Episode 12: Johanna Rossell: Serving Rare Disease Patients with Zero Functional Silos

In this episode of Leading Minds, host Jasmeet Sawhney sits down with Johanna Rossell, SVP and GM Rare Disease at Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., to explore the evolving landscape of biotech and rare disease treatment. They discuss the critical need for collaboration across the entire healthcare ecosystem—including the FDA, healthcare providers, and researchers—to ensure life-changing therapies reach patients in time. Johanna shares her passion for patient impact, the power of data in demonstrating treatment value, and the importance of breaking traditional silos in pharma to drive innovation. Tune in to hear how Sumitomo is shaping the future of medicine and what it takes to lead with purpose in this dynamic industry.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• [3:36] Johanna shares her professional journey through pharma
• [13:06] The difference between rare diseases, regenerative medicine, and traditional medicine
• [16:43] Discussion of regenerative therapies and the collaboration needed
• [25:56] Johanna shares future innovations and what motivates her
• [36:11] Advice to those who aspire to be leaders and the balance between personal and professional life
• [41:55] Jasmeet asks Johanna rapid-fire questions

Key Takeaways:

• Tissue-based regenerative medicine faces unique challenges, from donor organ sourcing to strict FDA regulations. Unlike traditional drugs, it relies on living tissues, requiring careful transport, testing, and processing to ensure safety and efficacy.
• Regenerative medicine is transforming personalized treatment, especially for rare diseases. Companies like Sumitomo Pharma leverage data and patient registries to improve care while educating families and streamlining the patient journey. Evolving FDA pathways are also helping accelerate access to these groundbreaking therapies.
• Introducing new treatments, especially for rare diseases, requires demonstrating clear value in clinical efficacy in long-term cost-effectiveness and improved patient outcomes. Even without complete data at launch, there must be a commitment to generating evidence over time to prove the drug’s place in the standard of care.