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Astellas Executive Interview Series – Anne Keating

After losing a loved one to cancer, Anne Keating has spent more than 20 years working in Oncology Drug Development to support cancer patients with little to no treatments options. We sat down with Anne, Vice President and Head of Clinical Science, to learn more about her career, proudest achievements to date and advice for others in the Oncology field.

What is your background with oncology? Why did you decide to pursue this line of work?

I have been working in Oncology Drug Development for over 20 years, and was inspired to pursue this area after losing my dad to cancer. I witnessed firsthand how debilitating cancer is to individuals, particularly those whose cancer has little to no treatments available.

Over the course of my career, I have worked on studies from Phase 1 to Phase 3 involving small molecules and antibodies, in a variety of tumor types, including both solid and hematologic malignancies.

I have seen this work impact patients directly within our clinical trials. I have received letters from patients and their families who have participated in our clinical trials, thanking us for the opportunity at a time when they have run out of treatment options.

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

I am a pharmacist by training, and was drawn to the pharmaceutical industry because of the variety of positions pharmacists could hold within such companies. The role at Astellas offered me an opportunity to do something very important for patients, but at a different level than being a pharmacist in a hospital setting. Working for a smaller company gave me the opportunity to have a more personalized career experience, which is very important to me.

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

Receiving a note from former colleagues telling me the impact I have made in their career gives me the greatest sense of pride. I greatly enjoy seeing individuals who have reported to or worked with me move onto bigger and better things in their careers, whether at Astellas or outside the company.

What advice would you give to others working in this field?

Explore a variety of functional areas during your career. This will allow you to develop an assortment of skills sets and help make you a well-rounded individual.

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