Teri Foy
Senior Vice President, Cancer Immunology and Cell Therapy, Thematic Research Center, Bristol Myers Squibb
With a mission to drive leadership in cell-based therapies in hematological and solid cancers, Teri Foy and her team focus on the development and translation of BMS’ early I-O and cell therapy pipeline from discovery through human proof of concept. Foy’s leadership has led BMS to become the only company to date with two approved CAR-T cell therapies with two distinct targets, CD19 and BCMA, for two different blood cancers. Her team is now using deep translational learnings from these two programs to reach more patients by developing new therapies using next-generation and allogenic approaches to expand into new disease areas, including solid tumors, immunology, and neurological conditions.
Beyond the lab, Foy received the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Luminary Award for her STEM advocacy. She is considered a leader and a role model for students and women, and serves as head of BMS’ Seattle R&D site, having recently been appointed as the Executive Sponsor of the BMS STEM Council to advance the global STEM strategy.
We asked…
What is the biggest challenge facing the field right now?
One of the biggest challenges for the field (and industry) is the increasing pressure on drug pricing, which directly impacts the ability to continue to fund innovation, both inside and outside the US.
Tell us about a mentor or educator who has inspired you…
A mentor of mine who has challenged and inspired me is the person who first brought me into the industry. Steve Gillis supported my career from the beginning when I was a young, naïve scientist coming out of academia. He provided me with new opportunities that stretched me and was there to support me when I wasn’t sure whether I was ready. He always had time for me when I needed someone to discuss career choices.
What goals would you still like to personally achieve?
It would be amazing if our team could develop a cell therapy that worked to improve outcomes for patients with solid tumors. Despite the field’s success with cell therapies in blood cancers, we still have work to demonstrate that this transformative therapy can also work in solid tumors.
