A Conversation with Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D.: Founder, President, and CEO, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Physician/scientist Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, told the May 18 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club he is the only CEO of a public company who can't quote its most recent quarterly earnings. "The ethos of the company is research," explained  Schleifer. "If we do well by patients and we succeed at a business plan, of course we’re going to have great earnings." One of the leading biopharma companies in the country, Regeneron is known for its in-house R&D, "its innovation and now for bringing five approved drugs to the marketplace," said Brigham Health President Elizabeth Nabel, M.D., who introduced Schleifer and sat down with him for a discussion. Schleifer talked about some of Regeneron's breakthrough successes in human genome sequencing, the drug Eylea for macular degeneration, and a new drug for atopic dermatitis. He and Nabel then segued to the subject of drug pricing—a dilemma, Schleifer said, that "has the potential to be the undoing of our industry."