BioMarin Pharmaceutical

What do you enjoy most about working at BioMarin? The scientific approach. At BioMarin, we look at the science behind things and justify what we do from there. It’s unique, and it’s exciting. Our orphan drug status means that our timelines are very short comparatively. It’s also very patient-focused. Management makes a big effort to make sure we, as employees, are aware of our patients’ stories — that we know who we are working for, which is really motivating. There is also a high caliber of people here. We need people with diverse backgrounds — in education and beyond — to address the need for different product aspects.      

Do you see BioMarin as a leader? How so? I would say BioMarin is a leader in innovation. We operate under a different model — we’re not trying to replicate big pharma. We deliver orphan drugs, which means our timeline to market is much faster than at many biopharm companies. This is also a place where, if you have an idea about how something might be done better — there is a forum for your ideas to be heard. We all work together with one goal in mind, and it makes us all really feel like true contributors. We’re working on a lot of new, pioneering technology — things that have never been done before. Gene therapy is exciting and potentially groundbreaking. It takes a lot of courage to be a leader in new technologies, and I think we do it successfully at BioMarin.     

What should candidates know about BioMarin?  BioMarin is at a really great, fantastic stage. It’s big enough that we’re not a startup, but not so big that there isn’t room to have a strong and important impact on our future. The company has more than doubled in the past year, and with tremendous growth comes opportunity.   Beyond that, BioMarin is just a great company to work for, and the work you do is both challenging and fulfilling. I feel that I have a lot of impact on the products I work on, testing, information in submissions, the manufacturing processes themselves. I do not feel that this level of personal influence would be the same at a larger company. It’s very rewarding.  

Learn about Mimi Roy and our Process Science team at BioMarin

After holding several leadership positions within the biopharmaceutical industry, Mimi Roy joined BioMarin in 2015 and currently is the Executive Director of Analytical Chemistry. Mimi received her Ph.D. from Princeton University and completed her post-doctoral fellowship with Peter Schultz, professor and president of The Scripps Research Institute. In her spare time, Mimi enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, and singing.

How did you find BioMarin, and was there a moment when you knew this would be the right fit and can you describe what that moment was like for you?

My BioMarin story began with a connection for whom I really enjoyed working in the past. I started working as a consultant with our head of Process Science--it was an experiment. But very quickly, I knew BioMarin was going to be the right fit for me because of the people, the culture, the innovative and technically challenging work with gene therapy, and above all, working for the underdog. I was attracted to what BioMarin stands for--passionate people willing to learn and grow.

What is the vision for the Analytical Chemical group, and how does that vision fit into overall strategy of BioMarin’s Technical Operations (TOPS)?

Our vision is to break down silos and build a collective, scientific picture of our products (characterization) using modern technologies that inform efficacy and safety. This mirrors the TOPS vision to preserve our start-up spirit while developing capabilities to enable growth. We work with research early on to understand the molecule at a basic level. We run the gamut from early stage analytical development to analytics supporting manufacturing investigations and changes post-commercialization. The tests we develop support development of manufacturing processes upstream and downstream, choice of formulation and release test methods. So, science, collaboration and performance are key in the vision.

Process science will undertake significant hiring in 2019.What business decisions are driving those hiring goals? 

TOPS leaders have pointed out that the cost of not doing development work properly upfront can show up later in the commercial venue with a significant negative impact to the business. We can better guarantee robust processing and testing at the commercial juncture if we invest early in analytical development and standardize, plan and prepare. With ambitious timelines and the need for pressure testing or refinement, increasing resources is one solution to enable performance at the required speed of execution. The idea is to be proactive rather than reactive. Think about that! 

This image leads right into my next question regarding the TOPS organization continued evolution and “performance mastery.”Like a Jedi master—what are the key qualities that an employee in process science should have mastered?

I call it the 4 E’s: “Energy, Ability to Energize others, Technical Edge, Execution.”  This is what I look for in anyone who joins our team. Importantly they have to have Passion, a passion for purpose. When a candidate exhibits these qualities through their resume and phone interview, we have them come in for the on-site interview. After the 4E’s and a P are confirmed in person, it is all about behavior and communication.

BioMarinized—it is a term that came up at an All Hands Meeting by Darragh Breen, a colleague in TOPS-Shanbally, Ireland.When you hear that term, what does it mean for you? 

I can’t specifically speak to what he meant at the All Hands Meeting, but I have heard colleagues here say we will just “BioMarin it.” To me, this means to get the task done utilizing prioritization, consensus building and problem-solving in a fast-paced milieu. You learn to quickly seek empowerment and execute with a passion for the patients’ benefit. 

Once you have been “BioMarined,” what skills does an employee gain from this experience?The candidate will bring their qualities to the team, and what do they receive in exchange? 

It’s like a workout where you go to the gym, do yoga, swim, run, bike and hike on different days of the week—you continue to get stronger in developing a broad set of skills that underline prioritization and problem-solving in a dynamic science-driven environment. You absorb it, you breathe it, you socialize it and you don’t get sent to a corner to work in isolation. You are refining this mixed bag of skills every day.” These skills are extremely valuable: communication, collaboration, fast learning, joint decision making and developing junior colleagues. If you can alleviate stressors on senior management, your results get noticed here. You aren’t lost in a crowd. You learn to collaborate and make a difference. 

You have referred people to BioMarin. Why, and what made you think of that person in particular?Have you hired folks who have been referred?

When hiring, I have stuck to the 4E’s and a P in addition to the technical fit for a given job and a culture/behavior fit. Over time we build layers of connections biased toward our areas of interest. I find that my network sphere is enriched with scientists interested in analytics and biopharma, so it makes sense to utilize these referrals.