Why Drug Launches Are Won Years Before Approval with Ana Bozas

Drug launches don’t succeed at the finish line. They succeed or fail years earlier, when teams decide what evidence they’ll generate, how they’ll publish it, and which assumptions they’ll pressure-test before it’s too late. In this episode of Pharma Sessions, host Jonathan Kaskey is joined by Ana Bozas, Director of Clinical Evidence Strategy and Scientific Communications at Vera Therapeutics, to dive into what launch readiness really means from the medical side.

What You’ll Learn:

What medical affairs and scientific communications must do years before launch
How publication planning determines whether launch data actually exists in the market
What changes and what doesn’t across different diseases, patient populations, and audiences
How to map all stakeholders involved in a patient’s journey
Why payers evaluate drugs based on population impact and proven outcomes

Ana Bozas is a Medical Affairs and Scientific Communications leader with vast experience across rare diseases and biopharma. She currently serves as Director of Clinical Evidence Strategy and Scientific Communications at Vera Therapeutics, supporting clinical strategy in kidney disease as the organization prepares for a pivotal regulatory moment. Previously, Ana led scientific publications and medical communications at Ipsen, with roles at Pear Therapeutics, Ionis, Sanofi, and Akebia, giving her a unique perspective across startups and established organizations during high-stakes launch periods.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] Introduction
[03:20] Why Are Careers in Pharma Rarely Linear?
[04:26] How Ana Adapts Launch Strategy From Company to Company
[06:45] What Changes and What Never Does in Healthcare Communication
[10:18] How Payers Decide What Gets Funded
[11:38] Why Is Unpublished Data Invisible to the Market?
[12:53] The Productive Tension Between Marketing and Medicine
[14:09] How Meeting Forecasts Defines Successful Launches
[18:13] Medical Planning Starts 5+ Years Before Launch
[21:54] Why Publication Timelines Must Be Built Into Launch Plans
[23:39] What Medical Can and Cannot Fix at the Eleventh Hour
[26:32] Engaging Clinicians and Patients Early
[31:04] One Practical Launch Action You Can Take Tomorrow

Episode Resources:

Ana Bozas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abozas/
Jonathan Kaskey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonkaskey/
XSUNT Corporation Website: http://www.xsunt.com/

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Disclaimer: The interviewer’s opinions are their own and do not represent those of their current or past employers.