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APRIL 2010 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE OF PHARMA VOLUME 30, NUMBER 4

HBA Woman of the Year Deir dre Connelly 2 PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE APRIL 2010 www.pharmexec.com 3

Performing and Transforming

Deirdre Connelly, HBA’s 2010 Woman of the Year, brings her insight and experience from Eli Lilly to GSK, where she will have the daunting challenge of trying to turn around a sluggish US market.

When you’ve been in pharma for 25-plus years, you’ve likely had to wear a lot of different hats. Deirdre Con- nelly, president of North America Pharmaceuticals for GlaxoSmithKline, has collected more hats than most of her peers; she could almost outfit an entire baseball team. Connelly, 49, is based in Philadelphia these days. But she started off as a humble rep at Eli Lilly in 1984, and from there doggedly rose through the ranks: general manager for Eli Lilly Puerto Rico in 1995; regional sales director in 1997; head of the women’s health business unit at Lilly’s US affiliate in 2000, where she oversaw the successful implementation of the global marketing campaign for osteoporosis treatment Evista; executive director of US human resources in 2004; and, finally, president of US operations in 2005.

Photo by Bill Bernstein 4 PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE APRIL 2010 www.pharmexec.com

diverse, and the more we reflect that in our organization, the more we can “I was amazed at how approachable offer them.” she was, both for senior- and junior- Outwardly reserved, though not shy, she already commands the loyalty level people. Our job [as an HBA and respect of her GSK cohorts, as evi- Woman of the Year] is to be an denced by the many WOTY nomina- tions she received from, among others, advocate for women’s leadership.” GSK CEO Andrew Witty and Cath- —Catherine Sohn, Senior Vice President of Worldwide erine Sohn, senior vice president of Business Development, Consumer Healthcare, Worldwide Business Development for GlaxoSmithKline GSK’s Consumer Healthcare division. Sohn, who was the HBA’s Woman Fortune named her one of its 50 Foley paints a picture of a woman of the Year in 2003, praises Connelly’s Most Powerful Women in business determined to impact as many bloom- openness: “I ran into her in the cafete- three years straight. She came in at ing Lillyites as possible, regardless of ria one day, and I was amazed at how no. 47 in 2007, no. 42 in 2008, and gender. “One of the common themes approachable she was, both for senior- as of this year she’s sitting pretty at we discovered when we were collect- and junior-level people,” she says. no. 37. And now Deirdre Connelly has ing information for Deirdre’s Woman “Our job [as an HBA Woman of the another feather for her cap, having of the Year nomination was her com- Year] is really to be a role model and been named the Healthcare Business- mitment to mentoring,” says Foley. an advocate for women’s leadership,” women’s Association’s 2010 Woman “She gave clear and direct feedback, she says. That includes speaking to of the Year. scheduled time to meet with mentees, various HBA chapters and participat- Connelly attributes all those pro- and just followed through in gen- ing in Q&A sessions around the coun- motions and accolades to two things: eral, which is a rare thing.” Connelly try. “They’re always humbling, those work (“A lot of work,” she empha- opened up to the acquisitive young Q&As,” notes Sohn. The weight of sizes) and the guidance of men and staffers, explaining how she learned leadership is never greater than when women, like former Lilly CEO Sidney from various missteps and personal you’re facing a crowd of 300 women. Taurel. “I had a couple of extraordi- setbacks and used those experiences In fact, Sohn met Connelly for the nary people that took me under their as career fuel. first time in November of 2008 at an wing and taught me a lot,” she says. She left Lilly in 2009, after almost HBA Leadership Conference in Chi- four years at the helm of its US opera- cago; she remembers Connelly as the W OTY: Role Models and Advocates tions (and 24 at the company) to tackle clear standout among the speakers Deirdre Connelly’s ascension to US the challenges that come along with at the conference, and says she made president of Lilly wasn’t a surprise, per being president of North American quite an impression on the audience. se—but it was also something Con- Pharmaceuticals at GSK. “I still have the brochure from the nelly says she had never really con- Connelly is the first female to hold lunch,” Sohn says. “I use some of her sidered: “If you had asked me at the that title, and one of only two women bullet points in my presentations.” beginning of my career if I was going to on GSK’s corporate executive team For symbolic reasons alone, Sohn end up as president, the answer would (the other is SVP for HR Claire Thom- encourages Connelly to strive for ex- have been ‘no.’” as), but she dismisses any question of cellence in her current position at Former co-workers at Lilly tell a discomfort with a wave of her hand. GSK, noting that she’ll be a beacon to different story, however. Company “It’s not run in a way where you feel other women hoping to smash through HR consultant Catherine Foley was like you’re either a man or a woman,” the c-suite glass ceiling. Meanwhile, one of Connelly’s many nominators she says. “The approach is very pro- Connelly says she’s committed to giv- for this year’s HBA award (she also fessional.” Connelly points out fellow ing a boost to as many female pharma put together the dossier for Connelly’s team members Moncef Slaoui (from young guns as possible. “There’s a nomination last year). Foley began Morocco) and Abbas Hussain (born new, plentiful generation of women working with Connelly when she was in India) as further examples of the in the groups that report to me,” she putting together a leadership program team’s diversity, but admits she’d like says. “So I expect to work to ensure for new MBA hires. Connelly signed to see an even more varied crew in that many of them sit on our executive up as a faculty advisor. the future. “Our customers are very team in the future.” A pRIL 2010 www.pharmexec.com 5

One year into the assignment, she’s already a company woman through “I thought [upon reading a profile of and through, preferring to talk up GSK’s strengths and values rather GSK CEO Andrew Witty], ‘This seems than herself. She speaks at great like the kind of guy you would like to length about the company “perform- ing while transforming” in the US, as have coffee with.’ We stayed for two- well as GSK’s many Physician-Patient and-a-half hours. We talked about Assistance Programs (P-PAPs) and the volunteer work the company does. everything pharma. It was fantastic.” This emphasis on transparency cuts —Deirdre Connelly, 2010 HBA Woman of the Year right to the heart of GSK’s US strat- egy, which comes with its own acro- nym—TRIP (Transparency, Respect, F amily Matters The Transition to TRIP Integrity, Patient focus). And though It was Connelly’s father who inspired The road to GSK began some six the patient comes last in that acronym, her career path. Born to Irish-American months before CEO Witty extended the Connelly says the patient perspective Owen Connelly and Puerto Rican moth- offer. Connelly had been approached for is always foremost in the company’s er Dolores Montecinos in 1960—the the position by a recruiter, but was per- mind. So she champions Glaxo’s middle child of nine—she spent the fectly content captaining Lilly’s team. Bridges to Access program, which of- first 18 years of her life in San Juan. However, a Wall Street Journal profile of fers non-oncology medicines to low- When it came time to leave the nest, Witty (and his efforts to steer the Brit- income patients whose medications Deirdre decided to head to the main- ish juggernaut in a more global direc- aren’t covered by insurance; CARES, land, choosing Pennsylvania’s Lycom- tion) caught her attention. “I thought, a new program launched last month ing College after hearing about its ‘This seems like a guy you would like that offers oncology copay assistance; accounting program from her father. to have coffee with,’” she says. Soon and several other similar programs, Three accounting classes in, she enough, the two had a coffee date, orig- including a new offer to provide vac- switched her major to marketing and inally slated to last 45 minutes. cines free-of-charge to eligible patients economics. “We stayed for two-and-a-half in the US. It all goes back to the com- “I love economics,” says Connelly, hours,” Connelly says, laughing. “We pany’s raison d’être: “We bring medi- with a smile. “It’s just fascinating.” talked about everything pharma. It was cine to people who need it.” Connelly, who is bilingual, also fantastic.” Other company outreach efforts says the college’s small size was a More to the point, Witty impressed include “Orange Day,” during which boon. “My older siblings had grown her with his strategy of melding busi- teams of GSK employees around the up in more of an English-speaking en- ness and values, and putting the com- globe pick a day to tackle a communi- vironment,” she explains. In a smaller, pany’s money where its mouth was. ty project (on company time). Connel- more forgiving setting, she was able to And he himself was new to the job; ly has participated in several of these approach professors if she was having Witty had just taken over as CEO in days, but two stand out in her mind: trouble understanding lectures. May of 2008. Connelly saw an op- During a GSK sales convention in Owen instilled in his children a portunity to slip into a leadership role New Orleans, the execs took all 3,000 sense of respect for the healthcare that would put her in a prime position of the convention-goers to build book- arena; several went into the industry, to drive GSK’s global diversification shelves for schools still struggling to either on the pharma or physician strategy. crawl out from under Hurricane Ka- side. One of Connelly’s older sisters Witty and Connelly’s personal val- trina’s shadow. And they brought is a hospital rep for GSK in Texas. ues were similar, as well: “For me, faith books to fill the shelves as well. “At the She was one of the first people Deirdre is important; family is important; in- end of the night, we had thousands of called when the GSK offer came—she tegrity and transparency are vital too, books and hundreds of bookshelves,” wanted to make sure her sister was so people know who you are and what Connelly says. OK with little sis taking a job at the you stand for. Another group she was part of built same company. “Though I didn’t tell “The business we’re in is very seri- desks for schools in a similar predica- her I’d already accepted the job,” she ous,” she says. “People’s lives depend ment. “It made me miss the book- admits. on it.” shelves,” she says. “I volunteered to do 6 PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE APRIL 2010 www.pharmexec.com

the screws. I was drenched in sweat— drome drug Horizant (gabapentin ena- ning their campaigns,” Connelly says. it was better than my treadmill.” carbil) in February for safety reasons. “And that’s okay. But people need to Though Connelly says she doesn’t do Meanwhile, antidepressant Paxil (par- trust us. They need to know we are this volunteer work for the good press, oxetine) lawsuits in the US and Can- developing those medicines and ap- it’s an important part of educating ada continue to plague the company proaching our mission with the great- the public about the good GSK—and The biggest thorn in the company’s est respect for them as patients.” pharma in general—is capable of. side, however, is the resurgence of Compounding the effect of these A large part of the aforementioned “Avandiagate.” The first iteration of legal problems is the patent cliff facing “transparency” comes in the form of a this problem took place in the summer the entire industry. GSK lost Valtrex more flexible approach to intellectual of 2007, long before Connelly set foot () and antiepileptic/mood property, especially when it comes to on GSK’s corporate campus, when stabilizer Lamictal () in efficacy patents relevant to neglected FDA medical reviewer David Graham 2009. It’ll also lose the Seretide/Ad- diseases in developing countries. In investigated evidence of an increased vair ( propionate/salmeterol xinafoate) combo after this year; an- Like other companies, GSK is branching out through tiviral combo Combivir ( and ) expires during or af- licensing deals and partnerships with academic in- ter 2012; and around 2013, two more stitutions and smaller biotechs. Currently, the com- antivirals and Zyban’s (burproprion) formulation patents will go generic. pany has 47 outside partnerships, and that number Connelly sees these challenges as will only grow going forward. opportunities for GSK to prove its R&D mettle. The structure of the com- January, the company made 13,500 incidence of heart attacks among pany’s R&D division, headed by Mon- malaria compounds available to re- Avandia () patients. GSK cef Slaoui, has undergone some drastic searchers and set up an “Open Lab” claimed the evidence was inconclusive. changes. The department now oper- (with $8 million in seed funding) to The situation threatened to become ates as a sort of miniature, centralized underwrite work on the most promis- another Vioxx situation—a potential galaxy of biotechs—called Discov- ing compounds. disaster for GSK and its reputation for ery Performance Units (DPUs)—each Another element of GSK’s trans- clinical integrity. FDA ended the tussle working on a particular project. The parency is payment disclosure. With by slapping a black box warning on scientists are more like the first Apple physician payment “sunshine laws” the diabetes blockbuster and making employees than research machines: cropping up across the nation—and the company conduct another study the atmosphere in these mini-biotechs a federal act looming in Congress— of the potential link between the drug is one of collaborating in a high-tech pharma companies can either volun- and cardiac incidents. garage. “One of the buzz phrases we tarily shift their policies now or wait Flash forward to February 2010 use is ‘repersonalizing R&D,’” says for government to give them a solid and the Senate Finance Committee’s Kevin Colgan, GSK’s vp of External cuff to the head. Several companies 342-page airing of grievances against Communications. have already switched gears, includ- GSK—grievances that include al- R&D doesn’t just rely on internal ing GSK, which will report all pay- leged “researcher-bullying” and study discoveries. Like other companies, ments to US healthcare professionals ghostwriting. The company has since GSK is branching out through licens- and publish the names of all its clinical been smacked around by the Senate ing deals and partnerships with aca- trial investigators. Furthermore, as of and the media over allegations of “mis- demic institutions and those smaller 2009, they’ve placed a hold on all US represented” data on Avandia. This is biotechs they’re mimicking in-house. political contributions. a big test for Connelly’s “patient first” Currently, the company has 47 outside philosophy. The company has struck partnerships, and that number will C hallenges and Opportunities back with a detailed 30-page rebut- only grow going forward. Connelly just celebrated her one-year tal covering sponsored clinical trial While her background is in sales, anniversary with GSK—a tough year in evidence on ischemic heart risk dating Connelly prides herself—though which the world’s fourth-biggest drug- back to 2000. somehow in a self-deprecating way— maker has faced more than its share “It’s not uncommon for politicians on being well-versed in the scientific of disappointments and controversies. to give pharma bad press—it gets complexities of GSK’s drugs, both in The FDA rejected restless leg syn- them a few points when they’re run- the pipeline and on the market. She APRIL 2010 www.pharmexec.com 7

After extolling the virtues of GSK’s respiratory and deadly condition when she was just 16. “He fought it valiantly for 16 years,” diabetes pipelines, Connelly concedes that one she says. therapeutic area holds a special place for her: Lu- So GSK’s new monoclonal antibody Benlysta (belimumab) is particularly pus, which her father fought valiantly for 16 years. exciting to her. “We haven’t seen any- thing for lupus in almost 50 years,” co-chairs an internal forum that de- certification requirements. Since she’d Connelly says. “The last one was pred- cides which R&D projects to fund, never presented those products before, nisone. But here comes a product that which necessitates more than just a that added another layer of work. “We may eventually alleviate the pain and working knowledge of drug develop- bring medicine to patients, and that re- suffering of patients with lupus.” ment. While she’s not a scientist, she’s quires a lot of preparation,” she says. And while it’s too late for her fa- more than happy to study up. “It’s a Most recently, Connelly saddled up ther, Connelly is glad to have a hand lot of homework, but it’s fascinating. and called on eight doctors in north in bringing the next cutting-edge treat- I’m not afraid to say, ‘I don’t know— Philadelphia. She concealed her title— ment to market. “I’m part of a group teach me,’” she says. “That’s what I’ve unless directly asked, of course. Doc- of people that are potentially going to always done before and will continue tors, she says, are typically agog when bring Benlysta to some 16-year-old kid to do now.” they discover GSK’s president of North who is not going to have to go through She advises all pharma up-and- American Pharmaceuticals has come to what I went through,” she says. “And, comers—men as well as women—to see them, but Connelly always reassures more importantly, her dad won’t have adopt this philosophy. Other tips: them that the honor is all hers. She tells to go through it.” “Take what you do very seriously, but them: “You’re our customer—I’m here Within the next 18 months, Con- don’t take yourself too seriously. Be so we can hear what you have to say.” nelly says, GSK plans on rolling out genuine and transparent and sincere. And those customers love giving six new products, with 30 more in the Work hard and do your job.” Connelly their input. She typically asks pipeline. “Think about the amount of them to design their dream sales force, benefit that will bring to society,” she O n the Road Again and takes notes as each doctor describes says. Connelly doesn’t lead what one might his or her vision of the Platonic Sales She may be integral to bringing call a sedentary life. Her territory is Ideal. Connelly says a physician will products to market, along with be- North America, so she spends most of sometimes even say the GSK force is ing one of the most powerful women her time in the States—60 percent in already The Ideal—high praise for the in pharma, but if Connelly ever starts Philadelphia, another 30 percent in Re- team’s captain. feeling a bit too big for her britches, search Triangle Park in North Carolina. Some of the doctors’ comments give she thinks of her mother, Dolores. But because the GSK home office is in more than just insight into physician de- Before she passed away in 2002, the UK, she also gives London about 10 cision-making. One, after learning who Connelly’s mother kept her daughter percent of her time. Connelly was, even sent a letter thank- grounded. “I miss it now that she’s not When the nostalgia bug bites, she ing her for taking a hands-on approach, around, but she would always tell us, sometimes goes back to her rep roots which struck GSK’s president of North ‘You may be this or may be doing that, and heads out for a day of sales calls. “It American Pharmaceuticals as incredibly but I’m the boss here.’” shows respect for my teammates,” Con- sweet, but odd. “They’re the ones treat- Only in mid-career, Connelly’s ac- nelly explains. “The job these guys have ing patients and helping people, and complishments are already consider- is not the job I had when I started 24 they’re thanking me for coming over?” able. As head of North American phar- years ago.” And these are not just ride- ma, she has the daunting challenge of alongs, she adds. During these jaunts, The Heart of the Matter trying to turn around the sluggish US she carries the bag. (The bag doesn’t Like a mother of multiple children, Con- market. If she succeeds, Connelly may carry samples, though, since she’s not nelly at first hesitates to name the find herself auditioning for the role of registered for that.) therapeutic area most dear to her. But the first female Big Pharma CEO. One doesn’t just jump back into the after extolling the virtues of GSK’s re- But at the end of the day, her eyes rep fray, of course. Connelly had to spiratory and diabetes pipelines, she are on another prize: “We have a call- complete four hours of training for each concedes that one does hold a special ing to find a cure for diseases. We have of the two products she was presenting, place in her heart: Lupus. Her father a duty to our patients to find those as well as go through all the standard was diagnosed with the debilitating, cures.”

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