Jennifer Brogdon, Head of Gene and Cell Therapy at Novartis, shared on LinkedIn:
“Today marks the close of an extraordinary 22-year chapter at Novartis.
When I joined the company, I had a simple north star: to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. That purpose has guided the choices I made, the science I pursued, the teams I built, and the challenges I was willing to take on.
It has been one of the greatest privileges of my career to help pioneer CAR-T cell therapy and to be part of a remarkable community that changed the practice of medicine. Together, we helped transform what seemed like an impossible idea into a therapy that offered new hope to patients and families facing devastating cancers.
What makes this journey even more meaningful is seeing CAR-T’s promise continue to grow. Its potential to help patients with severe autoimmune diseases represents a remarkable new frontier – one that could transform the lives of those who have exhausted other options.
While this chapter is ending, the purpose that brought me here has not changed.
As my parents navigate the challenges that come with aging and declining health, I feel called to dedicate more of my time and energy to them. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work toward improving the quality of life of patients and their families. Now, I have an opportunity to make a difference for my own family, helping my parents enjoy the best quality of life possible during this stage of their journey. It is time I will never get back, and it feels like the right moment to be present for them while I still can.
None of the accomplishments of the past two decades happened because of one person. Innovation is a collective act, made possible by courageous ideas, scientific rigor, resilience, collaboration, and a shared determination to reach patients. I am deeply grateful to the many exceptional colleagues, collaborators, and partners who took this journey with me. Many became trusted friends.
I am especially proud of the people I have had the opportunity to support and develop. Investing in people has always felt inseparable from investing in science. Helping others grow, succeed, and shine has brought me as much joy as any scientific or clinical milestone.
I leave Novartis with enormous pride in what we accomplished together, deep gratitude for the opportunities and relationships that shaped me, and tremendous optimism for what comes next.
The science will continue to evolve. New breakthroughs will come. New patients will be helped.
And for me, the mission remains the same as it was 22 years ago: to make a difference in the lives of others.”
You may also be interested in: Can Oncolytic Viruses Make CAR-T-Cell Therapy More Adaptable in B-Cell Malignancies?
