Alison Dziarmaga

Country Head of Oncology for the Swiss market

Developed and lead AstraZeneca Canada’s first Immuno-Oncology Franchise strategy (multi- indication), which included 2 launches, 6 months apart focussed in Urothelial Bladder Cancer and a practice changing indication in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Responsible for the commercial development and strategic planning for the Immuno-Oncology portfolio at AstraZeneca Canada (timelines of launch minus 18-24 months)

This was a new role created by the Canadian business to address a growing demand for real world evidence (RWE) by our external stakeholders, primarily Ministries of Health. I was responsible for developing a new capability that delivered scientific excellence and answered relevant questions about disease and healthcare utilization. By leading a cross functional team of leaders, we developed a plan to integrate RWE as part of Canadian Business Planning and worked closely with our external stakeholders (Governments, Payers, Academics) to build a meaningful capability that would benefit patients and the provincially led health care systems. In a short period of time, we were able to initiate several real world studies published in peer reviewed journals, partner with multiple Ministries of Health and Academic Institutions, organized a pan Canadian Forum on Real World Evidence and expand the RWE team within AstraZeneca. We formed first of its kind partnerships with Government stakeholders which resulted in access to government data that was previously restricted to industry and is currently used for payer submissions.

I led the market access strategy for diabetes and emerging products and was a member of the cross functional brand team. Our challenge was to ensure that patients had access to innovative type 2 diabetes medications in the most timely fashion. This required strong collaboration with field based market access colleagues, brand team members and provincial health departments to ensure a comprehensive scientific and economic proposal was submitted in order to secure coverage for medications for the appropriate patients. We also worked closely with several private payers ensuring that the newest diabetes medicines were eligible for coverage under employees insurance plans. During this time, I worked in collaboration with our joint venture colleagues at Bristol-Myers Squibb.

I was responsible for the National Scientific Strategy for various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular and diabetes. This included ensuring that Canada had strong participation in clinical trials and exceeded recruitment targets and timelines. I worked closely with our clinical trials team and our global team to influence clinical trial programs to include studies that were relevant for the Canadian population. I participated as a key member of the local brand teams and was lead scientific advisor for the brand (both marketed and emerging brands). I worked closely with healthcare practitioners, ensuring they had timely access to clinical data and continuously sought their input so that the data was interpreted and applied to best benefit patients. I led the communication strategy for our field based Medical Science Liaisons, who shared our data and pipeline projects with healthcare practitioners across the country.

I was responsible for answering healthcare practitioners questions about our marketed products in an accurate and timely manner. I provided scientific input on brand teams and was also responsible for the pharmacovigilence of the products, filing reports to Health Canada as required by their regulations.

Vice President McGill Biology Student Union

Obtained a B.Sc. in Biology and then began an M.Sc program in the Department of Human Genetics. Transferred Directly into the PhD program and traveled to New Zealand on two occasions to complete a project in collaboration with the University of Otago, Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology