Emerging Pharma Discovery (EPD) Consulting
Building Strategies to Transform Innovative Research from Discovery to Clinic
Dr. Marisela Rodriguez, PhD
Drug Development Strategist
Founder, Advisor & Executive Consultant
Purpose
Empowering researchers to translate scientific discoveries into therapies that improve patients' lives by bringing strategic clarity, operational discipline, and cost-efficiency into early-stage drug development.
Applying Proven Strategic Frameworks into Early Drug Development
Enabling smarter decision-making
Lowering R&D costs
Streamlining the path to clinic
Proven Expertise to Accelerate Your Path from Discovery Through Phase 1

Managed €150M+ portfolio at BioNTech in Mainz Germany
Guided 7 Program Managers to advance 11 global preclinical and clinical programs at various development stages
Led 100+ subject-matter experts across various multidisciplinary drug development programs
Blending experience from industry, government and academia

Worked in Collaboration with:
WHO
World Health Organization
CDC
Center for Disease Control
NIH
National Institutes of Health
USDA
US Department of Agriculture
GF
Gates Foundation
GAVI
The Vaccine Alliance

Decades of Expertise. Proven Results. Strategic Impact.
25+
Years in infectious disease preclinical research
15+
License acquisitions for critical assets
7.5
Years in project & portfolio management
Drug Development Errors can Lead to Substantial Financial Losses
The reality for researchers is more daunting.
90% of Drug Programs Fail Before Reaching Phase 1 due to:
Lack of preclinical efficacy
Unclear Target Product Profile (TPP)
Manufacturing challenges
Unmanageable toxicity
Providing strategic guidance and expert insights to increase the likelihood of clinical success
Citations
1 Sertkaya A, Beleche T, Jessup A, Sommers BD. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(6):e2415445. ​doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.15445
2 Wouters OJ, McKee M, Luyten J., 2009-2018. JAMA. 2020;323(9):844–853. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.1166
3 DiMasi JA, Hansen RW, Grabowski., 2009-2018. J. Health Econ. 2016;47:20–33. doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2016.01.012
4 Hingorani et al. Sci. Rep. (2019) 9:18911. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54849-w
5 Strovel J, Sittampalam S, Coussens NP, et al. Assay Guidance Manual, 2012 May 1 (Updated 2016 Jul 1).
EPD consulting helps drug innovators avoid early development missteps that can drive R&D costs up by:
40%
Dodging pitfalls can save millions in drug development costs.
Citations
4 Hingorani et al. Sci. Rep. (2019) 9:18911. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54849-w
5 Strovel J, Sittampalam S, Coussens NP, et al. Assay Guidance Manual, 2012 May 1 (Updated 2016 Jul 1).
Partnering with Stakeholders Across Emerging Biopharma
Biotech Start-Ups
Venture Capital Firms
Academic Research Labs
Nonprofit Organizations & Coalitions
Biohubs & Accelerators
Bring clarity to your drug development journey
Ready to accelerate your program(s)?