Naomi Binoche

Pharma Partnerships Thrive by Celebrating Every Milestone Along the Journey

Naomi Binoche, VP Head of Strategic Alliance Management, shares insights on how pharma partnerships are key to driving success and why celebrating every milestone along the way matters.

This theme will be further explored at the upcoming ASAP Global Alliance Summit in Amsterdam this September, where Naomi will co-present the session ‘Living and Growing an Inherited Alliance – a Journey full of Twists and Turns.’ The presentation will highlight how Ipsen and Servier overcame the challenges of an inherited partnership to build a successful alliance — a journey that reflects the resilience and adaptability required in today’s pharma landscape.

“For me, success is not just about big breakthroughs. In nearly 10 years with Ipsen, I’ve learned it’s just as much about building trusted partnerships and celebrating every milestone along the way. We thrive by working together – it’s what drives innovation across our therapeutic areas and ultimately helps us deliver transformational medicines to patients worldwide.

Moving forward together can be transformational. When combining Ipsen’s global reach, size, and expertise with our partners’ cutting-edge research we are able to consistently push new and exciting programs through the pipeline. I’ve been very fortunate to contribute to many successful partnerships that have advanced our programs; moving them from pre-clinical development, through regulatory approval, and finally into the market where they can benefit those in need.

What fulfils me every day is the diversity of partners we work with: from the US-listed biotech to the family-owned business in Europe; the ambitious young enterprise in China, to the established industry leader. Each brings its own unique challenges and opportunities, and it is this variety that makes my day – every single day!

Turning a molecule into a medicine is a long and complex journey, demanding years of dedication and collaboration. That’s why it’s so important to pause and celebrate every win along the way. These shared milestones – whether operational, strategic, or relational – are the heartbeat of alliance success, helping to build trust and momentum over time.

An alliance isn’t just about the initial collaboration or license agreement. It’s about all the supporting pieces that go alongside. Pharmacovigilance, quality, and data protection, manufacturing, supply, and life-cycle opportunities and more. Each achievement is something we secure together with our partners over time. These milestones might not make the headlines, but for me and my team, they’re standout moments that reflect the strength of our collaboration.

Of course, the journey doesn’t stop after bringing a medicine to market. Keeping our medicines available in over 100 countries takes enormous effort, with teams around the world working together every day to make manufacturing and distribution happen. This is where our long-term alliances really shine. Some of our partnerships span over 30 years, with off-patent molecules still achieving double-digit growth in certain regions.

Celebrating each milestone with our partners, especially during what can be a long and challenging journey, fuels our motivation to push programs forward and ensure medicines remain accessible. In the end, making a real impact for patients is what matters — and that’s always worth celebrating.”