EMJ GOLD: Pharma news, views and analysis · EMJ

S10 E08: AbbVie's Dr Daejin Adiboye on community and compassion in cancer care

·28 min·1 clip

The episode opens with Dr Dejan Adiboye introduced as Vice President, Therapeutic Area Head for Solid Tumour Oncology at AbbVie. He brings experience in oncology, cancer research, and drug development, along with time at Gilead and Roche Genentech. The conversation uses that background to frame both the science and the leadership side of the discussion. A good part of the episode focuses on how his leadership style has changed over time. He describes leadership as setting things up so people can bring out the best in each other. Trust matters here. The team should feel supported, not constantly checked. That idea carries into the talk about empowerment and accountability. The episode then moves into oncology itself. The conversation asks about the shift from irinotecan-based chemotherapy to precision medicine. He explains that chemotherapy has long been the mainstay of treatment. It attacks rapidly dividing cells. The same mechanism also hits healthy cells. Patients may get disease control while still dealing with heavy side effects. Outcomes can also vary a lot. The reason, he says, is that traditional treatment does not fully account for molecular diversity across cancers. The discussion then broadens to the progress made in understanding cancer biology. That progress allows therapies to target tumors more specifically. The conversation draws out the practical meaning of that change. Better science should lead to better choices about the right drug, the right patient, and the right time. Technology helps make that shift possible. The tone stays calm and reflective throughout. The episode closes with a focus on patient support and the value of helping people through care. It leaves a clear sense that oncology progress is scientific, but also deeply human.

As heard by us

A thoughtful oncology conversation where leadership, precision medicine, and patient care stay tightly linked.

Dr Dejan Adiboye's conversation with EMJ Gold tracks oncology's shift from broad chemotherapy toward more precise treatment, while keeping the human side of care in view.

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Why you'd press play

A calm, practical look at oncology leadership, precision medicine, and how cancer care is becoming more personalized.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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