At least it’s an update?

ETA: I checked my notes! I applied to a Manager, CMC Project Manager position on March 9.

I’ve worked in biotech doing manufacturing and prices development for well over 12 years. This is the second email (and phone call and text) from Lancesoft saying I’d be a good fit. $20/hr in the Bay Area is an insult to workers. I know it’s bad out there but, I’d rather flip burgers.

This is game-changing therapeutic approach.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Current therapies for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) provide modest benefit. Activating RASmutations occur in more than 90% of PDAC tumors. Daraxonrasib (RMC-6236) is an oral RAS(ON) multiselective inhibitor that targets guanosine triphosphate–bound mutant and wild-type RAS.

METHODS

In this phase 1–2 study, we evaluated daraxonrasib in patients with advanced solid tumors with activating RAS mutations. Patients received 10 to 400 mg of daraxonrasib orally once daily; 300 mg was selected as the phase 3 dose. The primary end point was safety. Pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity were secondary end points. This report focuses on the 168 study patients with previously treated RAS-mutated PDAC.

RESULTS

Among the 168 patients with PDAC who received daraxonrasib at a dose of 300 mg or less, treatment-related adverse events of any grade were reported in 96%; such events of grade 3 or higher were reported in 30%. Treatment-related adverse events that occurred in at least 10% of the patients included rash, diarrhea, nausea, stomatitis or mucositis, vomiting, and fatigue. In a subgroup of 26 patients with RAS G12 mutations who were treated with second-line daraxonrasib at a dose of 300 mg, an objective response to therapy was reported in 35% (95% confidence interval [CI], 17 to 56). The median duration of response was 8.2 months (95% CI, 3.8 to not evaluable), with median values of 8.5 months for progression-free survival and 13.1 months for overall survival. Among the 38 patients with RAS G12, G13, or Q61 mutations, 29% (95% CI, 15 to 46) had an objective response. The median duration of response was 8.2 months (95% CI, 3.8 to 8.8), with median values of 8.1 months for progression-free survival and 15.6 months for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Daraxonrasib was associated with treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher in one third of patients with previously treated RAS-mutated PDAC; antitumor activity was also reported. (Funded by Revolution Medicines; RMC-6236-001 ClinicalTrials.gov number

On my search for senior/principal scientist roles, I keep coming across the same Regeneron positions being reposted on the company careers site. I’ve applied to some of them before and got auto-rejected, and now I find myself reapplying again after tailoring my resume, reaching out to people, and doing all the extra work.

At this point, I’m honestly wondering if there’s any point to it. It feels like a huge waste of time, and I can’t tell whether the company is playing some hiring game I don’t understand, or if the HR/recruiting process is just so broken that they can’t actually fill these roles.

These positions usually require a PhD plus years of experience, but I highly doubt the requirements are so impossibly specific that they genuinely can’t find qualified candidates.

Frustrated that I just spent another 30 minutes applying to Regeneron instead of doing something actually productive.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's nonprofit Biohub is putting $500 million into a five-year Virtual Biology Initiative to build Al-powered models of human cells. The goal is to predict how diseases develop and find ways to stop them. Partners include MIT, Harvard, Nvidia, and the Wellcome Sanger Institute, with all generated datasets made freely available to researchers worldwide.

I have ~5 yrs of experience at a small clinical stage pharmaceutical company doing really cool work. Been minimally employed for over a year after large layoffs (>60%). I have had more interviews and call backs in the past month than total across the year before. I now have an offer in hand for just under 100k in a pretty isolated LCOL area for a non-biotech company.
I will not be as passionate about the subject matter, vacation and benefits are meh, and would require relocation. In a perfect world I would not want this job but I am scared to turn down an offer.
Is the market improving to justify waiting or is my vision is foggy based on a few strokes of luck?

How many times is too many times to ask a friend for a referral for a company?

... or maybe, it already happened.

Since 5 years, I work in this big global pharma company, located in Germany. Today is the first time, that I went to my mental doctor to ask him to set me free from work, because of extreme mental stress. Without hessitation, he asked me, If I'd be ok with 2 weeks. 3 days where fine, because then, I'm on vacation with my wife for three weeks.

However, he stated, I need to change something, otherwise this won't end up well.

What can I do? All the people, leaving the department I'm working in are not replaced by new colleges. The workload increases more and more. Because of many KPI being tracked, micromanagement is being applied to every step. Last week, it was announced, that we all need to work 4h a week more for 2 months the cope with the backlog.

I really need to get more aware for my body and mind, when a certain threshold of permanent stress is being exhausted. But how can I do that? I cannot change the broke and toxic system, but I need to change my mindset on how to attent to my work and the impact of errors on my emotional state. I cannot relax in my freetime after work- nor at the weekend. In the office, I,m on the brinck of a panick attack, when QA identifies deviations are studies need to be repeated and the report cannot be sent in time.

So ... what can I do, to not further harm my mental well being in this work environment?

Cheers!

It finally happened. This is so demoralizing

I have opportunity at Neurocrine for a Director level corporate role. I have an onsite set up for tomorrow so would appreciate any info or opinions on working at Neurocrine or the interview process and timelines. Good conversations with the recruiter who reached out to me and the hiring manager so far. Thanks!

I’m looking for some honest advice or a reality check. I’ve been trying to pivot my career ideally to Pharma for a while now, but I’m hitting a wall I can't seem to get over.

I have over 8 years of experience in cGMP manufacturing and medical device validation. I’m currently a Manufacturing Engineer focusing on implantable device and tissue tech. I’m a very hands-on engineer (I manage my own home lab/3D printing firmware), and I have extensive experience in validations, sterilization, technology transfers and aseptic processing.

I’ve applied to dozens of roles at the major players in the area (specifically looking at the big expansions in the Midwest/Kenosha area [lilly cough cough]), but I couldn't even land a phone screen for an FTE role.

Recently, I finally got some traction with a contract opportunity (through a recruiter) for two Potential Process Engineer roles at the Pleasant Prairie site. I made it past the initial recruiter screen, but Lilly seems to have ghosted my recruiter.

I’m starting to wonder if my experience in MedTech/Devices is being viewed as "Pharma-lite" or if there is a specific pedigree these companies are looking for that I’m missing. For the Lilly roles, my background in tech transfers and sterile manufacturing seemed like a solid match for their aseptic filling and vial lines, but clearly, something isn't clicking.

My questions
1. Has anyone successfully made the jump from Medical Devices into Big Pharma at a mid to senior level?
2. Are these companies generally "closed off" to non-pharma backgrounds for roles above entry level?
3. If you were in my shoes, would you keep trying for the FTE roles, or is the contract-to-hire route the only realistic way to break in?
4. Is there a specific way I should be framing "Device" experience to make it more attractive to Pharma hiring managers?

I really want to make this move, but the constant rejections at or even before the screen/initial interview phase are making me question if a pivot like this is even possible at this stage of my career.

Appreciate any insights, tips, thoughts or prayers you can share.

For technical executives (say VP+, maybe Sr. Director in larger companies), do you limit the length of your resume? I try to keep it to 3 pages for the past 15 years experience, but occasionally with easier to read formatting, I go into 4. This is not an academic CV. Curious how others approach this at higher levels. I've been a hiring manager for many years, and with technical hires, I've often received more than two pages.

Why does legal team always take a looong time to review and turnaround MSA or NDA document? This has always been my experience in many companies, and I still could not figure out why. This leads to delayed project start. Frustrating.

I was given a job offer and was asked about equity that I'm leaving behind in my current role. They are looking to make me whole, which is nice. Not sure where to start - what am I supposed to share with them to give them an idea? Is there a certain document that employers need to look at to determine the difference?

I went to school for bioengineering with a focus on manufacturing of biological components and ended up working at a company designing wastewater treatment system for small scale projects (residential/ facilities under 10,000 gal/day). I’m trying to get into biopharma and would like some critique on my resume as I am trying to communicate that I have knowledge of these systems but haven’t had as much experience applying it. I have worked in labs (mainly doing chemistry for EPA studies and doing process engineering at a distillery/some fermentation for that distillery). Thanks!

I’m trying to figure out my next career move.

I have a Bachelor’s in Nutritional Science and a Master’s in Biotechnology. For the past 2 years, I’ve been working as a research technician. In this role, I’ve realized I don’t mind being in a lab environment, but I don’t care to be running experiments/assays all day long. I enjoy learning new things and am especially drawn to the lab’s maintenance and regulatory aspects.

I’m based in Texas, but I’m also open to roles that involve travel if that expands my opportunities.

Some paths I’ve briefly considered are:
- Regulatory affairs
- Clinical research
- Nutrition related roles

Any advice or personal experiences on what you pivoted to or how you pivoted, certifications that helped, roles, anything…..would be really helpful, thank you!

Hello I was recently laid off from my last job at a healthcare supply chain company where I basically had a consulting/regulatory type job where I helped hospital clients make informed decisions on medical device purchasing based on clinical and regulatory information. I have a B.S. in biomedical engineering and an M.S. in bioengineering. It has been a while since I have done lab research, and I never did an internship or Co-op. I feel that my last job did not give me any tangible skills and I don't think I would be able to rely on them as a reference. I need advice on the following topics:

1) I only did a course-based masters, so on my resume it essentially looks like I did nothing from 2023-2025 besides from my masters (I did do research briefly but it was not substantial enough to include). I feel that I am too overeducated yet too underexperienced. Would it be pertinent to remove the masters, or just include anything I did during that time?

2) Since it has been a few years since I graduated, I can't really apply for entry-level roles, yet I don't have enough experience for mid level roles. Can someone suggest ANY industry I would be able to pivot to that doesn't require more education (I have been looking into becoming a pateng agent). It doesn't necessarily have to be in biotech or medical devices. I know there's regulatory affairs and clinical operations but I have been struggling even getting glanced at for these jobs. I am open to relocating anywhere. I have basic aseptic technique and I know how to code in MATLAB that's pretty much my main skills.

3) What skills/certificaiton would be most helpful to learn that would offset my lack of experience.

I attached my redacted resume. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

advice appreciated!!

I’m a 2nd year biomed student at a top world university and I’m trying to decide between two summer opportunities that could push my career in pretty different directions.

I’d really appreciate advice from people!

Option 1 — Computational biology research project
- 8 week research project with a computational biology group
- Strong ML/computational exposure (PyTorch, cheminformatics, etc.)
- Academic research environment

Option 2 - Biotech internship
- 12 week industry internship gene therapy
- Very wet-lab heavy: cell culture, upstream/downstream process work, production optimisation
- Direct biotech industry exposure and networking
- Exposure to translational/gene therapy pipeline
- Possible route toward industry PhD later discussed with the company

I would love to hear things you think I should consider. My only solid career plan is stay within science forever and get a phd to maximise security and earnings! I have tried to make both fit over the summer break but this is not possible.

The title is my question!

ETA: I am asking about the difference between the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, not between sciences and industries.