Transformational Leadership: Lawrence Stern

Transformational leadership is a process in which “leaders and followers help each other to advance to a higher level of morale and motivation.”

— James MacGregor Burn

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, Lawrence (Larry) Stern has been a transformational leader for his organization, as well as the biotherapeutics industry. After spearheading the plan that resulted in the formation of Talecris in 2005, Stern had his work cut out for him. Tasked with building a team and turning what was essentially a set of assets into a highperforming independent company, Stern was more than up for the challenge. Under his leadership, that initial acquisition — a company with 1,600 employees — is now a global workforce of more than 4,700.

“In less than five years, we brought over 3,000 employees on board, while also taking a leadership role in the industry by opening more plasma centers than anyone else,” Stern says. “The process has been both challenging and rewarding.”

A Differentiating Leadership Style

Today, Talecris is recognized as an independent, industry-leading global provider of plasma-derived protein therapies. The company’s phenomenal growth culminated in a headline-making listing on NASDAQ; the IPO was the second largest in the U.S. last year.

Stern attributes this success in part to a self-described situational leadership style. His contention is that leaders need to have the flexibility to respond to situations differently based upon the circumstances and individuals involved. This ability to readily adapt is a skill set that has served him well.

“When it comes to effective leadership, some key attributes include a willingness to listen, discuss and debate, to stand firm, and the ability to communicate a clear sense of purpose and direction,” Stern says. “It’s also imperative to promote a sense of teamwork — this is something I strive to do and I believe it’s a differentiator for us.”

Talecris has invested heavily in research and development, releasing the only FDA-approved therapeutic indication for treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in 2008. Their product, Gamunex, now has the broadest set of FDA-approved indications of any liquid intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy. Gamunex also became the first and only IVIG therapy approved to treat a neurological disorder in the U.S.

“We are proud to be the first company to prove the efficacy of an IVIG product for the treatment of CIDP,” says Stern. “The approval of Gamunex for a neurological disorder demonstrates our commitment to discovering innovative solutions for patients through our highlyskilled research and development team.

Putting Patients First

Not surprisingly, Talecris’ accomplishments have garnered a fair share of accolades within the biopharmaceutical industry, and beyond. Last summer, the Genetic Alliance honored Talecris with its Art of Industry Partnership Award, which recognizes companies that have provided significant support to advocacy organizations and helped advance the understanding and treatment of genetic diseases. Stern says the award helped reinforce the motive behind his company’s mission, which is driven by a passion to put patients’ needs first.

“Our mission statement is in the hearts and souls of the people who work here, which is why we’ve been able to achieve so much in a short period of time. We are committed to helping people with chronic diseases, whether it’s PIDD, CIDP, Alpha 1 or hemophilia, and our sense of urgency comes from knowing that the products we carry change people’s lives.”

Stern says the patients he’s met over the years have given him inspiration as both a business leader and a human being. Like many who work with the chronically ill, he draws encouragement from watching people face the hardships of disease head on.

“So many of the patients we meet show such amazing strength and depth of character. Often, they go on to lead positive change within their communities,” he says, adding that one of his favorite pursuits is interfacing with patients and advocacy groups within the various disease states.

Blazing New Trails

As he looks to the future, Stern says that resting on laurels is not an option for him or Talecris. He plans to continue blazing new trails through transformational change initiatives that include capital expansion and research and development of innovative new therapies. Recently, Talecris submitted a biologics license application to the FDA for a subcutaneous version of Gamunex. And in October of last year, the company received FDA approval for Prolastin-C, which benefits patients with AAT deficiency through reduced infusion times. Other breakthrough new products are currently in the Talecris research and development pipeline, including Plasmin, a naturally occurring thrombolytic agent.

“The fact that we can now identify a protein and use the available technology to extract it from plasma, go through the clinical trials and bring it to market, all under the Talecris regime, really shows the breadth of our capabilities,” Stern says. “Products like these can take more than five years to finalize, and as a company, we’re taking a long-term view when it comes to investments that will ultimately support better outcomes for the patients we serve.”