EF: What attracted you to Gilead, and what is your mission for 2024?
AR: I was always certain that, after my time off, I wanted to come back to the pharmaceutical industry. With more than 16 years in the field, I feel like I am part of this ecosystem and that there is a lot I can still give to the healthcare industry in Mexico and Latin America.
Gilead is a very disruptive company with scientific innovation at its core and a mindset around access and health equity. Gilead is known for discovering, developing, and delivering medicines for the most devastating diseases, from viruses to cancer to inflammatory conditions.
However, for this company, finding a cure for a disease is not enough if the vast majority of the people cannot access it. Therefore, Gilead's model is not only to commercialize their innovation but to bring it to where it is most needed, even if it is not necessarily the best business practice.
Reflecting this mindset in its culture, this company has an environment of inclusion and growth where people around the world are empowered to make a real impact. Translating this impact in metrics, Gilead is currently the worldwide leader in HIV patient control. The people we reach are looking forward to living normal lives just by taking one small pill a day. The war cry of the company is to end this epidemic for everyone everywhere. We are helping communities and governments around the world to put an end to HIV.
Gilead was also the first company to develop a cure for hepatitis C, an infection that a decade ago was a death sentence that would end in cirrhosis or liver cancer. Today, people with hepatitis C can be rid of the virus in just 12 weeks.
In the complex and complicated field of cellular cancer therapies, Gilead is exploring four cancer types and has set a record delivery time in the US. From the extractions of the patient’s blood, it takes us only 14 days to deliver a personalized product.
In Mexico, we submitted our dossier for what will be our first cancer therapy to COFEPRIS. This new treatment option for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer is covering an unmet need and will give many women the chance to live.
EF: How does Gilead engage with local groups, like patient or medical associations, and raise awareness on the diseases you are fighting?
AR: Gilead's ideology concerning access and health equity involves partnering with communities worldwide to eliminate societal barriers to care, including issues like access and stigma. We have collaborated with over 27 NGOs in Mexico engaged in HIV, hepatitis, and cancer. We are working closely with the government to achieve the WHO’s 95-95-95 goals by 2030. This entails ensuring that 95 percent of people living with HIV are diagnosed, 95 percent of those diagnosed are receiving treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment achieve an undetectable viral load through suppression.
We aim to educate society on a concept Gilead calls "U equals U" - Undetectable equals untransmittable. By reaching 95 percent undetectable infections, we can effectively stop this disease. Individuals with undetectable viral loads can lead normal lives and have partners without any risk of contagion. Therefore, our latest clinical trials in the US are focused on preventive therapies for HIV. Our PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) products will offer complete protection against contracting HIV.
EF: How is Gilead leveraging its local capacity to promote innovation, collaboration, and research?
AR: We have clinical trials underway in Mexico, meaning that Mexican patients are represented in some of our most significant clinical studies. We have partnered with local institutions like IMSS to study the HIV epidemics. Analyzing our local statistics enables us to devise a roadmap for combating it. Additionally, we are collaborating with several Centers for Social Security across Latin America to assess the progress of the 95-95-95 objectives in the region. Through data collection and innovative data analysis methods, we aim to better understand how to address epidemics.
EF: When forming a new team, what skills do you look for?
AR: I look for the five Gilead values: integrity, teamwork, inclusion, accountability, and excellence. My expectations are simple. Prospective employees must embody the company's values daily. There is no value in having the brightest people in the room if they do not know how to work together. Teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage in today's specialized world. With specialists worldwide, learning to leverage their expertise to foster collaboration is paramount to success. A company guided by such values, mission, and purpose is truly inspiring.
EF: Gilead has been a catalyst in partnering with governments to create and shape sustainable models to treat HIV and HPV. What lessons learned in shaping a sustainable model for HIV can be transferred into oncology?
AR: Our most transferable skill is the mindset of how we tackle global health challenges. When discussing access and health equity, Gilead prioritizes partnerships above all else. Instead of imposing its own agenda, Gilead aims to align with the goals of the communities it serves, whether they're patient groups, healthcare providers, payers, or healthcare systems. Our approach revolves around collaboration; we seek to establish partnerships. We strive to accompany our clients on their journeys, enhancing their paths with added value.
For instance, our first therapy for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer is not solely about Gilead's actions but rather about how we can support those already confronting this challenge on the front lines. We provide solutions to various stakeholders, including health professionals, hospital administrators, payers, and public health officials. Understanding their needs and priorities enables us to offer meaningful contributions
EF: Why is a dollar invested in Mexico better invested here than anywhere else?
AR: Mexico is on the verge of becoming a life sciences and manufacturing powerhouse. With a vast pool of talented individuals, including many young professionals, the country holds a significant workforce potential. Additionally, Mexico is located in a geographic sweet spot to become a driving force in the world in technology, healthcare, and manufacturing.
The near-shoring effect is a tipping point that will help us exploit Mexico’s potential. We have all of the right resources and ingredients to trigger growth. We are facing a historical and generational opportunity in Mexico. That is why a dollar invested in Mexico is better invested than anywhere else. This is a sweet spot in the world for investment, and the numbers confirm this.
EF: What role can technology play in helping us shape a more sustainable healthcare and pharmaceutical industry?
AR: Throughout my 16-year career, I have gained experience across many different therapeutic areas and learned that the biggest challenge we face is diagnosis. Every illness in the world revolves around the issue of how many people are correctly diagnosed so they can receive proper control, treatment, or cure. This highlights the importance of the World Health Organization's promotion of the 95-95-95 goals. Effective treatment and suppression of HIV begin with accurate diagnosis. While achieving this has been a struggle, technological advancements have revolutionized our approach. Wearables and artificial intelligence offer opportunities to detect health issues earlier and more effectively. AI tools can now identify tumors with remarkable precision, surpassing human capabilities. Similarly, wearables can detect abnormal trends long before symptoms manifest.
Most of our illnesses today are chronic or degenerative. They are difficult to diagnose because people normally do not feel anything until it is too late. Technology and artificial intelligence are going to help us make a breakthrough move from reactive medicine to preventive medicine. Once we make this move, we will have another generational change in terms of expanding lifespans and outliving previous generations.
EF: Is there any final message you would like to send?
AR: Earlier this year, Gilead announced the Zeroing In grant for Latin America, pledging $4 million to support HIV-related organizations in the region. This funding aims to enhance HIV diagnosis, care linkage, and, ultimately, achieve suppression and undetectability among those affected. Through tangible actions, we demonstrate our commitment to combatting the HIV pandemic.
A total of twelve Mexican NGOs received funding from this grant, amounting to approximately $1.3 million. This underscores the effectiveness of investing in Mexico. Looking ahead, I remain optimistic about the future. The collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic showcased the power of collaboration in healthcare. This rapid mobilization of resources and innovation reinforces our ability to tackle future challenges. We can confidently rely on advancements in life sciences to provide solutions for unforeseen problems on the horizon.
