New Beginnings

I have the privilege to step into the shoes of an industry powerhouse. For a decade, Rita Peters kept a steady and assured gaze on the pharmaceutical industry. She informed, she educated, but above all Rita maintained a faithful register of its many successes and milestones. My career began by setting the science agenda for biotech conferences. People were friendly. The air was brimming with optimism and adventure. Genetics rapidly became genomics, and human health was poised for transformation. I enjoyed the distinction of co-founding the Human Proteome Organization alongside my friend and mentor Ian Humphrey-Smith.

While gains have taken time, one can draw a straight line from those turn-of-the-millennia days to a growing body of successful cell and protein therapies. In the background, the bulk of the heavy lifting was achieved through the hard work of small molecules. As I write, three (non-intravenous) antiviral pills undergo clinical trials for COVID-19. Molnupiravir comes from Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Another comes from Pfizer, known as PF-07321332, and AT-527, from Roche and Atea Pharmaceuticals. I mention these because they represent a sea-change from how we typically treat emerging pathogens. We have evolved and adapted to this new threat. The pharmaceutical industry has come a very long way from medicinal plants shipped in barrels.

Media outlets such as Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology Europe, and BioPharm International are not mere impartial observers. We help align the warp and weft of the development and manufacturing agenda. As we emerge from the shadow of COVID-19, the air brims with optimism and adventure again. We look forward to sharing our stories and learning from our readers. Our chief objective is to continue the legacy of excellence that is now synonymous with these publications so that we may build carefully upon the community and network our editors have long been integral to. It is my honor to work alongside a strong publishing team including expert editors Jennifer Markarian, Feliza Mirasol, Meg Rivers, Felicity Thomas, Susan Haigney, Grant Playter and publisher Mike Tracey. The team roster has changed, but not the goal line.