Taking the Pulse on Pharma Partnerships with Biotech: Part I
The Life Sciences industry is built on the principles of innovation and collaboration. At LSX Congress USA we know how important it is to explore trending topics via our content but even more so to create opportunities for partnering and deal-making discussions to happen in an organic way.
In this Taking the Pulse on Pharma Partnerships series, we asked some of our LSX Congress USA speakers all the partnering questions you might have – from what it takes to build trust between partners, the most important qualities to stand out and the most common pitfalls, to how pharma companies navigate challenges in establishing multi-national alliances and their advice for those first-time meetings at LSX Congress USA 2026.
Pharma Partners on… Trust
Evan Lippman, Head of Business Development at Teva Pharmaceuticals, says the best partnerships begin with a simple question: what can we accomplish together that neither company could accomplish as well alone?
It is crucial for both sides to have a shared view of the patient need, the opportunity and the risks as well as candour about what each party can contribute.
“Deals are signed at a moment in time; strong partnerships are built in everything that follows.” – Evan Lippman, Head of Business Development at Teva Pharmaceuticals
Collaboration sits at the heart of trust and successful partnerships. Evan shares that in his experience, trust is built across the whole organization, not just senior leadership. Scientific, clinical, commercial and deal teams need working relationships that allow difficult issues to surface early. Whether the question involves patient-level data, safety, formulation or the development plan, the right approach is to put it on the table and work through it together.
Carla Bauer, Director, Search and Evaluation, Business Development & Licensing at Merck, highlights the importance of transparency with data for building successful partnerships. Sometimes biotech companies may not know the answer to the questions potential partners ask, and in those moments, it is important to stay true to the science and not overpromise or oversell.
In her response, Tomoko Hanadate, Head of R&D Alliances at Astellas, summarises the four key principles in establishing trust between pharma giants and biotech partners:
- aligned goals,
- clear communication channels,
- respecting cultural differences,
- maintaining transparency.
Tomoko adds, “Change and uncertainty are inevitable when we are innovating, but the strongest trust-based partnerships are well positioned to manage these and act quickly on new scientific, commercial or strategic opportunities that might accelerate innovation.”
Pharma Partners on… Qualities of Biotech Companies
Teva Pharmaceuticals looks for a differentiated medicine with a credible path to meaningful patient impact. Differentiation can be first-in-class or best-in-class, but it can also come from better dosing, administration, tolerability, or the overall treatment experience. Stand out biotech partners understand both the strengths of their programs and the questions that remain. The most productive discussions are evidence-led, not promotional.
“A strong partner has conviction in the asset, is candid about the gaps and wants to solve the remaining issues together.” – Evan Lippman, Head of Business Development at Teva Pharmaceuticals
Carla Bauer, from Merck, draws on her experience here and emphasises how important it is for young founders and biotech companies to bring on board experts that have successfully walked the path from drug discovery to commercialization and can help with addressing blind spots.
Pharma Partners on… Challenges Biotech Startups Face
Alberto Nobili, Head of Bayer Co.Lab Cambridge, views translation and timing as central challenges biotech startups face when partnering with pharma companies. Some of the struggles that Alberto highlights are:
“reaching the right decision-makers rather than a generic business-development inbox; presenting data at the maturity level a partner needs to act on; and enduring diligence cycles that can outlast their runway.”
Besides, biotech startups often have smaller teams than multinational companies which may feel daunting during negotiations. Incubators play an important role in reducing this friction. They are a de-risked infrastructure, offering scientific mentorship from people that have taken medicines to market, and a network that can help move biotechs from discovery to partnership.
Carla also points out that biotech companies can sometimes be too focused in their science that they miss their blind spots that later come up in conversations with the partners’ functional area experts. Having a seasoned expert on drug delivery in your board or as part of your consultants can help uncover these blind spots, the nuances of the modality and targets, and ultimately ensure you are better prepared for the conversations ahead.
Pharma Partners on… Common Pitfalls to Partnerships
According to Tomoko Hanadate, while partnership issues rarely stem from a single cause, some of the most common pitfalls to partnerships are:
- Changes in scientific assumptions
- Misalignment between partners
- Execution becoming more complex than anticipated
- Partners losing momentum after signing
Tomoko adds the most successful partnerships mitigate these risks through strong execution, continuous transparency and trust, proactive alliance management, and a shared focus on delivering for patients. Carla Bauer also points out that partnerships are two very different cultures coming together which requires careful navigation and transparent communication to succeed. In her opinion, alliance managers play a crucial role in ironing out these differences and ensuring all teams get off on the right foot.
Evan Lippman emphasizes that compelling biology is essential but not sufficient for a successful partnership. His advice is for biotech teams to present the whole opportunity, not only the strongest data.
“Be ready to discuss what is known, what is not, and what would have to be true for the medicine to succeed. That creates a better conversation earlier and reduces the risk of discovering a fundamental disconnect late in the process.” – Evan Lippman, Head of Business Development at Teva Pharmaceuticals
From emerging biotechs seeking capital and visibility to later-stage companies pursuing strategic partnerships and commercial momentum, LSX Congress USA is built around the conversations that matter most. Prepare for those with part two of our Taking the Pulse on Pharma Partnerships series where pharma partners discuss what makes a biotech stand out, how they approach international collaboration, and their advice for your meetings at LSX USA.
Thank you to our speakers for their insightful contributions to this article! Find them at LSX Congress USA 2026:
Find Alberto Nobili, Head of Bayer Co.Lab Cambridge, at the panel discussion The Role of Incubators, Accelerators, and NPOs in Biopharma Startup Growth.
Find Carla Bauer, Director, Search and Evaluation, Business Development & Licensing at Merck, at the panel discussion Oncology Synergy: Partnering to Revolutionize Cancer Care.
Find Evan Lipmann, Head of Business Development at Teva Pharmaceuticals, at the panel discussion The Art of the Deal: Structuring Successful Biopharma Partnerships.
Find Tomoko Hanadate, Head of R&D Alliances at Astellas, at the panel discussion How to Build Long-Term Strategic Alliances with Pharma Giants.