In this blog, we sit down with Ami Patel PhD, Senior Director, Business Development & Product Development at Boyds, to learn more about her background and role at Boyds, highlights from her experience at the company to date, and insights into drug development trends.
Q: Can you tell us about your background and why you chose to pursue a career in drug development?
A: “My passion for drug development began in childhood, inspired by a deeply personal experience. When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, I witnessed the side effects of her treatment, including loss of her hair. As a child, I had the idea that I would make a cancer medicine that didn’t make your hair fall out. This experience shaped my determination to contribute meaningfully to drug development.
“In the early days of my career, I started out in analytical sciences where I tested drug products for quality before they were released for patient use. But I wanted to get more involved in research and development, from beginning to end, so I completed a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences. As I was finishing the program, I was approached by a preclinical CRO with a job opportunity as a scientific account manager. This role was the perfect balance between science and business and helped me to develop an in-depth understanding of how business and regulatory objectives need to influence scientific priorities. It was this job that really solidified my career path and the way in which I wanted to move forward in the industry.
“Following this, I took up an opportunity at a virtual generic pharmaceutical company where I was the first and only technical employee. Here, I learned end-to-end drug development, from sourcing raw materials and packaging to identifying the right analytical CROs and working with multiple international vendors. This taught me how to meet important drug development milestones within tight timelines.
“During this time, my mother was diagnosed with an ultra-rare disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). This experience further drove my interest in the advanced therapies space and developments in cell and gene therapies. I was compelled to seek a role in advanced therapies, which led me to join Boyds.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role at Boyds?
A: “What drew me to Boyds was how purpose-driven the team is. The senior leadership team has decades of experience in advanced therapies and are completely dedicated to applying their learnings to further accelerate drug development and help organisations bring new medicines to the market more quickly.
“One of the key factors in my professional growth at Boyds has been the support of the senior leadership team. They have shown trust in me, granting autonomy and the freedom to approach challenges in my own way. This trust allows me to be authentic, which I believe is essential for excelling in my role. The team values this authenticity and has provided a platform for me to contribute meaningfully and drive impactful change.”
Q: How do clients benefit from your blend of product development and business development expertise?
A: “I help clients align scientific innovation with business strategy, ensuring drug development not only benefits patients but also achieves commercial success. Science only advances when it has the right financial backing, so I leverage my commercial expertise and deep understanding of both scientific and business challenges to bridge these two worlds. By collaborating with financial stakeholders and aligning cross-functional objectives, I help to advance products efficiently, delivering value to patients, companies, and investors alike.
“On the business development side, I like to ensure I carefully listen to client needs, understand any gaps in their programs and teams, and build strong, long-lasting relationships.”
Q: Any key highlights from your time at Boyds?
A: “Every year, we have our annual offsite meeting in the UK, where we highlight all the different and interesting projects our teams are involved in. This is always a very memorable and inspiring time. Our teams are not only unafraid of challenging projects but actively seek them out and really move the needle and make a difference. This day always helps to renew our commitment to our shared purpose.
“Another highlight is being able to work closely with patient groups and patient families. Having the opportunity to hear patient stories is truly inspiring, particularly being a caregiver of a patient in the rare disease space myself. This has really helped to anchor my purpose and commitment to making a difference.
“Lastly, I enjoy supporting clients with due diligence and working with investors and look forward to taking on more of these projects in the future.”
Q: Any insights into trends in the drug development sector?
A: “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, investment in drug development has slowed, with funding for advanced therapies becoming more limited. While capital is still available, it tends to be concentrated among a few companies. Small molecules continue to attract insurance backing, and biologics remain a strong focus area.
“Looking forward, success in this evolving landscape will depend on building strong, quality relationships with stakeholders. By learning from these partnerships and adding meaningful value, we can progress objectives collaboratively, helping clients achieve their goals whilst advancing Boyds’ mission to expedite the development of medicinal products.”