Type Of Business:
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology, research and development; experience across all aspect of the pharmaceutical industry, from research to development, medical affairs, branded and generic drugs, devices; board membership
Marketing Area:
International; pharmaceutical . biotechnolgy and academia research and development
Expertise:
research and development experience across all therapeutic areas inclusive of onoclogy, experienced in translational medicine, clinical pharmacology, quantitative methodology in data analysis, operational excellence, exceptional leadership and movtivation; branded and generic drugs, drug/device combinations; analytical and visionary; experienced board member of scientific company, active participant on technology committee; regenerative medicine
Major Product/SVS:
Full breath of expertise in the research and development of drugs across every therapeutic area, full understanding of the research aspects of drug development; able to give guidance, direction, and a broad network of specialized disciplines to support the development of a drug or drug device; highly skilled analytically to provide excellent insight into a compound's potential and can drive the future development to reduce risk; strong regulatory interaction
Favorite Business Publication:
Harvard Business Review; Nature Medicine; Science; The New England Journal of Medicine
Hobbies/Sports:
Reading; Traveling; Listening to music; Exercising; Gardening; Learning; Bicycling; Kayaking; Cooking; Football
Education Degrees:
MD, University of Pennsylvania; Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, College of Wooster, OH
Internship/residency: Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Nephrology Fellowship: University of Pennsylvania
Affiliations Awards:
Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering; Connecticut Technology Council; Phi Beta Kappa; American College of Physicians; American Diabetes Association; American Society of Nephrology; Drug Information Association
Industry:
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
State/Country of Origin:
USA
Date of Distinction:
12/30/2011
Work History:
Tenion Inc. Board of Directors
Endo Pharmaceuticals, CMO, SVP of Clinical Development
Aileron Therapeutics, CMO and SVP of Clinical Development
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Vice President/Head of WWClinical Research Operations and Clinical Sciences
SmithKliine Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Vice President, North America, Clinical Pharmacology and Research Units
Chief, Renal Division, Presbyterian Hospital of the University of PA
Career Achievements:
I was able to develop state of the art clinical research units for the study of new drugs in humans across three continents and align them so they operated as one seamless group. These units were first and only global research function in the world to have received AAHRPPP Certification for the protection of humans while conducting clinical research. This is an enduring achievement of which of am most proud.
What do you feel separates you from the rest of the professionals in your industry?:
My moral compass is to always try to do the right thing, not matter the personal consequences. In medicine and in the pharmaceutical industry, always keeping the patient in mind guided my decisions. At the same time I can integrate this imperative towards driving a business.
What has been the most outstanding thing you have done thus far in your career?:
Overall my greatest achievement is to have influenced so many people in such a positive way and to see so many of my proteges do so well and ascend to senior positions across industry and academia.
How would you like to be remembered by your peers?:
A person of integrity and ethics who enjoyed mentoring and teaching. a person who always challenged you to perform at a highler level than you ever expected. A person who was loyal but not gullible, who preferred to hear the truth, Someone who could be tough but fun and highly motivating and energetic.
If you could solve one problem in the world today, what would it be?:
The failing leadership in so many industries and particularly in the phamaceutical industry at a time when ethical and visionary leadership is needed more than ever.
If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?:
Galileo: He was a visionary, but was ostracized and censured because of fear because of his ideas. As someone who often sees things as they could be or should be, I would identify with his struggle to convince others of his novel ideas.
Expanded Biography:
In additon to roles in industry, Dr Jorkasky is involved in education, by being adjunct professor at a number of insititutions (UCSF, Yale, PENN, and USUHS). she is on the executive committee of the American Course on Drug Development and Regulatory Science board. She is an invited professor to China annually to teach on drug development at Peking Union Medical University.
Spouse's Name:
Joseph Trifiletti
Throughout the duration of your career, what was the one highlight that stood out the most?:
The highlights of her career were being recognized by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame for her leadership in science and her subsequent election to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.
Charity:
GateWay Community College; Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut; American Heart Association; National Kidney Foundation of Southeastern Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Number Of Years In Profession:
26
Number Of Years In Current Position:
4
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
She attributes her success to hard work, educational background, positive attitude, energy, desire to help others, aptitude for learning, willingness to take on difficult tasks and unpopular stands, and to helping companies and people to deal with challenges in a way to allow successful outcomes.
Why did you become involved in your profession or industry?:
She became involved in her profession after being impressed by the positive effects that a new drug, cyclosporine, had on kidney transplant patients during her tenure with the University of Pennsylvania.
Extended Bio Profile:
Dr. Diane Jorkasky is a highly regarded medical scientist and researcher in the pharmaceutical industry with a broad background across research and all phases of clinical development and in every therapeutic area. She sits on the Board of Directors of Tengion Inc, a regenerative medicine company and President of her own research and development consulting business with emphasis on translational pharmacology and medicine in the development of drugs. Her clients include venture firms, academia, pharma, and biotechnology companies. Her broad experience includes positions as Head of Development and Chief Medical Officer at Endo Pharmaceuticals, with involvement in the development of drugs, devices and generics, and Aileron Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she guided the research and development of stapled peptides for clinical indications. Prior to these appointments she had been Vice President of Global Clinical Research Operations, its clinical research units and leader of the Operational Excellence Board for Development at the Pfizer Global Research and Development New London, Connecticut. In this role Dr. Jorkasky was responsible for ensuring that all exploratory development, clinical pharmacology (phase 1-4), translational medicine and clinical technology studies were appropriately conducted. She led the complete alignment of the three Pfizer Clinical Research Units, located in the US, Europe and Asia, such that they operated as one clinical unit and were recently awarded certification by American Accreditation for Human Rights Protection Policies for their clinical research process, the first in industry to achieve such a recognition. In her role as leader of the Operation Excellence Board for Development, she drove data standards and improvements in Pfizer’s drug development process to gain efficiencies in timelines and performance from Phase 1 to 4. Dr. Jorkasky also established the Pfizer alliance in PET imaging with Yale Medical School, which, after its 7th year, had produced 66 peer reviewed publications and 10 critical decision studies for Pfizer. She is particularly interested in quantitative approaches to decision-making in development and ensuring scientific strategy is realized through innovative application of technology to the operations to allow data evaluation and mining. Dr Jorkasky is a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Technology. She has been recognized by the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Provide far ranging, highly experienced, analytical thinking to difficult problems in the research and development of drugs' on the board to provide the scientific and technological input into the programs being run by the company
Education Certifications:
Board Certifications in Internal Medicine, Nephrology and Clinical Pharmacology
Awards/Honors:
Recipient, Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellowship; Women of Innovation Award for Outstanding Leadership as an Innovator, Mentor and Role Model, Connecticut Technology Council; Recognition for Leadership in Science and Advocacy for Women in Science, Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame; Gold Medal Award for Process Improvement, CT; Named ‘Top Doc’ in Philadelphia; Recognition for Dedicated Services, National Kidney Foundation of Southeast Pennsylvania; Alumni Service Award, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Multiple Teaching Awards, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Where Will You Be In 5 Years:
In five years, Dr. Jorkasky hopes to work on a national and international level, continuing to change and improve the ability to deliver new medicines to patients and help shepherd in new therapies. She would also like to ensure that education about the risk and benefits of drugs is disseminated in a language that is understandable to everyone and be able to achieve this impact at a high level in government or in the biotech industry.