How to Build a Biotech Dream Team: Collaboration Lessons from the Trenches
Intro
Even groundbreaking science won’t reach the clinic unless the right people are aligned behind it.
In biotech, scientific breakthroughs often steal the spotlight. These might include a new target, an innovative payload, or a promising preclinical signal. But when it comes to getting therapies to patients, there’s another make-or-break factor: the team.
At Theragnostic Insights, we’ve worked with dozens of emerging biotech companies. In every case, the companies that progress fastest from discovery to first-in-human trials are the ones that prioritize building an integrated team early. It’s not just about hiring smart individuals, but about aligning people around a shared mission and development roadmap.
Why Cross-Functional Drift Slows You Down
In many startups, medical leads focus on the science, regulatory manages filings, and operations drives the timeline. While these functions are distinct, they are deeply interdependent. If one area lags or acts in isolation, the entire program feels the impact.
This is especially true in radiopharmaceutical development. The close relationship between therapy, imaging, safety, logistics, and production introduces unique complexity compared to traditional drug programs.
We’ve seen promising programs miss critical timelines simply because key stakeholders weren’t involved early enough. For example, a supply chain issue might be discovered only after the protocol is finalized, or a CMC delay might go unflagged until it holds up an IND submission. In radiotherapeutics, these are not minor setbacks. They represent critical program risks.
New models are emerging to address this. Summit-driven initiatives like those led by the Eshelman Innovation Institute and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center bring together academic, clinical, regulatory, and CRO voices early in development. These collaborations demonstrate that alignment should be part of the plan from the beginning, not something to correct later [1].
Clinical Success Starts with Team Coordination
When internal teams are misaligned, the consequences extend beyond the company. Site engagement suffers, regulatory interactions become more challenging, and trial outcomes are put at risk. Misunderstandings around eligibility criteria, imaging timelines, or dosimetry planning can lead to delays, incomplete cohorts, or even protocol amendments.
Radiopharmaceutical programs like Pluvicto (lutetium-177 PSMA-617) and newer investigational agents like actinium-225 PSMA have highly sensitive supply chains. A missed delivery window or a lapse in radiation safety planning can jeopardize entire cohorts. That’s why companies like Novartis, Bayer, and Eli Lilly are investing heavily in supply infrastructure, dedicated isotope production, and development team integration [2].
Their success depends not only on scientific scale but also on strong operational coordination.
The Best Leaders Speak Multiple Languages
Top-performing biotech teams combine expertise with translational insight. Their leaders know how to bridge medical, regulatory, and operational domains.
For instance, a CMO who understands how radiolabeling schedules affect study timelines, a regulatory lead who anticipates how imaging endpoints influence statistical design, and a COO who communicates effectively with isotope vendors are all examples of cross-functional strength.
This kind of fluency across disciplines is no longer optional. It’s a key advantage. Bayer’s radiopharmaceutical leadership model reflects this, with senior team members selected for their ability to align clinical, regulatory, and operational strategy from day one [2].
For early-stage biotechs, the challenge is technical and cultural. Startups must translate complex scientific needs into accessible, inclusive job descriptions and compelling value propositions. Top talent is often drawn to mission clarity and translational purpose more than perks or prestige. Building a dream team starts with purpose-driven communication and an environment of shared ownership.
Structure Drives Speed
Contrary to popular belief, speed in biotech isn’t just about working harder. It's about moving forward with clarity. When teams have defined roles, clear priorities, and a shared path to decision-making, timelines shrink without compromising quality.
At Theragnostic Insights, we help biotech teams put this clarity into action. We guide the development of fit-for-purpose structures that support the complexity of their programs. That includes aligning team roles, creating escalation pathways, and embedding operational checkpoints into protocol design, vendor engagement, and regulatory submissions.
These strategic structures are especially critical in Theragnostic development. Programs that include both diagnostic and therapeutic elements often have asynchronous timelines. Without alignment, a program can drift even when the science is sound.
The Theragnostic Insights Advantage
Our clients don’t just want advice. They want a trusted partner who understands the realities of radiopharmaceutical development and helps them build accordingly.
That’s why we go beyond recommending who to hire. We shape how those people work together. We bring a strategic perspective to team formation, functional design, and workflow setup. This approach helps our clients avoid common pitfalls that delay progress and frustrate stakeholders.
When you work with us, you get more than a service. You gain a clinical, regulatory, and operational ally who knows how to build teams that deliver results.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re building or scaling a team, consider the following questions:
• Are your medical, regulatory, and operational leaders working from the same development assumptions?
• Do you have fast, structured ways to make cross-functional decisions?
• Are teams aligned in how they communicate, both withing the organization and with external stakeholders?
If not, the solution likely isn’t more people. It’s better alignment through effective program management and team collaboration.
References:
[1] Eshelman Innovation Institute & North Carolina Biotechnology Center, 2024. Summit Highlights: Promise and Challenges of Radiopharmaceuticals. Ncbiotech.org
[2] BioSpace, 2025. Five Big Pharmas Push Boundaries in Radiopharmaceuticals. Biospace.com
[3] BioPharma Dive, 2022. Building the Dream Team: How Life Science Startups Can Attract Top Talent. Biopharmadive.com
[4] Fast Company, 2023. You Can Build a Dream Team: 5 Ways to Attract and Retain Top Performers. Fastcompany.com
