RARE - Manuela Maronati

Leading With Purpose: Manuela Maronati on Driving Innovation in Rare Diseases

In this episode of the RARE podcast, Laura Hulley interviews Manuela Maronati, Global Asset Head for Neuroinflammation and Rare Disease at UCB. With an impressive career spanning leadership roles at Amgen, InterMune, and Atara Biotherapeutics, Manuela brings deep expertise and passionate commitment to addressing the unique challenges of rare diseases.

 

 

A Journey Rooted in Engineering and Innovation

Manuela’s path began in chemical engineering, designing and constructing pharmaceutical plants. After earning an MBA, she transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry, working in marketing and sales at Amgen. Over time, she gravitated toward the rare disease space - an area she describes as her "startup period." For the past 15 years, Manuela has been fully immersed in rare diseases, where agility, creativity, and deep empathy drive meaningful impact.

 

Why Rare Diseases Matter

Manuela emphasized the urgency of innovation in rare diseases, citing significant unmet medical needs. With most rare diseases lacking any approved treatment, she views her work not just as a professional role but as a mission to bring real hope to underserved patient communities.

 

Strategic Leadership at UCB

At UCB, Manuela oversees assets in neuroinflammation and rare diseases. Her role is not just about managing products but about building holistic strategies to move treatments from concept to clinic. She highlighted the importance of cross-functional collaboration and patient-centric design in drug development.

 

Culture and Purpose Over Process

One of Manuela’s key messages was the power of culture in driving innovation. In rare disease work, there’s often no playbook. This requires leaders and teams to be flexible, persistent, and united by purpose. According to her, success often stems from “culture and connection” more than from strictly following established processes.

 

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Manuela encouraged future leaders to stay curious, be bold, and remain committed to patients. She also noted the importance of diverse experiences across functions, which can help leaders understand the bigger picture and make more impactful decisions.

 

Looking Ahead

With a clear focus on patient impact, Manuela sees a future where innovation in rare diseases becomes more inclusive and efficient. She believes technology, collaboration, and regulatory evolution will be key drivers of progress.

Thank you to Manuela for taking the time to feature on RARE and giving us an insight into her own journey and that of UCB.