two different phases. "New investor Nomura Phase4 Ventures participated in the financing along with existing investors like US Venture Partners, Latterell Venture Partners, The Vertical Group, Morgenthaler Ventures, Adams Street Partners, DeNovo Ventures and Bay Partners" (fiercebiotech, 2008).
          It's hard for any company to receive investments from venture capitalists investment groups. It's especially hard in the pharmaceutical industry because of the risk involved that the drug will fail or not get approved by the FDA for distribution. The reason why OncoMed received the funding that they needed was completely due to the innovation and decisiveness brought to the company by Paul Hastings.

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-reports/emerging-drug-developer-oncomed-pharmaceuticals

fiercebiotech. (2008, November 10).Emerging drug developer: Oncomed pharmaceuticals. Retrieved from http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-reports/emerging-drug-developer-oncomed-pharmaceuticals


-Gabriel Resstack