Urs Voegeli – Managing Director, J&J Innovative Medicine, Germany

Meeting Highlights:

• Urs Voegeli’s Mission as MD: Commitment to providing rapid access to innovative therapies that address the unmet needs of patients and engage locally with stakeholders to shape a more sustainable healthcare system for Germany. 
• Germany’s Pharma Landscape: To ensure that Germany remains an innovation powerhouse, regulatory and policy reforms are needed / Moving in the right direction with the Pharma National Strategy that boosts R&D and manufacturing. 
• Strategic Role of Germany to J&J: Germany is one of J&J Innovative Medicine’s most important markets due to its volume, frameworks to provide access to medicines, and strong innovative footprint with top talent for research, clinical trials, data science, health economics, etc. 
• J&J Innovative Medicines Pipeline:  One of the world’s leading innovative pipelines, including innovative cell & gene therapies and other breakthrough treatments in the fields of oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. In the last 24 months alone, J&J has invested 60bn USD in its Pipeline (across R&D and Business Development). 
• Access & Policy Reform: Reliable, early access to advanced therapies requires a complete modernization of AMNOG to reflect cutting-edge advancements in medicine over the past 14 years, incorporating real-world evidence acceptance and new trial endpoints. 
• Talent & Culture: J&J is a development universe that fosters an inclusive, learning-driven culture / attracting top talents with a shared purpose to impact patients’ lives and revolutionize health. 

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EF: What mission did you set for yourself in Germany, and what do you want to achieve there? 

UV: I'm incredibly happy and grateful to be back in Germany after six years. Living and working for Johnson & Johnson in different countries, as I did, gives you a fresh perspective and helps you see your work globally. You start appreciating certain things more while also recognizing gaps that need attention. Looking at our mission, the past seven months in Germany have been internally and externally turbulent, especially as we await a new federal government. But our top priority remains clear: serving patients in need. We are 100% focused on innovation. Our goal is to develop groundbreaking medicines and make them available to the right patients as quickly as possible, both now and in the future. We likely have the strongest pipeline in the industry, with an investment of around $60 billion in the past two years alone. That speaks to our commitment to addressing unmet medical needs. 

On top of that, my aim is to engage deeply with thought leaders from all areas of the German healthcare system, including patient organizations, physicians, scientists, policymakers, and industry associations, to understand both the medical needs and the challenges in this market and figure out how we can overcome them to help patients even more. Finally, there's a bigger question we need to address: how can we make Germany's healthcare system more future-proof? We need to ensure both patient access to medical innovation and a stronger position for Germany as one of the leading countries in medical research. There's incredible talent here, but Germany has lost its global edge. Once again, we want to help change that and make it a top destination for pharmaceutical innovation. 

EF: How do you assess the current landscape in Germany? How can we get back to futureproofing and making Germany the pharmacy of the world, and what are the hurdles in that respect? 

UV: Having an international career and working in different markets puts things into perspective. Take Australia, where I worked for the past two years. The industry there launched a campaign called The World’s Biggest Waiting Room because patients often face long delays. On average, they wait more than a year and a half longer than patients in Germany for drug reimbursement, if they get reimbursed at all. The overall availability of innovative medicines is also much lower compared to Germany. So, while Germany is a large market, it still stands out for its value-based and relatively fast reimbursement system. That’s a definite positive. However, medical progress has led to an erosion of the value-based core of the German AMNOG. We need to modernize the system to ensure that patients can rely on having early access to innovations when they are in need. 

The National Pharma Strategy was one of the most significant developments during my time away. It was a clear signal from the previous government, acknowledging the pharmaceutical industry as a critical sector for Germany and laying out plans to boost research, manufacturing, and access to innovation. While we fully support this direction, we urge the new government to take it further and turn these plans into concrete actions. Some initial policies were introduced, but much more needs to be done. 

At the same time, there have been trends concerning patient access to innovation. Some regulations have created barriers rather than supporting value-based assessments and reimbursement, which could slow access to new treatments. These should be reversed. There have been early steps in the right direction, such as the Medical Research Act, which sets priorities and KPIs for medical research in Germany. It's a good start in closing the gap with other countries by improving speed and cutting bureaucracy. But that's not enough. The real goal shouldn't just be to catch up. It should be to position Germany as one of the leading countries in medical research and innovation. With its wealth of talent and resources, there's no reason it can't reclaim that status. 

EF: What is the strategic significance of Germany to J&J as a global group? How does the value that Germany brings as a country go beyond just being a big market? 

UV: There are several key aspects to consider. First is early innovation. Germany has some incredible startup companies we’re already collaborating with, and we want to build on that further. The country also has top-tier medical universities and hospitals, making it a strong environment for large clinical trials. With the Medical Research Act, we’re hopeful that bureaucracy will be reduced and processes will speed up since that’s an area where Germany has been falling behind. We need to see this put into action quickly. 

Another crucial factor is Germany’s reimbursement system. To ensure reliable early access to innovative medicines and therapies even in the future, it is critical to modernize this system in a value-based way. Frequent policy changes create uncertainty that doesn’t align with our long research and investment cycles that span up to 15 years. A stable policy framework and reliable innovation-friendly framework conditions are key to fostering innovation. 

Beyond that, Germany is incredibly important when it comes to talent. The country is home to exceptional medical sciences, research, data science, IT, and health economics professionals. Germany is one of the leading countries in progressive health economics, where we see highly skilled talent. Our mission is to attract, develop, and retain the best minds in the industry. At J&J, we see ourselves as a development hub, leveraging our scale and diversity to select and nurture talent intentionally. 

EF: With the perspective of having worked in different markets, how do we assess Germany when it comes to making sure patients get these groundbreaking innovative treatments, and how can we make sure they get access quicker? 

UV: This is something I’m truly passionate about for two key reasons: first, the patients –helping those in need – and second, the science of witnessing what our teams are achieving today that was once unthinkable. Our pipeline is one of the strongest in the industry, and we are deeply committed to addressing tomorrow’s unmet medical needs, from cell and gene therapy to interventional oncology and drug-combination devices.  

For Germany to remain an innovation-friendly market when these breakthroughs reach reality, several things must happen. First, we need predictability, clear and stable guidelines on evidence requirements, comparator treatments, and clinical trials that are fit for purpose. This is where we strongly advocate for reform. Germany’s current pricing and innovation assessment law, AMNOG, is 14 years old, but medical advancements have grown exponentially. While AMNOG’s core principle of value-based healthcare remains critical, it needs updating to reflect modern medical innovation. This means two things: first, adapting to new technologies like cell and gene therapy to ensure proper measurement of their value, and second, redefining clinical endpoints. In oncology, for example, overall survival can take years to measure, but new evidence-based endpoints that correlate with survival could allow for earlier decision-making and faster patient access. We have concrete proposals on how this can be implemented effectively. 

Another critical aspect is real-world evidence. In cases of high unmet medical need where no standard of care exists, traditional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may not always be feasible or even ethical due to the difficulty of having a control arm. We need to be more open to real-world evidence, investing in robust data collection and using it alongside clinical trial data to assess the value of new therapies. Our position is clear: AMNOG reform should be driven by science and evidence. The new government must take action to sustain Germany’s role as a market where patients can access groundbreaking medical innovations quickly, reliably, and predictably when they are in need. 

EF: Do you have anything upcoming in the pipeline that sparks your interest or something you think will impact the patients within your market? 

UV: Just a few years ago in Australia, I met a patient who had relapsed on all available therapies. Through a compassionate use program, he was able to access CAR-T therapy, and incredibly, he is still alive today. I regularly see his updates on social media, and moments like these drive my purpose. At the same time, it makes me deeply appreciate the innovation-friendly environment in Germany, which is why I’m so passionate about protecting it. 

Now, regarding your question about what excites me most about the future, this pipeline is incredibly rich. I am particularly excited about a groundbreaking advancement from J&J: an interventional oncology drug-device combination that has shown promising early trial results. I can't talk with an oncologist today without them asking me about this therapy. They are genuinely happy because they see how much this could change patients' lives—not just by improving treatment effectiveness but also by making a real difference in their quality of life. This kind of breakthrough is huge for patients who have already been through so much. What excites me is how combining a drug with a device creates a more precise, targeted approach. This means better patient outcomes, with fewer side effects and less burden, which is important in cancer care. It's a great example of how innovation can tackle unmet needs meaningfully, and I feel incredibly proud to be part of it. 

EF: How do you attract and retain the best talent and build those new skill sets whilst being inclusive and diverse, bringing this culture into how we can develop these new skills to revolutionize sciences within pharma and internally in J&J? 

UV: This topic is close to my heart, and I spend a lot of time coaching talent and investing in our culture and processes to help people grow. Talent development has two key dimensions. First, people want to be part of something bigger, and they want to make an impact. We at J&J offer them the chance to be part of a medical revolution by turning our pipeline into real-world patient care. It’s incredibly rewarding, and there are so many ways for people to contribute to this mission. 

Second, especially with younger generations, purpose is a huge driver. J&J has something unique here: The J&J CREDO. It reflects our credibility, stability, and unwavering commitment to our mission over decades. This gives us a strong North Star, guiding our decisions even in tough times and shaping the culture we live by. When you ask why talents stay and grow here, the answer is always the same: the pipeline, the culture, and the people. 

Our culture is the foundation of everything: how we innovate, develop talent, and engage with customers. We define it through three key priorities. First is inclusivity because true innovation comes from diversity. We need different perspectives, and people must feel safe and valued to share their best ideas. Second, we care because we don’t just care about unmet patient needs; we care about our employees, too. Third is continuous learning because science and technology move faster than we can talk about. That’s why we prioritize learning and set aside time for it. Our employees value that, and it makes us better every day. 

EF: What would you like to share as a final message or mission for the future? What do you hope for the coming years now that you are back in Germany? 

UV: These are times of rapid change, but at the end of the day, when a patient is diagnosed with a serious illness, the only thing that truly matters to them is getting an accurate diagnosis and the best possible treatment. That is our commitment. Looking at Germany on a broader scale, it's time to be bolder than ever, to think big and stay connected. Healthcare policy is also economic policy, and we need to connect the dots, plan for the long term, and act with a strong sense of urgency for what needs to be done today. I'm fully committed to this. By working with industry players and key stakeholders, I am confident we can achieve the best patient outcomes while strengthening this country's medical and scientific industries. It's great to be back in Germany, and I'm excited about what the coming months and years will bring.