NeuroSense featuring the VP Business Development

“Stay nimble. We are in an ever-changing environment, where one must be able to adapt to thrive. This mindset is key in discovering new opportunities” – Nedira Salzman-Frenkel, VP Business Development

I grew up in a family where everyone was either a physician, an inventor, or an entrepreneur. Hence my interest in medicine and drug development from a very young age. That was the discussion around the dinner table.

One of the things my father told me when I was a kid was that as a doctor, you can help only so many people, but when you invent a new drug, you amplify your impact on the world. When I was 17, I was already volunteering in a lab developing a formulation for a new intravenous drug. So, it was an obvious decision to study biology as an undergraduate and biochemistry in my master’s.
For me, joining NeuroSense was not just a professional choice, but a deeply personal one. My grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was 42, living with the disease for 40 years. As a child I saw him slowly deteriorate, as my grandmother stood by his side, putting her life on hold to take care of him. My motivation is driven by people living with neurodegenerative diseases and their families, honoring my grandfather’s resilience and my grandmother’s unwavering devotion.
Early on in my career, in parallel to completing my MBA, I had the opportunity to join a company that in-licensed early stage, groundbreaking technologies and packaged them into attractive investments. In that role I took a deep dive into business development. I learned how to fine tune a pitch, create an appealing value proposition, and negotiate with VCs and big pharma. Every rejection was a lesson in perfecting the craft. I went on to perform multiple roles in biotech operations, eventually becoming a founder/CEO of a multi-national biotech.
After over a decade in this industry, I realized that what I really enjoyed was working on strategic relationship development and corporate strategy for small companies. My background has granted me the opportunity to experience multiple aspects of the drug development process. Thus, when I joined NeuroSense to spearhead the business development, I was equipped with an entirely different outlook on the industry. It is not necessary to wear so many different hats throughout one’s career, but it has certainly given me perspective and influences my decision making every day.
I joined NeuroSense three years ago to lead Business Development. In my role I focus on strategic partnering, public and investor relations, and patient advocacy. I was drawn to NeuroSense because of their entrepreneurial spirit, incredible drive to move fast, and potential to bring to the market a disease-modifying therapy. Being part of a team fighting for a dire unmet need like ALS is humbling. At NeuroSense, we all share a passion for what we’re doing; it is as if we have a higher purpose. A small company environment, combined with this mentality, is optimal in my opinion to succeed in drug development.
My professional tip is to stay nimble. We are in an ever-changing environment, where one must be able to adapt in order to thrive. This mindset is key in discovering new opportunities. Many times I have been in situations where you have a fantastic drug candidate, beautiful proof-of-concept data, and an all-star team to carry out the development, BUT your package doesn’t quite fit into a big pharma’s objectives or a VC’s mandate. The best way to overcome these business hurdles is to know your advantages and pitfalls, define your collaboration goals, identify and target potential partners early on, build strong relationships with industry stakeholders, and be able to adapt to the shifting competitive landscape.
When I think about the future of ALS therapy, I believe we need all hands on deck. I am in awe every day of the strength of people living with ALS. I see our competitors in biopharma as comrades with a common goal. Everyone wants to help improve the lives of patients and see a success story.