Bob Rossilli, Chief Commercial Officer & U.S. General Manager, Kedrion Biopharma

Bob Rossilli, chief commercial officer and U.S. general manager of Kedrion Biopharma, sat down with Invest: to discuss the company’s strategic focus on rare diseases, the evolving role of artificial intelligence, and the importance of New Jersey’s life sciences ecosystem in driving innovation and partnerships. “New Jersey has unified its position as a leader in life sciences and health sciences, not just for large pharmaceutical companies, but for startups and manufacturers of all sizes,” Rossilli said.

Over the past year, what major changes and highlights have you seen in the biopharmaceutical industry, and how is Kedrion Biopharma adapting?

The pharmaceutical sector has been evolving for the 30-plus years I’ve been in the industry. One thing you can always count on in this field is change. Over the past year, the biggest drivers of that change have been technology and artificial intelligence. In addition, every year, our business becomes more regulated. The complexity of those regulations continues to grow, forcing our company, and others across the industry, to constantly adapt.

We’ve also seen a significant shift toward advocacy over the last several years: advocacy for access to medicines, not just in the United States but globally, and advocacy for disease awareness and proper diagnosis and disease management, especially in the rare disease space. It often takes far too long for patients to be properly diagnosed and treated with the right medicine or alternative care. Raising awareness is critical. 

Another major challenge facing companies today is tariffs and the threat they pose to business operations. The evolving global trade landscape is forcing many organizations to rethink their strategies.

From a Kedrion perspective, we’re adapting to all of these changes and proactively addressing them in our strategic focus; however, I’d like to focus specifically on AI. It’s one of the fastest-moving forces across every sector, and it’s pushing companies to think differently. Here, AI and machine learning have helped us identify areas of the U.S. healthcare system most likely to encounter or treat patients with rare diseases. We’re actively working with these technologies to identify areas of concentrated rare disease activity, places where doctors are treating these rare conditions, so we can better understand the patient journey and respond more urgently and effectively. We’re also integrating AI into our clinical operations, allowing us to conduct trials more efficiently. Our R&D teams are using machine learning to screen and understand therapeutic targets with greater precision. There are many forces driving change in our industry, but in my opinion, these are the most impactful right now.

How does New Jersey’s healthcare and life sciences ecosystem stand out compared to other regions, and what trends have shaped the industry?

Since 2011, Kedrion has proudly called New Jersey home to its U.S. headquarters. We’ve been fortunate to be based in a state recognized as a leading hub for pharmaceutical companies, often referred to as the “medicine chest of the world.” Over time, we’ve expanded our presence in New Jersey. Our Fort Lee headquarters is the home office for many people, with the majority of them living in New Jersey. We’ve expanded our operations in New Jersey and also operate a plasma collection facility that employs local residents.

What initially attracted us to New Jersey is what continues to draw others: a robust landscape for manufacturing, commercial operations, research and development. New Jersey has unified its position as a leader in life sciences and the healthcare sector, for pharmaceutical companies, biopharmaceuticals, startups and manufacturers of all sizes.

The region’s appeal extends beyond infrastructure. New Jersey, strategically positioned in the Northeast Corridor with New York adjacent, connects us to a highly skilled, innovation-driven workforce that continues to shape the future of life sciences. It’s one of the world’s most active locations for this industry that is rich in tangible and intangible resources. A combination of talent, strategic investment in life sciences, and strong partnerships at the local, state and federal levels makes New Jersey an ideal home for our U.S. operations. Add to that the proximity of top-tier universities, the business schools, pharmacy programs, medical institutions, and it becomes clear why retaining talent in this region is both possible and essential to our continued success.

What regulatory or legislative changes or other industry challenges have significantly impacted how Kedrion operates?

We operate in one of the nation’s most regulated industries, an environment that is constantly evolving and driving us to be laser-focused every step of the way. At Kedrion, one of our core values is integrity, which guides our commitment to caring for patients, our company, and our employees. That care is reflected in how we approach the regulations that govern our work, from plasma collection to delivering therapeutic products to patients.

One major area of change is around product approvals and bringing new treatments to market. It’s a costly and time-intensive process to move from hypothesis and concept to full approval. These regulations are designed to ensure the right treatment reaches the right patient at the right time, safely and effectively. This evolving framework has prompted pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers to rethink how they identify, discover and apply new concepts within the approval process, while still adhering to regulatory guidelines. We’re committed to maintaining compliance while also working efficiently and collaboratively with regulators to agree on a clear path forward. That early agreement is critical. When navigating complex regulatory requirements, whether through the FDA or other governing bodies, establishing alignment from the onset can make the process smoother and more effective.

Looking ahead, how does Kedrion plan to further strengthen or expand its partnerships or collaborations?

Partnerships in New Jersey are critically important to us on many levels. First, our Fort Lee-based interns connect us with local universities, bringing in talented students from pharmacy and business schools to gain hands-on experience in the industry. These interns work with us, onsite and remotely, on projects that provide a mutual benefit. For us, they are helping advance our business while providing fresh perspectives; for them, we are supporting their development into future professionals. These partnerships with universities, both locally and nationally, are also strengthening our talent pipeline.

Second, because our therapies are only made possible by plasma, and we regularly connect with donors in local communities, not just in New Jersey but in every state where we have a donation center, to show how their generosity saves lives, which in turn builds awareness, encourages continued support, and strengthens our mission. These engagements are incredibly valuable because donated plasma is the essential lifeline that becomes therapeutic products benefiting patients worldwide.

Third, we maintain local distribution partnerships to ensure our medicines are widely available throughout the United States. Many of these relationships are rooted in the New Jersey market and include partners such as CuraScript SD, McKesson, BioCare, and numerous specialty pharmacies. These partnerships, spanning education, donor engagement and distribution, are pillars of our success and deeply rooted in New Jersey and other markets around the United States. 

What is your outlook for New Jersey’s life sciences sector and workforce over the next five years, and how will that shape Kedrion’s strategic priorities?

Over the next three to five years, our focus is to bring to life the values that distinctly differentiate our company, through partnerships at the donor, patient advocacy, and healthcare provider levels. These collaborations will help us identify new pathways to support patients with rare diseases. Our strategy is firmly planted in the rare disease space to improve the patient journey from identification and diagnosis to treatment. We believe Kedrion is uniquely positioned to lead in this area, with strong roots in New Jersey and a growing global presence. In addition to rare diseases, we prioritize innovation across therapeutic areas, including immunology and neurology, and continue to broaden our role in hospital-based care. For urgent and acute care needs, our teams work closely with hospitals and clinicians to deliver timely, high-quality support, education, resources, and products where and when it matters most.