​Andrew P. Krivoshik began his career in academic medicine, often balancing time in the lab with time seeing patients in the clinic. Now Vice President of Medical Sciences in Oncology, Andrew’s career is focused on pharmaceutical development to help serve more patients and make greater impact in their care.

We sat down with Andrew to learn more about his career in oncology, including what inspired his transition from the clinic to pharmaceutical development, and where he hopes to see Astellas Oncology within the next few years.

What is your background in oncology, and why did you decide to pursue this line of work?

Following my internship and residency in pediatric and adolescent medicine at the Mayo Clinic, I completed my pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship training at Duke University. I decided to pursue a career in oncology pharmaceutical development to help address the complex nature of cancer biology, and make an even greater impact on a larger number of patients.

Although I have worked on developing new agents to treat children with cancer, the majority of my experience in the pharmaceutical industry has been developing new agents to treat adult cancer patients, including both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.

What drew you to the pharmaceutical industry, and to Astellas specifically?

I greatly enjoyed balancing research in the lab with helping patients one at a time in the clinic and transitioned from academic medicine into pharmaceutical development in order to leverage my skill set and reach a larger number of patients. I was drawn to Astellas due to our science-based focus on patients. 

Where are you hoping to take Astellas Oncology within the next few years, in terms of research or innovation?

Our common goal at Astellas Oncology is to improve the treatment of specific cancers globally. Given that there are many types of cancers, each with their own distinct and complex biology, engaging the relevant experts requires us to partner not only internally across functions, but also externally.  

What project or activity has given you the greatest sense of pride, and why? 

I enjoy collaborating within cross-functional teams, and take great pride in our development projects in oncology, as each has the potential to improve patients’ lives for the better.