Paul Cross is a former Federal Government ministerial advisor and senior pharma executive. Since 2012, he has been the publisher and editor-in-chief of three daily digital news mastheads covering policy, funding and politics in the Australian life-sciences sector, PharmaDispatch, BiotechDispatch and HealthDispatch. His independent news services have around 12,000 subscribers. He sat down with Carlo Montagner in August 2018 to hear how ST evolved and what its plans are for the next decade.
Paul Cross comment:
“What is unique about ST is its genesis. I can’t think of any other example of where an Australian pharma company has been privately established and then gone on to successfully commercialise products.
“Of course, you have got Australian companies like CSL. But remember, CSL began as a Government-funded entity that was privatised and then grew a global presence. Has any other company begun with only the backing of a private individual and gone on to do what ST has done?
“From a publishing perspective, what I like about Carlo is that because it is his company, he speaks with great clarity about issues relating to the pharma industry.
“He knows what he wants, when he wants it and how and why the system would benefit. ST is not a listed entity and he’s got all this skin in the game. It makes him a great advocate for the sector.
ST holds its own among the multi-national pharma companies in Australia because it has a clear voice that comes direct from the CEO. Being independent, Carlo is not beholden to the policy directions from any global head office in New York, or London, or Paris.
“I can remember when ABRAXANE was going through the PBS process. Carlo took a really assertive view. He said, ‘This is what we are going to do, this is why it has to happen’. And it happened. That is what comes from having skin in the game.
“ST is different from the rest. This company is a great example of making things happen.”