Allyson, self-described as “not a math or science person,” described her fascination with everything that goes into the research and development of therapies.
“Watching the process was amazing because you get to see how a goal and a concept become a medicine,” says Allyson. “It’s incredible if you think about how it goes from somebody saying, ‘We need to find a solution,’ to having it in your hands – especially because health issues are so sophisticated, and these ideas are so complex. It very much hits close to home to see that there are people who go out of their way to work on solutions for people who may not have as many options as other conditions.”
Patients have long been the heart of the matter for BioMarin employees. Javier Femenia keeps a photo in his office that serves as a daily reminder of the very first patient who was involved in a clinical trial for a medicine he worked on early in his career. Many years later, that patient connection keeps him motivated to contribute to the company’s next breakthrough.
“He came by with his parents, and we were able to show him, even in the lab, what it looked like, how we were making this medicine,” recounts Javier, Executive Director, Head of BioProcess Development. “To see that energy and excitement for him, and that hope in that family, was something that carried me through and continues through even to this day.”
