The LEADERSHIP CONNECTION

Creating therapies for patients with tough to treat diseases is part of Shionogi Inc.'s mission to improve lives, particularly those in underserved populations. We go behind the scenes to get a glimpse of how commercial operations help to get it done.

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Two square inches. By itself the measurement is pointless. But when that tiny territory is part of a multinational pharmaceutical company, it's a metaphor for building small with mighty pockets of influence in it.

For one of the industry's most compelling young leaders, the scope of work that occurs in those inches is a pivotal aspect of drug commercialization.

"Being able to pick your head up and see how your 2 square inches fits in with the greater quilt of the organization is an invaluable lesson," said Anindita Sinha, Vice President of Commercial Operations for Shionogi Inc. "I wouldn't have been able to gain that if I didn't have a chance to work with chief executives and understand their concerns. Their questions eventually get down to the 2 square inches where the connection between the two can be seen." With 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, the Columbia- and Yaleeducated Sinha has leveraged leadership roles at Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, and other big-leaguers, as well as in smaller operations such as Optinose and Intercept Pharmaceuticals to establish her purview at Shionogi Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of the Osakabased Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

Over the past several decades, Shionogi has discovered and introduced several novel antibiotics, as well as innovative medications for HIV and influenza. Today the company is focused on infectious disease, rare disease, and other areas with unmet medical needs.

In developing treatments for these disparate conditions, Shionogi demonstrates its clear commitment to spending its time and focus on areas with the highest unmet need. "Patients are defining the highest need, and they need these life-saving therapies and interventions," she said.