Working World

Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann brings a uniquely patient-centered focus to her work as president of product development at Genentech, Inc. As a physician and oncologist who formerly worked in private practice and treated cancer patients with chemotherapy, she was distressed about the common side effects of nausea, vomiting and hair loss associated with this treatment. She has said her passion is “trying to make things better for cancer patients” and joined the biotechnology firm believing it would give her the opportunity to work on breakthrough drugs.

She came on board at Genentech in 1995 as a clinical scientist, straight from a job at Bristol Myers Squib, where she had directed clinical cancer research. At that time Genentech was producing and marketing no cancer drugs at all, but CEO Arthur Levinson had plans to make Genentech a major force in this area. The company’s focus on oncology and “good science” has paid off and Desmond-Hellmann’s influence has been considerable. David Johnson, M.D., former president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, was quoted in Pharmaceutical Executive as saying that, “As a physician who has been engaged in the care of human beings, not just rats or yeast or cells, her greatest contribution may be bringing the eyes of a true clinician to a major biotech company.”

She became chief medical officer in 1996 and executive vice president of development and product operations in 1999. Under her guidance the company has produced innovative drugs that work differently than traditional types of cancer treatments. This new class of drugs works at the molecular level and attacks only specific types of cells with bioengineered proteins. Unlike chemotherapy that indiscriminately kills healthy cells along with cancerous ones, these drugs have few side effects and may prolong remission.

Desmond-Hellmann’s goal is to produce drugs so revolutionary they will “rewrite the medical text books.”

In 1991, Desmond-Hellmann and her physician husband Nicholas Hellmann went to Uganda to do research and teaching at Makerere University. Working in AIDS clinics there at the beginning of the epidemic, she saw the rapid evolution of therapies that changed HIV/AIDS from a death sentence to a treatable chronic disease. She hopes for a similar breakthrough in cancer treatments. The drugs that Genentech has been developing seem to be opening the door to this possibility.

Despite the business risk involved with pursuing research that does not always appear to be working initially, Desmond-Hellmann believes in taking those chances in order to find workable solutions. In testing the drug Herceptin, preclinical testing showed success in only 25 percent of patients. Instead of giving up, the company pressed on and discovered its effectiveness was linked to the presence of a certain gene, creating the opportunity to introduce a targeted treatment for specific types of breast cancer, without serious side effects, that can sharply reduce the risk of recurrence. Colleagues say Desmond-Hellmann seems to have an instinct about when to pursue a course even if there are setbacks.

Desmond-Hellmann has been recognized by a number of organizations for her achievements: She has been number six on the Wall Street Journal’s list of “50 Women to Watch” (2005), number 81 on the Forbes list of the “100 Most Powerful Women” (2005) and was the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s “Woman of the Year” in 2006. In addition, Genentech has been honored by Fortune as one of the best companies to work for. Hal Barron, M.D., the current chief medical officer of Genentech, credits Desmond-Hellmann as being a powerful force within the company “to ensure the culture is focused on doing what’s best for patients."

Suzanne Ridgway is a freelance writer and regular columnist for Working World and Working Nurse magazines. Suzanne also writes grant proposals for nonprofit organizations.