Hosted by Drew Beck , Head of Strategy, Growth and Innovation for Syneos Health Learning Solutions, this limited series dives into the breakthrough trends redefining health in 2025 and beyond. From bold moves in R&D and medical affairs to next-gen trial design, product launch strategies and the future of healthcare communications, each episode connects you with the minds driving real change. Big ideas. Real-world impact. Yes, omnichannel is still trending—but it’s also evolving fast. Helen G...
Jul 29, 2025•35 min
In this episode, host Sara Rubin is joined by Cheryl Allen, RPh , founding partner at Curatio Advisors, to explore how manufacturers can evolve their access strategies in response to the growing complexity of specialty-like therapies. With a career spanning specialty pharmacy, digital health innovation and commercialization strategy, Cheryl shares how reframing these products as “enhanced retail” can unlock smarter, patient-centered support models. The conversation highlights how patient voices ...
Jul 07, 2025•10 min
In this special edition of the Syneos Health Podcast recorded from the floor of Asembia’s AXS25 Summit, host Michael Sarshad sits down with Kim Plesnarski , SVP of Market Access and Patient Support Services at Syneos Health and Kelly Carter , AVP of Patient Support at Amgen, to unpack the evolving landscape of patient support. The discussion explores the blurring lines between general and specialty medicine, the growing administrative burden on providers and the need to embed seamless, tech-enab...
Jun 05, 2025•19 min
In this episode of our Navigating Modern Market Access series, recorded from the floor of Asembia's AXS25 Summit, host Sara Rubin sits down with Rob Truckenmiller , the newly appointed CEO of PharmaCord. Drawing from his deep experience across small, mid-sized and large pharmaceutical companies, Rob explores how market access strategies must evolve to meet today’s healthcare challenges. From the integration of patient services and payer strategies to the role of technology and data in shaping ou...
May 29, 2025•10 min
In this special episode recorded from the floor at Asembia’s AXS25 Summit, host Michael Sarshad sits down with Tiara Green , President of Accessia Health, to explore the evolving landscape of patient support. They discuss how Accessia Health is addressing the growing needs of individuals with rare and chronic conditions—not just through copay assistance, but by tackling social determinants of health like transportation, food insecurity and mental health services. Tiara shares insights on the exp...
May 22, 2025•10 min
In this special edition of the Syneos Health Podcast recorded from the floor of Asembia’s AXS25 Summit, host Michael Sarshad speaks with Kim Plesnarski , SVP of Market Access and Patient Support Services at Syneos Health and Greg Morris , Chief Strategy Officer at CareMetx. They explore the latest trends shaping patient support services—from the surge of AI-powered solutions to the shift toward hybrid hub models. The conversation dives into the challenges of reactive support programs, the need f...
May 20, 2025•29 min
We continue our Project Optimus series with a focus on clinical pharmacology —a foundational element in redefining dose optimization in oncology drug development. Dr. Wael Harb is joined by Pierre-Olivier Tremblay , Vice President of Clinical Pharmacology at Syneos Health, to discuss how model-informed strategies, exposure-response analysis and biomarkers are transforming early phase trials. They examine how tools like PK/PD modeling and tumor dynamics simulations enable a shift from traditional...
May 14, 2025•19 min
Hosted by Drew Beck , Head of Strategy, Growth and Innovation for Syneos Health Learning Solutions, this limited series dives into the breakthrough trends redefining health in 2025 and beyond. From bold moves in R&D and medical affairs to next-gen trial design, product launch strategies and the future of healthcare communications, each episode connects you with the minds driving real change. Big ideas. Real-world impact. In this episode, Drew dives into launch excellence in 2025 with Syneos ...
May 08, 2025•23 min
2025 Health Trends meets The Syneos Health Podcast for a limited series exploring how Trends come alive in the life sciences industry with host Drew Beck , Head of Strategy, Growth and Innovation for Syneos Health Learning Solutions. Syneos Health experts Brian Carver , Executive Director of Therapeutic Strategy and Innovation, Rare Disease Consortium, Vik Chawla , Managing Director, Syneos Health Consulting and Katya Magonova , Managing Director, Syneos Health Consulting explore the role of AI ...
Apr 24, 2025•24 min
The biopharma market is booming—but not without turbulence. In this kickoff episode of our special podcast series in collaboration with Asembia, hosts Michael Sarshad , Managing Director, Commercial Advisory, Syneos Health and Sara Rubin , Senior Vice President, Market Access Strategy at Spherico, a Syneos Health company, unpack the dynamic forces reshaping how therapies reach patients. Recorded ahead of Asembia’s AXS25 Specialty Pharmacy Summit, they dive into the impact of tariffs, the power o...
Apr 23, 2025•13 min
As regulatory expectations evolve under the FDA’s Project Optimus oncology dosing initiative, biostatistics is emerging as a central pillar in designing and executing trials that move beyond the traditional maximum tolerated dose (MTD) approach. In this fourth episode of our Project Optimus series, host Dr. Wael Harb is joined by biostatistics expert X.Q Xue, PhD , Vice President and Global Head, Biostatistics at Syneos Health to explore how statistical science is transforming dose optimization ...
Apr 11, 2025•17 min
In this episode of The Syneos Health Podcast, we continue our exploration of Project Optimus and the evolution of dose optimization in oncology drug development. Following our discussion on regulatory expectations in the previous episode, we now turn to the operational challenges and strategies required to implement optimized dosing in real-world settings. Host Dr. Wael Harb is joined by Patrick Melvin , Vice President, Oncology & Hematology and Global Head, Novel and Emerging Therapies at S...
Mar 19, 2025•18 min
Unlike general health and wellness apps, Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs) are FDA-authorized, prescribed by healthcare professionals, and rigorously studied in clinical trials. With the global PDT market projected to reach $43 billion by 2032, new regulatory pathways, including CMS billing codes in 2025, are set to enhance adoption and accessibility. In his final episode hosting the Syneos Health Podcast, Nick Kenny is joined by Dr. Shaheen Lakhan , Chief Medical Officer, and Laura Tarab...
Feb 12, 2025•20 min
In this episode, we welcome Dr. Rishi Kakar , Chief Scientific Officer and Medical Director at Segal Trials. Host Andy Moniz , Vice President, Therapeutic Strategy & Innovation at Syneos Health, sits down with Dr. Kakar to explore his inspiring journey from a 15-year-old immigrant discovering neuroscience in a Queens library to becoming a leader in clinical research and innovation. Dr. Kakar shares the personal moments that shaped his passion for psychiatry, the pivotal experiences that drov...
Jan 24, 2025•17 min
In this episode of the Syneos Health Podcast, series host Dr. Wael Harb , Vice President of Medical Management at Syneos Health, continues the exploration of FDA's groundbreaking Project Optimus and its profound implications for oncology drug development. He is joined by Zohra Lomri , Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs at Syneos Health, to discuss how this initiative is transforming dose optimization strategies and reshaping the clinical trial landscape. The conversation delves into the FDA’...
Jan 17, 2025•19 min
For our special series celebrating 15 years of innovation with CNS Summit, host Dr. Alexandria Wise sits down with Ryan Brooks , Executive Chairman and CEO of CenExel, a leading specialty site network. In this discussion, recorded from the floor of CNS Summit 2024, Ryan shares his journey from a farm in Idaho to leading a network of Centers of Excellence, driven by personal health challenges and a passion for advancing healthcare. The conversation explores CenExel's mission to advocate for patie...
Jan 16, 2025•15 min
In this episode, Dr. Alexandria Wise speaks with Steve Rosenberg , CEO of uMotif, recorded from the CNS Summit 2024 exhibit floor. With over four decades of experience in software development and two decades in clinical research, Steve shares his journey from early tech innovations to his current mission of revolutionizing patient engagement and site support in clinical trials. Steve discusses the pivotal role of patient-centric tools in modernizing clinical research, emphasizing the need to rec...
Jan 14, 2025•13 min
In this inspiring look at the progress and potential in psychiatry research, Dr. Alexandria Wise sits down with Dr. Stephen Brannan , former Chief Medical Officer of Karuna Therapeutics, to discuss the groundbreaking approval of KarXT—the first muscarinic mechanism antipsychotic in decades. Dr. Brannan reflects on his journey in psychiatry, the challenges of clinical trials, and the transformative impact of KarXT on treating schizophrenia's positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. The convers...
Jan 09, 2025•16 min
In this episode, host Dr. Alexandria Wise sits down with Dr. Najat Khan , Chief R&D Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at Recursion Pharma, live from the floor of CNS Summit 2024. Together, they explore how cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning are transforming drug discovery and development, shortening timelines, and driving precision medicine. Dr. Khan shares her inspiring journey, from her upbringing surrounded by medicine to leading innovations at the intersection of b...
Jan 07, 2025•12 min
In this special edition of The Syneos Health Podcast, host Dr. Alexandria Wise celebrates 15 years of innovation with CNS Summit by interviewing Dr. David Walling , Chief Clinical Officer at CenExel CNS. Recorded from the floor of CNS Summit 2024, the conversation dives into Dr. Walling’s career journey, his passion for advancing care for individuals with schizophrenia, and the evolution of clinical trials over the past two decades. Dr. Walling shares insights into CenExel’s mission as a “Center...
Dec 19, 2024•14 min
Recorded from the 15th annual CNS Summit, Andy Moniz , Vice President of Therapeutic Strategy Innovation at Syneos Health, sits down with Jane Metcalfe , Board Chair of the Human Immunome Project, to discuss the transformative potential of immunology in medicine. Jane shares her inspiring journey into this groundbreaking field, highlighting how advanced biological measurements, machine learning, and personalized immune profiling are reshaping drug development, clinical practice, and medical educ...
Dec 17, 2024•13 min
In this episode, Dr. Alexandria Wise celebrates 15 years of innovation at CNS Summit 2024 by sitting down with Kevin Craig , Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at atai Life Sciences. Recorded from the floor of the conference, Kevin shares his journey from research and medicine to leading drug development in mental health, with a focus on the company's pioneering work in psychedelics. This episode delves into the complexities of drug development in the psychedelic space, the importance...
Dec 12, 2024•14 min
Join host Andy Moniz , Vice President of Therapeutic Strategy Innovation at Syneos Health, as he sits down with Dr. David Brown from Community Clinical Research in Austin, Texas, for a compelling conversation recorded from the floor of CNS Summit . In this episode, Dr. Brown shares his journey into psychiatry, inspired by his experiences in medical school and his personal connection to mental health. The discussion delves into the transformative impact of clinical trials, the advancements in sch...
Dec 10, 2024•10 min
In this episode, recorded from the floor of the CNS Summit , host Andy Moniz , Vice President of Therapeutic Strategy and Innovation at Syneos Health, sits down with Cristina Duran , CEO of Evinova, to discuss her transformative journey in life sciences and the future of patient-centric innovation in healthcare. Cristina shares insights from her experience leading R&D transformation at AstraZeneca, where she pioneered patient-centric approaches to clinical trials. She discusses how Evinova i...
Dec 05, 2024•9 min
In this special series of the Syneos Health Podcast, we celebrate 15 years of innovation in collaboration with CNS Summit, a community of innovators and life science industry leaders devoted to discovering better, more efficient ways to advance the industry through innovation, collaboration, and technology. Over the course of the series, we will feature conversations with key experts and members of the community on how the life sciences industry is continuing to reinvent itself in the pursuit of...
Dec 03, 2024•12 min
Launched in 2021 by the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence, Project Optimus seeks to reshape traditional oncology trial designs and dosing paradigms, shifting from maximum tolerated doses to precision dosing strategies. While the FDA's hope was that the added time and cost of collecting comprehensive dose and exposure response data would benefit both patients and sponsors, there is also concern and debate in the biotech community that, if the Optimus formula is closely followed, the additional ...
Nov 26, 2024•21 min
There is a significant unmet need for medicines to treat neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions in underserved patient populations. Recently, there has been renewed interest in psychedelic, hallucinogenic and dissociative compounds to meet those needs. In clinical trials, a wide array of these compounds are showing efficacy across a variety of indications. Syneos Health experts Andy Moniz , Dr. Leslie Moldauer , Zelma Gandy Don Sing and Lindsay Crampton —along with Dr. Aaron Koenig , CMO o...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 3 min
As the biopharma industry strives to ensure that clinical trials reflect the rich diversity of the patient populations they aim to serve, the challenges to make this possible have fallen on the trial sites. In a recent webinar, Syneos Health experts Jane Bentley and Juliette Roberts from our Oncology Therapeutic Strategy & Innovation team, and Kelli Defenbaugh from Patient Recruitment and Retention Management, offered robust strategies and actionable insights tailored to overcome obstacles s...
Oct 23, 2024•42 min
Use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) – small fragments of DNA that are released into the bloodstream by cancer cells – as a diagnostic tool represents a significant shift toward more precise, personalized cancer care, enhancing both trial efficiency and patient experience. Unlike traditional tissue biopsies, which sample a single tumor site, ctDNA offers a real-time, comprehensive view of the genetic mutations present in the tumor throughout the body. By offering faster, more detailed insights t...
Oct 02, 2024•20 min
Medical science liaisons—or MSLs—within pharmaceutical companies deal in a special currency: scientific exchange and real-world insights gathering. Only they can share certain types of information with a growing number of medical stakeholders. And only they can bring back medical insights to guide strategic development and brand decisions. Yet, can anyone be certain that this highly valuable currency is being spent wisely? Recently, some of our Medical Affairs experts led an engaging webinar on ...
Sep 24, 2024•34 min
