Pharma Conversations Podcast

Executive Director of the ARC Hub* for Therapeutics, Araz Raoof, joins Pharma Conversations to unpack why Europe leads the world in scientific papers yet lags in new drug approvals, and how Ireland’s ARC Hub for Therapeutics is trying to change that.

She explains the “valley of death” where academic breakthroughs often stall, the role of AI in modern drug discovery, why Ireland is a pharma manufacturing powerhouse but weak in indigenous biotech, and what ARC Hub offers to students and early‑career researchers.
Araz also shares personal stories, from HIV drug development to her love of gardening, as metaphors for patience, integration, and impact in drug discovery.

*The ARC Hub for Therapeutics is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027.

Contact us at: pharmaconversationspodcast@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Molnlycke.

In this episode of Pharma Conversations, Paul McCabe, COO of APC/VLE unpacks the hidden world of Ireland’s indigenous biopharma SMEs, and why, despite a world-class multinational presence, the ecosystem is incomplete.

He explores funding gaps, missing infrastructure, talent and entrepreneurial barriers, while sharing his own journey from big pharma to building an Irish-grown global player.

Contact us at: pharmaconversationspodcast@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Kaye.

Sustainability in pharma isn’t a side project anymore – it’s fast becoming core operational excellence. In this episode of Pharma Conversations, we sit down with Michael Kilkelly (IBEC) to explore how Irish pharma is leading on decarbonisation, the real challenges behind scope 1–3 emissions, and practical ways to embed sustainability from the boardroom to the cleanroom. A must-listen for anyone serious about turning ESG into measurable results.

Contact us at: pharmaconversationspodcast@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Kaye.

In this episode John Shabushnig, founder of Insight Pharma Consulting explains what visual inspection really means for injectable products, from manual methods to advanced automated systems.
He tackles difficult-to-inspect products, visible particle risk, and common pitfalls in validating automation. John also shows how life-cycle thinking turns inspection data into real process and quality improvements.

Contact us at: pharmaconversationspodcast@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Kaye.

In this episode of Pharma Conversations, Maria Ginnelly explains the impact of the EU GMP Annex 1 (section 5.5) on the sterilisation of indirect product-contact parts in sterile manufacturing. She explains why regulators now expect these parts to be treated as critical, why VHP alone is insufficient, and how legacy lines can use QRM, smoke studies, EM/PM, and enhanced gowning to build a defensible contamination control strategy.
Maria also challenges equipment and wrapping vendors to rethink design for Grade A continuity, sharing practical, operator-focused ideas drawn from real-world experience.

Contact us at: pharmaconversationspodcast@gmail.com

This episode is sponsored by Orion GXP Consulting.