Welcome to Partnology’s Biotech Leader Spotlight Series, where we highlight the remarkable accomplishments and visionary leadership of biotech industry pioneers. This series is about showcasing the groundbreaking strides made by exceptional leaders who have transformed scientific possibilities into tangible realities. Through insightful interviews, we invite you to join us in following the inspiring journeys of these executives who continue to shape the landscape of the biotech industry. This week we are recognizing:
Dr. Judy Chou is the CEO, President and Board Member of AltruBio Inc.. which is a clinical stage biotech company in San Francisco, CA. Before taking on her current roles, she headed the global Biotech organization at Bayer Pharmaceuticals overseeing the development, manufacturing and distribution of Bayer’s biotechnology product portfolio & 2000+ employees and leading the drug development and launch activities for the biologics pipeline. In addition, she served as the site head for Bayer’s facility in Berkeley, CA. She is well recognized by the biomedical industry for her leadership and has received the Most Influential Women in Business Award in 2018 by San Francisco Business Times.
Before Bayer, Dr. Chou held the role of Vice President of Pharmaceutical Operations at Pfizer, Inc. She was also Vice President of R&D and Manufacturing at Tanvex Biopharma and has enabled the success of the company’s IPO. Throughout Dr. Chou’s career, she has achieved significant milestones in biologics development and multiple filings of BLAs, NDAs, and INDs of novel products and is broadly recognized for her work at Genentech, Pfizer (Wyeth) and Abbvie (Abbott) especially in the development of breakthrough technologies and accelerated product development. Before joining the industry, Dr. Chou was a research faculty member at Harvard University Medical School. Dr. Chou obtained her Ph.D. from Yale University and completed her post-doctoral training at Max-Planck Institute in Germany.
Walk me through your career, highlighting the most pivotal moments or decisions throughout:
Looking back on my career, I’d say there have been four pivotal stages that really shaped my journey. The first was when I transitioned from academia to industry. That shift wasn’t just about changing jobs—it was a change in mentality. At the time, I was a research faculty member at Harvard Medical School, which is, for many scientists, a dream position—and it had been my dream as well. Moving into industry wasn’t part of the plan; it was more of an unexpected opportunity. But when I made that decision, I told myself I needed to fully commit to the mission of the company, rather than just pursuing my own scientific interests. In academia, we’re trained to follow our passion, secure funding, and advance our research. But in industry, I didn’t want to simply transplant my academic goals—I wanted to focus entirely on what the company needed. That mindset shift was my first pivotal moment. A rewarding outcome of that transition was that my very first project became Humira, a now widely used biologic. I was one of the key authors of the product overview application and defended it before the FDA and EMA—a truly formative experience.
The second pivotal moment came when I fully focused on innovation. This happened during my time at Wyeth, and later at Genentech. Back then, high-throughput automation wasn’t something associated with biologics—it was seen as more relevant for small molecules. Biologics were viewed as handcrafted, artisanal, and not amenable to acceleration. I challenged that belief. I’d say I was among the pioneers introducing high-throughput approaches into biologics development. The outcome wasn’t just rewarding for me personally—it helped transform how the industry now views biologics development. What once seemed impossible is now standard practice. I’m proud that the work I did laid the groundwork for others and helped change the landscape.
The third pivotal moment was when I started focusing on the broader impact I could make. This came when I joined Tanvex, a company focused on biosimilars. At the time, biosimilars were not widely accepted—there was no clear regulatory path, and many doubted their feasibility. Most people understood generics, but not biosimilars. Until then, I believed novel drugs were what patients needed most. But I came to realize that accessibility and affordability are also critical. I saw that even with great drugs on the market, many patients still couldn’t get the treatment they needed. So I shifted my focus toward making medicines more accessible. At Tanvex, we were one of the early companies to approach the FDA with the concept of biosimilars, and we helped pave the way. Later, at Medivation, a mid-cap public company, I continued that mission, serving in an executive role focused on long-term impact. It led to the commercial success of Xtandi, a breakthrough prostate cancer medicine.
That brings me to the fourth and, hopefully not final, pivotal stage—becoming a true trailblazer. I’ve had the chance to reflect on what differentiates my path from others. There are many great leaders out there, but I think what sets me apart is that I’ve repeatedly built something from nothing. It’s not just about having vision—it’s also about executing on that vision. When I joined Bayer, many saw it as a top executive role at a large pharma company, but few remember that Bayer’s biologics portfolio at the time was limited to traditional protein replacement therapies like Factor VIII. I helped initiate and guide Bayer’s entry into biologic, and then into cell and gene therapies. Now, with AltruBio, I’m doing something even more—building a company from the ground up starting in 2020, and trying to create something that didn’t exist before.
So to summarize, the key stages of my career have been: first, focusing on aligning with an organization’s mission; second, embracing innovation even when it went against conventional wisdom; third, shifting toward impact and patient access; and now, acting as a trailblazer—creating new paths where none existed before. My hope is that these moments will continue to make a meaningful difference.
Tell me more about AltruBio – what are you currently working on and what differentiates AltruBio’s approach in the autoimmune and inflammatory disease space?
AltruBio is a clinical-stage company focused on developing novel therapeutics for immunological diseases. Building on what I shared earlier, we are committed to innovation—nothing we do is incremental. Our ambition isn’t just to make treatments that are slightly better. In immunology, we believe that if we’re going to make a difference, it must be transformational.
Why do we feel so strongly about that? It’s not because we’re simply ambitious or visionary. It’s because, over the past 20-plus years, the progress in this space has been largely incremental. If you imagine yourself—or someone you love—living with a severe, chronic immunological disease, would you be satisfied with a drug that’s just “a bit better” than the previous one? Probably not. These are debilitating conditions that cause years of suffering. That’s why we’re focused on making a meaningful, transformational difference.
So, what exactly are we doing that’s different? Most current immunology treatments focus on broadly suppressing the immune system, trying to strike a delicate balance—enough suppression to reduce symptoms, but not so much that the immune system is compromised. Early in my career, when I worked on Humira, this approach was considered a major advancement—and it was. But now we understand its limitations. It’s like putting out a fire without removing the source of the flames. The disease flares may subside temporarily, but the underlying problem remains, which is why treatments eventually stop working for some patients, or only work only for certain individuals to begin with.
Our approach is different. We’re not just putting out the fire—we’re removing the source of the fire. That’s what sets us apart. We call our platform the “immune checkpoint enhancer,” or ICE. It’s a form of immune checkpoint agonism that restores immune balance by freezing the problematic activity—much like to stop a fire at its source. Our therapies are designed to selectively target and eliminate problematic immune cells—specifically, the dysfunctional T cells that drive inflammation. Rather than just suppressing the immune system, we aim to remove the root cause of the inflammation.
I think if there’s one thing to highlight about our focus, it’s that the severity of immunological and inflammatory diseases continues to represent a significant unmet medical need. That doesn’t require much promotion—it’s clear to anyone paying attention. These areas are undeniably “hot,” but just because something is trending doesn’t mean it’s well served with the right approaches.
What I’m really passionate about is the approach we’re taking—not chasing what everyone else is chasing, but choosing a different path. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” That resonates deeply with me. It reflects how I lead and how we think at AltruBio.
We’re trying to carve out a distinct space and create something new—something transformational. And I do hope that inspires others to stay open-minded and pursue bold, novel approaches, rather than getting swept up in the fever of whatever happens to be trending at the moment.
You’ve played a role in the commercialization of blockbuster drugs like Humira and Xtandi. What insights have you gained from those experiences that inform your approach at AltruBio?
I like this question—everyone wants to learn from success. It made me look deeper into the key factors. I’d highlight three commonly shared features from my experiences.
First, and probably the most universally accepted, is that success is driven by science. There’s really no secret here. You have to stay grounded in the science, understand the drug inside and out, and be able to demonstrate the strength of the data. That’s fundamental.
Second, in terms of team strategy, the “quick win, quick kill” mindset really worked well. When something is working, you fast-track it—don’t slow it down. On the flip side, when a path clearly isn’t working, you make the decision to pivot quickly, instead of dragging things out hoping for a turnaround. I know that can be hard, but as drug developers, we don’t really have the luxury of saying, “Drug development is hard.” We’re all trying to reduce both the timeline and the cost of drug development, which are major challenges in our industry. Looking back, “quick win, quick kill” mindset was a key characteristic of Humira’s development: the willingness to course-correct early and often made a big difference.
Third, stay focused. That might sound obvious, but the discipline to remain focused—at both the organizational and operational level—is critical. There were many tempting opportunities to pursue other directions, but staying on the core path was essential to getting that drug to market.
So, those three elements—sticking to the science, making quick and decisive calls, and maintaining focus—were the keys to success.
And to your question about how that experience translates to AltruBio: this approach is absolutely baked into our culture. We are extremely disciplined. That’s why it’s probably no surprise that since founding AltruBio in 2020, we’ve already advanced a completely novel molecule into Phase 2 and are working to demonstrate its efficacy. We’re applying everything I’ve learned from past experience to drive meaningful progress quickly and smartly.
With your global experience across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, how do you view the role of international collaboration in biotech innovation?
I personally believe that international collaboration is essential. And I want to pause on that point for a moment—because in today’s environment, especially recently, this idea has come under scrutiny. Some see it as conflicting with national security concerns. Every country, including the U.S., wants to ensure a reliable supply chain and protect its own citizens. That’s understandable.
But when it comes to drug development, the reality is that diseases, viruses, and infections don’t recognize borders. We saw that clearly with COVID-19—it could only be brought under control through coordinated global action. That’s why international cooperation in healthcare, and especially in biotech, is absolutely critical.
This isn’t necessarily true for every industry, but for our sector—healthcare and biotech—it’s unavoidable. No single country can fully isolate itself and expect to succeed. Let me elaborate. There’s often a perception that the U.S. is serving the world in this space—and while that may be true to some extent, we also benefit tremendously from global collaboration. We conduct clinical trials internationally. We manufacture in regions where it’s more cost-effective. These global partnerships are not philanthropy—they’re practical and necessary.
And then there’s the nature of our business itself. Drug development is a team sport—especially in biologics. That doesn’t mean small molecules are simple, but biologics require a broader range of expertise: scientific, technological, and operational. No single expert or team can do it alone. Trying to go solo in this field is like playing basketball with just one player—you simply won’t win.
Personally, I’ve been fortunate to manage organizations in Europe and Asia, in addition to spending most of my career in the U.S. That global perspective has shown me firsthand how essential it is to integrate diverse resources and talents from around the world.
In short, international collaboration isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential if we want to truly meet the healthcare needs of people here in the U.S. and globally.
As one of the Most Influential Women in Business, what advice do you have for women aspiring to leadership roles in biotech?
I would say have faith in the impact and difference you can make. Let me repeat that—have faith in the impact and influence you can make.
I’ve found that for many women—whether it’s nature or nurture—we often hesitate to pursue something just for ourselves. We tend to think, “Oh, I don’t want to do this or that,” because it feels self-centered. But if you reframe it and realize that it’s not just about you—that it’s about the difference you can make for your business, your community, or the world—it becomes much more empowering.
When you focus on the impact, you’re less likely to be shy or to get discouraged by setbacks or pushback. You’re no longer acting out of self-interest, but from a place of purpose.
So my advice is this: stay focused on the difference you’re trying to make. Don’t be afraid to rise. Don’t be shy. And don’t let resistance stop you—because you’re working toward something bigger than yourself.
You have extensive experience in biologics, cell & gene therapies, and immunology. What cutting-edge trends in these fields excite you the most and how do you see them evolving over the next 5 years?
If you had asked me this question five years ago, I could have given you a very literal answer—something like, “Here are the top five predictions.” But today, I’m actually glad I can’t answer this question that way.
That’s because we’re now entering what I believe is a golden age—where multiple disciplines are converging in ways we haven’t seen before. On the scientific front, we’re identifying new targets. Technology is advancing rapidly. And of course, AI is playing an increasingly powerful role.
So rather than naming a few specific predictions, I’m most excited about the unknown—the innovations that will come from the intersection of these disciplines. There are opportunities emerging that we can’t even fully envision yet.
Looking ahead five years, I’m confident this multidisciplinary approach will generate breakthroughs we haven’t imagined. And if I had one reminder for myself and my peers, it would be this: don’t put limits on the impact new technologies can have.
I’m a strong advocate for AI, and at my company, we’re already applying it in clinical and translational research. It’s not about replacing what we do, but about enhancing it—creating new sparks at the interface of science, technology, and medicine.
So rather than fearing change or clinging to what’s worked before, I believe we should stay open-minded and embrace what’s coming. Because this next wave of innovation isn’t just about doing things better—it’s about discovering things we never thought possible.
