Building successful biotech companies takes more than just good science and smart money. The industry burns through cash and talent at alarming rates, yet some leaders manage to create lasting impact while others struggle with basic execution. Dr. Amit Rakhit has spent over twenty years figuring out what separates the winners from the rest, working his way through roles at Biogen, Ovid Therapeutics, and now BlueRock Therapeutics.
Blending Science and Business Expertise
Dr. Rakhit hasn’t followed the typical biotech career path. While most executives build their careers on either the science side or the business side, he has done both. His experience includes serving as Chief Medical Officer at Ovid Therapeutics, CEO of Flare Therapeutics, and Head of Global Medical Affairs at Biogen. This breadth of leadership has given him a rare, multi-angle view of how biotech companies truly operate. What connects those diverse roles? “My journey has been driven by one central theme: purpose,” he explains. It sounds simple, but in his experience, too many companies lose their direction when they forget the reason they started in the first place.
Anchor In Patient Centricity
Here’s something many biotech companies get wrong: they think about patients last instead of first. The science comes first, then the business model, and only later do they remember that real people need these treatments. Dr. Rakhit flips that sequence completely. “At the heart of biotech is the patient,” he says, and he means it. During his time at Ovid Therapeutics, the company put this idea into practice. “We made it a point to engage with patient communities directly, not just as participants in trials, but as partners in innovation.” That is far from the industry norm, where patients typically appear only during trials and then vanish until the next study. The results surprised even Dr. Rakhit. “It’s this alignment with the patient’s voice that fuels meaningful science and builds trust.” As it turns out, when you actually listen to the people you are trying to help, you create better products.
Bridge Science and Strategy
The biggest problem in biotech isn’t bad science or bad business. It’s the gap between the two. Scientists speak one language, business people speak another, and nobody bothers to translate. Dr. Rakhit has worked both sides long enough to see where things break down. “Purposeful leadership means knowing how to translate complex data into strategic decisions that move the organization forward,” he explains. That translation work isn’t optional anymore. Companies that can’t bridge science and strategy don’t survive long.
At BlueRock, this plays out in how they choose what to work on. “We focus on cell therapy-based innovation, choosing science that can not only be validated but ultimately be scaled to provide access to patients around the globe.” Notice how that hits both science and business goals? That’s not an accident. “Purpose gives us a filter for prioritizing what truly matters,” Dr. Rakhit adds. Without that filter, biotech companies chase every shiny new research direction until they run out of money.
Build Cultures of Integrity and Empowerment
Most biotech leadership still runs on old-school command and control. That approach does not work when your teams are smarter than you and the science shifts faster than you can keep up. Dr. Rakhit learned this the hard way. “Purpose-led leadership isn’t top-down. It’s about fostering a culture where teams are empowered to take ownership and lead,” he says. Easy to say, harder to do. But he has proof it works. He often points back to his time at Biogen. “One of my proudest moments was seeing our program team in a rare disease make bold ethical decisions under pressure, because we had built a culture that valued integrity over speed.” Moments like that only happen when people clearly understand what the company stands for. “When your purpose is clear, your people feel confident to act with autonomy and alignment,” he explains. Most companies either give people no freedom or too much freedom. Striking the right balance is what separates good biotech companies from great ones.
Biotech is not just another industry. The stakes are higher, the timelines are longer, and the failures are more painful. “We are not just about building companies, we are shaping futures,” Dr. Rakhit reflects. That may sound dramatic, but try telling that to someone waiting for a treatment that does not exist yet. His advice to other leaders cuts through the usual corporate language: “Leading with purpose helps ensure that every action, from the boardroom to the bench, serves the mission.” He is not talking about mission statements or corporate values. He means actually knowing why you get up in the morning. “If you are in a leadership role, I encourage you to define your purpose and lead from it every day,” he concludes. “It is not just good business, it is the right thing to do.” Simple advice, often ignored. Maybe that is why so few biotech companies truly change the world.
Connect with Dr. Amit Rakhit on LinkedIn or via his website to explore more on biotech leadership.
